Israel-Hamas deal paves way for ceasefire, hostage release

Crowds in Gaza celebrate the January 2025 ceasefire in Deir el Balah, central Gaza Strip. © UNRWA

9 October 2025 - As people celebrated across Gaza and Israel at the news of an agreement that could hasten the end of the two-year war, UN aid teams on Thursday insisted that they were ready to deliver humanitarian relief supplies into the shattered enclave at scale. We'll be covering all news developments across the UN system throughout the day. 

The UN chief said on Thursday the world has waited “far too long” for the desperately needed hostage and ceasefire deal breakthrough – urging Israel and Hamas to stick to its terms.

UN aid teams on the ground in Gaza are “cautious but hopeful”, warning that for now, bombing and shelling continues. 

Speaking via video from Riyadh, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher calls the Gaza ceasefire “a moment of success we must make count” after two years of war.

The deal proposed by the US President “must be the basis” for lifesaving work throughout the region, he says, outlining a plan to deliver food, medical supplies, water, shelter, and education for the two million in need across Gaza.

Massive needs

Mr. Fletcher stressed the importance of protecting civilians, clearing unexploded ordnance - and focusing on the needs of children. 

He underscored that aid can only reach those in need if agencies have sufficient fuel, secure crossings, unhindered access, and full funding from the international community – which currently stands at only 28 per cent of the $4 billion needed for 2025.

“Now is the time to make generosity count,” he says, pledging the UN and partners are ready to act immediately.

UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said agreement on phase one of the deal was “a ray of hope” after more than 700 days of conflict, stressing the need for the release of all Israeli hostages and the immediate, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

“A permanent ceasefire can finally open a pathway to peace; ending the rule of Hamas in Gaza, ending the occupation and recognising the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people as well as the security of the State of Israel by the whole region,” she says. – UN News