Statement by Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), on six months of ceasefire in Gaza

"Six months into the ceasefire, civilians in Gaza remain trapped amid attacks on civilians, restricted aid, and an uncertain political process that is now shaping whether recovery will begin or collapse. While the ceasefire has formally held, Israeli strikes have continued to kill and injure civilians, destroy homes, and erode any sense of safety.

"Humanitarian access remains severely constrained. Aid deliveries continue to fall far below agreed levels, with far too few trucks entering to meet basic needs. At the same time, the entry of goods and the restoration of infrastructure are not treated as operational questions, but increasingly tied to political negotiations over Gaza's future.

"Ongoing talks led by the Board of Peace have introduced new conditions that link reconstruction, the lifting of restrictions, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the disarmament of Hamas. Failure of these negotiations could trigger renewed large-scale hostilities. Civilians are already paying the price of this uncertainty.

"Our teams continue to operate under extreme conditions, reaching close to one million people with shelter, legal assistance, water, and other essential services. Yet the situation on the ground is deteriorating. Families remain in makeshift shelters, exposed to hazards, with limited access to basic goods and rising prices driven by restricted supply.

"A ceasefire must be more than a reduction in violence. It must ensure sustained humanitarian access, enable immediate reconstruction, and protect humanitarian actors from administrative or legal barriers that undermine our work. Civilian recovery cannot remain conditional on political or military outcomes.

"The people of Gaza and Israel need more than a fragile pause. They need a credible path to safety, dignity, and recovery."

Notes to editors:

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Source: Reliefweb