The Gaza ceasefire had little momentum. Now, some fear that a new war will distract the world

Deir al-Bala, Gaza Strip — Just a week after US President Donald Trump pledged billions of dollars to rebuild the territory and tried to push forward a ceasefire, some Palestinians fear the war, fueled by US and Israeli strikes against Iran, could overshadow the fragile situation in Gaza.

Residents say they fear neglect and deprivation, with Israel closing all crossings to the fractured territory of more than 2 million people in the wake of weekend strikes.

COGAT, the Israeli military agency that oversees civilian affairs in Gaza, asserted in an announcement of the closure that food supplies inside the territory are “expected to be sufficient for an extended period of time.” It added that the rotation of humanitarian workers in and out of Gaza has been postponed.

COGAT did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

Haunted by memories of painful food shortages last year under months of Israeli blockade, Palestinians told The Associated Press they were rushing to markets. The part of Gaza surrounding Gaza City was in a state of famine.

“When the crossings stopped, everything was suspended from the market,” said Osamda Hanoda from Khan Younis. “Prices rise and people live in misery.”

A shaky Israel-Hamas ceasefire has led to more humanitarian aid and other supplies entering Gaza, with the United Nations and aid partners saying more is needed for everything from basic medical supplies to fuel.

Now, Palestinians are stocking up again, with reports of prices of basic goods such as bags of flour skyrocketing.

“We are afraid of not getting milk” and diapers or food and water for the children, said Hassan Zanoun, who moved from Rafah.

It is not clear when any of the crossings may be reopened. Israeli officials focused on Iran and civilians repeatedly ran for shelter as sirens wailed.

The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on Israel, and it has been marked from the start by restrictions on people and supplies – and the exodus of terrified people, including medical evacuees in need of treatment.

A month ago, Gaza’s main Rafah border crossing with the outside world — its only crossing, not with Israel — reopened, allowing a small and tightly controlled flow of Palestinian traffic in both directions. No freight was allowed.

Now all crossings are closed again in the middle of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, a time of chosen abstinence, evening feasts and prayers. Pictures showed Palestinians lined up at long tables in the middle of bombed-out ruins.

The attacks on Iran shook that routine.

“All the people rushed to the markets, and they all wanted to shop and hide,” said Abir Awwad, who was displaced from Gaza City as word of the blasts in Tehran began to spread.

Under the October 10 US-brokered ceasefire, heavy fighting has subsided, although regular Israeli fire has continued in Gaza. The UN World Food Program said in its latest food security analysis last week that it had noted progress in the enclave but hunger remained.

It said households reported an average of two meals a day in February 2026, compared to one meal in July. “Yet, one in five households eat only one meal a day.”

World Central Kitchen, meanwhile, warned that it could run out of supplies this week if Israel closes the Strip’s crossings.

“We need food deliveries every day to feed hungry families who are not part of this war,” celebrity chef Jose Andres, who founded the organization, said in a social media post.

WCK provides 1 million meals a day in Gaza, and the group and others working in war-torn Gaza need food and other supplies daily, he said.

“We can’t wait … for the humanitarian trucks to pass today!” He said.

The world’s focus on Gaza and others is a challenge as Iran scrambles for new leadership, and explosions in Tehran, Israel and the Middle East continue.

Trump said the bombing of Iran could continue for a week or more, and that Tehran would have “unprecedented strength!” If it increases the attack.

It was a dramatic reversal of Trump’s launch two weeks ago of his new Board of Peace, a gathering of world leaders aimed at ending the war in Gaza but with ambitions to resolve conflicts elsewhere.

Despite the upsurge in momentum on Gaza, major challenges to the ceasefire remain. They include disarming Hamas, assembling and deploying an international stabilization force, and getting a newly appointed Palestinian committee to govern Gaza.

As the Middle East spirals into another war, some Palestinians see an advantage: Israel’s military is distracted.

“The good thing is now the sound of booms and demolitions near the Yellow Line is rare,” said Ahmed Abu Jahl of Gaza City, speaking of the roughly half of the territory that divides Gaza and is controlled by Israeli forces.

“Even the drones, they’re still flying overhead, but their numbers are down.”

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Ezidine reports from Cairo and Anna from Lowville, New York.

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Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war