Guterres urges permanent Gaza ceasefire as aid reaches families but shortages persist

In a message published on 6 October, ahead of the third anniversary of the 7 October 2023 attacks, Guterres said the ceasefire had brought some relief but had not yet delivered security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace. He called on all parties to fulfil their commitments and move to the next phase of the Gaza plan. His message was an appeal to build on the existing ceasefire, not an announcement of a new agreement. [1]

The ceasefire began on 10 October 2025. Reuters reports that it helped secure the return of the last remaining hostages seized in the 2023 attacks and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Full-scale military operations have not resumed, but Israeli strikes have continued. Israel says it is targeting Hamas because the group is attempting attacks and rearmament; Hamas denies the accusation. [3]

Humanitarian aid is reaching people, though serious service problems remain. OCHA says partners gave food parcels and flour to 220,000 households — more than 840,000 people — in September. That allocation covered about half of minimum caloric needs; other programmes were also providing meals and bread. OCHA reported improved aid offloading at Kerem Shalom, but warned that underfunding was expected to cut meal production and parcel distribution from October. It also reported shortages of medical supplies and sharply reduced output at two southern desalination plants because of missing parts and equipment. [2]

Israel says about 600 trucks carrying aid and commercial goods enter Gaza each day, that enough goods are arriving to meet needs, and that it is meeting its obligations. That entry figure does not measure what households receive or resolve the water and medical shortages reported by OCHA. [3]