Phase two of the Gaza ceasefire agreement has begun, even as US President Donald Trump warned that Hamas must fully disarm. Negotiations on the deal continue in Egypt, but renewed violence in several parts of Gaza has raised concerns over the fragile security situation. Despite the declared truce, the Israeli army has carried out sporadic attacks across the enclave.
Hamas has handed over the bodies of four more Israeli captives to the International Committee of the Red Cross, bringing the total number of deceased hostages returned to eight. Three of the victims have been identified by their families, while the Israeli army said the fourth body does not match any record of known captives.
Meanwhile, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher urged all parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement, stressing that “Palestinians, Israelis, and people across the region want this peace to take hold.” However, he acknowledged that the UN faced “further setbacks” in the implementation process on Tuesday.
Israel has informed the UN that it will permit only 300 aid trucks—half the number previously agreed—to enter Gaza daily starting Wednesday. Fletcher called on Israel to honour its commitment to allow a “massive surge” of humanitarian assistance, involving thousands of aid trucks each week, according to reports from Al Jazeera, CNN, and BBC.
Gaza death toll continues to climb
The bodies of 25 Palestinians, including 16 recovered from beneath the rubble and one who succumbed to injuries, arrived at Gaza’s hospitals in the past 24 hours, along with 35 wounded, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
Since the war began in October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed at least 67,938 people and wounded 170,169, the ministry said. It added that many victims remain trapped under debris, as ambulance and Civil Defence teams struggle to reach affected areas.
Families return to ruins
Nearly nine in ten homes across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed after two years of relentless bombardment, a UN agency reports. Families returning to their neighbourhoods are finding little more than rubble and dust.
In Sheikh Radwan, once a bustling district of Gaza City, Unicef’s Tess Ingram described the scene as “a skeleton of a city.” With homes flattened, many families are erecting makeshift shelters atop the ruins of their former residences while awaiting tents, construction materials, and the restoration of water supplies to begin rebuilding. Others are waiting for construction materials to start essential repairs.
EU ready to deploy Rafah mission
The European Union has announced it is ready to deploy its long-standing humanitarian operation — the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Rafah — at the Egypt-Gaza border crossing once conditions permit.
“EUBAM remains on standby to deploy to the Rafah crossing point in support of the Gaza peace plan as soon as conditions allow,” said European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni.
He did not specify what conditions must be met but reaffirmed, “We remain on standby and ready to deploy at short notice.” The EUBAM Rafah mission was originally established in 2005.
