KHAN YOUNIS — Ezyia Abu Hayya and her six young children are living in a low tent in the Gaza Strip where rats have eaten the family's limited food and remaining clothes, more than six months after a ceasefire halted the heaviest fighting in the territory. Abu Hayya spent the winter struggling to shield her children from cold weather and driving rain, and conditions in the tent shifted as the weather warmed.

"In the winter, the water surrounds us, and in the summer, we suffer from rats because our tent is low," Abu Hayya said. "The rats eat everything, leaving us with nothing."

Gaza continues to face shortages of food and medicine, and Israeli forces have continued to conduct attacks since the ceasefire took hold. Hospitals, schools, and residential buildings have been destroyed, leaving many people homeless and living in overcrowded conditions. The territory has problems with rodents, rising temperatures, and open-air sewage.

Negotiations on Gaza's future between Hamas, mediating countries, and representatives of President Donald Trump's Board of Peace have made little progress. Reconstruction is contingent on Hamas laying down its weapons as specified in Trump's 20-point plan agreed upon as part of the ceasefire.

"Once the war ended and Hamas agreed to the ceasefire and the hostages were released, that was the priority of the U.S. administration. Then the Iran war came and nobody talks about Gaza as a result," said Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian American businessman.

An official with the Board of Peace acknowledged the situation on the ground. "Life remains very challenging in Gaza and more needs to be done to meet urgent civilian needs," the official said. "Distraction among our key member states is hampering our work," the official added.

"We are pressing for quick agreement of the full and sequenced implementation of the roadmap for the decommissioning of weapons in Gaza, the deployment of the International Stabilization Force, the transition of authority to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces," the official said.

A U.S. State Department official said American leadership and targeted negotiations have improved humanitarian access in Gaza.