U.S. representative visits Gaza for over 5 hours, pledges additional food assistance
In the war-torn region of Gaza, the current situation is dire, with widespread starvation, severe malnutrition, and many deaths among civilians trying to access food. According to reports from the United Nations (UN), at least 875 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food since mid-May 2025.
The Israeli military has been accused of trying to prevent food distribution and is conducting a review of the reported deaths. Most of these killings were committed by the Israeli military, according to the UN office. Belkis Wille, associate crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch, has stated that Israeli forces are deliberately starving Palestinian civilians and gunning them down as they seek food for their families.
Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, visited a US-backed distribution centre in Gaza on Friday. The purpose of Witkoff's visit was to give President Trump a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid. During his visit, Witkoff spent more than five hours inside Gaza and met with staff at a GHF distribution centre.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) delivered its 100-millionth meal in Gaza during Witkoff and US ambassador Mike Huckabee's visit. However, humanitarian aid delivery is severely hindered by Israeli restrictions and delays. Although food, water, medical supplies, and fuel sit in warehouses, humanitarian organizations are blocked or face extreme difficulty in accessing Gaza to distribute aid.
The GHF has sidelined the UN-led aid distribution system in Gaza. The Israeli military responded to the report by stating that the GHF works independently, but Israeli soldiers operate in proximity to the new distribution areas. Despite these challenges, plans to deliver food involve increasing aid shipments, with the World Food Programme (WFP) aiming to triple monthly food delivery to over 135 million pounds to meet the needs.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged the Israeli government to provide humanitarian and medical aid to prevent mass starvation in Gaza. Wadephul expressed that he has the impression that the understanding of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has been acknowledged during his discussions with Witkoff. President Trump expressed a desire to help people in Gaza, stating that the priority should be feeding civilians, not Hamas.
Netanyahu is under international pressure to end the bloodshed in Gaza that has killed over 60,000 Palestinians and threatens many more with famine. The UN human rights office in the Palestinian territories reported that at least 1,373 people have been killed seeking aid in Gaza since May 27, with 105 deaths in the last two days of July. There are calls for easing restrictions and establishing safe corridors to prevent further deaths from starvation and malnutrition.
[1] UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) [2] World Food Programme (WFP) [3] Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) [4] Human Rights Watch (HRW)
- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported at least 875 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food in Gaza since mid-May 2025.
- Belkis Wille, associate crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), states that Israeli forces are deliberately starving Palestinian civilians and gunning them down as they seek food for their families.
- Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, visited a US-backed distribution center in Gaza to give President Trump a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan for food and medical aid delivery.
- The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) delivered its 100-millionth meal in Gaza during Witkoff and US ambassador Mike Huckabee's visit, but aid delivery is severely hindered by Israeli restrictions and delays.
- Plans to deliver food involve increasing aid shipments, with the World Food Programme (WFP) aiming to triple monthly food delivery to over 135 million pounds to meet the needs.
- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged the Israeli government to provide humanitarian and medical aid to prevent mass starvation in Gaza, while President Trump expressed a desire to help people in Gaza, stating that the priority should be feeding civilians, not Hamas.
