Cablegate: Limited Movement at Gaza Crossings

VZCZCXRO5752
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1482 1991120
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181120Z JUL 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8395
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001482

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/WATERS; TREASURY
FOR SZUBIN/LOEFFLER/NUGENT/HIRSON; BRUSSELS FOR LERNER;
PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR KUNDER/MCCLOUD/BORODIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON KPAL KWBG PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: LIMITED MOVEMENT AT GAZA CROSSINGS

1. (SBU) Summary: Sufa crossing and Nahal Oz fuel transfer
station were open on July 17, the Karni/al-Mintar, Kerem
Shalom, and Rafah crossings were closed. WFP plans to
deliver eight truck loads of wheat flour per day to Gaza July
17-22 through Sufa, while ICRC transferred 25 patients from
Gaza hospitals to those in Israel on July 17. Roughly 90
percent of all shipments into Gaza over that last month have
been commercial food shipments, and the remaining 10 percent
humanitarian, according to OCHA. End summary.

Sufa Crossing And Nahal Oz Open;
Limited Movement At Erez Crossing
---------------------------------

2. (SBU) WFP Project Manager Katharina Galluzzi told Econoff
that WFP planned to deliver eight truck loads of wheat flour
each day from July 17-22 via the Sufa crossing, which is
open. ICRC Country Director Katharina Ritz told Econoff that
her organization facilitated the transfer of 20 Gaza medical
patients to Israeli hospitals via the Erez crossing on July
17. Gaza-based OCHA representative Hamada al-Bayari told
EconOff July 17 that Nahal Oz fuel transfer station is open.

Karni/al-Mintar, Kerem Shalom
And Rafah Crossings Closed
--------------------------

3. (SBU) Kerem Shalom, Karni/al-Mintar, and Rafah crossings
were closed July 17. Al-Bayari said that Karni/al-Mintar and
Kerem Shalom crossings have been closed since July 12. He
noted that there are mounting fears among Gazans of the
continued closure of the major crossings.

Most Shipments Into Gaza
Have Been Commercial
--------------------

4. (SBU) Al-Bayari said that roughly 10 percent of the 2,257
truck loads of goods that entered Gaza from June 19 - July 15
were humanitarian and the remaining 90 percent were
commercial food shipments, according to OCHA Gaza statistics.

WALLES

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