VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #4197/01 1871515
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 061515Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9735
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L CAIRO 004197 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAL MEPN PTER PHUM EG IS
SUBJECT: EGYPTIAN RAFAH/GAZA BORDER SITREP;  UPDATE ON GOE 
HUMANITARIAN DONATIONS FOR GAZA 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 2820 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified by DCM Stuart Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph six. 
 
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Summary 
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¶2.  (C) Local sources report that the Egyptian and 
Palestinian Rafah terminals may open briefly July 6 or 7 to 
allow a limited number of Palestinians stranded inside the 
Egyptian border terminal to enter Gaza through the Rafah 
gate.  Meanwhile, approximately 2,500 other Palestinians are 
reported to be waiting in the terminal's parking lot or in 
nearby towns for the Rafah border to open.  The border has 
been closed since the June 23 attack on Israel's Kerem Shalom 
facility and the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier.  The 
Egyptian Red Crescent Society is providing shelter and 
limited food/water supplies for Palestinians stuck at the 
border terminal, and are trying to facilitate the transfer of 
humanitarian food/medicine donations from Egypt to Gaza via 
Rafah.  Thousands of tons of food donations remain in 
Egyptian warehouses awaiting Israeli permission to transit 
into Gaza, and 250 tons of flour is stuck and spoiling in the 
"no-man's land" between Egypt and Israel.  Post also stands 
ready to assist with efforts to repatriate a group of 
American citizens stranded inside Gaza.  End summary. 
 
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Thousands of Gazans Stranded Near Rafah 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) During a July 6 conversation with poloff, Egyptian 
Red Crescent Society Director Mamduh Gabr stated that 
approximately 380 Palestinians remain stranded inside Egypt's 
Rafah border terminal facility, and that thousands of other 
Palestinians are waiting anxiously in the terminal's parking 
lot and in nearby towns for news of the terminal's 
re-opening.  MFA Palestinian Affairs Director Randa Labib, 
Palestinian Embassy, and other sources confirmed these 
approximations and shared rumors that the border would be 
opened temporarily July 6 or 7 to allow those 380 within the 
facility to transit to Gaza.  As of 1700 local time, the 
border has not yet opened.  DAO sources report that the 
transfer will take place late on July 6, but that only 250 
will be allowed to transit. 
 
¶4.  (C) Gabr explained that the Egyptian Red Crescent Society 
provided two large tents with mattresses for those stranded 
at the border without shelter, sent 50 volunteers to care for 
the stranded travelers, and was distributing minimal supplies 
of food and beverages.  The MFA and the Ministry of Health 
were devising plans for the provision of toilet facilities 
and medical care, should the border into Gaza remain closed. 
Gabr said that the Red Crescent was coordinating donations 
from Egyptian and regional NGOs, including a donation by the 
International Red Cross. 
 
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Food Donations for Gaza 
----------------------- 
 
¶5.  (C) Asked if Egyptian food donations were being allowed 
into Gaza, Gabr stated that the process had started working 
fairly smoothly in early June, but that all transfers were 
stopped following the June 23 attack.  Gabr said that between 
June 6 and June 21, the Egyptian Red Crescent sent 2,000 tons 
of flour to Gaza, via Israel's Kerem Shalom.  Another 1,200 
tons of food donations that had been "approved" by Israel 
remained in Egyptian warehouses.  Additionally, Gabr said 
that approximately 250-280 tons of flour was stuck within the 
"no-man's land" between Egypt and the Palestinian border 
facility.  Gabr requested USG assistance in pressing Israel 
to allow those food stocks to be transfered to Gaza before 
they spoiled, and to allow the remainder of the donations to 
be transferred.  Gabr said that the GOE was coordinating its 
efforts with UNRWA and that Egypt had a total of 10,000 tons 
of flour, rice, and sugar to donate to Gaza. 
 
¶6.  (U) Action Request:  Post requests the Department to 
consider steps to help facilitate the continuance of 
humanitarian aid to Gaza via Egypt.  End action request. 
 
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Amcits Stranded in Gaza 
----------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Post stands ready to assist with efforts to help 
the stranded American citizens currently in Gaza (reftel). 
 
The Consular Section's American Citizen Services Acting 
Chief, Eric Meyer, is the point of contact on this issue, and 
Beth Smith is the current Consular Section Duty Officer. 
Both can be reached via the Embassy switchboard at: (2 02) 
797-3300. 
RICCIARDONE