UPDATE - Trump envoy visits Gaza aid center near Rafah amid famine crisis

UPDATES WITH DETAILS, BACKGROUND; CHANGES DECK, LEDE, OTHER EDITS

By Ikram Kouachi

US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived Friday at an aid center operated by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation north of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 and public broadcaster KAN, Witkoff’s convoy entered the area in the morning and toured the site, which has been at the center of controversy over its role in the delivery and obstruction of aid, as well as the deaths of hundreds of Gazans seeking relief.

The visit comes amid mounting criticism of US-Israeli coordination in Gaza, particularly regarding the group’s distribution model, which Palestinians say serves as a tool for displacement under the guise of humanitarian relief as well as a “death trap” for many Palestinian aid seekers, with over 1,300 killed since May while waiting for relief supplies.

Witkoff arrived in Israel Thursday for an unannounced visit that included a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two discussed a possible shift from “partial and phased” talks to a “comprehensive agreement” on Gaza, following Israel’s recent withdrawal from ceasefire negotiations in Qatar.

Speaking on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Witkoff would “visit distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food, and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground.”

- ‘Propaganda stunt’

Hamas on Thursday denounced the visit as a “propaganda stunt” aimed at deflecting global outrage over what rights groups and UN officials have described as Israel’s systematic starvation campaign.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, at least 154 Palestinians, including 89 children, have died of hunger-related causes, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Palestinian officials say the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation mechanism, active since May 27 with Israeli backing, has resulted in deadly ambushes at food lines, with at least 1,330 killed and over 8,800 injured due to Israeli fire during aid distributions.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,00 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.