Palestine · A closer look
2025
Ceasefire
A ceasefire took effect on 10 October 2025 under a US-brokered plan. On 13 October the remaining living hostages were released as Palestinian prisoners and detainees were also freed. Aid operations expanded and displaced people returned towards damaged neighbourhoods. Renewed strikes later that month showed how fragile the opening remained.
The October agreement
The ceasefire that entered into effect on 10 October 2025 created an opening for hostage releases, the release of Palestinian detainees and a larger humanitarian response. It also enabled many displaced people to begin moving towards areas they had left. This entry concerns that agreement and its first weeks. A ceasefire is a change in the conduct of hostilities; it does not by itself settle the political questions that produced the conflict.
Releases and reunions
The ICRC facilitated the return of twenty living hostages and the transfer of Palestinian detainees during the October releases. Its personnel conducted interviews and provided medical support as part of their role as a neutral intermediary. The organisation also assisted with the transfer of remains. These operations depended on agreements between the parties and involved individual families whose uncertainty and grief could not be captured by the totals alone.
Source: ICRC: Release and transfer of hostages and detainees, October 2025
Returning to damaged communities
OCHA's reporting later that month described population movements towards northern Gaza, food distributions and medical evacuations. Assessments focused on the urgent needs of people returning to places where services had been severely damaged. Reaching a former neighbourhood did not necessarily mean finding a habitable home, functioning healthcare or safe water. The humanitarian response therefore involved both immediate survival needs and the first steps towards restoring basic systems.
Source: UN OCHA: Gaza humanitarian response, 25–26 October 2025
A fragile opening
The first weeks also showed how insecure the arrangement remained. OCHA reported renewed airstrikes before the resumption of ceasefire implementation on 29 October. Humanitarian work continued amid uncertainty, including the expansion of water deliveries and nutrition services. These dated reports describe the opening phase of the agreement rather than proving that peace had been achieved. For figures beyond this period, consult the dated count on the main timeline.
Source: UN OCHA: Gaza humanitarian response, 29 October 2025