US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to Gaza’s aid
distribution sites comes amid mounting international outrage as Israeli forces
are reported to have killed hundreds of starving Palestinians attempting to
access food. Multiple international sources confirm the crisis has reached
catastrophic levels, with aid distribution centres becoming flashpoints of
deadly violence, widespread starvation and intensifying diplomatic pressure on
Israel.
Why did Steve Witkoff visit Gaza aid sites as Palestinians continue to die?
As reported by Ibrahim Dahman of CNN, Steve Witkoff, special
envoy appointed by US President Donald Trump, arrived on Friday at the controversial
US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution centre in Rafah,
southern Gaza, at a time when “the starvation crisis in the enclave deepens”
and deaths at aid sites mount. Witkoff was joined by US Ambassador to Israel,
Mike Huckabee, according to a White House briefing cited by Dahman:
“Tomorrow special envoy Steve Witkoff and Ambassador Huckabee head into Gaza to evaluate the existing distribution sites, formulate a strategy for delivering additional food supplies, and engage with local residents to gain direct insight into the critical circumstances on the ground,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Thursday.
Leavitt added the envoy team would report directly to President Trump after the visit,
“to finalise a plan for the distribution of food and aid in the area.”
This visit follows the US withdrawal from recent
ceasefire talks in Qatar, with White House officials blaming Hamas for the
breakdown in negotiations and pledging alternative means to rescue hostages and
address humanitarian needs.
How did Palestinians die at Gaza’s aid distribution points?
According to BBC journalists analysing statements from
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry and eyewitness accounts, at least 91
Palestinians were killed in the 24 hours preceding Friday’s visit by
Witkoff—many of whom perished “while seeking aid.” On Wednesday alone, at least
30 people were killed by Israeli gunfire while waiting for humanitarian assistance
in northern Gaza. According to a spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defence, an
estimated 300 others were injured in the incident, reported to Agence
France-Presse (AFP).
Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital, told AFP that his facility “received 35 bodies in the aftermath of the incident”, which later rose to at least 48 fatalities as reported by Associated Press. The Israeli military stated it fired only “warning shots” and was not “aware of any casualties from Israeli gunfire.” The IDF described efforts to disperse a “gathering of suspects” who allegedly posed a threat, discharging warning shots from “hundreds of metres away” from the aid site.
In an additional incident on Wednesday, six fatalities were
reported near a GHF distribution centre in Rafah. However, GHF officials stated
to the BBC that “no killings occurred at or near its locations that day.”
Hospital sources in Gaza have documented recurring fatalities and injuries
linked to stampedes and shootings at aid convoy distribution points across the
shattered territory.
What are the current conditions at Gaza’s aid sites?
As per reporters with The Independent and Al Jazeera, the GHF’s four main distribution sites, all under Israeli military control, have become epicentres of
“desperation, where starving people scramble for scarce aid. Hundreds have been killed by either gunfire or trampling”.
According
to the UN’s rights office in the Palestinian territories, at least 1,373 people
have been killed while seeking aid since 27 May, including at least 105
children. The overwhelming majority of these fatalities are said to be
caused by gunfire, stampedes, or crushing crowds as desperate civilians attempt
to reach limited supplies.
The Human Rights Watch World Report for 2025 further states
that Israeli blockades “denied 83 percent of food aid entry to Gaza as of September,”
leaving nearly all residents in acute or catastrophic food insecurity. The
situation has been described as “famine currently unfolding,” with more than
1,000 Palestinians reported dead at food sites since May, and 154 deaths
attributed directly to “famine and malnutrition” in July alone—89 of them
children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
How has Israel responded to allegations of targeting starving civilians?
Israel maintains, as quoted by the BBC and echoed by
international statements, that its armed forces “discharged warning shots” to
control crowds and were “not aware of any casualties from Israeli gunfire.” The
IDF insists humanitarian aid entering Gaza is not restricted, despite evidence
to the contrary presented by UN agencies, European governments, and saturated
humanitarian organisations. Israeli authorities also allege that some
gatherings at aid sites are “security threats” requiring crowd dispersal
measures.
The Israeli military further denied direct responsibility for high death tolls from gunfire, suggesting to BBC reporters that
“an initial review indicates that the casualty figures reported do not align with the information available to the IDF.”
However, this contrasts sharply with reports
from Palestinian hospitals and the mounting death toll cited by UN agencies and
local health professionals.
What is the international response to the starvation and violence in Gaza?
UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning this week, stating that the
“trickle of aid into Gaza must transform into an ocean. Food, water, medicine, and fuel must flow in waves without hindrance. This nightmare must conclude” (as reported by BBC).
The condemnation of
Israel’s role in exacerbating famine has grown, with major European countries,
Canada, France and the UK announcing plans to recognise a Palestinian state at
the UN General Assembly in September.
Human Rights Watch, citing figures from local health
authorities, describes the scale of suffering and displacement as
“unprecedented in recent history”. The German foreign minister told
reporters at DW News that “Israel needs to show it is not pursuing a policy of
expulsion and annexation,” calling the humanitarian situation “beyond
imagination.”
Meanwhile, protest actions have intensified inside Israel,
with Al Jazeera documenting demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where
Israelis are clashing with police while accusing their government of pursuing
“genocide in Gaza”.
What next? Will US intervention change the situation for Palestinians?
Karoline Leavitt, speaking on behalf of the White House to multiple outlets—including CNN and Al Jazeera—said Witkoff was
“sent to craft a plan to boost food and aid deliveries as part of an effort ‘to save lives and end this crisis.’”
President Trump reiterated on social media,
“the fastest way to end the crisis would be for Hamas to surrender and release hostages.”
No
clear details have emerged from the US team so far regarding how or when
significant aid will be distributed or whether coordination with international
agencies will improve outcomes for Gaza’s starving population.
How many have died and who is responsible?
Gaza's health ministry states that since the onset of
Israeli military operations in October 2023, over 60,000 Palestinians have been
killed, with women and children constituting more than half of all deaths.
Since May 2025 alone, the UN office in the Palestinian territories confirmed at
least 1,373 people lost their lives while seeking food from aid points.
The world’s attention now focuses on the aftermath of
Witkoff’s visit—whether the US and allies will press Israel for robust epidemic
aid flows, or if new systems could prevent future mass deaths at distribution
sites. As diplomatic efforts continue, local Palestinians, humanitarian workers
and international agencies report the crisis has never been more acute.
Is there hope for Gaza?
The catastrophic intersection of starvation, violence and
political paralysis in Gaza has brought world attention back to the urgent need
for a lasting ceasefire, massive humanitarian support and a fundamental policy
reset by all parties. Until then, civilians in Gaza remain caught in the grip
of crisis, holding on to hope as diplomatic convoys arrive, deaths mount, and
the long-promised lifeline of aid remains out of reach.