Gaza Ceasefire Holds and Aid Efforts Intensify

The Gaza ceasefire is holding, allowing thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to the ruins of their homes.

According to the Associated Press, bulldozers are clearing debris after two years of war that left neighborhoods in Gaza City destroyed.

UNICEF said the truce offers a brief window to save lives, but the humanitarian crisis remains severe. “Every hour of every day for the past two years, a child has been killed in Gaza,” the agency reported. It is calling for full humanitarian access to deliver food, medicine, and shelter.

The United States has deployed 200 troops to Israel to help monitor the ceasefire and coordinate the flow of aid, AP reported.

Israel has also approved expanded deliveries of food and supplies and is preparing to release prisoners as part of the agreement.

UNICEF said over 1,300 aid trucks are ready to move with tents, blankets, and nutrition supplies. “A genuine ceasefire must be more than words; it must be sustained and respected,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.