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US special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit the Gaza Strip on August 1 to inspect aid distribution centers, the White House said.
Witkoff and the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, will try to “secure a plan for sending more food and will meet with local Gaza residents to hear from them about this dire situation on the ground,” White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said on July 31.
Earlier on Thursday, Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli media reported that their conversation focused on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the hostages being held by Hamas - the Palestinian group designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union - as well as the issue of Iran.
Witkoff's visit to Israel came at a time when international criticism of Israel has intensified, following reports of severe famine in Gaza, and at a time when talks in Doha for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have stalled.
The Ynet portal reported that Witkoff will personally see the work being done by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) during his visit to Gaza.
The GHF is supported by Israel and the US, and the foundation's work has faced criticism from United Nations agencies and other organizations.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump said there is "real hunger" in Gaza.
A day later, the Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC), the leading international authority on food crises, warned that “the worst-case scenario of famine is currently unfolding in Gaza.”
Amid growing international criticism and reports of starvation-related deaths, Israel has been implementing a 10-hour daily pause in fighting in some areas of Gaza since the weekend, to allow aid to reach more people.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and kidnapping nearly 250. About 50 people are believed to still be held in Gaza, while others have been released under preliminary ceasefire agreements.
As a result of the Israeli offensive, more than 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, the Health Ministry said, estimating that most of the victims were women and children. However, the ministry does not distinguish between civilian victims and Hamas fighters in the figures it publishes for the victims./ REL
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