Foreign agencies have said the recent ceasefire is vital for getting much-needed aid into Gaza.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal last week which took effect at 11.15am (local time) yesterday.
It was due to begin at 6.30am, but shortly before it was set to come into effect, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was on hold until Hamas produced a list of Israeli hostages to be freed.
A Red Cross convoy arrives to collect Israeli hostages released after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect, in Gaza City Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abed Hajjar)The hostages have since been released by Hamas, while Israel also released 90 Palestinian detainees.
Crowds gathered early on Monday morning to celebrate the first release of detainees following the ceasefire deal.
For many however, this celebration has been bittersweet, as Palestinians are returning to Gaza only to find their homes as piles of rubble.
Team lead with UK-Med Jenny Higgins told Newstalk Breakfast that a “dramatic, urgent increase” in aid is needed to meet the scale of devastation in the region.
“Here in Gaza, the start of the ceasefire certainly brought a sense of cautious relief, and I’d say also optimism, especially from the staff and parents we have here in our field hospital and the surrounding community,” she said.
“I mean, it’s only day two, yesterday was day one, so we’re still waiting to see what the increase of aid, et cetera will look like.
“Today, after this, I’m going to be driving from one of our field hospitals, which is in Mawassi, close to Rafah, about 10 kilometres north of here to Zawaida – kind of the two ends of the designated humanitarian zone.
“So, along the way, I should see kind of what it looks like in the markets, if there’s anything additional, I’ll see how people are, if there’s been much improvement in terms of displacement, et cetera.”
Movement towards Gaza
Ms Higgins said there is no large scale movement of people towards Gaza City yet.
“Along with the relief that comes with the ceasefire, also comes kind of a reckoning and an understanding of the devastation that’s been wrought,” she said.
“We’ve had a few accounts of people that have gone maybe just to Rafah and, you know, the fact that it’s just completely decimated, I think there’s also still a question of where will people go?"
According to Ms Higgins, the level of destruction is "just ginormous".
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Main image: Palestinian released prisoners pictured inside a bus as family members and loved ones cheer after Israeli occupation authorities released the first group of prisoners. Credit: Ayman Nobani/dpa/Alamy Live News. 20th Jan, 2025.
