VZCZCXRO2684
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0168 0221557
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221557Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3908
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000168 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA, PRM FOR PRM/ANE; NSC FOR 
SHAPIRO/PASCUAL; PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR 
KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN/NANDY/LAUDATO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID PHUM KWBG ETRD IS CASC PTER
SUBJECT: GAZA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - JANUARY 22 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 163 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Kerem Shalom crossing, the Karni conveyor 
belt, and Nahal Oz fuel transfer station are open on January 
¶22.  Nine AmCits and 24 of their immediate family members 
departed Gaza through Erez crossing.  Water and sewage 
services remain limited, while UN food distributions continue 
throughout Gaza.  End summary. 
 
Crossings 
--------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) January 22:  Kerem Shalom and the Karni conveyer 
belt are open on January 22 for humanitarian and commercial 
food shipments.  Nahal Oz fuel transfer station is open only 
for industrial fuel for the power plant, while Erez crossing 
is open to limited pedestrian traffic.  Rafah crossing is 
open to urgent medical supplies, according to transportation 
contacts. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Nine AmCits, along with 24 of their immediate 
family members, plus a number of third country nationals, 
departed Gaza through Erez crossing on January 22.  The 
Amcits and their families will transit the Allenby Bridge 
into Jordan. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) January 21:  Kerem Shalom was open and 87 
truckloads were transferred to Gaza.  Approximately 85 
truckloads of wheat and grains were transferred via the Karni 
conveyer belt.  Around 580,000 liters of industrial fuel for 
the Gaza power plant were transferred at that Nahal Oz fuel 
station.  The Rafah crossing was open to eight truckloads of 
urgent medical supplies for Gaza hospitals. 
 
Shelter/Health 
-------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) OCHA contacts estimated on January 21 that fewer 
than 15,000 Gazans remain in UNRWA shelters, down from 51,000 
people on January 18.  WHO reported on January 22 that eight 
hospitals and 26 primary health care clinics were damaged. 
Hospitals continue to be full of patients, as many injured 
Gazans remain hospitalized.  Hospitals receive between 8-18 
hours/day of electricity from the grid, according to UN OCHA 
Gaza. 
 
Food 
---- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The majority of mills and bakeries remain closed 
due to the shortage of cooking gas.  Contacts in Gaza 
reported that the shortage of banknotes makes it difficult to 
buy food supplies in commercial markets.  Nine of ten UNRWA 
food distribution centers are operating, and UNRWA is 
reaching roughly 10,000 beneficiaries a day.  UNRWA food 
stocks in Gaza remain low, according to UNRWA contacts. 
 
Electricity and Water 
--------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Gaza contacts reported acute fuel shortages in all 
sectors.  Power plant contacts said that the plant is 
generating 70 MW of electricity on January 22.  Plant 
engineers reported that output was increased on January 21 
following receipt of sufficient fuel and repairs to outgoing 
power lines.  Contacts say that most Gazans have power in 
their homes 4-16 hours/day. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Gaza,s water utility continues to work on urgent 
maintenance of the water and wastewater networks.  NGOs are 
disbursing chlorinated drinking water to Gaza families. 
 
Education 
--------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) OCHA contacts reported that most Gaza government 
and UNRWA schools are set to reopen on January 24 for 440,000 
students. 
WALLES