US Envoy Witkoff Visits Gaza Amid Mounting Food Shortages/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff toured an aid distribution site in Gaza amid intensifying hunger and violence. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, aid convoys are overwhelmed, with civilians killed while seeking food. Witkoff’s visit reflects growing U.S. concern over aid access, Hamas, and Israel’s role in the worsening conditions.
Gaza Humanitarian Crisis: Quick Looks
- US envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza Friday as the humanitarian situation worsens
- Aid distribution sites overwhelmed, with deaths from stampedes and reported gunfire
- Gaza Humanitarian Foundation defends its operations, says only non-lethal force used
- Food aid remains limited despite resumed airdrops, as looting and violence persist
- International groups warn of active famine, call Gaza’s conditions “near-impossible” for survival
- Human Rights Watch condemns militarized distribution, citing avoidable civilian deaths
- Tribal leaders call on US envoy to witness Gaza life firsthand in refugee camps
- Witkoff met Netanyahu and Israeli families of hostages, pushing for safe aid and hostage release
- Germany criticizes Israeli settler violence while urging renewed push for two-state solution
- Over 60,000 killed in Gaza since war began; aid groups cite growing desperation and despair
Deep Look: US Envoy Witnesses Chaos at Gaza Aid Site as Hunger Deepens
DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA STRIP — In a highly scrutinized diplomatic visit, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to southern Gaza on Friday amid mounting global concern over starvation, violence, and humanitarian breakdown in the war-torn enclave.
Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee toured one of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)’s distribution points in Rafah, a city devastated by conflict and now a hotspot for aid-related desperation.
The visit came as video and eyewitness reports depicted chaotic scenes of food drops, with thousands of Palestinians running toward aid airdropped over central Gaza. Many have died trying to reach food — trampled in crowds or shot near aid convoys.
“Feeding civilians, not Hamas, must be the priority,” said GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay, defending their efforts.
Deteriorating Conditions Despite Aid Resumption
Despite a partial resumption of airdrop and convoy-based food aid, aid groups and international observers say the scale of delivery falls drastically short. Security conditions continue to deteriorate, disrupting distribution and inflating black-market food prices.
A recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned the “militarized aid distribution system” and said hundreds of civilians have been killed by Israeli soldiers’ fire or in chaotic scrambles for food since GHF’s operations began in May.
“It is nearly impossible for Palestinians to stay safe and access aid,” the HRW report said, citing active military operations, curfews, and unclear site instructions.
Though GHF denies any fatalities at their sites, Gaza’s health authorities said 13 of 25 bodies received at a southern hospital Friday came from aid-seeking incidents, including near a location visited by the U.S. delegation.
The remaining 12 deaths were attributed to Israeli airstrikes.
Military Defends Actions, Blames Hamas
The Israeli military, which controls much of southern Gaza’s access routes, maintains that it only fires warning shots when civilians near its forces. It also accuses Hamas of using aid routes as cover and sabotaging delivery systems.
“We’re working to secure the routes,” an Israeli official said Friday. GHF has not allowed reporters to independently inspect its sites.
The U.S. walkout from Qatar ceasefire talks last week adds urgency to Witkoff’s mission, with President Trump stating the quickest resolution is for Hamas to surrender and release hostages.
Ground-Level Pleas to the US
“Come live among us in these tents,” said one representative. “No water, no food, no light. Our children are starving in the streets.”
Video footage released by the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) showed a recent aid convoy under gunfire while passing near a crossing — a stark reminder of the volatile environment aid workers face daily.
“Tens of thousands of hungry people offloaded everything from the trucks themselves,” said OCHA’s Olga Cherevko.
German Diplomatic Pressure Mounts
In the occupied West Bank, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visited the Christian-majority village of Taybeh and spoke out against Israeli settler violence, calling it a major barrier to peace.
While Germany hasn’t joined countries moving to recognize Palestinian statehood, Wadephul emphasized a need for revived peace talks and called on Hamas to release hostages and Israel to halt settlement expansion.
“Israel must remain open to peace,” he said, while also condemning the Israeli military’s failure to stop settler attacks.
Toll of the War Continues to Mount
The ongoing conflict, which erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 and abducting 251, has since spiraled into a devastating Israeli counteroffensive.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed — a toll that includes militants and civilians but remains the most widely accepted data source by the U.N. and aid groups.
Roughly 50 hostages remain in captivity, with around 20 believed alive. The rest have been released through previous truces or negotiations.
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