VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJMA #4772 3131436
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF1366 3131441
O 091436Z NOV 06
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 004772 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR 
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/STEINGER; PRM FOR PDAS GREENE AND 
PRM/ANE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS; TREASURY FOR 
SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON; BRUSSELS FOR LERNER; PLEASE 
PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM EAID ECON KWBG
SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN BEIT HANOUN 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 04756 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: DURING THE IDF'S NOVEMBER 1-8 INCURSION 
INTO BEIT HANOUN (SEE REFTEL), THE AREA'S WATER AND 
ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE WAS DAMAGED AND AN IDF-IMPOSED 
CURFEW ON RESIDENTS PREVENTED THEM FROM OBTAINING ADDITIONAL 
SUPPLIES.  DURING THE INCURSION, THE IDF GRANTED ACCESS TO 
BEIT HANOUN FOR THREE MAJOR HUMANITARIAN CONVOYS, INCLUDING 
UN AGENCIES AND THE ICRC, WHICH DELIVERED WATER, FOOD, 
GASOLINE AND HEALTH CARE SUPPLIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF BEIT 
HANOUN.  OCHA ESTIMATED NOVEMBER 9 THAT WATER AND ELECTRICITY 
NETWORKS IN BEIT HANOUN SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY NOVEMBER 11. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
ELECTRICITY 
----------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) DURING THE IDF INCURSION NOVEMBER 1-8, USAID 
GAZA-BASED STAFF REPORTED THAT HALF OF BEIT HANOUN'S 
POPULATION WAS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY DUE TO DAMAGE TO 
ELECTRICAL PYLONS AND THE ELECTRICITY NETWORK IN MULTIPLE 
LOCATIONS.  ACCORDING TO A NOVEMBER 9 OCHA REPORT, ICRC 
FACILITATED THE PASSAGE OF ENGINEERS FROM THE GAZA 
ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION COMPANY (GEDCO) INTO BEIT HANOUN 
NOVEMBER 2 TO CONDUCT REPAIRS, RESTORING 40 PERCENT OF THE 
NETWORK DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE INCURSION.  HOWEVER, 
DURING THE SUBSEQUENT PERIOD, FURTHER DAMAGE BY ISRAELI TANKS 
RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL OUTAGES.  AS A RESULT, THE BEIT HANOUN 
HOSPITAL RELIED ON ITS GENERATOR POWER AND FUEL SUPPLIED BY 
ICRC.  OCHA ESTIMATED IN ITS NOVEMBER 9 REPORT THAT THE 
ELECTRICAL NETWORK SHOULD BE RESTORED BY NOVEMBER 11. 
 
WATER 
----- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE WATER NETWORK AND A LACK OF 
ELECTRICITY TO POWER THE WATER PUMPS AT FOUR OF THE FIVE MAIN 
WELLS IN BEIT HANOUN, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT WATER FOR BEIT 
HANOUN RESIDENTS DURING THE IDF INCURSION.  ICRC DELIVERED 
17,000 LITERS OF WATER TO SIX LOCATIONS IN BEIT HANOUN ON 
NOVEMBER 3, WHILE UNRWA PROVIDED 30,000 LITERS OF TANKERED 
WATER.  NGOS, INCLUDING ISLAMIC RELIEF AND SAVE THE CHILDREN, 
ALSO PROVIDED BOTTLED WATER, ACCORDING TO OCHA'S REPORT. 
UNRWA ALSO PROVIDED ONE WEEK'S SUPPLY OF FUEL TO POWER ONE OF 
THE BEIT HANOUN WELLS WHICH SERVES 20 PERCENT OF THE 
POPULATION.  ACCORDING TO OCHA, THE WATER NETWORK IN BEIT 
HANOUN SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY NOVEMBER 11. 
 
FOOD 
---- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) THE IDF-IMPOSED CURFEW ON BEIT HANOUN PREVENTED 
FAMILIES FROM GATHERING ADDITIONAL FOOD SUPPLIES.  HOWEVER, 
THE IDF LIFTED THE CURFEW EVERY SECOND DAY FOR A FEW HOURS SO 
RESIDENTS COULD PURCHASE FOOD OR PICK-UP FOOD ASSISTANCE 
PACKAGES.  THREE HUMANITARIAN CONVOYS, INCLUDING UN AGENCIES 
AND THE ICRC, DELIVERED SUPPLIES TO BEIT HANOUN ON NOVEMBER 
3, 4, AND 6, INCLUDING FOOD, POTABLE WATER, HEALTH CARE 
SUPPLIES AND FUEL.  OCHA REPORTED NOVEMBER 9 THAT MANY 
COMMERCIAL SUPPLIERS FROM OTHER PARTS OF GAZA HAD APPEARED 
UNWILLING TO ENTER BEIT HANOUN TO PROVIDE REPLACEMENT FOOD 
SUPPLIES BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED THEIR STOCKS COULD BE 
SEIZED BY RESIDENTS. 
 
HEALTH 
------ 
 
¶5.  (SBU) UNRWA HEALTH CARE FACILITIES WERE CLOSED FROM 
OCTOBER 31 TO THE END OF THE INCURSION DUE TO THE IDF-IMPOSED 
CURFEW WHICH PREVENTED MEDICAL CARE PERSONNEL FROM REACHING 
THEIR WORKPLACES.  MEDICAL TRANSFERS OUT OF BEIT HANOUN 
REQUIRED COOPERATION WITH THE IDF, WHICH, IN CERTAIN 
INDIVIDUAL CASES, CAUSED SOME DELAY.  ACCORDING TO OCHA, UP 
TO 1500 PEOPLE SOUGHT REFUGE IN BEIT HANOUN HOSPITAL ON 
NOVEMBER 3, STRAINING THE HOSPITALS ABILITY TO PROVIDE 
SERVICES. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) AT AN OCHA-CONVENED NOVEMBER 5 MEETING WITH DONORS 
AND NGOS IN GAZA, CARE INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAD 
PROVIDED 25 UNITS OF OXYGEN REGULATORS, FROM THEIR OWN FUNDS, 
TO BEIT HANOUN HOSPITAL, IN ADDITION TO OTHER MEDICAL 
SUPPLIES.  UNICEF REPORTED THAT IT HAD PROVIDED 100 FAMILY 
WATER AND BABY HYGIENE KITS.  WFP SAID IT WOULD DISTRIBUTE 
 
ANOTHER 3,000 FOOD PARCELS, IN ADDITION TO FRESH VEGETABLES. 
USAID HAS AUTHORIZED CARE TO CONDUCT ASSESSMENTS AT TWO MOH 
HOSPITALS IN THE BEIT HANOUN AREA IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT 
NEEDS MIGHT BE FULFILLED THROUGH USAID'S EMAP PROGRAM. 
WALLES