This handout picture from US Embassy Jerusalem reveals White Home particular envoy Steve Witkoff, middle, visiting a meals distribution website run by the Gaza Humanitarian Basis, a U.S.-backed group accepted by Israel, within the Gaza Strip Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.
David Azaguri/US Embassy Jerusalem through AP
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David Azaguri/US Embassy Jerusalem through AP
U.S. particular envoy to the Center East Steve Witkoff arrived within the southern Gazan metropolis of Rafah Friday, the place he inspected an support distribution middle operated by the U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Basis (GHF).
Witkoff was accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who posted in regards to the go to on X, saying that they had gone to Gaza to “be taught the reality” in regards to the support website, including: “GHF delivers a couple of million meals a day, an unimaginable feat!”
However the worldwide group has criticized the meals support system vociferously, saying individuals in Gaza are ravenous and have been shot making an attempt to get meals.
Witkoff and Huckabee would transient President Trump “instantly after their go to to approve a closing plan for meals and support distribution into the area,” mentioned White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and additional particulars on future meals distribution mechanisms could be printed “as soon as that plan is accepted and agreed on” by the president.
Witkoff landed in Israel earlier this week to satisfy with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as U.N.-backed meals safety specialists reported {that a} famine is unfolding in Gaza partly due to Israeli restrictions on support getting into the territory.
On the identical time different world leaders have referred to as on Israeli authorities to permit unrestricted support flows to stop additional civilian deaths. Not solely are every day deaths linked to hunger persevering with in Gaza, native medics and worldwide support teams say, however the United Nations reported that since Could greater than 800 individuals have been killed whereas making an attempt to entry meals from distribution websites run by the GHF.
FILE – President-elect Donald Trump listens to Steve Witkoff communicate throughout a information convention at Mar-a-Lago, Jan. 7, 2025, in Palm Seaside, Fla.
Evan Vucci/AP
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Evan Vucci/AP
The Gaza well being authorities mentioned Thursday that no less than 91 Palestinians had been killed, and round 600 wounded, whereas trying to entry meals and support over simply the previous 24 hours. On Friday morning, much more Palestinians got here below hearth from Israeli troops at one website managed by the GHF, in line with NPR’s producer in Gaza, Anas Baba.
The GHF was established to bypass the United Nations, and Israel has insisted on its continued operation, blaming Hamas for the violence that has typically surrounded the group’s websites.
However Israel’s stance on meals support restrictions has prompted France, the U.Okay. and Canada to announce plans to acknowledge a Palestinian state, with Britain saying this may occur in September except Israel adjustments course. It is one thing Israel’s international minister, Gideon Saar, insisted at a press convention this week would depart Hamas in energy, and “ain’t gonna occur.”
On Thursday, the U.S. State Division mentioned it could impose visa-related sanctions on the Palestinian Authority, headquartered within the West Financial institution, due partly to its assist for circumstances towards Israel’s actions in Gaza which might be being heard at worldwide courts.
The Palestinian Authority has been pushing for better worldwide recognition of Palestinian statehood, as a pathway to a future two-state answer involving Israelis and Palestinians.
The escalating world and home outrage over Israel’s insurance policies relating to meals shortages in Gaza has prolonged to a number of different European nations, and even to the U.S. Senate, the place a majority of Democrats this week voted to dam gross sales of particular American weapons to Israel.
On Friday, Human Rights Watch accused the Israeli troops that preserve a safety presence close to the handful of GHF websites in Gaza of finishing up battle crimes throughout their actions towards Palestinian support seekers.
The rights group mentioned the “dire humanitarian scenario is a direct results of Israel’s use of hunger of civilians as a weapon of battle — a battle crime — in addition to Israel’s continued intentional deprivation of support and primary companies, which quantities to the crime towards humanity of extermination, and acts of genocide.”
The Israeli authorities has strongly denied accusations that it has dedicated battle crimes or acts of genocide in Gaza.
Belkis Wille, Human Rights Watch’s affiliate disaster and battle director, mentioned in an announcement, “Israeli forces aren’t solely intentionally ravenous Palestinian civilians, however they’re now gunning them down virtually on daily basis as they desperately search meals for his or her households.”
Palestinians mourn a person killed whereas making an attempt to succeed in support vans getting into northern Gaza via the Zikim crossing with Israel, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis, Thursday.
Jehad Alshrafi/AP
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Jehad Alshrafi/AP
The help system put in place by contractors on the GHF was “flawed” and “militarized,” Wille mentioned, and had “turned support distributions into common bloodbaths.”
President Trump mentioned he hopes Israel will make sure the supply of meals to ravenous Palestinians and stop support diversion by Hamas.
In an interview with NBC, Trump described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “a reliable particular person” and mentioned his administration needed “to ensure individuals get fed.” He emphasised that “good administration” would forestall the theft of support, including, “Hopefully, the Israelis will present that.”
When questioned by reporters about Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza this week as genocide, Trump responded, “It is horrible what’s occurring there. It is a horrible factor. Persons are very hungry.”
He reiterated his declare that the U.S. had supplied tens of millions in support to the GHF, however questions its efficacy.
“It is a disgrace as a result of I do not see the outcomes of it. We gave it to individuals who, in concept, are watching over it pretty intently. We needed Israel to observe over it. A part of the issue is that Hamas is taking the cash they usually’re taking the meals,” Trump mentioned. U.N. and different support businesses in Gaza say they haven’t seen their support being diverted by Hamas and that a lot of the looting is pushed by armed gangs, a few of whom Israel has brazenly backed to undermine Hamas.
Emily Feng in Tel Aviv and Anas Baba in Gaza contributed reporting.
