BICOM

• Diplomatic negotiations over a possible ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip have been ongoing in Egypt with Israeli, Palestinian and European representatives taking part in the talks. Several options are being considered to secure the Gaza-Egypt border and reduce the rocket fire into Israel.
• Fighting in the Gaza Strip continued overnight and this morning, with Israeli forces striking over 70 targets and terror infrastructure, mostly in the northern Gaza Strip.
• The Israeli cabinet met throughout Friday to discuss Israel’s future steps. The cabinet stated that the operation will continue until it achieves the goals set forth by the government are achieved. The cabinet stressed that Israel remains committed to the prevention of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Key statements

Foreign Secretary David Miliband speaks at the UN Security Council following the approval of Resolution 1860 (9/1): “We’ve been brought together over the last three days first by the gravity of the situation that currently exists in Gaza.  Statistics do not do justice to the situation there but the word crisis, which is sometimes over used, is wholly appropriate in my view in this context.  However we have also been brought together I believe by clarity of vision for the future.  That the only way to secure dignity and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike is for that dignity and security to be for both of them.”

Foreign Secretary David Miliband speaks BBC News following the approval of Resolution 1860 (9/1): “I think it’s significant that the UN Security Council will find a way to come together to issue this clear call but, obviously, the vital decisions are going to be made on the ground and it’s decisions on the ground that will decide whether or not there’s a ceasefire.  The role of the UN should be to try to support the drive for peaceful resolution of disputes and that’s certainly what I hope this resolution will contribute to.”

Colonel Richard Kemp CBE, former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, on the Gaza situation (10/1):  “only international pressure on Hamas can see and end to this conflict, together with a long-term commitment for an international force to control Gaza.  The only real reason for hope in the whole desperate situation is that Israel now enjoys the warmest relations with most of its neighbouring Arab states. And fearful of encouraging Islamist extremists in their own countries, the last thing these governments can afford is any kind of success for Hamas.”

Colonel Richard Kemp CBE, former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, on the Gaza situation (10/1): “Despite Israel’s extraordinary measures a tragically high number of innocent civilians have been killed and wounded.  That is the inevitability of Hamas’s way of fighting. Avoiding civilian casualties when fighting among the people is always difficult. When combating an enemy that uses human shields it is impossible.”

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on US abstention on resolution 1860 (9/1): “Here you have a terrorist organisation and a member-state, Israel, and there isn’t any equivalence here. Israel was defending itself because of these (Hamas) rocket attacks. Yet, we are concerned about the suffering of the people, the humanitarian situation, and we’re doing everything we can to alleviate that, as well.”

Statement by Israel’s Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs (9/1): “The Committee was briefed by senior security establishment officials, including on Maj.-Gen. Amos Gilad’s meetings in Cairo. The discussion also focused on UN Security Council Resolution 1860, which urgently determined the need to create a mechanism to prevent the smuggling of war materiel and to establish a stable ceasefire, as conditions for the departure of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip, and called for the cessation of terrorist actions against Israel. It should be noted that since this morning, the terrorist organisations have continued to fire rockets at Israeli communities. The State of Israel has the right to defend its citizens and, to this end, the IDF will continue acting in order to attain the goals of the operation, i.e. changing the security reality in southern Israel, in accordance with the plans that were approved at the beginning of the operation. Operations will also continue to prevent the smuggling of war materiel into the Gaza Strip. It was also decided that the humanitarian activity being carried out by Israel for the benefit of the residents of Gaza would continue.

Situation on the ground

As diplomatic negotiations intensified since the approval of UN Security Council Resolution 1860, Hamas intensified the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. Over 30 rockets and mortars have been fired at Beersheba, Ashdod, Ashkelon, and other southern communities since Friday morning. A rocket was also fired at the Kerem Shalom crossing, used to transfer humanitarian aid from Israel to Gaza. After a relatively quite night, Hamas resumed rocket fire this morning, claiming to have launched a rocket at an Israeli military base located only 27 km from Tel Aviv. There have been no confirmation for this report yet, but this would indicate Hamas’s ability to launch rockets that exceed the 40 km range previously believed to be in its possession.

Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip continued to operate against Hamas targets. Most of the activity was aimed at areas from which the terror groups launch rockets at Israel in the northern Gaza Strip. Israeli Air Force targeted approximately 70 Hamas compounds, and Israeli Navy ships were operating against rocket launching cells. Five Israeli soldiers were injured overnight in northern Gaza.

Humanitarian organisations have announced that they will renew their activity in Gaza after a 24-hour period in which the shipments were halted following incidents involving humanitarian aid workers. Israel has made clear that all steps will be taken to ensure the safety of the convoys into Gaza.

Diplomatic developments

A day after the approval of UN Security Council Resolution 1860, diplomatic efforts to forge a ceasefire continue with the involvement of Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and European representatives. Israel’s envoy Amos Gilad briefed the security cabinet yesterday on his talks in Cairo and is expected to return to Egypt for further talks today. Egyptian efforts to broker a Gaza cease-fire appeared on Friday to have to run into trouble because of disagreements with Israel over how to secure the border to prevent Hamas from rearming, diplomats said. According to EU diplomats, Egypt had objections to proposals for foreign forces deploying on the Egyptian side of its 15-km border with the Gaza Strip. Diplomats said an international deployment on the Palestinian side of the border was also unlikely because of objections from Hamas, which has yet to take a formal position on Cairo’s ceasefire blueprint.

In an attempt to break an impasse that has stalled ceasefire talks, European diplomats are mulling a proposal which would restore control of the Gaza Strip border crossings to the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, the Times reported this morning. According to the proposal, Palestinian security personnel loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas would govern the border crossings with assistance from Turkish and French soldiers who would be stationed as monitors.

If successful, the agreement will accommodate the return of PA forces into the strip almost two years after Hamas’s violent takeover of the area in June 2007. Hamas’s rule of the strip meant that de facto, the Palestinian Authority was limited to the West Bank and had no control over events in the area.

Tally of missiles, rockets and mortar shells fired from Gaza

• Since 2001, total number of identified rocket and mortar shell hits: 8,701
• Since Israel’s unilateral disengagement from Gaza in August 2005:6,011
• Since 4 November 2008: 907
• Since the ceasefire ended on 19 December 2008: 842
• Since Operation Cast Lead began on 27 December 2008:687

For a daily tally of rockets and mortars fired into Israel, see BICOM Statistics: Total number of identified rocket and mortar shell hits since 2001; daily tally for 2008 and 2009. Please note the new web link.

Humanitarian aid to Gaza

Israel is conducting the latest operation while making sure that food, basic supplies and medical needs are constantly transferred into the Gaza Strip. Israel maintains ongoing contact with humanitarian agencies and enables the constant flow of goods and supplies into the strip.

Since the beginning of operation in Gaza, 623 truckloads of humanitarian aid (14,599 tons) have been transferred at the request of international organisations, the Palestinian Authority and various governments. Israel does not wish to see the humanitarian situation in the strip deteriorate. Preparations are underway to facilitate further shipments expected to arrive in the coming days.

8 January 2009
Israel transferred 89 humanitarian aid trucks to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom Crossing, totaling 2,227 tons of food products, medical supplies and medication. 315,000 litres of fuel for the Gaza power station, alongside 143 tons of natural gas for domestic uses were transferred through the Nahal Oz terminal. 223 foreign nationals were permitted entry into Israel to leave Gaza, following requests from their respective governments.

7 January 2009
Throughout the day, the crossings facilitated the movement of 76 trucks loaded with 2,068 tons of humanitarian goods, comprised of donations from Jordan and Egypt and aid on behalf of UNRWA, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organisation and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Also, 482,000 litres of heavy duty diesel for the power plant, 92,000 litres of diesel for UN humanitarian operations and 43 tons of gas for domestic use were transferred to the Gaza Strip. 

Ongoing activities are taking place to repair additional electrical lines. Nevertheless, most of the population in the Gaza Strip has electricity.

6 January 2009

57 trucks loaded with 1,312 tons of humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom crossing. The trucks contained medical supplies, flour, powdered milk, potatoes, barley and more, shipped to Gaza at the request of international organisations including UNRWA, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation, as well as international donations on behalf of the governments of Jordan, Egypt and Greece. Israel’s humanitarian efforts, in conjunction with international organisations operating in the Gaza Strip, also include medical treatment in Israeli hospitals and infrastructure repairs in the Gaza Strip.

5 January 2009

49 trucks carrying 1,119 tons of food and medicines were transferred to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, including four with medical equipment and medicines. The aid was donated by international organisations – UNRWA, WFP and the ICRC – and by several countries, including Egypt and Jordan. In addition, 215,000 litres of diesel fuel for the power plant, 93,000 litres of diesel for the use of various UN organisations and 50 tons of cooking gas for domestic uses were transferred via the Nahal Oz terminal.

The evacuation of dual nationals is continuing.

2 January 2009
Israel transferred 64 trucks carrying 1,530 tons of humanitarian aid (including basic foodstuffs, medicines and medical supplies, tents and generators) via the Kerem Shalom crossing.

1 January 2009
60 trucks, with approximately 1,360 tons of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and medication were conveyed through Kerem Shalom cargo terminal.

31 December 2008
93 truckloads carrying some 2,500 tons of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and medications were transferred through the Kerem Shalom crossing. The World Food Programme notified the Israeli authorities that their food warehouses in the Gaza Strip are full, with a two-week supply, and they do not require further shipments.

The Nahal Oz fuel crossing remained closed due to continuing fire in the area.

Twelve Palestinians, including two children, were transferred to Israeli hospitals.

30 December 2008
93 truckloads carrying 2,366 tons of humanitarian supplies as well as five ambulances donated by Turkey were transferred to the Gaza Strip. A Red Cross plane arrived with medical supplies for the hospital operating room. The aid included food and medicine provided by the World Food Programme, UNRWA, UNICEF, the ICRC, the World Health Organisation, Doctors without Borders, and Care International, as well as donations from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey.

29 December 2008
63 trucks with 1,545 tons of humanitarian goods (food, medicines and medical supplies) were delivered via the Kerem Shalom crossing. Most of the aid was provided by the International Red Cross, UNRWA, Doctors without Borders, and Care International. Five ambulances from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Ramallah passed through, at the request of the International Red Cross (ICRC). 1,000 units of blood donated by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan were also delivered.

Erez crossing: Four people (patients and their escorts), and ten international staff, including a pregnant employee of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and her Palestinian husband, left the Gaza Strip and crossed into Israel.

28 December 2008
At the request of international organisations (the International Red Cross, UNRWA, WFP) and of the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah, 23 truckloads of humanitarian goods such as flour, medicines and medical supplies were transferred via Kerem Shalom crossing.

 

However, the transfer of additional aid through the crossings is being delayed by the high risk of terrorist attacks on the crossings themselves. There is a long history of such attacks, including:

• 22 May 2008: a Palestinian bomber blew up an explosives-laden truck on the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing, causing substantial damage.
• 20 April 2008: Hamas gunmen wounded 13 Israeli soldiers in an assault with mortar shells, explosives-laden vehicles and gunfire against the Kerem Shalom crossing.
• 9 April 2008: Two Israeli civilian fuel truck drivers working at the Nahal Oz fuel depot – which supplies fuel to Gaza – were killed in an attack by Gaza militants.

Further Information

• To visit our new Operation Cast Lead section on our website, click here. It contains daily situation updates, analyses, useful facts and figures, and videos. You can also find the section by going to our homepage and clicking on the Operation Cast Lead button on the right-hand side.
• For a full news review for 8 January, click here.