Saturday marked three months since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in the Gaza Strip.
As severe food shortages persist, NHK has documented the daily struggles of residents in the enclave.
Video recorded in central Gaza this week shows improvement. Fresh food, including chicken and vegetables, is now being sold in markets.
A tent in the area operates as an eatery that opened after the ceasefire. It serves charcoal-grilled chicken along with a variety of other dishes. The owner said he hopes things get better.
Just after the ceasefire took effect, NHK footage showed supplies running short and residents fighting over the little that remained.
A committee of UN agencies and other organizations recently declared an end to the famine in Gaza. But food supplies remain insufficient.
As food prices have surged, the cost of tomatoes and eggs have roughly tripled compared to before the fighting began in October 2023. Residents say essential supplies are still too expensive to buy.
The ceasefire has barely held since it took effect. The Israeli military has been carrying out sporadic attacks in Gaza. Local health officials say 439 people have been killed over the past three months.
Some people in Israel have also been suffering. Guy Gilboa Dalal is a former hostage who was released last October.
He was caught up in the Hamas attack of October 7 2023, and was abducted to Gaza along with a friend.
His two years of captivity included 14 months in an underground tunnel, where he endured violence and hunger.
Gilboa Dalal said it is impossible to think in the long term and only wants to concentrate on recovering physically, mentally and emotionally.
The US-brokered peace plan is still in the first of its three stages. The initial phase includes the return of all hostages. But the process remains in limbo as Hamas has yet to return the body of the last hostage.
Professor Emeritus Tateyama Ryoji of National Defense Academy of Japan said US President Donald Trump's primary concern was stopping the fierce fighting and taking credit for brokering a ceasefire.
He said Trump should be pushing for the peace plan to move forward smoothly, but negotiations have stalled. Tateyama is concerned this may indicate Trump's loss of interest in the Gaza Strip.
With Hamas rejecting disarmament, which is a key element of the second phase of the peace plan, the prospects for peace in Gaza will likely remain distant for some time.

Quiz 1:
According to the article, what is the primary reason residents in Gaza are struggling?
A. A recent increase in sporadic attacks by local health officials.
B. Severe food shortages persisting despite a ceasefire.
C. The ongoing violence and hunger experienced by former hostages like Guy Gilboa Dalal.
D. The stalled progress of the US-brokered peace plan.

Quiz 2:
What has been observed in markets in central Gaza, according to the NHK video recorded this week?
A. Residents fighting over limited supplies.
B. A significant decrease in food prices.
C. Fresh food, including chicken and vegetables, being sold.
D. The opening of numerous new tent eateries.

Quiz 3:
What is a key element of the second phase of the US-brokered peace plan that is currently hindering its progress?
A. Hamas rejecting disarmament.
B. The return of all hostages.
C. The Israeli military carrying out sporadic attacks.
D. The cost of essential supplies remaining too high for residents.

[Answer block]
Answers:
Quiz 1: B
Quiz 2: C
Quiz 3: A