VZCZCXRO0693
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0047/01 0061742
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061742Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3712
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000047 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
S/ES-O FOR SECRETARY'S TRAVELING PARTY; 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: EAID ECON ETRD IS KWBG PHUM PREF
SUBJECT: GAZA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE: JANUARY 6 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 39 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  WFP contacts report that 59 truckloads of 
humanitarian and commercial shipments entered Gaza via Kerem 
Shalom crossing on January 6.  A limited shipment of 
industrial fuel was delivered to the Gaza power plant, which 
remains shut down due to insufficient fuel supplies. 
Movement between north and south remains severly limited, and 
few supplies that entered Kerem Shalom have been able to 
reach Gaza City.  Seventy-five percent of Gazans are without 
electricity and the majority of Gazan homes do not have 
running water.  Several UN shelters were reportedly hit by 
IDF fire on January 5-6, resulting in numerous deaths.  End 
Summary. 
 
Crossings: Open for limited shipments 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) WFP contacts report that 59 truckloads of 
humanitarian and commericial food shipments passed into Gaza 
via Kerem Shalom crossing on January 6.  The shipments are 
being held in UN and NGO storehouses in southern Gaza.  Nahal 
Oz fuel transfer station was open on January 6 for a half-day 
supply of power plant fuel and some cooking gas shipments, 
yet trucks on the Gaza side did not pick up the cooking gas 
shipments due to ongoing military operations in the area. 
Meanwhile, Erez pedestrian crossing was open to a limited 
number of NGO employees.  The Karni crossing conveyer belt 
was closed on January 6, according to OCHA. 
 
Internal Distribtuion Hampered 
------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to UNRWA and other sources, an UNRWA truck 
in Gaza City was hit by IDF fire, destroying 2,000-3,000 MT 
of food.  Late on January 5, the compound of UNRWA,s primary 
transportation contractor was struck by IDF shelling, killing 
two of the contractor,s cousins and damaging several 
vehicles.  As a result of these incidents, the contractor 
refused to send drivers and trucks to Kerem Shalom on January 
¶6.  ICRC cancelled the transfer through Kerem Shalom of a 
truck carrying medical supplies and all movements inside Gaza 
on January 6. 
 
¶4. (SBU) ICRC is seeking IDF clearance before attempting to 
bring goods through Kerem Shalom or to distribute supplies 
inside Gaza.  ICRC has seen no improvement in coordination 
since an MOD-MFA cell was formed 48 hours ago.  WHO and WFP 
contacts said that 10 truckloads of humanitarian supplies 
entered Gaza City on January 5.  As of 1700 local, ConGen 
contacts have not confirmed whether any shipments have been 
allowed to enter Gaza City on January 6.  All contacts report 
that travel within Gaza remains difficult and that 
north-south travel is severely limited. 
 
Shelter: Increasing Numbers Displaced, 
Three Shelters Reportedly Hit 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The number of individuals seeking shelter in UNRWA 
facilities continues to increase.  As of January 6, UNRWA is 
operating 25 emergency shelters that house nearly 15,000 
internally displaced Palestinians.  Eighty-five percent of 
the displaced are in the north, including Gaza City.  UNRWA 
is delivering water tanks, food, and aid packages to the 
extent possible.  Six of UNRWA,s 18 primary health care 
clinics are now closed.  An IAF strike on the main mosque in 
Bureij Camp severely damaged UNRWA,s Primary Health Clinic 
in the camp and injured six UNRWA health staff, three 
critically. 
 
¶6. (SBU) UNRWA reports that three schools being used as 
shelters were hit by IDF fire on January 5-6, either directly 
or as collateral damage.  As of 1700, press reports multiple 
fatalities at the Al Fakoura School in Jabaliya.  An UNRWA 
press release on January 6 claimed three individuals were 
killed when a shell struck the Asma Elementary School in Gaza 
City overnight on January 5.  UNRWA told RefCoord December 29 
that it had communicated the GPS coordinates for all its 
possible emergency shelter locations immediately after 
airstrikes began. 
 
¶7. (SBU) UNRWA said that all residents of Um el Nasser were 
forced to leave on January 5; the IDF ordered people out of 
their homes by loudspeaker and randomly fired artillery 
 
JERUSALEM 00000047  002 OF 002 
 
 
shells at residences.  UNRWA said it witnessed a similar 
pattern in other areas, such as Johr el Deek.  The majority 
of these people have ended up in UNRWA shelters. 
 
Fuel and Electricity Shortages 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Gaza power plant remains closed due to a lack of 
fuel, and six of 10 electricity feeder lines from Israel are 
down.  ICRC contacts reported on January 6 that some of its 
Gaza staff is assisting technical crews from the Gaza 
Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) in restoring power 
lines to hospitals in Gaza City.  According to UNRWA and 
other contacts, 75 percent of Gaza does not have electricity. 
 There is no electricity in Gaza City. 
 
¶9. (SBU) On January 5, UNRWA distributed 10,000 liters of 
diesel to four hospitals.  On January 6, UNRWA planned to 
distribute diesel to the Coastal Municipal Water Authority 
and to various hospitals. 
 
Health: Crowded Hospitals, Limited Services 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) WHO contacts in Gaza reported on January 6 that 
Gaza City hospitals rely exclusively on power generators and 
that emergency rooms are overflowing with severely injured 
civilians.  A Gaza physician told EconSpecialist on January 5 
that emergency room teams have not been able to maintain 
sterilized rooms and equipment, given the speed at which new 
patients arrive and necessary surgeries.  "We just use soap 
to clean our tools," said the doctor.  ICRC Mission Director 
said that the Red Cross successfuly transferred 17 patients 
from Gaza City to Egypt via Rafah crossing on January 5. 
ICRC said that they are trying to coordinate logistical 
efforts with the IDF, but have had "very limited success." 
 
Water and Sewage Concerns 
------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) UN contacts estimate that 70 percent of Gaza 
families have limited access to water on January 6.  The 
Coastal Municipal Water Utility said on January 5 that nearly 
half of Gaza,s water and sewage pumps are no longer 
operational due to a lack of power, spare parts, and damage 
from IDF bombs. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Contacts in Gaza City said that IDF shells fell 
near the embankments of the Beit Lahiya sewage lagoon in 
northern Gaza.  (Note:  A section of the lagoon's embankments 
collapsed in 2007, drowning six residents. End Note.)  ICRC 
reported that a sewage line in Gaza City was hit a few days 
ago, and sewage is leaking onto the streets.  ICRC is trying 
to coordinate with the IDF to repair the line, which would 
require shipping in pipes, arranging the use of a bulldozer, 
and turning off the sewage pumping station temporarily.  The 
IDF has not approved the request. 
 
Cash Shortage 
------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) UNRWA reports that it has repeated its request to 
the GOI to transport USD 20 million and NIS 20 million into 
Gaza for humanitarian purposes.  (Note:  UNRWA first made 
this request directly to the GOI in early December but has 
not yet received GOI approval.  UNRWA is expected to submit a 
new request to the GOI for additional cash in the coming days 
to support January humanitarian payments.  End Note.)  The 
Palestine Monetary Authority told ConGen Treasury attache 
that it plans to submit a formal request on January 7 to the 
Bank of Israel to transport NIS 245 million in cash to Gaza 
to pay 94,000 UNRWA humanitarian hardship cases and salaries 
of 77,000 PA employees in Gaza. 
WALLES