US officials will visit Gaza’s aid distribution sites this week amid stepped-up international efforts to ensure more food and key medical supplies make it to those most in need, the White House confirmed Thursday.
President Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff held a “very productive meeting” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on delivering additional humanitarian assistance to Gaza — which has been beset by a spiraling hunger crisis as supply points are choked off by continued military conflict.
“The Special Envoy and the ambassador will brief the president immediately after their visit to approve a final plan for food and aid distribution into the region, and we will provide more details for all of you once that plan is approved and agreed upon by the President of the United States,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters following the meeting.
The Aug 1. visit, to be joined by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, follows Trump calling for the US and other nations to “get some food” to Gaza’s refugee population as reports of famine grow more dire in the Palestinian enclave.
On Wednesday, 48 people were reportedly killed while waiting for food in Gaza, as calls from international humanitarian agencies for Israel to allow aid to more freely flow into the region have spiked.
Israel has blamed the UN for the lack of food deliveries, officials sharing images showing tons of aid piled up inside the Gaza Strip, which they said is ready and waiting to be distributed to hungry Palestinians.
Last week, Israel announced it would cease military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza to ensure more food and medicine could be delivered after images of starving Palestinian children sparked outcry around the world.
The images even prompted President Trump to contradict Netanyahu, who claimed there was “no starvation” happening in Gaza.
Asked by reporters in Scotland whether he agrees with the PM’s assessment, Trump said, “not particularly, because those children look very hungry,” he said in reference to images he’s seen on TV showing emaciated and crying children.
Trump later hit out at Hamas for its role in slowing aid deliveries, writing on Truth Social that, “The fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!”
Witkoff is likely to meet with Netanyahu during his visit to continue talks on topics including the Gaza cease-fire and the release of Hamas hostages.
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