The ceasefire deal brokered by President Donald Trump to put a stop to the war in Gaza has, so far, held up. Israel's relentless bombing of the Gaza Strip has ceased, and Hamas has returned all of the remaining living Israeli hostages.
Now, humanitarian organizations like Heart to Heart International based in Lenexa, Kansas, are looking at how they can bring aid to the people of Gaza.
In 2024, Heart to Heart sent over 1.7 million menstrual pads along with hygiene kits to Gaza. But due to aid restrictions imposed by Israel, the organization hasn't been able to provide aid since then.
This ceasefire deal provides an opening for the organization to once again work to help aid in the humanitarian crisis caused by the war.
"Right now everyone is sort of just seeing, OK, is the ceasefire going to hold? Are these avenues going to be open permanently? And then we'll be able to plan based off of that, but we're actively involved in that coordination," says JP Fisher, director of disaster response for Heart to Heart International.
Fisher said "a ton" of logistics work between governments and other humanitarian organizations is required to successfully provide the aid. For organizations like Heart to Heart, it could take a month or more to get the supplies to its final destination, as it has to be sent in a ship across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States.
"We're constantly talking to our peer organizations that have emergency medical teams and field hospitals set up. We're also coordinating with the UN system. We're coordinating with governments surrounding Gaza as well in order to get aid in. And it really comes down to that logistical coordination," Fisher told KCUR's Up To Date
"This is an extremely complex area to get aid in compared to other responses that we have, including things in Ukraine and Sudan, where we also work. This one is particularly difficult."
- JP Fisher, director of disaster response for Heart to Heart International
