Israeli authorities have been very careful to monitor the
level of basic supplies in the Gaza area to ensure that there
are adequate amounts of the basic necessities.
According to the most current data, the inventory of basic
goods and medicines in the Gaza Strip is ample. At the
beginning of the week, the flour supply in Gaza was expected
to last for at least a month. The current estimated amount of
fuel available at gas stations throughout Gaza was 1,300,000
liters.
In accordance with the decisions of the political echelon,
the Karni goods crossing and Nahal Oz fuel terminal were
opened on Sunday for the passage of food items and fuel into
the Gaza Strip. They have been closed due to serious warnings
of attacks on those installations.
Criminal Palestinian terrorists do not avoid threats and
attacks on these passage points, despite the hardship that
these attacks and the response to the attacks bring to the
entire Palestinian population. The closure of these gateways
prevents the export of Palestinian goods as well as the
import of outside material. Gaza currently has no other
commercial point of contact with the outside world.
At Karni crossing on Sunday, at least 50 truckloads of basic
food items were transferred to Gaza including: wheat, corn,
cooking oil, meat, fruit and milk. The transfer of medicines
was also approved but was delayed, as the need for medical
supplies was not deemed urgent by Red Cross officials.
At the Nahal Oz fuel terminal the following quantities of
fuel and natural gas were transferred to the Palestinians:
1,000,000 liters of diesel fuel; 80,000 liters of gasoline;
200 tons of natural gas (for cooking).
Israel continues to supply both water and electricity to the
Gaza Strip and in light of the current situation has
increased the amount it supplies.
The Israeli defense establishment monitors the supply
reserves in the Gaza Strip based on supplies entering Gaza
through the various crossings. Israel has allowed the opening
of the crossings despite the existing security threats to
supply current needs and also to allow the Palestinians to
build up reserves in order to prevent any future disruptions
from causing unexpected shortages.
Because the Palestinian militants operate from within the
civilian noncombatant population, the IDF operates in a
cautious and measured manner to reduce the risk of harming
the Palestinian civilian population. It continues its ongoing
operation to secure the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit and to
target terror cells and terrorist infrastructure.
At the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert said, "My government has instructed the IDF and the
security establishment to do everything in order to bring
Gilad back home to his family safe and sound.
"We and the international community know that Gilad is being
held by a bloodthirsty gang of terrorists who are causing us
much suffering but who are mainly hurting the Palestinian
population, which is bearing the results of this terrorist
activity. The Government of Israel has no interest in harming
the Palestinian population.
"We have no intention of capitulating to blackmail. Everyone
knows that capitulating to terrorism today means inviting the
next act of terrorism. We will not do this."
The Prime Minister expressed special appreciation for
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's efforts to bring about
Cpl. Shalit's release.
The situation remained very murky. It is not clear who is
holding Cpl. Shalit and there is no voice that speaks with
authority on the Palestinian side. No proof has been given by
anyone that his group is holding Cpl. Shalit and that he is
alive.
Palestinian spokesmen couch all their pronouncements in
conditional statements that in summary mean nothing. For
example, Hamas spokesman Osama al-Muzaini said, "They
[referring to those holding Cpl. Shalit] may kill him, take
him to another country or may hide him. All options are
open." Abu al-Muthana, a spokesman for the Army of Islam in
the Gaza Strip, said on Tuesday morning, "Whether he will be
killed or not killed, we will not disclose any information
about the fate of the soldier. We will not kill the soldier,
if he is still alive."
The statements all have no content, presumably by the design
of the Palestinians who make them. But it means that their
statements have no expressive power, and cannot be the basis
for any dialogue.
The Cabinet approved a plan to reinforce educational
institutions in communities near the Gaza Strip. The main
points of the plan are: Two-thirds of schools will be
reinforced ahead of the beginning of the 2006-2007 school
year. The remaining one-third will be reinforced by the end
of the autumn holidays. The IDF Home Front Command will
supervise the implementation of the project, including an
informational campaign among students, teachers, principals,
parents and local council heads.
