GAZA CROSSINGS CLOSED FOR SECOND DAY; QASSAM LANDS

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001096 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWBG IS PGOV PTER ASEC SUBJECT: GAZA CROSSINGS CLOSED FOR SECOND DAY; QASSAM LANDS IN OPEN AREA NEAR SDEROT ¶1. (SBU) One Qassam rocket struck an open area near Sderot's industrial zone at about 1245 local on June 26. No injuries or damage resulted, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility. UN and Palestinian contacts report that IDF troops at Kerem Shalom fired on Palestinians approximately 500 meters from the perimeter fence outside Rafah, but no injuries were reported. ¶2. (SBU) UN, Palestinian and NGO contacts report that all Gaza Strip crossings were closed on June 26 except for Erez pedestrian crossing, which was open to around 20 Palestinians (mostly medical patients) whom the GOI granted advance permits. The manager of the Gaza power plant said on June 26 that the plant has enough industrial fuel to operate until the afternoon of June 28, as the last fuel shipment from Nahal Oz fuel transfer station occurred on June 24. The plant generates roughly 30 percent of Gaza's power supply. ¶3. (SBU) Hamas statements to the press on June 25 called the GOI's closing of Gaza crossings a "violation of the ceasefire" and called on Egyptian officials to press Israel to open the crossings. The statements also said Hamas is committed to the ceasefire and called on all factions to abide by it. PIJ leader Da'ud Shihab told the press after meeting with Hamas leader Sa'id Siyam on June 25 that PIJ will abide by the ceasefire and will not fire rockets unilaterally. Siyam told local press on June 25 that all factions have agreed to refrain from unilateral actions and participate in a "crisis management cell" that will convene "to assess the situation in the event of any Israeli violation of the ceasefire." DFLP leaders said the main factions in this cell are Hamas, PIJ, the PFLP, DFLP and Fatah. WALLES