VZCZCXRO9224
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1705/01 2611434
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181434Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6112
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001705 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND NEA/IPA; PRM FOR FRONT OFFICE AND 
PRM/ANE; NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR;JOINT STAFF FOR LTG SELVA; 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/MEA:MCCLOUD/BORODIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2014 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAID PREF PGOV KWBG SENV IS GZ
SUBJECT: GAZA: LIMITED FOOD, FUEL, AND MEDICINE; 
INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER STRESS 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 1155 
 
Classified By: Consul General Daniel Rubinstein for reasons 1.4 b,d. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Access to Gaza for goods through Israeli 
crossing points remains severely constrained.  While there 
are adequate stocks of basic food items in Gaza, the lack of 
variety and continuing price increases are negatively 
impacting people's health.  A lack of medicine is crippling 
the health sector.  The water and electricity grids, while 
restored to 2008 levels, suffer from a lack of supplies and 
basic maintenance.  End summary. 
 
Crossings 
--------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Kerem Shalom and the conveyor belt at Karni remain 
the primary crossing points for authorized shipments into 
Gaza.  According to UN OCHA, 2,620 truckloads of supplies 
entered Gaza in August, a 15 percent increase from July, but 
approximately one-fifth of what was permitted prior to June 
¶2007.  UN officials estimate that 70-85 percent are private 
sector shipments. 
 
¶3. (C) Nahal Oz fuel station transfers approximately 2.2 
million liters of industrial fuel per week for the power 
plant, meeting two-thirds of the plant's capacity of 80MW. 
OCHA reported that 3,443 tons of cooking gas entered Gaza in 
August, a 26 percent decrease from July, though still above 
the monthly averages from January to June.  With a few 
exceptions, the GOI has not permitted the import of diesel or 
petrol into Gaza since November 2008.  However, diesel and 
petrol continue to flow abundantly through the tunnels from 
Egypt, and supplies are available in Gaza at low prices due 
to Egyptian fuel subsidies.  A local Gazan fuel distributor 
reported on September 16 that Egyptian petrol costs NIS 1.9 
per liter, while Israeli petrol sells for NIS 6 per liter; 
Egyptian diesel costs 1.3 per liter and Israeli diesel is NIS 
5 per liter. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Erez crossing is only open for international 
personnel and urgent medical cases.  In August, according to 
GOI statistics, 737 staff members of international 
organizations entered and 740 exited Gaza; 1,062 patients and 
their companions crossed into Israel.  Israeli NGO Physicians 
for Human Rights reported that between January and June, the 
GOI denied or delayed the approval of 51 percent of Gazan 
applicants for medical treatment abroad; the delayed 
applications resulted in missed appointments, and 
consequently the patients remained in Gaza. 
 
Food 
---- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Food supplies make up the bulk of shipments into 
Gaza from Israel, constituting 77 percent of the truckloads 
in August.  An OCHA official in Gaza reported that the lack 
of economic activity, the increased price of food, and a lack 
of variety in the food supplies allowed in through Israeli 
crossings are negatively affecting the diet of the 
population.  People are not starving, he said, but they are 
buying less and poorer quality food due to high food prices, 
as well as the need to economize because of price increases 
among other essential goods. 
 
Electricity 
----------- 
 
¶6. (C) Gaza has been experiencing a shortage of 70MW of 
electricity supply, leading to rolling blackouts of 4-8 hours 
per day, according to Omar Kittaneh, the Chairman of the PA 
National Energy Authority.  The Gaza Power Plant produces 
approximately 55MW, while Gaza receives 117MW from Israel and 
17MW from Egypt.  World Bank contacts in Gaza report that the 
Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO) is in short 
supply of 400 electrical spare parts and out of stock of 150 
others, resulting in some areas of Gaza remaining unconnected 
to the grid.  The World Bank claims that GEDCO filed requests 
over the last two years for clearance of 141 items remaining 
at Israeli ports, receiving a response for only 97 items (30 
requests rejected and 67 pending).  Kittaneh notes, however, 
that the electricity infrastructure is largely restored to 
levels predating December 2008-January 2009 Israeli combat 
operations in Gaza. 
 
Water 
 
JERUSALEM 00001705  002 OF 002 
 
 
----- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) in 
Gaza reports that 10,000 people in Gaza do not have access to 
the water network, while 60 percent of the population is 
without daily access.  Only 10 percent of the water supply in 
Gaza meets World Health Organization standards.  OCHA 
reported that 50-80 million liters of untreated and partially 
treated wastewater has been discharged into the environment, 
including the Mediterranean Sea, every day since January 
¶2008.  The deterioration of the system is a result of stalled 
maintenance projects and upgrades due to lack of supplies, 
severe shortages of fuel and electricity, and damage suffered 
during December 2008-January 2009 Israeli combat operations 
in Gaza.  The lack of treatment has led to contamination of 
Gaza's aquifer, from which both the Gazan and Israeli 
networks draw water.  World Bank, international, and CMWU 
officials are concerned that the winter rainy season will 
exacerbate these pollution problems. 
 
Health 
------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) OCHA reports that the Central Drug Store now lacks 
100 of 480 essential drugs.  Medical shipments into Gaza have 
been insufficient in quantity and variety to address the 
shortage.  The Central Drug Store expects the number of 
out-of-stock essential items to rise to 140 in September. 
RUBINSTEIN