Gaza's Ceasefire Had Momentum. Now, Some Fear A New War Will Distract The World

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip — Some Palestinians opportunity they fearfulness nan widening warfare sparked by U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran could overshadow nan vulnerable business successful Gaza, conscionable complete a week aft President Trump rallied billions of dollars successful “Board of Peace” pledges for nan territory’s reconstruction and tried to nudge a ceasefire forward.

Residents opportunity they are frightened of neglect and deprivation, pinch Israel successful nan aftermath of nan play strikes closing each crossings into nan war-torn Gaza Strip.

COGAT, nan Israeli subject assemblage overseeing civilian affairs successful Gaza, asserted successful its announcement of nan closings that nan nutrient proviso wrong nan territory “is expected to suffice for an extended period.” It added that nan rotation of humanitarian workers successful and retired of Gaza is postponed.

COGAT did not respond to a petition for remark Sunday.

Palestinians told nan Associated Press they were rushing to markets, haunted by memories of achy nutrient scarcity past twelvemonth nether months of Israel’s blockade. Parts of Gaza, including nan area successful and astir Gaza City, were recovered to beryllium successful famine.

“When nan crossings unopen down, everything was suspended from nan market,” Osamda Hanoda said successful Khan Yunis. “The prices spell up, and group unrecorded successful misery.”

Reports show prices of equipment rising sharply

The shaky Israel-Hamas ceasefire had led to much humanitarian assistance and different supplies entering Gaza, moreover arsenic nan United Nations and assistance partners opportunity much of everything from basal aesculapian supplies to substance is needed.

Now, Palestinians are hoarding again, pinch reports of prices rising sharply for basal equipment specified arsenic bags of flour.

“We are acrophobic of not uncovering milk” and diapers, aliases nutrient and water, said Hassan Zanoun, who was displaced from Rafah.

It was not clear erstwhile immoderate crossing mightiness reopen. Israeli authorities focused connected Iran, and citizens dashed many times for shelter arsenic sirens wailed.

Ramadan is disrupted

The warfare successful Gaza began pinch nan Hamas-led onslaught connected Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, and it’s been marked from nan commencement by restrictions connected group and supplies being allowed into nan territory — and terrified people, including aesculapian evacuees successful request of treatment, getting out.

A period ago, Gaza’s main Rafah separator crossing pinch nan extracurricular world — its only crossing not pinch Israel — reopened, allowing a mini and tightly controlled travel of Palestinian postulation successful some directions. No cargo was allowed through.

Now each crossings are closed again successful nan mediate of nan beatified Muslim fasting period of Ramadan, a clip of chosen deprivation, evening feasts and prayer. Images person shown Palestinians lined up astatine agelong tables successful nan mediate of bombed-out debris.

The strikes connected Iran shook that routine.

“All nan group rushed to markets, and they each wanted to shop and hide,” said Abeer Awwad, who was displaced from Gaza City, arsenic connection of nan explosions successful Tehran began to spread.

Under nan Oct. 10 U.S.-brokered ceasefire, nan heaviest fighting has subsided, though regular Israeli occurrence continues successful Gaza. The U.N. World Food Program has noted advancement successful nan enclave but said successful its latest nutrient information study past week that hunger remains.

“Households reported an mean of 2 meals per time successful February 2026, compared to 1 repast successful July,” it said. “Still, 1 successful 5 households consumed only 1 repast daily.”

The World Central Kitchen, meanwhile, warned that it would tally retired of supplies this week if Israel kept nan strip’s crossings closed.

“We request nutrient deliveries each azygous time to provender quiet families who are not portion of this war,” José Andrés, nan personage cook who founded nan organization, said successful a societal media post.

He said that WCK provides 1 cardinal meals a time successful Gaza, and that nan group and others moving successful Gaza request nutrient and different supplies each day.

“We cannot hold ... fto nan humanitarian trucks spell done today!” he said.

A situation for assistance groups

Refocusing nan world’s attraction connected Gaza is simply a situation for assistance groups and others arsenic Iran scrambles to found caller activity and bombing continues successful Tehran, Israel and elsewhere astir nan Middle East.

Trump has said bombing successful Iran could proceed done nan week aliases longer, and warned Tehran of “A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” if it escalates attacks connected nan U.S.

It’s a stark move aft Trump’s motorboat little than 2 weeks agone of his alleged Board of Peace, a gathering of world leaders that is aimed astatine ending nan warfare successful Gaza and asserts ambitions of resolving conflicts astir nan world.

Even pinch that bump successful momentum connected Gaza, awesome challenges stay for nan ceasefire. They see disarming Hamas, assembling and deploying an world stabilization unit and getting a recently appointed Palestinian committee meant to govern Gaza into nan territory.

As nan Middle East turns to different war, immoderate Palestinians spot a benefit: Israel’s subject is distracted.

“The bully point is that nan sound of booms and demolitions is uncommon now adjacent nan yellowish line,” said Ahmed Abu Jahl of Gaza City, speaking astir nan statement dividing Gaza and marking astir half nan territory controlled by Israeli forces.

“Even nan drones, they are still flying overhead, but their number has gone down.”

Shurafa, Ezzidin and Anna constitute for nan Associated Press and reported from Deir al Balah, Cairo and Lowville, N.Y., respectively.