VZCZCXRO3611
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0098/01 0091837
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091837Z JAN 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3791
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000098 
 
SIPDIS 
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 KWBG ETRD CASC IS
SUBJECT: GAZA HUMANITARIAN UPDATE - JANUARY 9 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Kerem Shalom crossing was open on January 9 and 
Nahal Oz fuel transfer station was closed.  Movement of fuel and aid 
shipments in Gaza is severely limited, given UNRWA and ICRC's 
suspension of movement following lethal incidents involving the IDF 
(septel).  Most of Gaza homes remain without electricity and running 
water.  Post plans to evacuate AmCits from Gaza once movement within 
Gaza is viable.  End Summary. 
 
Crossings Update 
---------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) January 9: OCHA contacts report that Kerem Shalom was open 
for private sector shipments and Rafah for medical transfers.  All 
UNRWA movements were suspended.  Nahal Oz fuel pipelines and Karni 
crossings were closed.  Erez crossing was open to limited pedestrian 
traffic, according to private sector contacts.  ICRC reported that 
it could not escort foreign nationals through Erez during the next 
"few days." 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) January 8: According to OCHA and UNRWA contacts, 81 
truckloads (including 38 bearing aid) and four pallets of blood for 
Gaza's central blood bank entered Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing on 
January 8.  Nearly 300,000 liters of industrial fuel and 140 tons of 
cooking gas were pumped through Nahal Oz pipelines.  According to UN 
contacts, a total of eight truckloads of medical supplies entered 
Rafah crossing on January 8, while four medical evacuees exited 
there on January 8.  ICRC escorted more than 200 foreign nationals 
out of Erez crossing on January 8, but no truckloads entered there 
following IDF fire on a Palestinian worker. 
 
ICRC and UNRWA halt convoy transport operations 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) ICRC and UNRWA officials confirmed that they have 
suspended movement in Gaza while they develop new procedures with 
the IDF to prevent the repetition of lethal incidents involving 
their employees and aid convoys.  UNRWA contacts on January 9 said 
they have suspended movement because of nine separate incidents the 
past few days.  They say they will not resume movement without "full 
guarantees" from the GOI (septel).  As a result, shipments through 
the crossings and distribution within Gaza are severely restricted. 
 
Internal movement and coordination limited and dangerous 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Private sector and UN contacts reported that several fuel 
transport trucks left Nahal Oz on January 8 but could not reach gas 
stations and the power plant due to the UN transport stoppage.  The 
trucks were parked overnight in central Gaza City, near UNRWA 
headquarters.  Fuel sector contacts expressed concern that large 
supplies of fuel were in a densely populated location, given ongoing 
IDF airstrikes.  Private sector fuel transportation contacts are 
hoping to work with UNRWA to transfer those trucks to non-populated 
areas or to their final destinations, but the process is more 
difficult without UN/ICRC coordination. 
 
Fuel and Electricity 
-------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Private sector fuel contacts said that 500,000 liters of 
diesel fuel, 350,000 liters of power plant fuel, and 200 tons of 
cooking gas are being stored on the Gaza side of Nahal Oz fuel 
station.  Contacts said that pick-up and transfer of these shipments 
will not take place without a UN/ICRC escort.  Private sector fuel 
contacts said that two Gaza gasoline stations were destroyed by IAF 
missile fire during December 28-31. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) WHO and private sector contacts said that the Gaza 
electricity distribution company (GEDCO) repaired Gaza City 
connectivity to Israeli feeder lines on January 8, resulting in four 
to six hours of electricity in certain Gaza City areas.  GEDCO 
reported that two Israeli electrical lines east of Gaza City went 
down again, although they could not explain why.  The Gaza power 
plant is unlikely to re-start its turbines while the two main power 
lines from the plant remain down, according to private sector fuel 
executives in Gaza on January 9. 
 
Food 
---- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) WFP contacts reported that there were no wheat grains, 
fruits, or vegetables in Gaza markets, and only eight bakeries are 
operating.  WFP plans to provide flour and possibly cooking gas to 
prepare more "ready-to-eat" meals. 
 
 
JERUSALEM 00000098  002 OF 002 
 
 
Water/Sanitation 
---------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) ICRC contacts reported that three water wells in Khan 
Yunis were connected to generators on January 8.  UNICEF reported 
that it is trying to move five truckloads of bottled water into Gaza 
via Kerem Shalom.  Private sector contacts reported on January 9 
that individuals are searching for hours in Gaza City to find 
drinking water for their families. 
 
Medical Update 
-------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) WHO contacts reported on January 9 that 34 of 58 primary 
health clinics and 14 of 15 hospitals are operating in Gaza.  Press 
reports stated that 27 Arab and Egyptian doctors entered Gaza via 
Rafah crossing on January 9 to assist medical professionals.  WHO 
also reports that all vaccination programs in Gaza have been 
interrupted due to the ongoing hostilities, raising the prospect of 
epidemics due o the crowded and deteriorating living conditions. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) WHO contacts reported that 170 patients have left Gaza 
via Rafah crossing since December 28; eight patients have left via 
Erez into Israel since that time.  (Note:  Prior to the conflict, 
more than 800 patients crossed into Israel via Erez every month, 
according to WHO contacts, most to seek treatment for chronic or 
life-threatening conditions in Israeli hospitals.  End Note.) The 
director of the emergency department at Gaza City's largest hospital 
reported that, as of January 8, a total of 11 ambulances had been 
destroyed during rescue missions. 
 
Telecommunications 
------------------ 
 
¶12.  (SBU) PalTel contacts said on January 9 that the company 
received fuel shipments for their power generators on January 8-9, 
enabling the telecom network to remain "somewhat" operational. 
Telecom contacts said that 90 percent of the mobile network in Gaza 
is down.  As a public service, PalTel also announced that it was 
putting extra credit in the individual accounts of Gazan mobile 
phone users, to ensure that they can use their phones when the 
network allows. 
 
GOI approves PMA cash transfer request 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU) PMA Governor Jihad Al-Wazir told Treasury attache January 
9 that the Bank of Israel (BOI) tentatively approved the Palestine 
Monetary Authority's (PMA) entire request to facilitate the 
transport of NIS 243 million and USD 16 million in cash notes 
through Erez to Gaza bank branches.  The cash would enable the banks 
to process for UNRWA 94,000 humanitarian and 10,000 salary payments 
and 77,000 PA employee salaries.  According to UNRWA's Deputy 
Commissioner General, UNRWA would transport the bank notes in a 
truck convoy once the agency restarts movement in Gaza. 
 
Status of Amcit evacuation planning 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Post has been contacted by some 138 American citizens or 
family members of American citizens who wish to be evacuated from 
Gaza.  Not all have or will be able to obtain a status that will 
permit them to enter the US, so the number of eventual evacuees will 
more likely be around 100.  We have contracted private buses to 
bring them to the Erez crossing, and additional buses on the Israeli 
side to take them to the Allenby Bridge crossing into Jordan, from 
where they could continue travel to the U.S.  However, movement 
within Gaza is unsafe while hostilities continue, unless the ICRC 
can coordinate safe passage with the IDF.  The ICRC stated on 
January 8 that it would not be able to do so for at least several 
days.  Post is in regular contact with the ICRC Jerusalem office and 
with COGAT officials at Erez, and is poised to conduct the 
evacuation when it becomes safe and possible to do so. 
 
WALLES