GAZA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE: JANUARY 6

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000047 SENSITIVE SIPDIS S/ES-O FOR SECRETARY'S TRAVELING PARTY; NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA, PRM FOR PRM/ANE; NSC FOR PASCUAL/PRATT; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN/NANDY/LAUDATO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON ETRD IS KWBG PHUM PREF SUBJECT: GAZA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE: JANUARY 6 REF: JERUSALEM 39 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: WFP contacts report that 59 truckloads of humanitarian and commercial shipments entered Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing on January 6. A limited shipment of industrial fuel was delivered to the Gaza power plant, which remains shut down due to insufficient fuel supplies. Movement between north and south remains severly limited, and few supplies that entered Kerem Shalom have been able to reach Gaza City. Seventy-five percent of Gazans are without electricity and the majority of Gazan homes do not have running water. Several UN shelters were reportedly hit by IDF fire on January 5-6, resulting in numerous deaths. End Summary. Crossings: Open for limited shipments -------------- ¶2. (SBU) WFP contacts report that 59 truckloads of humanitarian and commericial food shipments passed into Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing on January 6. The shipments are being held in UN and NGO storehouses in southern Gaza. Nahal Oz fuel transfer station was open on January 6 for a half-day supply of power plant fuel and some cooking gas shipments, yet trucks on the Gaza side did not pick up the cooking gas shipments due to ongoing military operations in the area. Meanwhile, Erez pedestrian crossing was open to a limited number of NGO employees. The Karni crossing conveyer belt was closed on January 6, according to OCHA. Internal Distribtuion Hampered -------------- ¶3. (SBU) According to UNRWA and other sources, an UNRWA truck in Gaza City was hit by IDF fire, destroying 2,000-3,000 MT of food. Late on January 5, the compound of UNRWA,s primary transportation contractor was struck by IDF shelling, killing two of the contractor,s cousins and damaging several vehicles. As a result of these incidents, the contractor refused to send drivers and trucks to Kerem Shalom on January ¶6. ICRC cancelled the transfer through Kerem Shalom of a truck carrying medical supplies and all movements inside Gaza on January 6. ¶4. (SBU) ICRC is seeking IDF clearance before attempting to bring goods through Kerem Shalom or to distribute supplies inside Gaza. ICRC has seen no improvement in coordination since an MOD-MFA cell was formed 48 hours ago. WHO and WFP contacts said that 10 truckloads of humanitarian supplies entered Gaza City on January 5. As of 1700 local, ConGen contacts have not confirmed whether any shipments have been allowed to enter Gaza City on January 6. All contacts report that travel within Gaza remains difficult and that north-south travel is severely limited. Shelter: Increasing Numbers Displaced, Three Shelters Reportedly Hit -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The number of individuals seeking shelter in UNRWA facilities continues to increase. As of January 6, UNRWA is operating 25 emergency shelters that house nearly 15,000 internally displaced Palestinians. Eighty-five percent of the displaced are in the north, including Gaza City. UNRWA is delivering water tanks, food, and aid packages to the extent possible. Six of UNRWA,s 18 primary health care clinics are now closed. An IAF strike on the main mosque in Bureij Camp severely damaged UNRWA,s Primary Health Clinic in the camp and injured six UNRWA health staff, three critically. ¶6. (SBU) UNRWA reports that three schools being used as shelters were hit by IDF fire on January 5-6, either directly or as collateral damage. As of 1700, press reports multiple fatalities at the Al Fakoura School in Jabaliya. An UNRWA press release on January 6 claimed three individuals were killed when a shell struck the Asma Elementary School in Gaza City overnight on January 5. UNRWA told RefCoord December 29 that it had communicated the GPS coordinates for all its possible emergency shelter locations immediately after airstrikes began. ¶7. (SBU) UNRWA said that all residents of Um el Nasser were forced to leave on January 5; the IDF ordered people out of their homes by loudspeaker and randomly fired artillery JERUSALEM 00000047 002 OF 002 shells at residences. UNRWA said it witnessed a similar pattern in other areas, such as Johr el Deek. The majority of these people have ended up in UNRWA shelters. Fuel and Electricity Shortages -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The Gaza power plant remains closed due to a lack of fuel, and six of 10 electricity feeder lines from Israel are down. ICRC contacts reported on January 6 that some of its Gaza staff is assisting technical crews from the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) in restoring power lines to hospitals in Gaza City. According to UNRWA and other contacts, 75 percent of Gaza does not have electricity. There is no electricity in Gaza City. ¶9. (SBU) On January 5, UNRWA distributed 10,000 liters of diesel to four hospitals. On January 6, UNRWA planned to distribute diesel to the Coastal Municipal Water Authority and to various hospitals. Health: Crowded Hospitals, Limited Services -------------- ¶10. (SBU) WHO contacts in Gaza reported on January 6 that Gaza City hospitals rely exclusively on power generators and that emergency rooms are overflowing with severely injured civilians. A Gaza physician told EconSpecialist on January 5 that emergency room teams have not been able to maintain sterilized rooms and equipment, given the speed at which new patients arrive and necessary surgeries. "We just use soap to clean our tools," said the doctor. ICRC Mission Director said that the Red Cross successfuly transferred 17 patients from Gaza City to Egypt via Rafah crossing on January 5. ICRC said that they are trying to coordinate logistical efforts with the IDF, but have had "very limited success." Water and Sewage Concerns -------------- ¶11. (SBU) UN contacts estimate that 70 percent of Gaza families have limited access to water on January 6. The Coastal Municipal Water Utility said on January 5 that nearly half of Gaza,s water and sewage pumps are no longer operational due to a lack of power, spare parts, and damage from IDF bombs. ¶12. (SBU) Contacts in Gaza City said that IDF shells fell near the embankments of the Beit Lahiya sewage lagoon in northern Gaza. (Note: A section of the lagoon's embankments collapsed in 2007, drowning six residents. End Note.) ICRC reported that a sewage line in Gaza City was hit a few days ago, and sewage is leaking onto the streets. ICRC is trying to coordinate with the IDF to repair the line, which would require shipping in pipes, arranging the use of a bulldozer, and turning off the sewage pumping station temporarily. The IDF has not approved the request. Cash Shortage -------------- ¶13. (SBU) UNRWA reports that it has repeated its request to the GOI to transport USD 20 million and NIS 20 million into Gaza for humanitarian purposes. (Note: UNRWA first made this request directly to the GOI in early December but has not yet received GOI approval. UNRWA is expected to submit a new request to the GOI for additional cash in the coming days to support January humanitarian payments. End Note.) The Palestine Monetary Authority told ConGen Treasury attache that it plans to submit a formal request on January 7 to the Bank of Israel to transport NIS 245 million in cash to Gaza to pay 94,000 UNRWA humanitarian hardship cases and salaries of 77,000 PA employees in Gaza. WALLES