The US has announced that its special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Gaza to inspect aid distribution sites amid growing pressure on Israel over its starvation policy in the war-torn Palestinian territory. Witkoff will be accompanied by US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and will meet with local Gazans to assess the dire situation on the ground.
According to the White House, Witkoff will visit “distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground”. The envoy will then brief President Donald Trump on the situation and provide a plan for food and aid distribution.
The visit comes as condemnation of Israel’s starvation policy in Gaza grows, with reports emerging that over 1,000 desperately hungry Palestinians have been killed since May at food distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF). The situation in Gaza is dire, with the UN and independent experts warning that famine is unfolding due to the Israeli military blockade on humanitarian relief.
The US has been a key ally of Israel, providing billions of dollars in military aid annually. However, the Biden administration has faced criticism for its handling of the conflict, with many accusing it of not doing enough to prevent civilian casualties.
The international community is increasingly calling for action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The UK, Canada, and Portugal have announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state, following in the footsteps of Spain, Norway, and Ireland. French President Emmanuel Macron has also said that France will recognize Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday, urging the Israeli government to act quickly to provide humanitarian and medical aid to prevent mass starvation. “The humanitarian disaster in Gaza is beyond imagination,” Wadephul said. “Here, the Israeli government must act quickly, safely and effectively to provide humanitarian and medical aid to prevent mass starvation from becoming a reality.”
The situation in Gaza is dire, with over 60,000 Palestinians killed and almost 150,000 wounded since October 2023. The enclave has been devastated by Israeli bombardments, and the humanitarian crisis is deepening by the day. The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that 154 people have died from “famine and malnutrition” in recent weeks, including 89 children.
President Trump has acknowledged that Gaza is experiencing “real starvation”, contradicting Netanyahu’s earlier claims that reports of hunger in Gaza were untrue. The visit by Witkoff and Huckabee is seen as a crucial step in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and finding a solution to the conflict.