The ceasefire that entered its third day over Gaza has transformed the soundscape from constant artillery and drones to cautious silence, but the relief among civilians is tempered by acute shortages and uncertainty about the future. Streets in central Gaza that were reduced to rubble remained cordoned off while residents sifted through ruined homes and hospitals struggled to resume limited services amid sporadic electricity and dwindling fuel supplies.

“We are exhausted and hungry. There is nothing left to rebuild,” said a woman in Khan Younis who gave only her first name, Aisha, as she carried a small plastic bag of food handed out at a temporary distribution point. Aid workers and residents described long lines for potable water and medical care, and crews from international agencies warned that a single lapse in supplies could precipitate a secondary catastrophe of disease and malnutrition.

Humanitarian agencies estimate that hundreds of thousands remain displaced inside Gaza, many seeking shelter in unfinished buildings or overcrowded schools. U.N. officials, speaking to reporters in Jerusalem and Amman, urged immediate, sustained access. “Unimpeded humanitarian corridors are not a bargaining chip; they are a legal and moral imperative,” a senior U.N. humanitarian official said, stressing that relief deliveries must be sustained regardless of political negotiations.

The ceasefire, brokered through quiet diplomacy involving Egypt and Qatar with U.S. backing, appears to hinge on a complex set of parallel tracks: an end to active hostilities, phased release of hostages held by Hamas, the opening of border crossings for expanded aid, and initial steps toward reconstruction financing. Israeli officials have signaled their willingness to pause military operations to allow hostage-recovery efforts, while insisting that Hamas’s military capabilities be degraded. Hamas spokespeople framed the pause as a necessary relief for civilians and a precondition for negotiations.

The hostage issue remains central and volatile. Families in Israel and Gaza alike have been living with acute grief and fear. “We want our children home,” said a relative of an Israeli hostage at a vigil in Tel Aviv. Negotiators told CBS that sensitive, discreet talks continue in parallel with public statements, underscoring how fragile the arrangements are and how quickly calm could unravel.

International legal concerns are already surfacing. Rights groups have accused both sides, at various times in the conflict, of actions amounting to violations of the laws of armed conflict, including indiscriminate attacks and collective punishment. Legal scholars note that even in a ceasefire, obligations to protect civilians, allow aid, and investigate alleged crimes persist and shape post-conflict accountability discussions.

Regional capitals are watching closely. Egypt and Qatar, which played central mediation roles, have urged a durable cessation and an immediate humanitarian response, while Washington has pressed Israel to facilitate aid and pursue hostage returns through negotiated means. European states and the U.N. have signaled readiness to support reconstruction but conditioned such assistance on compliance with international norms and transparent oversight.

For now, the quiet in Gaza offers a narrow window for diplomats and aid agencies to translate ceasefire lines on a map into sustained relief and political progress. Residents and relief workers alike say that the true test will be whether guarantees on paper are matched by trucks of fuel, functioning hospitals, and credible paths to accountability — or whether the fragile calm will dissolve back into conflict.