6 Jan Gaza (from Jerusalem)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 000049 
SIPDIS
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, NSC FOR ABRAMS/PASCUAL/RAMCHAND,
S/ES-O FOR S TRAVELING PARTY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2019 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, IS, KWBG, MOPS, PHUM
SUBJECT: AS IDF MOVES IN, GAZA CONTACTS EXPRESS ANGER
AND DESPERATION 
Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 1. (SBU) 

Summary. A wide range of ConGen Gaza contacts showed signs of
increased trauma as they recounted a night of heavy IDF
bombardment, an attempt by militants to fire rockets from
civilian areas, and shortages of essential materials,
including food, water, and fuel. Contacts expressed mounting
anger at what they termed the "randomness" of Israeli attacks.
CNN's bureau chief described a woman at Shifa Hospital who
said her baby died after four days without food or water. End
Summary.

STRESS MOUNTS WITH INTENSE BARRAGES ON JANUARY 5 AND 6
===========================

2. (C) Amideast Gaza Director Anees Abu Hashem, clearly
exhausted after a sleepless night, told PDoff that he could
not believe he survived the night. He said the IDF commenced a
barrage on Gaza City at 17:00 local time January 5. Airstrikes
began at nightfall. He said that, each time the bombs struck,
he closed his eyes and crouched down: "Every time I opened my
eyes again, I couldn't believe I was still alive." He
characterized the bombing as "totally random," saying there
were no militants visible in his area of the city. Abu Hashem
expressed anger at the mounting civilian death toll: "The IDF
is not organized. I am a witness here. They have lost their
minds. They are killing civilians." He did not know what he
would do if the IDF were to invade his neighborhood, and
remarked, "I am afraid tonight will be even worse."

3. (C) Former Fulbright Senior Scholar and Al-Azhar University
professor Dr. Jamil Salem told PDoff that his town of Saftawi,
located between Gaza City and Jabalya, had been increasingly
hit by what he termed "indiscriminate" Israeli fire. Just
prior to the phone conversation, Dr. Salem said that two
Israeli tank shells struck his next-door neighbors' home,
destroying a whole portion of the house. Fortunately, no one
was in the destroyed part of the house, so there were no
injuries. Sounding angry and agitated, Salem said that no
emergency personnel had been able to get through to the
worst-hit areas in the past two days, and many dead and
wounded were still trapped beneath mounds of rubble.

4. (C) While speaking with EconOff about rumors of an
IDF-imposed 18:00 curfew on Gaza City, USAID project employee
Salem Al-Raiz abruptly cut off the phone call after the sound
of a huge explosion on his end of the line, followed by loud
screams. "I don't know where it came from. A shell," Raiz
said. He cut the call short, saying he had to go and help.

MILITANTS MOVE INTO NEW NEIGHBORHOODS 
=====================================

5. (C) Al-Azhar University professor Dr. Nehaya El-Telbani
reported to PDoff that a Qassam rocket crew tried to fire from
an olive grove near her neighborhood in the central Gaza town
of Zawayda, but that "Israeli F-16s" had responded almost
immediately. She was surprised the militants had tried to
launch Qassams from her area, as she does not live close to
the Israeli border. She suspected they had been pushed back by
Israeli forces. Telbani said that her six children are
screaming day and night, and her eight-year-old has started
wetting his bed again. She added that they are completely cut
off from north Gaza, with the IDF surrounding Khan Younis.

6. (C) El-Telbani told PDoff that she had received a
pre-recorded call on January 5 saying in Arabic: "This is the
Israeli Defense Forces. We do care about you civilians. If you
have terrorists living near you, please call this number. Do
not let yourself become a cover for terrorists. If you know
they are there, then get out." Other ConGen contacts reported
receiving similar calls.

RUNNING LOW ON ESSENTIALS
=========================

7. (C) Gaza American Corner director Dr. Awni Karazon, who has
moved three times since his home was partially destroyed
several days ago, told PDoff that he risked his life to return
to his bombed-out house to gather some powdered milk, canned
foods, and clothes for his kids. He said his old neighborhood
was a "ghost town". He managed to procure two gallons of
water, a mix of 25 percent mineral and 75 percent tap water,
being distributed by employees at a local mineral water plant.
When asked if he might consider moving into an

JERUSALEM 00000049 002 OF 002

UNRWA shelter for the displaced, Karzon said he would consider
this only as a last resort, noting that the IDF had struck
UNRWA shelters in the last 24 hours.

8. (C) Deposed independent Gaza City Mayor Majid Abu Ramadan
told Poloff that he used his remaining gasoline last night to
power a generator for three to four hours, allowing five
neighboring families to obtain running water.

9. (C) Other contacts said they are also facing increasing
shortages of food, water, fuel, and electricity. CNN's
Jerusalem bureau chief Kevin Flower told PD chief that his
cameraman had encountered a woman at Shifa Hospital who said
her six-month-old baby died after four days without food or
water. Amideast Director Abu Hashem told PDOff that he has not
had electricity or running water for five days, and his
pregnant wife and children are all surviving on potatoes,
rice, and olives. He mentioned that thousands of displaced
persons are staying at UNRWA schools, but, as they do not have
sufficient blankets, some local families are contributing
extra blankets and bedding to UNRWA. Dr. Telbani said that she
has been making bread at home, but is down to her last bag of
flour. Fruits and vegetables are an expensive luxury, she
added. Just today, her husband took a risky trip to Maghazi
camp to buy food for the family. He returned with only a
single orange.

WALLES