Middle East: UN faces difficult task delivering aid to Gaza

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany can play a role in improving ties between Israel and Turkey, ahead of his trip to Ankara where he was meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.

"I see a defining role for Germany in reestablishing understanding and a common level between Israel and Turkey," Wadephul told reporters on the plane as he was making his way to Ankara.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated during the two-year war in Gaza. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has likened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, and accused Israel of committing genocide.

The UN's World Food Program (WFP) has tried to curb expectations about what it can do to alleviate the hunger felt by residents in Gaza on Friday.

"The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity. WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance and reach families who have endured months of blockade, displacement and hunger," said spokeswoman Abeer Etefa.

The WFP warned in August that "It's going to take some time to scale back the famine."

Speaking in Geneva, Switzerland, Etefa said the WFP has already set up five food distribution centers in Gaza but is aiming to set up some 145.

Announcing that over 300 trucks had been able to complete deliveries, Etefa said, "We're still below what we need but we're getting there."

Calling on Israel to allow greater access to the enclave, Etefa said, "The faster we can move aid in, the more lives we can reach quickly."

The United Nations on Friday urged Israel to quickly open all border crossings into the Gaza Strip, saying it will take some time to scale up efforts to thwart the famine situation in the enclave.

Since a ceasefire was agreed, the UN says it has been able to deliver nearly 3,000 tons of food but acknowledged that it will take time to "flood Gaza with food."

Israel has largely barred international aid organizations from entering Gaza since March.

Tom Fletcher, the UN's humanitarian head, said in a social media video published Friday, "We've begged for this access for months and finally we're seeing goods moving at scale: food, medicine, tents, fuel … a lot of fuel got in today."

Israel said on Friday it received the remains of a deceased hostage handed over by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Friday evening that the Red Cross had been given a coffin that Hamas assured them contained the body of the hostage.

"According to information provided by the Red Cross, a coffin of a deceased hostage has been transferred into its custody and is on the way to IDF troops in the Gaza Strip," the IDF said on X.

The Israeli military stressed that Hamas was required to "take the necessary steps to return all the hostages."

Israel said on Thursday that it was preparing to reopen the Rafah crossing with Egypt, but has set no date.

Speaking to reporters in Naples, Italy, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he "hoped" the crossing would be opened as soon as Sunday.

Israel has previously said the opening of the crossing would only permit people to enter and exit the Gaza Strip, and would not allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Once Rafah is reopened, humanitarian aid will be rerouted and continue to cross into Gaza following security checks at the Kerem Shalom crossing to the southeast, said a spokesman for COGAT, the Israeli Defense Ministry agency tasked with providing logistical assistance to Palestinian territories.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was in Turkey on Friday for talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, as well as other Turkish government representatives

The discussions were set to cover a wide range of issues, including the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and supporting progress on the next steps of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire plan.

"There is great potential for cooperation in foreign policy" between Turkey and Germany, a German Foreign Ministry statement seen by DW said.

"In the Middle East conflict, Turkey contributed to the historic ceasefire in Gaza through its role as mediator. As one of the supporters of the peace plan — and as a state that we expect to continue to exert pressure on Hamas — Turkey has a responsible role to play," it added.

An international team of military experts will enter the Gaza Strip in a bid to locate the bodies of hostages, reports in Israel say.

According to Israel's Channel 13, the team includes members from the US, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, and will work with intelligence given to it by Israel regarding the potential location of the bodies.

As part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group has committed to returning all the hostages it holds, both living and deceased.

While the 20 living hostages were returned to Israel on Monday, Hamas has only returned the bodies of nine of the 28 remaining hostages, with the group claiming it needs time to locate the bodies due to the destruction in Gaza.

Israel has accused Hamas of moving too slowly in returning the bodies.

The West Midlands police have banned supporters of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending their club's Europa League away game at Birmingham-based club Aston Villa, citing security concerns.

Read more on how the UK government is working to reverse the police ban. 

United Nations aid organizations are calling for more access to Gaza, and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is visiting Turkey.

Elsewhere, reports in Israel suggest an international team of military personnel will start operating in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to find the bodies of deceased hostages.

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