President Trump has sent Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to the southern Gaza Strip to review food distribution centers as civilian casualties mount near aid sites. The visit, scheduled for August 1, follows a week of rising international criticism and conflicting reports over how humanitarian aid is being delivered.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the trip after meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Tomorrow, special envoy Witkoff and Ambassador Huckabee will be traveling into Gaza to inspect the current distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear first-hand about this dire situation on the ground,” Leavitt stated during today’s press briefing.
The pair will tour facilities managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization created to facilitate aid deliveries. GHF has faced heavy scrutiny from the United Nations and more than 170 NGOs, including Save the Children and Amnesty International, over claims that its operations expose civilians to danger.
The visit comes as Gaza health officials report 91 deaths and more than 600 injuries in a single 24-hour period near distribution sites. Witnesses and medical staff allege Israeli forces opened fire in some areas as desperate crowds gathered for food. Israel has denied such claims.
Aid access remains critically limited, with just 270 trucks entering Gaza daily, far short of the estimated 600 trucks needed to meet basic needs.
The UN has refused to work with GHF, accusing the group of forcing civilians into “overcrowded and militarized zones” and turning aid delivery points into potential conflict sites. By mid-July, the UN estimated at least 766 deaths linked to incidents near GHF-run centers, prompting calls for a shift to neutral humanitarian oversight. GHF and Israeli officials deny the allegations, citing attempts by Hamas to manipulate crowds and disrupt aid efforts.
President Trump has called the situation a “severe humanitarian crisis” and reiterated demands for Hamas to surrender and release hostages as part of any long-term resolution.
The visit places U.S. officials at the center of a growing dispute between Israeli-backed aid operations and international agencies warning of systemic failures. The findings from the tour are expected to shape U.S. policy on Gaza aid delivery in the coming weeks.
