GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 29, 18:00

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 TEL AVIV 002906

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/28/2018
TAGS: KWBG MOPS PREL PTER PINR EAID EFIN IS
SUBJECT: GAZA SITUATION REPORT, DECEMBER 29, 18:00

REF: JERUSALEM 2295

Classified By: A/DCM Marc Sievers for reasons 1.4 (B/D).


1. (C) Summary: The IDF continued its deployment of ground
forces around the Gaza periphery on December 29, with
elements of at least three armored and two infatry brigades
taking up positions opposite Gaza City and Beit Hanoun. Air
strikes against strategic and tactical targets continued
throughout the day, as did rocket and mortar fire from the
Gaza Strip. One Israeli civilian was killed when a rocket
landed in Ashkelon on the morning of December 29. According
to IDF contacts, 63 truckloads of humanitarian supplies
entered Gaza via Kerem Shalom during the day on December 29,
with further deliveries scheduled for December 30. Israeli
political leaders, including FM Livni and MoD Barak, caution
that military operations could continue for weeks, and that
the goal is to change the strategic environment and destroy
Hamas' offensive rocket capabilities. Separately, Bank
Hapoalim and Bank Discount announced that they will cease
providing correspondent banking services to Gaza at midnight
on December 31. End summary.

Military Operations
--------------


2. (SBU) The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is continuing its
strategic campaign against Hamas leadership, personnel and
infrastructure throughout Gaza. In addition to targets
associated with the manufacture, storage and deployment of
Kassam rockets, the IAF has also attacked the Hamas Interior
Ministry, Islamic University (which contains labs that the
GOI says are active in weapons and explosives research for
Hamas),and a Hamas guest house used for official visitors.
The IDF Spokesperson announced that the office of Hamas PM
Ismail Haniyeh was attacked overnight (note: speaking on
Israeli radio December 29, Deputy Defense Minister Vilnai
denied that Haniyeh was personally targeted in the
airstrike),as were "dozens of other Hamas-related targets."
Israeli Naval forces also attacked Hamas vessels and coastal
structures overnight, according to the Spokesperson,s
office. In his radio interview, Deputy Defense Minister
Vilnai also said the IDF has high morale, and in contrast to
the Second Lebanon War, all levels of the military know their
task and what is expected of them. Vilnai said the
operations will last a long time, "perhaps much longer than
people expect." Asked to comment on a possible ground
campaign, he declined to answer, saying he did not intend to
broadcast to Hamas Israel's military intentions.


3. (S/NF) At 16:00 on December 28, the IDF bombed the
Phiadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, destroying
39-40 smuggling tunnels. No Egyptian border guards were
harmed. IDF contacts have repeatedly told DATT that the
targeting of the tunnels was coordinated with Egypt, and that
they had passed the coordinates of the attack points to the
Egyptians to enable them to ensure the safety of their border
forces.


4. (SBU) As of 15:00 local December 29, 50 rockets have been
fired into Israel today from Gaza, according to press
reports. One Israeli was killed and 14-16 wounded when a
Grad-type rocket struck a construction site in Ashkelon
during the morning. Two Israelis have been killed since the
start of operation "Cast Lead" on December 27. On December
28, two 122 mm Katyusha rockets struck areas in or near the
city of Ashdod, in what appears to be the first attack by
rockets with a range in excess of 30 km.


5. (S/NF) The IDF is continuing its deployment of ground
forces around the Gaza periphery, although no ground
operations had been initiated as of 18:00. This morning the
IDF closed most areas bordering the Gaza Strip to allow for
the positioning of armor and infantry units. On December 28,
DAO officers observed the movement of M-109 artillery and
support/ammunition vehicles into the vicinity of Gaza. Heavy
trucks laden with concrete shelters, water storage tanks and
other logistical equipment intended to support ground
operations were also observed deploying around the Gaza
border. DAO also observed the movement of Merkava 3 tanks
from the 188 Armor Brigade, which is normally deployed on the
Lebanese border, into the vicinity of Gaza.


6. (S/NF) During a subsequent observation mission this
morning, DAO officers observed a further significant increase
in the IDF ground forces presence around Gaza. Elements of
three armor brigades, including artillery batteries and
Merkava 3 and 4 tanks, and two infantry brigades were
deployed opposite Gaza City and Beit Hanoun.


TEL AVIV 00002906 002 OF 003


Political Developments
--------------


7. (U) During a special Knesset session to discuss the
military operations this morning, DefMin Barak called the
operation an "all-out war against Hamas" and said it would be
"widened and deepened as is necessary." He said the security
services had spent "months" preparing for the operation, and
would carry it out until Hamas is not longer capable of
launching rockets at Israeli towns. While somewhat less
hawkish, FM Livni,s remarks to the Knesset made clear that
Israel expects the international community to blame Hamas,
not Israel, for the current hostilities and the plight of
Palestinian civilians in Gaza.


8. (C) During a briefing in Sderot for the diplomatic corps
on December 28, Livni and MoD Pol-Mil Director Amos Gilad
stressed that Israel needs the support of the international
community for an extended military operation designed not to
overthrow the Hamas regime in Gaza, but to change the
strategic environment by force. Israel will not tolerate
continued rocket attacks on its citizens and the operation
will continue for weeks. Livni said if the international
community forces Israel to stop too soon, Israel will have to
do it all over in the near future. She expressed
understanding of President Abbas, dilemma and pressure on
him to condemn Israeli actions, but she noted that even he
had blamed Hamas while in Cairo, and she asked why the rest
of the international community was finding it hard to do the
same. "This is the minimum we expect of you," she told the
assembled diplomats. Livni also said the Gaza operation was
in the longer run interests of peace with the Palestinians
since Israel could not sign a peace agreement with a
Palestinian Authority that did not have control over Gaza.


9. (C) Gilad said he attached high priority to cooperating
with UNRWA, WFP, and Arab and Muslim states to ensure a
steady flow of humanitarian relief. He said the objective is
to force an end to the rocket fire and Israel will continue
until that goal is reached. He reiterated comments by other
political leaders that ground operations are an option to be
used if necessary. Gilad emphasized that the targets have
been only Hamas offices, military installations and rocket
workshops and stockpiles. He said Israel is using
sophisticated means to avoid civilian casualties but some are
unavoidable. Asked if Israel was concerned about Hizballah
opening a second front from the north, Gilad said the IDF is
on high alert in the north and is "ready for all
eventualities." Gilad dismissed the possibility that the
fighting in Gaza could touch off a third Intifada in the West
Bank, saying that "all of our intelligence assessments are
that the PA is in full control in the West Bank and has no
interest in allowing a third Intifada."

Humanitarian Assistance
--------------


10. (SBU) The MFA and the IDF,s Coordinator for Government
Activities in the Territories (COGAT) say they are prepared,
to the extent possible given ongoing military operations, to
facilitate the passage of all international humanitarian
assistance destined for Gaza. According to COGAT, 23 trucks
crossed into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing on December
28, with 50 trucks scheduled for delivery December 29. As of
17:00 on December 29, 63 trucks had crossed into Gaza,
according to an IDF contact at Kerem Shalom. The crossing
was scheduled to remain open until 16:30 but closed late in
order to get through an urgently needed donation of 600-1000
units of blood from Jordan. The IDF contact confirmed
delivery of five ambulances from the PA, but said the Turkish
ambulances, which were supposedly off-loaded in Ashdod, had
not been found as of closing time.


11. (SBU) According to the IDF source, the 63 trucks included:

-- World Food Program: 15 trucks (450 metric tons, including
20 metric tons funded by USAID) of wheat flour;
-- UNWRA: 4 trucks of medical supplies and 10 trucks of food
(rice, milk powder, sugar);
-- ICRC: 3 trucks of medical supplies and 5 ambulances
transferred from the West Bank;
-- Jordan: 1 truck of 1000 liters blood products, 12 truck of
food and medical supplies;
-- Egypt: 4 trucks of food;
-- Doctors Without Borders: 1 truck of medical supplies;
-- CARE: 1 truck of medical supplies;


12. (SBU) The IDF expects 50-60 trucks at Kerem Shalom again
tomorrow, including five trucks of medical supplies for the
ICRC.

TEL AVIV 00002906 003 OF 003




13. (SBU) Nahal Oz and Karni: As of 11:00, the MFA reported
that plans to open the Nahal Oz terminal for cooking gas
transfer was cancelled due to the ongoing military operations
near the terminal. COGAT is planning to try again December

30. Plans to transfer 40 trucks of grain through the Karni
conveyor terminal were also cancelled, with COGAT examining
the possibility of rerouting the grain to Kerem Shalom.


14. (SBU) Erez: COGAT source confirmed several emergency
crossings at Erez, including a number of UN staff entering
Gaza and urgent medical cases exiting Gaza. As of 17:00,
Erez was being held open waiting for the arrival of an
ambulance to transport an injured individual to the West Bank
for medical treatment. The Consular Section is coordinating
with COGAT and Consulate General Jerusalem on any potential
evacuations of Amcits through Erez, but COGAT knew of none
seeking exit on December 29.


15. (SBU) Medical Supplies: The MFA argued today that
inefficiencies on the part of the Palestinian Authority,s
(PA) Ministry of Health (MOH),not the GOI, are responsible
for the delay of medical supplies into Gaza. According to
the MFA, the PA took responsibility for the provision of
healthcare products to Gaza as of August. Since that time,
it has become the responsibility of the PA MOH to gather,
package, and transfer medical supplies to UNRWA for delivery
to recipients in Gaza. Due to delays in preparing supplies,
the PA MOH has not been able to deliver enough goods to UNRWA
to keep pace with demand, the MFA said. The MFA emphasized
that the GOI stood ready to approve for entrance any medical
supplies that donors or the PA were prepared to send to Gaza.
COGAT confirmed that the PA had advised of 30 truckloads of
medical supplies slated to arrive at Kerem Shalom on December

29. However, only five had arrived before the crossing
closed, and COGAT was told by PA officials that no more would
be coming.


16. (SBU) MFA contacts said they were now working with the
World Health Organization (WHO) to improve the supply of
medical goods destined for Gaza. The MFA understands that
the WHO has requested additional donations of supplies from
its members and continues to coordinate its actions with the
PA MOH. The MFA believes the WHO had underestimated the
number of injured that would result from the current action
and is now ramping up operations to meet demand as quickly as
possible. The Israeli Ministry of Health has offered to send
emergency medical supplies as well, and is coordinating with
the MFA and COGAT to determine whether its assistance is
required.

Other
--------------


17. (C) Gaza Cash: Bank Hapoalim and Bank Discount, the only
two Israeli banks that maintain correspondent relationships
with Palestinian banks, report that they plan to permanently
discontinue provision of services to Gaza branches as of
midnight on December 31st. Banking contacts have informed
emboffs that Stanley Fischer, Governor of the Bank of Israel,
has not requested that the banks extend their deadlines as he
did in November. Without such a call from Fischer by
close-of-business today, emboffs believe that Bank Hapoalim
and Bank Discount will likely follow through on their plan as
announced. Embassy contacts at the banks and in Fischer,s
office have agreed to keep emboffs appraised of any changes.


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