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OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0154/01 0161728
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O 161728Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3889
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000154 
 
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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 PGOV PTER KWBG ETRD MOPS IS
 
SUBJECT: GAZA UPDATE - JANUARY 16, 1700 LOCAL 
 
REFTEL:  Jerusalem 147 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Hamas Political Bureau Chief Mish'al told a 
summit of Arab leaders (and the Iranian President) in Qatar January 
16 that Hamas would not accept Israeli conditions for a cease-fire. 
Military operations in Gaza continued.  Nine rockets were fired from 
Gaza into Israel as of 1600 local.  In the West Bank, a 15-year-old 
Palestinian was killed in clashes with the IDF near Hebron. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Kerem Shalom crossing was open on January 16.  Karni's 
conveyer belt and the Nahal Oz fuel transfer station were closed. 
Erez was open to international NGO employees.  UNRWA operations 
continued, albeit at reduced capacity.  The IDF prohibited most 
north-south travel in Gaza on January 16.  As a result, UNRWA was 
unable to transfer supplies from its Rafah warehouse to Gaza City. 
Fighting in areas of Gaza City on January 15 left local 
infrastructure severely damaged.  End summary. 
 
Political Developments 
---------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Hamas Political Bureau Chief Khaled Mish'al told a summit 
of Arab leaders (and President Ahmadinejad of Iran) in Qatar January 
16 that Hamas's demands for a cease-fire are an immediate end to 
violence and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an end to the siege of 
Gaza, and the opening of all Gaza crossings.  He said Hamas will not 
accept Israeli conditions for a cease-fire.  He claimed Israel is 
using "banned" weapons in Gaza that have killed and injured 
civilians as well as militants.  He said Gaza will require extensive 
post-conflict reconstruction and Hamas is ready to engage in 
Palestinian reconciliation.  Mish'al and Musa Abu Marzuq from Hamas, 
Ramadan Shallah of Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Ahmad Jibril 
of the PFLP General Command (PFLP-GC) comprised the Palestinian 
delegation.  PA President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) did not attend. 
 
Military Operations 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) An IAF airstrike killed three militants launching rockets 
from Bayt Lahiya, and an IDF tank shell killed a six-year-old girl 
and wounded three Palestinians in Jabaliya January 16.  The IDF 
shelled a Hamas security installation in Khan Yunis.  As of 1415 
local January 16, Gaza-based medical sources estimated the number of 
dead at 1,133 and the number of wounded at 5,150. 
 
¶5. (SBU) A total of nine rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza 
before 1600 local January 16, injuring one and sending several 
people into shock. 
 
One killed in the West Bank 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) A fifteen-year-old Palestinian was killed and 23 others 
wounded during clashes with the IDF in the H2 area of Hebron January 
16, where 1,500 people protested.  Protesters skirmished with the 
IDF near Nil'in, Qalandiya, and Ma'sara (near Bethlehem).  Four 
people were wounded by rubber-coated bullets, and 17 people were 
treated for tear gas inhalation.  Israeli police dispersed dozens of 
protesters in East Jerusalem after Friday prayers.  A peaceful 
demonstration took place in Ramallah. 
 
Crossings 
--------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) January 16:  Kerem Shalom crossing was open for 
approximately 30-50 truckloads, according to transportation 
contacts.  Power plant contacts reported that they expected 
approximately 130,000 liters of industrial fuel via Kerem Shalom. 
Karni conveyor belt and Nahal Oz fuel transfer stations were closed. 
 UNRWA coordinated shipments from Kerem Shalom crossing to Rafah 
city. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) January 15:  A total of 69 truckloads (including 33 for 
aid agencies) entered Kerem Shalom.  (UNRWA was able to escort 
truckloads from Kerem Shalom crossing only to warehouses in Rafah 
city.)  Karni's conveyer belt and Nahal Oz fuel transfer station 
were closed.  15 truckloads of food, medical, and relief supplies 
entered Gaza via Rafah.  Eighteen medical cases were evacuated, and 
five doctors and five journalists were allowed in, at Rafah. 
 
Internal Movement/Coordination 
------------------------------ 
 
¶9. (SBU) A "humanitarian pause" was in effect between 1000 and 1400 
local on January 16, but UN contacts reported several large 
explosions during that time.  The IDF prohibited most north-south 
 
JERUSALEM 00000154  002 OF 002 
 
 
travel in Gaza on January 16.  As a result, UNRWA was unable to 
transfer supplies from its Rafah warehouse to Gaza City. 
 
¶10. (SBU) UNRWA Director Gaza John Ging reported on January 16 that 
UNRWA had already identified another warehouse and planned to 
relocate UNRWA's logistics office there.  The IDF attack on UNRWA's 
warehouse on January 15 destroyed the bulk of food, medicine, and 
non-food support packages for UNRWA operations in Gaza.  Ging added 
that UNRWA moved forklifts and other equipment needed for UNRWA's 
logistic operations, which were not damaged in the fire.  Ging noted 
that UNRWA's main transport contractor company continues to operate. 
 Ging hopes to resume UN convoys from Kerem Shalom to Gaza City on 
January 17. 
 
Aftermath of January 15 Fighting 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) USAID contractor and fuel sector executives said that the 
Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in western Gaza City, the scene of heavy 
fighting on January 15, has been almost completely evacuated. 
Contacts estimated that 40,000 Palestinians live in the area, which 
is the location of the Palestinian Red Crescent al-Quds hospital. 
Gaza contacts visited this hospital on January 16 and reported that 
the entire building was burned and destroyed.  All patients and 
staff were reportedly safely evacuated. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Press reports that tens of thousands of Gaza City 
residents attended the funeral of Hamas leader Said Siam and other 
Hamas members killed January 16 in the Shaykh Radwan neighborhood. 
Paramedics retrieved at least 23 bodies from Tel al-Hawa after the 
IDF redeployed from the area, and reported that the neighborhood 
sustained enormous damage to infrastructure and private property. 
 
ICRC Compound Overrun 
--------------------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU) According to an ICRC staff member in Gaza, members of the 
notorious Dughmush clan broke into the ICRC compound in Gaza City on 
January 15. As of 1700 local time on January 16, they remained 
unwelcome guests on the premises. 
 
Food 
---- 
 
¶14.  (SBU) UNRWA operated seven of its ten food distribution sites, 
and delivered food to almost all of its shelters on January 15-16. 
However, reports from January 15 indicated UNRWA has been unable to 
distribute food to one shelter in the far north, where heavy 
fighting has occurred.  WFP has not been able to distribute food 
since January 15. 
 
Electricity 
----------- 
 
¶15.  (SBU) Power plant contacts said that the plant's output on 
January 16 is 30 MW.  Plant managers reported that one day of fuel 
remains at the plant, but that one day of industrial fuel (130,000 
liters) is expected to arrive on January 16. 
 
¶16.  (SBU) Power plant contacts underscored that numerous power 
lines and internal distribution transformers have been destroyed 
since December 27, complicating power transmission - especially in 
Gaza City.  Technicians have not been able to access many downed 
lines and transformers. 
 
Displacement 
------------ 
 
¶17.  (SBU) UNRWA opened five new shelters in Gaza City for a total 
of 50 shelters throughout Gaza Strip, housing approximately 46,000 
people.  Fuel sector and water authority contacts said that many 
Gaza families have invited other dislocated families into their 
homes. 
 
Cash 
---- 
 
¶18.  (SBU) UNRWA reported it had to cancel the plan to move cash 
into Gaza on January 16 due to the events of January 15. 
 
WALLES