Gaza: Hostages released, aid scale-up begins
As the UN Secretary-General welcomed the release of all living hostages from Gaza
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".
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 Turkïye.
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".
190,000 tonnes of aid to deliver
Meanwhile, UN aid agencies reported significant positive developments in getting aid into Gaza.
“Our humanitarian scale-up in Gaza is well underway,” said UN humanitarian agency OCHA, which noted that it had secured Israeli approval for 190,000 tonnes of food, shelter items, medicine and other supplies to enter the Strip, 20,000 more than previously agreed.
For the first time since March, cooking gas has been allowed to enter the Strip.
In addition, “more tents for displaced families, frozen meat, fresh fruit, flour and medicines also crossed into Gaza throughout the day on Sunday", OCHA said in any update.
Crucially, the aid agency reported 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 has allowed aid teams to pre-position medical and emergency supplies “to where they are needed most”, the UN agency said, in addition to assessing key roads for explosive hazards and supporting displaced families in flood-prone areas ahead of winter.
“This is just the beginning. As part of our plan for the first 60 days of the ceasefire, the UN and our partners will expand the scale and scope of our operations to deliver life-saving aid and services to virtually everyone across Gaza,” OCHA continued.
The development is part of the wider humanitarian plan to scale up essential services across food, health, water, shelter, and education, outlined by UN emergency relief chief Tom Fletcher. Its key elements:
- Food assistance for 2.1 million people, with in-kind rations, bakery and kitchen support, livelihood restoration for herders and fishers, and cash aid for 200,000 families to strengthen dignity and choice.
- Nutrition programmes: expanded screenings and nutrient-rich food for vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- Restoring health care including services, essential medicines, enhanced disease surveillance and expanded emergency and maternal care, along with mental health, and rehabilitation work.
- Water and sanitation projects for 1.4 million people by repairing grids, sewage systems and waste management, plus hygiene supply distribution.
- Shelter assistance will be prioritized for displaced and vulnerable families with tents, tarpaulins and other materials ahead of winter.
- Education boost to reopen temporary learning spaces for 700,000 children with school materials and activities.
Symptoms of war
Two years of extreme violence and constant Israeli bombardment have left many families without homes to return to.
The violence has also created vast physical and psychological needs across Gaza which UN agencies are already addressing.
UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund, underscored that “all one million” youngsters in the Gaza Strip need mental health and psychosocial support.
The war has devastated youngsters’ sense of safety, their development and wellbeing, the UN agency insisted, with many displaying “severe stress symptoms” such as withdrawal, nightmares and bedwetting.
To help children heal and overcome their fears, UNICEF supports a self-help recovery programme in which trainers show children how to employ stress-management techniques to release and process painful thoughts and images.
One device is an imaginary “safety button” that children can press when they feel overwhelmed by their situation.
“Whenever I felt scared, I would put my hand on the safety button and take a deep breath in and out. It made me feel so relieved,” said Anas, 15, one of the children helped by the scheme.
In 2025, UNICEF said that eight in 10 of the youngsters participating in the programme showed reduced symptoms of traumatic stress.
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