A fragile ceasefire in Gaza held for a third consecutive day on Sunday, allowing aid agencies to deliver urgently needed supplies to the war-torn territory and paving the way for the release of hostages and prisoners under a truce deal.
U.N. officials said significant progress was being made as cooking gas entered Gaza for the first time since March, alongside shipments of flour, fruit and meat. “We are also moving medical equipment and relocating residents from flood-prone areas ahead of winter,” said Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who brokered the ceasefire, is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday to meet families of hostages and address the Knesset before heading to Egypt for a regional “peace summit” co-chaired by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.
The Hamas-run Interior Ministry has deployed thousands of police across areas vacated by Israeli troops. Satellite images showed lines of vehicles heading north toward Gaza City as displaced Palestinians began returning home.
The Associated Press filmed dozens of trucks crossing from Egypt into Gaza carrying food, fuel, tents and medical aid. The U.N. said about 600 trucks of supplies are expected to enter daily under the new arrangement.
Meanwhile, preparations were underway for the release of Israeli hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli officials said roughly 20 of the 48 hostages are believed to be alive and will be freed Monday, while Gaza health authorities said many returning prisoners would need urgent medical treatment.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and several other world leaders are set to attend Monday’s summit in Egypt to support the truce agreement and discuss Gaza’s reconstruction.
Germany’s Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan said Berlin was ready to assist with rebuilding Gaza, emphasizing the need for private sector participation. “It won’t work without private capital,” she told Handelsblatt.
As the ceasefire holds, Gazans cautiously return to shattered homes, aid convoys expand, and diplomatic efforts intensify to secure a longer-term peace in the region.