GAZA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - JANUARY 9

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000098 SIPDIS SENSITIVE 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: ECON EAID PHUM KWBG ETRD CASC IS SUBJECT: GAZA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - JANUARY 9 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Kerem Shalom crossing was open on January 9 and Nahal Oz fuel transfer station was closed. Movement of fuel and aid shipments in Gaza is severely limited, given UNRWA and ICRC's suspension of movement following lethal incidents involving the IDF (septel). Most of Gaza homes remain without electricity and running water. Post plans to evacuate AmCits from Gaza once movement within Gaza is viable. End Summary. Crossings Update -------------- ¶2. (SBU) January 9: OCHA contacts report that Kerem Shalom was open for private sector shipments and Rafah for medical transfers. All UNRWA movements were suspended. Nahal Oz fuel pipelines and Karni crossings were closed. Erez crossing was open to limited pedestrian traffic, according to private sector contacts. ICRC reported that it could not escort foreign nationals through Erez during the next "few days." ¶3. (SBU) January 8: According to OCHA and UNRWA contacts, 81 truckloads (including 38 bearing aid) and four pallets of blood for Gaza's central blood bank entered Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing on January 8. Nearly 300,000 liters of industrial fuel and 140 tons of cooking gas were pumped through Nahal Oz pipelines. According to UN contacts, a total of eight truckloads of medical supplies entered Rafah crossing on January 8, while four medical evacuees exited there on January 8. ICRC escorted more than 200 foreign nationals out of Erez crossing on January 8, but no truckloads entered there following IDF fire on a Palestinian worker. ICRC and UNRWA halt convoy transport operations -------------- -- ¶4. (SBU) ICRC and UNRWA officials confirmed that they have suspended movement in Gaza while they develop new procedures with the IDF to prevent the repetition of lethal incidents involving their employees and aid convoys. UNRWA contacts on January 9 said they have suspended movement because of nine separate incidents the past few days. They say they will not resume movement without "full guarantees" from the GOI (septel). As a result, shipments through the crossings and distribution within Gaza are severely restricted. Internal movement and coordination limited and dangerous -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Private sector and UN contacts reported that several fuel transport trucks left Nahal Oz on January 8 but could not reach gas stations and the power plant due to the UN transport stoppage. The trucks were parked overnight in central Gaza City, near UNRWA headquarters. Fuel sector contacts expressed concern that large supplies of fuel were in a densely populated location, given ongoing IDF airstrikes. Private sector fuel transportation contacts are hoping to work with UNRWA to transfer those trucks to non-populated areas or to their final destinations, but the process is more difficult without UN/ICRC coordination. Fuel and Electricity -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Private sector fuel contacts said that 500,000 liters of diesel fuel, 350,000 liters of power plant fuel, and 200 tons of cooking gas are being stored on the Gaza side of Nahal Oz fuel station. Contacts said that pick-up and transfer of these shipments will not take place without a UN/ICRC escort. Private sector fuel contacts said that two Gaza gasoline stations were destroyed by IAF missile fire during December 28-31. ¶7. (SBU) WHO and private sector contacts said that the Gaza electricity distribution company (GEDCO) repaired Gaza City connectivity to Israeli feeder lines on January 8, resulting in four to six hours of electricity in certain Gaza City areas. GEDCO reported that two Israeli electrical lines east of Gaza City went down again, although they could not explain why. The Gaza power plant is unlikely to re-start its turbines while the two main power lines from the plant remain down, according to private sector fuel executives in Gaza on January 9. Food -------------- ¶8. (SBU) WFP contacts reported that there were no wheat grains, fruits, or vegetables in Gaza markets, and only eight bakeries are operating. WFP plans to provide flour and possibly cooking gas to prepare more "ready-to-eat" meals. JERUSALEM 00000098 002 OF 002 Water/Sanitation -------------- ¶9. (SBU) ICRC contacts reported that three water wells in Khan Yunis were connected to generators on January 8. UNICEF reported that it is trying to move five truckloads of bottled water into Gaza via Kerem Shalom. Private sector contacts reported on January 9 that individuals are searching for hours in Gaza City to find drinking water for their families. Medical Update -------------- ¶10. (SBU) WHO contacts reported on January 9 that 34 of 58 primary health clinics and 14 of 15 hospitals are operating in Gaza. Press reports stated that 27 Arab and Egyptian doctors entered Gaza via Rafah crossing on January 9 to assist medical professionals. WHO also reports that all vaccination programs in Gaza have been interrupted due to the ongoing hostilities, raising the prospect of epidemics due o the crowded and deteriorating living conditions. ¶11. (SBU) WHO contacts reported that 170 patients have left Gaza via Rafah crossing since December 28; eight patients have left via Erez into Israel since that time. (Note: Prior to the conflict, more than 800 patients crossed into Israel via Erez every month, according to WHO contacts, most to seek treatment for chronic or life-threatening conditions in Israeli hospitals. End Note.) The director of the emergency department at Gaza City's largest hospital reported that, as of January 8, a total of 11 ambulances had been destroyed during rescue missions. Telecommunications -------------- ¶12. (SBU) PalTel contacts said on January 9 that the company received fuel shipments for their power generators on January 8-9, enabling the telecom network to remain "somewhat" operational. Telecom contacts said that 90 percent of the mobile network in Gaza is down. As a public service, PalTel also announced that it was putting extra credit in the individual accounts of Gazan mobile phone users, to ensure that they can use their phones when the network allows. GOI approves PMA cash transfer request -------------- ¶13. (SBU) PMA Governor Jihad Al-Wazir told Treasury attache January 9 that the Bank of Israel (BOI) tentatively approved the Palestine Monetary Authority's (PMA) entire request to facilitate the transport of NIS 243 million and USD 16 million in cash notes through Erez to Gaza bank branches. The cash would enable the banks to process for UNRWA 94,000 humanitarian and 10,000 salary payments and 77,000 PA employee salaries. According to UNRWA's Deputy Commissioner General, UNRWA would transport the bank notes in a truck convoy once the agency restarts movement in Gaza. Status of Amcit evacuation planning -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Post has been contacted by some 138 American citizens or family members of American citizens who wish to be evacuated from Gaza. Not all have or will be able to obtain a status that will permit them to enter the US, so the number of eventual evacuees will more likely be around 100. We have contracted private buses to bring them to the Erez crossing, and additional buses on the Israeli side to take them to the Allenby Bridge crossing into Jordan, from where they could continue travel to the U.S. However, movement within Gaza is unsafe while hostilities continue, unless the ICRC can coordinate safe passage with the IDF. The ICRC stated on January 8 that it would not be able to do so for at least several days. Post is in regular contact with the ICRC Jerusalem office and with COGAT officials at Erez, and is poised to conduct the evacuation when it becomes safe and possible to do so. WALLES