GAZA: LIMITED FOOD, FUEL, AND MEDICINE;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001705

SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA; PRM FOR FRONT OFFICE AND
PRM/ANE; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR;JOINT STAFF FOR LTG SELVA;
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/MEA:MCCLOUD/BORODIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2014
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAID PREF PGOV KWBG SENV IS GZ
SUBJECT: GAZA: LIMITED FOOD, FUEL, AND MEDICINE;
INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER STRESS

REF: JERUSALEM 1155

Classified By: Consul General Daniel Rubinstein for reasons 1.4 b,d.


1. (SBU) Summary: Access to Gaza for goods through Israeli
crossing points remains severely constrained. While there
are adequate stocks of basic food items in Gaza, the lack of
variety and continuing price increases are negatively
impacting people's health. A lack of medicine is crippling
the health sector. The water and electricity grids, while
restored to 2008 levels, suffer from a lack of supplies and
basic maintenance. End summary.

Crossings
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2. (SBU) Kerem Shalom and the conveyor belt at Karni remain
the primary crossing points for authorized shipments into
Gaza. According to UN OCHA, 2,620 truckloads of supplies
entered Gaza in August, a 15 percent increase from July, but
approximately one-fifth of what was permitted prior to June

2007. UN officials estimate that 70-85 percent are private
sector shipments.


3. (C) Nahal Oz fuel station transfers approximately 2.2
million liters of industrial fuel per week for the power
plant, meeting two-thirds of the plant's capacity of 80MW.
OCHA reported that 3,443 tons of cooking gas entered Gaza in
August, a 26 percent decrease from July, though still above
the monthly averages from January to June. With a few
exceptions, the GOI has not permitted the import of diesel or
petrol into Gaza since November 2008. However, diesel and
petrol continue to flow abundantly through the tunnels from
Egypt, and supplies are available in Gaza at low prices due
to Egyptian fuel subsidies. A local Gazan fuel distributor
reported on September 16 that Egyptian petrol costs NIS 1.9
per liter, while Israeli petrol sells for NIS 6 per liter;
Egyptian diesel costs 1.3 per liter and Israeli diesel is NIS
5 per liter.


4. (SBU) Erez crossing is only open for international
personnel and urgent medical cases. In August, according to
GOI statistics, 737 staff members of international
organizations entered and 740 exited Gaza; 1,062 patients and
their companions crossed into Israel. Israeli NGO Physicians
for Human Rights reported that between January and June, the
GOI denied or delayed the approval of 51 percent of Gazan
applicants for medical treatment abroad; the delayed
applications resulted in missed appointments, and
consequently the patients remained in Gaza.

Food
--------------


5. (SBU) Food supplies make up the bulk of shipments into
Gaza from Israel, constituting 77 percent of the truckloads
in August. An OCHA official in Gaza reported that the lack
of economic activity, the increased price of food, and a lack
of variety in the food supplies allowed in through Israeli
crossings are negatively affecting the diet of the
population. People are not starving, he said, but they are
buying less and poorer quality food due to high food prices,
as well as the need to economize because of price increases
among other essential goods.

Electricity
--------------


6. (C) Gaza has been experiencing a shortage of 70MW of
electricity supply, leading to rolling blackouts of 4-8 hours
per day, according to Omar Kittaneh, the Chairman of the PA
National Energy Authority. The Gaza Power Plant produces
approximately 55MW, while Gaza receives 117MW from Israel and
17MW from Egypt. World Bank contacts in Gaza report that the
Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) is in short
supply of 400 electrical spare parts and out of stock of 150
others, resulting in some areas of Gaza remaining unconnected
to the grid. The World Bank claims that GEDCO filed requests
over the last two years for clearance of 141 items remaining
at Israeli ports, receiving a response for only 97 items (30
requests rejected and 67 pending). Kittaneh notes, however,
that the electricity infrastructure is largely restored to
levels predating December 2008-January 2009 Israeli combat
operations in Gaza.

Water

JERUSALEM 00001705 002 OF 002


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7. (SBU) The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) in
Gaza reports that 10,000 people in Gaza do not have access to
the water network, while 60 percent of the population is
without daily access. Only 10 percent of the water supply in
Gaza meets World Health Organization standards. OCHA
reported that 50-80 million liters of untreated and partially
treated wastewater has been discharged into the environment,
including the Mediterranean Sea, every day since January

2008. The deterioration of the system is a result of stalled
maintenance projects and upgrades due to lack of supplies,
severe shortages of fuel and electricity, and damage suffered
during December 2008-January 2009 Israeli combat operations
in Gaza. The lack of treatment has led to contamination of
Gaza's aquifer, from which both the Gazan and Israeli
networks draw water. World Bank, international, and CMWU
officials are concerned that the winter rainy season will
exacerbate these pollution problems.

Health
--------------


8. (SBU) OCHA reports that the Central Drug Store now lacks
100 of 480 essential drugs. Medical shipments into Gaza have
been insufficient in quantity and variety to address the
shortage. The Central Drug Store expects the number of
out-of-stock essential items to rise to 140 in September.
RUBINSTEIN