U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff visited a humanitarian aid distribution center in Gaza on Friday, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The visit underscored Washington’s growing focus on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Israeli officials said that the primary goal of Witkoff’s visit was to advance humanitarian efforts and explore ways to improve conditions for civilians in the Strip.
"We want to make sure people are getting food," U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday night, referring to the visit. He is expecting a full report from Witkoff and Huckabee, after calling the humanitarian situation in Gaza “terrible” and saying, “people are very hungry.”
When asked whether he trusts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to oversee U.S. aid distribution in Gaza, Trump responded, “He’s certainly a capable person,” but added he remains concerned about potential theft of aid by Hamas. “Good management will prevent that. Hopefully, the Israelis can do it,” he said.
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IDF's Coordinator for the Territories announced that Germany, Spain, Belgium, France, and Bahrain will join Jordan in leading new airdrop operations to deliver aid to Gaza.
Witkoff's visit comes amid heightened international pressure and a deadlock in negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. This marks his first trip to Israel since May, when he helped secure the release of American-Israeli hostage Idan Alexander. U.S. officials have described the current visit as “a last-ditch effort” to reach a breakthrough in the stalled deal.
On Thursday, Witkoff met with Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Outside the prime minister’s office, dozens of family members of hostages held in Gaza held a demonstration, with mothers holding signs that read, “A mother never gives up.”