A month into a fragile truce in the Gaza Strip, tensions remain high over humanitarian access, the handling of hostage remains and military boundaries on the ground, threatening the prospects of a peace plan brokered by the Trump administration.

Among the many challenges that continue to plague the war-ravaged enclave, insufficient aid delivery to Gaza residents remains a top concern for the international community, as critical shortages of food, fuel, and shelter threaten to worsen humanitarian conditions – particularly with winter approaching and large portions of its 2.1-million population still displaced or living in damaged homes and worn-out tents.

Under the ceasefire deal, aid to Gaza was supposed to reach up to 600 trucks a day. However, authorities in Gaza said earlier this month only about 145 trucks per day entered during the first weeks – around 24 percent of the pledged volume.

Israel has at times cited what it calls delays and irregularities in the handover of deceased hostages by Hamas as grounds for halving the number of aid trucks and cutting off most fuel shipments, except for those used by key infrastructure. It also accuses Hamas fighters of diverting food aid before it reaches civilians – a claim the group denies.

On other occasions, Israel maintains that it is meeting its commitments, though it acknowledges restrictions remain on access by certain NGOs and on items it deems to have both civilian and military use.

The shortfall has deepened Gaza's humanitarian emergency, with supplies remaining far below what is needed despite the lull in fighting, according to aid agencies. The World Food Program says its food deliveries into Gaza amount to only about 20,000 tonnes so far, about half of the required amount, and it has opened just 44 of its planned 145 distribution points.

Violence has persisted, albeit at reduced levels. On October 28, Israel carried out a wave of overnight airstrikes after accusing Hamas of attacking its forces and mishandling hostage remains. Palestinian health authorities say at least 104 people, including 46 children, were killed. Though the Israeli military said the ceasefire remained in place after the strikes, sporadic attacks continued in Gaza.

Hamas, for its part, says it is complying with the truce and accuses Israel of exploiting delays in locating and handing over hostage remains – which Hamas says are difficult to trace – as a pretext for strikes.

Despite ongoing tensions and accusations, however, both sides have continued hostage and prisoner exchanges under the U.S.-brokered plan. Since the ceasefire, Hamas has released 20 living hostages, while Israel has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The deal also involves exchanging the remains of deceased hostages. So far, 24 bodies have been returned to Israel, with four still in Gaza, and Israel has handed over the remains of 300 Palestinians, though not all have been identified.

These exchanges have occurred alongside ongoing efforts to define and enforce temporary boundaries within Gaza, as Israeli forces have begun installing distinctive yellow‑painted concrete markers and steel posts in the Israel Defense Forces‑controlled zone of the Gaza Strip to delineate the so‑called "yellow line." The line, which corresponds with the first phase of the U.S.-brokered plan, currently reflects Israeli control of about half the enclave.

Although that boundary was framed as a limited interim measure to keep Israeli forces out of Gaza's densely‑populated urban centers, the yellow line has now evolved into a focal point of disputes over freedom of movement, return of displaced persons and the future shape of the Gaza Strip.

These multiple challenges threaten to derail Trump's 20-point peace plan, which envisions phased Israeli withdrawals and eventual transfer of control to an International Stabilization Force once demilitarization conditions are met.

Analysts warn that without clear deadlines, progress toward full withdrawal and long-term stability could take months or even years, leaving the yellow line and the truce in a state of prolonged uncertainty.