IN MIDDLE EAST, THERE'S RELIEF IN BOTH ISRAEL AND GAZA AS THE PAUSE IN FIGHTING APPEARS TO BE HOLDING.

IN TEL AVIV, HAGAI AHN-GREST EAGERLY ANTICIPATES THE RETURN OF HIS SON, KIDNAPPED SOLIDER MATAN ANGREST.

>> WE ARE VERY EXCITED, WAITING FOR OUR SON AND FOR ALL THE 48 HOSTAGES.

WANT TO THANK TO MANY THANKS FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.

HE DID IT.

AND ALL THE AMERICAN TEAMS.

JOHN: IN GAZA, PALESTINIANS STREAMED NORTH ON FOOT TOWARD GAZA CITY.

THEIR RELIEF IS TEMPERED BY THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DESTRUCTION.

>> I'M HAPPY THAT THERE IS NO BLOOD, NO KILLING.

PEOPLE CAN SLEEP IN CALM AND ARE REASSURED.

NOW WHEN THE WAR IS OVER, WHERE WILL WE GO?

I AM DISPLACED IN A GOVERNMENT AREA BUILDING, BUT WE HAVE TO MOVE FROM THERE.

WHERE WILL WE GO?

JOHN: AS ISRAELI FORCES PULL BACK IN GAZA, RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS PREPARE TO MOVE IN TO INCREASE THE FLOW OF DESPERATELY-NEEDED AID.

BEFORE THE CEASEFIRE TOOK HOLD, FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT NICK SCHIFRIN SPOKE WITH ANTOINE RENARD, THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM'S DIRECTOR FOR THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES.

NICK: WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS SINCE THE OCTOBER 7 TERRORIST ATTACK, ENORMOUS SUFFERING IN GAZA.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW BAD IS THE SUFFERING TODAY COMPARED TO IN THE PAST?

ANTOINE: IN GAZA CITY, YOU HAVE 400,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE GAZA STRIP.

WE WENT WITH MY TEAM TO SEE THE CONDITIONS.

ON AUGUST 31, THE FAMINE CONDITIONS WERE CONFIRMED IN THE AREA OF GAZA CITY.

WHAT WE'VE MANAGED TO DO OVER THE LAST MONTH, MORE VOLUME OF ASSETS INTO THE GAZA STRIP.

TWO PER DAY WHEN IT USED TO BE ONE PER DAY TWO MONTHS AGO.

THE AREA THAT IS MOST AT RISK, 400,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING TRAPPED IN THERE IS NO MORE ASSISTANCE THAT IS REACHING THEM.

NICK: EXPLAIN THAT SHIFT OVER THE LAST MONTH.

HOW MANY MORE TRUCKS ARE BEING ALLOWED IN AND ARE THEY REACHING THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST?

ANTOINE: THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM HAS BEEN WORKING SINCE END OF JULY, TO HAVE AT LEAST 100 TRUCKS AT MINIMUM PREDICT.

- - PER DAY.

OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, ALMOST A THIRD OF ALL.

WHAT WE'VE MANAGED TO BRING IS MORE THAN 50,000 METRIC TONS OF FOOD OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

TO GIVE YOU A REALITY OF WHAT IT IS, IT IS A THIRD OF WHAT PEOPLE REQUIRE IN GAZA.

THAT IS NOT ENOUGH.

YOU NEED TO HAVE THE PROPER, FRESH FOOD.

PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST RELYING ON CANNED FOOD AND FLOUR.

THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE PROPER ACCESS TO FOOD, VEGETABLE, MEAT, DAIRY PRODUCTS.

THE REALITY THAT WE MANAGED TO BRING A BIT MORE BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH.

IN MOST GAZA, CLEARLY, THE CONDITIONS -- FAMINE CONDITIONS ARE OUT THERE.

SINCE SEPTEMBER 21, WE DID NOT MANAGE TO BRING THE FOOD AS WE WERE IN THE RECENT WEEKS.

IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH OF GAZA, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE MORE GROUPS THAT ARE COMING IN.

THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE IS THOSE THAT WERE RECENTLY DISPLACED, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO AFFORD IT TO GO FROM GAZA CITY ALL THE WAY DOWN?

SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE TO SPEND UP TO 1000 U.S.

DOLLARS.

YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE FOOD IN THE MARKET, MORE CAPACITY TO GET PEOPLE THE FOOD THERE, BUT THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT.

THAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE HAVE.

NICK: CAN YOU GIVE US MORE DETAIL ON THE PEOPLE OF GAZA CITY?

OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE BEEN SEEING IMAGES OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH MALNUTRITION.

CHILDREN WHO HEALTH AUTHORITIES SAY HAVE DIED FROM FAMINE, FROM HUNGER.

HOW DOES IT COMPARE TODAY TO WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST?

ANTOINE: I WAS IN GAZA AT THE END OF JULY AND BEGINNING OF AUGUST.

I WENT AGAIN TO GAZA CITY, MEETING THE SAME FAMILIES.

THE CHILDREN DON'T WANT TO BE WAKED UP BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL HAVE A PROPER MEAL ON A DAILY BASIS.

THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE TELLING ME.

THESE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN.

THAT IS WHY MORE THAN EVER, IN GAZA CITY, WE REQUIRE THE ACCESS TO REACH THE POPULATION AT SCALE.

NICK: THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DOWN DOWN TO THE SOUTH, HOW GREAT ARE THE NEEDS OF THE RECENTLY DISPLACED CHILDREN WHO LEFT GAZA CITY AND HOW MUCH ARE YOU ABLE TO GET TO THEM?

ANTOINE: ONE OF THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE EVERY TIME YOU ARE BEING DISPLACED IS THAT YOU LOSE ASSETS.

YOU NEED TO FIND A TENT, IF THERE IS ONE ON THE MARKET.

MANY OF THEM ARE WORTH MORE THAN $1200, JUST TO FIND A SIMPLE SHELTER.

WHERE IS THE QUEUE FOR ANY OF THE HOT MEALS THAT ARE AROUND?

WHERE IS THE ACCESS TO THE WATER?

WHERE IS THE MEDICAL AREA?

ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING JUST TO FIND THE BASICS.

NICK: ARE YOU READY TO SURGE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE?

ANTOINE: THE REALITY IS WE HAVE ALL THE FOOD IN ISRAEL, JORDAN, EGYPT.

AS WE SPEAK, WE HAVE MORE THAN 100 STAFF THAT ARE ACTIVELY REINSTATING NUTRITION IN MANY AREAS BECAUSE PEOPLE DESERVE TO ACTUALLY HAVE IT.

WE HAVE FOOD OUT THERE FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

WE ARE READY.

NICK: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANTOINE: THANK YOU.

JOHN: STILL TO COME ON "PBS NEWS WEEKEND," THE LATEST PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER.

AND, OUR WEEKEND SPOTLIGHT ON AUTHOR AND PHILANTHROPIST MITCH ALBOM.