GAZA: CROSSINGS CLOSED, ROCKET FIRE CONTINUES; GOI

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 002081 NOFORN SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR GOLDBERGER/LENTZ/HANKINS; PRM FOR PRM/ANE; NSC FOR PASCUAL; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2018 TAGS: KWBG IS PHUM PTER PREL ECON CASC SUBJECT: GAZA: CROSSINGS CLOSED, ROCKET FIRE CONTINUES; GOI DETAINS AMCIT REF: JERUSALEM 2050 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. Summary: (C) All Gaza crossing were closed on November 18-19, except for Erez pedestrian crossing, which was open to certain medical cases and international NGO employees. Five Qassam rockets and four mortars were fired toward Israel November 18-19. Israeli naval forces detained 15 fisherman and three activists, including an Amcit, off the coast of Gaza. Gaza fuel sector contacts reported on November 19 that 50,000-100,000 liters/day of diesel fuel has entered Gaza from Egypt via the tunnels since November 9, meeting an estimated 20 percent of demand. According to ConGen contacts, no industrial fuel for the power plant comes in via the tunnels. End summary. Commercial and fuel crossings remain closed -------------- ¶2. (SBU) OCHA contacts in Gaza said that all Gaza commercial crossings remained closed on November 19, including Kerem Shalom, Sufa, and the Nahal Oz fuel transfer station. Erez pedestrian crossing was open to restricted medical cases and some international NGO employees. Nahal Oz has been closed to diesel, gasoline, and cooking gas shipments since November ¶4. Violence continues November 18-19 -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Palestinian militants fired five Qassam rockets and four mortars toward Israel November 18-19. Two rockets landed near Zikiim, and three in open areas near Sderot, and none caused injuries or property damage, according to international organization contacts and press. Two mortars landed near Kibbutz Nahal Oz without causing damage, and two fell inside the Gaza Strip. PIJ and the PFLP claimed responsibility for these attacks. ¶4. (SBU) Israeli naval forces detained 15 Palestinian fisherman and three international activists off the Gaza shore early November 18, according to press reports and consular contacts. Detainees include an Amcit, Darlene Wallach. The three activists are in Israel pending deportation, according to press. Diesel shipments at the tunnels meet 20 percent of demand -------------- ¶5. (C/NF) Vice Chairman of the Gaza Fuel Sector Association Mahmud Khuzander told Econoff on November 19 that 50,000-100,000 liters/day of diesel fuel has entered Gaza via the tunnels at the Egypt border since November 9. He said that no gasoline shipments have passed via the tunnels in the last ten days. Khuzander and OCHA contacts in Gaza said that most families have stored diesel and gasoline over the last few months, and are using those limited reserves to drive their vehicles and fuel their generators. Khuzander who owns 15 gas stations in Gaza, estimated that Gaza's current demand for diesel fuel is 350,000 liters/day. Power plant fuel -------------- ¶6. (C) The Gaza power plant chief engineer confirmed to Econoff on November 19 that the plant has not received industrial fuel shipments since November 12 and has been shut down since November 13. He noted that no industrial fuel enters via the tunnels. He said that the plant's storage tanks are holding 30,000 liters (less than two hours) of industrial fuel, which can not be used, as running the tanks dry will ruin the turbines. EU contacts who manage the supply of industrial fuel imported via Nahal Oz confirmed the amounts of fuel in storage at the plant. WALLES