US envoy Witkoff visits Gaza aid site amid crisis

US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited a controversial Israel- and US-backed aid distribution site in Gaza, accompanied by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Witkoff said the purpose was to understand the humanitarian situation and help deliver food and medical aid. The visit followed reports of deadly shootings at the sites, with the UN reporting at least 859 Palestinians killed nearby. Gazans and aid agencies criticized the visit as a "media stunt," saying it didn't address the real issues, such as the siege and US support for Israel's actions. Human Rights Watch accused Israeli forces and US-backed contractors of creating a "flawed, militarized aid distribution system" that has led to "bloodbaths."

At least 91 Palestinians were killed and over 600 wounded while seeking aid in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. US President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Israel and is set to visit Gaza to inspect aid operations and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has faced international criticism over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with some Israeli rights groups accusing Israel of committing genocide. The international community has pressed Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, but aid workers say the current amount is insufficient. Meanwhile, countries like Canada, France, and the UK are planning to recognize Palestinian statehood, while the US has revoked visas for Palestinian officials linked to the Palestinian Authority.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited a Gaza aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a privately-run organization backed by the US and Israel. The visit aimed to assess the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to Gaza. The GHF site delivers over 1 million meals a day, but the distribution process has been marred by violence, with hundreds killed by Israeli gunfire around the sites. The visit comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with international organizations warning of famine and a flawed aid distribution system.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are visiting Gaza to survey food and aid distribution sites and meet with locals amid a dire humanitarian crisis. The visit comes as children and adults in Gaza struggle to survive on insufficient food, with a rising death toll among those trying to access aid. President Trump announced that the US and Israel will partner to run new food centers in the region, with Israel overseeing distribution. Witkoff and Huckabee have met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has denied reports of starvation in Gaza, despite warnings from experts and photos of emaciated children.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited a controversial Gaza aid site, spending over five hours in Gaza, to understand the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid. The visit comes as the region faces a severe hunger crisis, with aid drops by Israel and other countries, but the UN says substantial relief is needed through aid trucks. Palestinian women are risking their lives to get food, and two leading Israeli human rights groups have accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Former US President Donald Trump called on Hamas to surrender and release hostages to end the Gaza crisis, stating it is the "fastest way to end the humanitarian crises in Gaza." His statement marked a shift in his messaging on the war, as he previously appeared to put the onus on Israel. Trump's comments were made as US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss a potential ceasefire deal and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Hamas responded negatively to Trump's criticism, demanding the US pressure Israel instead. The international community recently issued the "New York Declaration," calling on Hamas to disarm and outlining a path to end the conflict, but Israel and the US objected to the declaration, calling it "unproductive and ill-timed."

A US delegation led by Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza to assess the humanitarian situation, but there is little confidence they will see the full picture. The visit was seen as a gesture to show America cares, but images of Witkoff at a calm aid site have raised concerns that the delegation will not be shown the reality of the crisis. The US is backing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a model that has been criticized for being flawed, and there are concerns that a new plan to deliver aid will not be effective, with reports of deaths due to hunger and a UN-backed authority warning of a "worst case scenario of famine" in Gaza.

The US has imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority (PA) officials and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) members, denying them US visas, due to their non-compliance with the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002. The State Department cited the PA and PLO's support for terrorism, incitement of violence, and "pay-for-slay" policies as reasons for the sanctions. The move comes days after several countries signed an agreement calling for the PA to take control of Gaza, which the US and Israel rejected. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar praised the US for the sanctions, thanking the State Department for their "moral clarity".

The US State Department has issued a report to Congress recommending the dismantling of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) due to its alleged ties to Hamas and involvement in the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. The report concludes that UNRWA is "irredeemably compromised" and beyond reform. The US had previously frozen funding to UNRWA in January 2024, and the report adds pressure on the UN and key donor nations to reassess the agency's viability. UNRWA has been accused of glorifying Palestinian terrorism and antisemitism, and Israel's Knesset has banned the agency due to its reported support for Hamas terrorism.