GAZE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE -- JANUARY 23

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000176 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA, PRM FOR PRM/ANE; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/PASCUAL; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN/NANDY/LAUDATO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID PHUM KWBG ETRD IS CASC PTER SUBJECT: GAZE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE -- JANUARY 23 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Kerem Shalom and Karni conveyor belt are open on January 23. The arrival date of a UN assessment team remains to be determined. End Summary. Crossings -------------- ¶2. (SBU) January 23: Kerem Shalom and Karni conveyor belt are open. Nahal Oz fuel transfer station and Rafah crossing are reportedly closed. ¶3. (SBU) January 22: Contacts confirmed that approximately 105 truckloads entered through Kerem Shalom. Roughly 200 tons of cooking gas and 580,000 liters of power plant fuel were transferred at Nahal Oz fuel transfer station. The Karni conveyor belt was open for the transfer of 60-70 truckloads of wheat and grains, and Rafah crossing was open to approximately 12 truckloads of medical supplies. UN Assessment Team -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The UN has not yet determined when its assessment team will enter Gaza. UNRWA contacts reported on January 22 that a high-level decision is required on how many UN international staff will be allowed to participate in the assessment. Shelter -------------- ¶5. (SBU) UNRWA contacts reported that it continues to operate 16 shelters (15 of which are schools) for 8,500 people. They noted that many more remain displaced in family and friends, homes. Health -------------- ¶6. (SBU) UNICEF contacts reported that 54 of 56 public health clinics are functioning, while all 18 UNRWA primary health clinics are open (serving between 19,000-20,00 patients per day). An MoH contact reported on January 23 that 350 critically injured patients in Gaza need to be transferred to hospitals abroad. According to WHO, the provision of immunizations and antenatal care and the management of chronic diseases has resumed. Food -------------- ¶7. (SBU) UNRWA contacts reported that all 10 of its distribution sites were open and providing food to roughly 25,000-27,000 beneficiaries on January 23. WFP contacts reported that WFP has reached 216,000 of its 360,000 recipients. UN contacts reported a need for fresh food in Gaza; UNRWA and WFP food stocks remain low. ¶8. (SBU) UN contacts reported that large quantities of powdered milk have entered Gaza, but there is a concern it will be mixed with non-potable water in parts of the Strip. Water and Sanitation -------------- ¶9. (SBU) UNICEF contacts reported on January 23 that Gaza's water utility completed a rapid needs assessment on January ¶22. The assessment concluded that repairs to the water networks and sewage system will cost $3.7 million and will take up to 60 days to implement. ¶10. (SBU) ICRC contacts reported on January 23 that the Beit Lahiya sewage lagoon is under control, while the breached embankment at the Gaza City Sewage treatment facility has been contained and is under repair. In addition to repairs to the municipal water and sewage networks, ICRC and UNICEF both cited the need for extensive repairs to water tanks and plumbing in individual homes, without which access to water and sewage services will be limited. Electricity/Power -------------- ¶11. (SBU) According to the Gaza power plant manager, the plant is running on two turbines producing 65 MW on January ¶23. JERUSALEM 00000176 002 OF 002 Education -------------- ¶12. (SBU) UNRWAS,s 221 schools are expected to open on January 24 for 200,000 refugee children. UNRWA is providing NIS 100 (USD 26) to families with school-age children to purchase necessary items, such as backpacks and new clothes. WALLES