Steve Witkoff – the United States’ special envoy to the Middle East – visited an American-backed aid distribution site in Rafah on Friday, as humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate and reports of widespread starvation mount.
Witkoff, accompanied by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, spent nearly five hours in the enclave, meeting with aid workers and local officials affiliated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – an organisation formed recently to manage aid deliveries outside of the United Nations framework.
The envoy’s visit comes amid international criticism of the GHF, which has been accused of failing to ease the hunger crisis in Gaza, where more than 1,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed while attempting to collect food in recent weeks. Hundreds of these deaths occurred near GHF-operated sites, according to the United Nations.
Speaking in Washington following the visit, US President Donald Trump said Witkoff’s trip was focused on “getting the people fed,” and acknowledged the growing scale of hunger in Gaza. “There is real starvation,” the president said, diverging from recent Israeli government statements that deny a humanitarian catastrophe.
“I spoke to Steve Witkoff. He had a great meeting with a lot of people, and the primary meeting was on food,” Trump told reporters. “He also had some other conversations that I’ll tell you about later.”
The GHF site in Rafah, one of only three operating in Gaza under the new arrangement, has seen repeated incidents of violence. Video footage and witness accounts suggest the Israeli military has opened fire at crowds near the sites, while others have reportedly died in stampedes as desperate residents rush to collect limited supplies.
The United Nations has distanced itself from the GHF initiative, stating that it undermines the principles of neutral humanitarian aid and lacks proper coordination mechanisms. The GHF was launched with Israeli support earlier this year, following accusations from Tel Aviv that UN aid was being diverted to Hamas.
Ambassador Huckabee defended the new system after his visit, stating that GHF “delivers food to people without interference” and accused Hamas of opposing the initiative because it bypasses the group’s control.
Meanwhile, humanitarian observers and rights groups have raised alarm over the worsening situation in Gaza, where the UN says malnutrition has reached crisis levels.
Efforts to establish a coordinated and safe humanitarian corridor have repeatedly stalled, with aid agencies calling for international pressure to ensure unimpeded access to food, medicine, and shelter for Gaza’s 2.2 million residents.
