Witkoff is expected to visit US-backed food distribution efforts in Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza worsens, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Thursday to restart faltering ceasefire negotiations and assess emergency aid efforts. His visit comes amid growing international outrage over the near-famine conditions in the territory and an intensifying global push to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state.
Witkoff met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly after landing, as hopes for a breakthrough dim following last week’s collapse of US- and Qatar-mediated talks in Doha. The Israeli government and Hamas had both pulled their delegations, though officials insist the process has not completely broken down.
While in Israel, Witkoff is expected to visit US-backed food distribution efforts in Gaza run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Israeli media reported he may review security and logistics at key aid delivery points, where escalating violence has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians attempting to access food, according to UN estimates.
The crisis hit another flashpoint Wednesday night when Israeli troops opened fire on a crowd near an aid convoy, killing at least 58 people, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. The Israeli military claimed it fired warning shots to disperse crowds around the trucks.
Witkoff, who has led months of indirect negotiations with Hamas, blamed the Islamist group for stalling talks. “Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith,” he said, adding that Washington is exploring “alternative options to bring hostages home and stabilise Gaza.”
Despite Trump’s administration pulling back from official humanitarian coordination roles—unlike under Biden—it continues to support GHF. Critics say the lack of a central US humanitarian lead has limited efforts to expand aid access in the absence of a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, international calls for a ceasefire and formal recognition of Palestinian statehood are gaining ground. Canada became the latest Western country to announce its support for Palestine, citing “urgent need for peace and food security.” Britain, France, and now Portugal have also moved in that direction.
Trump slammed Canada’s move in a Truth Social post, blaming Hamas for the crisis and calling for the group to surrender and release hostages. Still, he acknowledged earlier this week that Gaza faces “real starvation,” diverging from Netanyahu’s line that such reports are exaggerated.
Germany’s envoy Johann Wadephul, in Jerusalem for talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, warned Israel is “increasingly isolated” on the world stage. As famine tightens its grip, the cost of inaction appears to be rising—both in human suffering and geopolitical standing.
