Friday marked one year since the ceasefire agreement in Gaza took effect on October 10, 2025. More than one hundred humanitarian and human rights organizations issued a joint statement saying the truce has brought only partial relief, and that daily life for people in Gaza remains extremely difficult.
The groups, including Amnesty International, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children, said that in the year since the ceasefire began, casualties have continued to occur and that nearly two million people still need shelter. They said not a single hospital in Gaza is fully functioning and that roughly 1.4 million people face crisis level hunger. The United Nations' migration agency separately appealed on Friday for more durable shelter materials, warning that seasonal rains could cause flooding and further weaken damaged structures that many families rely on for cover.
The ceasefire, brokered with United States involvement last October, halted the most intense phase of a conflict that began after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. It has since moved into a second phase focused on reconstruction, governance and disarmament questions, though aid groups and UN officials say progress on those fronts has been slow and that the agreement has not yet delivered the security or recovery it promised.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterated this week his call for a permanent ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza at scale, saying civilians continue to live in harsh conditions that must end. Aid organizations say winter weather adds new urgency to appeals for shelter material and medical supplies.
Watch for further UN Security Council discussion of the reconstruction phase and whether shelter and aid deliveries increase ahead of winter.
Is the Gaza ceasefire still in effect?
Yes, the ceasefire that began in October 2025 remains formally in place and has moved into a second phase, though humanitarian groups say conditions on the ground remain severe.
What are aid groups most concerned about now?
They point to shortages of durable shelter material, a healthcare system that is not fully functioning, and continuing food insecurity as winter approaches.