U.S. officers on uncommon go to to controversial Gaza assist distribution web site : NPR

This handout photograph from US Embassy Jerusalem reveals White House particular envoy Steve Witkoff, heart, visiting a meals distribution web site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed group authorized by Israel, within the Gaza Strip Friday, Aug. 1, 2025.

David Azaguri/US Embassy Jerusalem by way of AP

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David Azaguri/US Embassy Jerusalem by way of AP

U.S. particular envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff arrived within the southern Gazan metropolis of Rafah Friday, the place he inspected an assist distribution heart operated by the U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Witkoff was accompanied by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who posted concerning the go to on X, saying they’d gone to Gaza to “learn the truth” concerning the assist web site, including: “GHF delivers more than one million meals a day, an incredible feat!”

But the worldwide group has criticized the meals assist system vociferously, saying folks in Gaza are ravenous and have been shot making an attempt to get meals.

Witkoff and Huckabee would transient President Trump “immediately after their visit to approve a final plan for food and aid distribution into the region,” mentioned White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and additional particulars on future meals distribution mechanisms can be printed “once that plan is approved and agreed on” by the president.

Witkoff landed in Israel earlier this week to fulfill with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as U.N.-backed meals safety specialists reported {that a} famine is unfolding in Gaza partly due to Israeli restrictions on assist coming into the territory.

At the identical time different world leaders have known as on Israeli authorities to permit unrestricted assist flows to forestall additional civilian deaths. Not solely are each day deaths linked to hunger persevering with in Gaza, native medics and worldwide assist teams say, however the United Nations reported that since May greater than 800 folks have been killed whereas making an attempt to entry meals from distribution websites run by the GHF.

FILE – President-elect Donald Trump listens to Steve Witkoff converse throughout a information convention at Mar-a-Lago, Jan. 7, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla.

Evan Vucci/AP

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Evan Vucci/AP

The Gaza well being authorities mentioned Thursday that a minimum of 91 Palestinians had been killed, and round 600 wounded, whereas making an attempt to entry meals and assist over simply the previous 24 hours. On Friday morning, much more Palestinians got here underneath hearth from Israeli troops at one web site managed by the GHF, in accordance with NPR’s producer in Gaza, Anas Baba.

The GHF was established to bypass the United Nations, and Israel has insisted on its continued operation, blaming Hamas for the violence that has typically surrounded the group’s websites.

But Israel’s stance on meals assist restrictions has prompted France, the U.Okay. and Canada to announce plans to acknowledge a Palestinian state, with Britain saying this may occur in September until Israel adjustments course. It’s one thing Israel’s overseas minister, Gideon Saar, insisted at a press conference this week would depart Hamas in energy, and “ain’t gonna happen.”

On Thursday, the U.S. State Department mentioned it could impose visa-related sanctions on the Palestinian Authority, headquartered within the West Bank, due partially to its help for circumstances towards Israel’s actions in Gaza which are being heard at worldwide courts.

The Palestinian Authority has been pushing for better worldwide recognition of Palestinian statehood, as a pathway to a future two-state resolution involving Israelis and Palestinians.

The escalating world and home outrage over Israel’s insurance policies concerning meals shortages in Gaza has prolonged to a number of different European nations, and even to the U.S. Senate, the place a majority of Democrats this week voted to dam gross sales of particular American weapons to Israel.

On Friday, Human Rights Watch accused the Israeli troops that preserve a safety presence close to the handful of GHF websites in Gaza of finishing up conflict crimes throughout their actions towards Palestinian assist seekers.

The rights group said the “dire humanitarian situation is a direct result of Israel’s use of starvation of civilians as a weapon of war — a war crime — as well as Israel’s continued intentional deprivation of aid and basic services, which amounts to the crime against humanity of extermination, and acts of genocide.”

The Israeli authorities has strongly denied accusations that it has dedicated conflict crimes or acts of genocide in Gaza.

Belkis Wille, Human Rights Watch’s affiliate disaster and battle director, mentioned in a press release, “Israeli forces are not only deliberately starving Palestinian civilians, but they are now gunning them down almost every day as they desperately seek food for their families.”

Palestinians mourn a person killed whereas making an attempt to succeed in assist vehicles coming into northern Gaza via the Zikim crossing with Israel, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Thursday.

Jehad Alshrafi/AP

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Jehad Alshrafi/AP

The assist system put in place by contractors on the GHF was “flawed” and “militarized,” Wille mentioned, and had “turned aid distributions into regular bloodbaths.”

President Trump mentioned he hopes Israel will make sure the supply of meals to ravenous Palestinians and forestall assist diversion by Hamas.

In an interview with NBC, Trump described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “a competent person” and mentioned his administration needed “to make sure people get fed.” He emphasised that “good management” would forestall the theft of assist, including, “Hopefully, the Israelis will provide that.”

When questioned by reporters about Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza this week as genocide, Trump responded, “It’s terrible what’s occurring there. It’s a terrible thing. People are very hungry.”

He reiterated his declare that the U.S. had supplied thousands and thousands in assist to the GHF, however questions its efficacy.

“It’s a shame because I don’t see the results of it. We gave it to people who, in theory, are watching over it fairly closely. We wanted Israel to watch over it. Part of the problem is that Hamas is taking the money and they’re taking the food,” Trump mentioned. U.N. and different assist companies in Gaza say they haven’t seen their assist being diverted by Hamas and that a lot of the looting is pushed by armed gangs, a few of whom Israel has overtly backed to undermine Hamas.

Emily Feng in Tel Aviv and Anas Baba in Gaza contributed reporting.