VZCZCXRO3759
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0176/01 0231540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231540Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3920
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000176 
 
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: GAZE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE -- JANUARY 23 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Kerem Shalom and Karni conveyor belt are 
open on January 23.  The arrival date of a UN assessment team 
remains to be determined.  End Summary. 
 
Crossings 
--------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) January 23:  Kerem Shalom and Karni conveyor belt 
are open.  Nahal Oz fuel transfer station and Rafah crossing 
are reportedly closed. 
 
¶3. (SBU) January 22: Contacts confirmed that approximately 
105 truckloads entered through Kerem Shalom.  Roughly 200 
tons of cooking gas and 580,000 liters of power plant fuel 
were transferred at Nahal Oz fuel transfer station.  The 
Karni conveyor belt was open for the transfer of 60-70 
truckloads of wheat and grains, and Rafah crossing was open 
to approximately 12 truckloads of medical supplies. 
 
UN Assessment Team 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) The UN has not yet determined when its assessment 
team will enter Gaza.  UNRWA contacts reported on January 22 
that a high-level decision is required on how many UN 
international staff will be allowed to participate in the 
assessment. 
 
Shelter 
------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) UNRWA contacts reported that it continues to operate 
16 shelters (15 of which are schools) for 8,500 people.  They 
noted that many more remain displaced in family and friends, 
homes. 
 
Health 
------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) UNICEF contacts reported that 54 of 56 public health 
clinics are functioning, while all 18 UNRWA primary health 
clinics are open (serving between 19,000-20,00 patients per 
day).  An MoH contact reported on January 23 that 350 
critically injured patients in Gaza need to be transferred to 
hospitals abroad.  According to WHO, the provision of 
immunizations and antenatal care and the management of 
chronic diseases has resumed. 
 
Food 
---- 
 
¶7. (SBU) UNRWA contacts reported that all 10 of its 
distribution sites were open and providing food to roughly 
25,000-27,000 beneficiaries on January 23.  WFP contacts 
reported that WFP has reached 216,000 of its 360,000 
recipients.  UN contacts reported a need for fresh food in 
Gaza; UNRWA and WFP food stocks remain low. 
 
¶8. (SBU) UN contacts reported that large quantities of 
powdered milk have entered Gaza, but there is a concern it 
will be mixed with non-potable water in parts of the Strip. 
 
Water and Sanitation 
-------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) UNICEF contacts reported on January 23 that Gaza's 
water utility completed a rapid needs assessment on January 
¶22.  The assessment concluded that repairs to the water 
networks and sewage system will cost $3.7 million and will 
take up to 60 days to implement. 
 
¶10. (SBU) ICRC contacts reported on January 23 that the Beit 
Lahiya sewage lagoon is under control, while the breached 
embankment at the Gaza City Sewage treatment facility has 
been contained and is under repair.  In addition to repairs 
to the municipal water and sewage networks, ICRC and UNICEF 
both cited the need for extensive repairs to water tanks and 
plumbing in individual homes, without which access to water 
and sewage services will be limited. 
 
Electricity/Power 
----------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) According to the Gaza power plant manager, the 
plant is running on two turbines producing 65 MW on January 
¶23. 
 
JERUSALEM 00000176  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
Education 
--------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) UNRWAS,s 221 schools are expected to open on 
January 24 for 200,000 refugee children.  UNRWA is providing 
NIS 100 (USD 26) to families with school-age children to 
purchase necessary items, such as backpacks and new clothes. 
WALLES