Two down: Israel's own ship fails to launch

Hot on the heels of the Libyan boat’s diversion earlier this week, a second boat has failed to reach Gaza.

The organisers of a boat due to sail from Ashdod were warned off in port and diverted to Tel Aviv a few miles down the coast.

Luckily this one was mostly filled with people, not aid, but the sentiment is significant. The passengers were mostly Arab Israeli lawmakers and opinion-shapers, including Knesset member Ahmed Tibi. Israel’s sending a clear message that there’s a right way and a wrong way to send aid.

Gaza out of petrol

The power station in Gaza City shut down on Sunday due to a lack of fuel.

Xinhua reports that the plant needs 2 million litres of fuel a week – significantly more than the 1.5m that Hamas have quoted in the past, but far more significantly more than the 0.4m supplied on Thursday.

Israel and Egypt are still supplying 65% (not 75%, as in this article) of Gaza’s electricity needs.

Not quite the 'aid' we were looking for

Arms smugglers in northern Egypt have amassed a huge stockpile of weapons. Unfortunately for them, as Falastin al-Youm (via JPost) reports, Egyptian troops swooped on the cache and uncovered 211 anti-aircraft missiles bound for Gaza.

Smugglers still at large though.

Truce hampering aid to Gaza?

A senior leader of Islamic Jihad suggests he’ll encourage his movement not to support an extension of the ‘calm’ brokered between Hamas and Israel in June 2008.

His concern is that aid has not improved. Israel obviously cites continued rocket fire from (amongst others) IJ as a reason for not sending aid – despite sending convoys under direct rocket fire over the last two weeks.

Iran criticises partners for failing to support Gaza

How long before an Iranian boat, then?

Egypt unclear about future of Libyan boat

Although it’s at dock in el-Arish, Egypt’s clearly uncomfortable with its presence and isn’t sure it can help it get to Gaza. More soon…

COGAT update 7 December

Bad news: Nahal Oz (fuel), Karni, Sufa, Kerem Shalom (all goods) all closed

Good news: Erez open for special people. 21 patients and chaperones entered Israel for treatment. 3 international aid workers entered Gaza and 6 left for Israel.

COGAT update 6 December

COGAT published their weekly report today, which provides only minimal details of Thursday’s convoy, strangely.

Nevertheless, for completeness: Bad news: Sufa closed

Good news: Karni open for 32 truckloads Kerem Shalom open for 35 truckloads Nahal Oz open for 440,000 litres of power station fuel Egypt and Israel’s power supplies maintained

And in totals for this week, 41 aid workers entered Gaza and 63 left 250 patients and chaperones entered Israel for treatment 19 ‘humanitarian need’ cases entered Israel And briefly on Thursday, journalists were allowed to cross into Gaza. Israel has since closed the crossings to journalists again over fears for their safety under rocket attacks and continued fighting in Gaza.

That’s a total 67 trucks, approx 1732 tons of aid – significantly below average if that’s all this week. plus 440,000 litres of fuel – significantly below the power station’s needs for full operation.

What does next week bring?