US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived in Israel as the death toll among Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza continues to rise. At least 91 Palestinians were killed and over 600 wounded while attempting to get aid, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
Witkoff will visit Gaza on Friday along with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee to inspect aid operations and discuss a possible ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This would be the first meeting between Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since both countries called their negotiation teams home from Qatar last week.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated further, with international organizations warning that Gaza is on the brink of famine for the past two years. The Israeli military said Palestinians surrounded aid trucks and fired warning shots, but claimed no injuries stemmed from Israeli fire.
Israel has announced measures to facilitate more international aid into Gaza, including 270 trucks of aid entering the territory on Wednesday. However, aid workers say much more is needed, with organizations estimating that around 500-600 trucks per day are required.
The US decision to revoke visas for Palestinian officials linked to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization has further strained relations between the US and the Palestinians. The move was criticized by Palestinian leaders, who accused the US of being biased towards Israel and complicit in its war crimes.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-middle-east-envoy-steve-witkoff-israel-gaza-aid