Gaza: Hostages released, aid scale-up begins: António Guterres expressed his “profound relief” that the hostages had been freed, two years since they were among some 250 taken during Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023, before highlighting their “immense suffering”.
According to EMM, the UN Secretary-General’s comments came as he headed to Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh along with world leaders for the Gaza peace summit. The international gathering was convened after Israeli forces pulled back from parts of Gaza, in line with an agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered in Egypt by US mediators and representatives from Qatar and Türkiye.
In a message on X, Mr. Guterres reiterated his call for the release of the bodies of the deceased hostages and urged “all parties to build on this momentum and to honour their commitments under the ceasefire to end the nightmare in Gaza”. For the first time since March, cooking gas has been allowed to enter the Strip.
Additionally, more tents for displaced families, frozen meat, fresh fruit, flour, and medicines also crossed into Gaza throughout the day on Sunday, as reported by OCHA in an update. Crucially, the aid agency noted that its workers and partners were now able to move more easily in multiple areas, a welcome development after constant access restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities.
This improved access has allowed aid teams to pre-position medical and emergency supplies where they are needed most, the UN agency stated, in addition to assessing key roads for explosive hazards and supporting displaced families in flood-prone areas ahead of winter. This marks just the beginning of a broader plan. As part of the first 60 days of the ceasefire, the UN and its partners aim to expand the scale and scope of operations to deliver life-saving aid and services across Gaza, OCHA continued.
The development is part of a wider humanitarian plan to scale up essential services across food, health, water, shelter, and education, as outlined by UN emergency relief chief Tom Fletcher. Key elements of this plan include food assistance for 2.1 million people, nutrition programs for vulnerable groups, restoration of healthcare services, water and sanitation projects for 1.4 million people, shelter assistance for displaced families, and educational support for 700,000 children.