US envoy tours Gaza amid UN reports hundreds of aid-seekers slain
Gaza’s Survival Crisis
Nearly 2.4 million Palestinians now depend almost entirely on international food aid.
The UN’s Human Rights Office reports a shocking toll: 1,373 people killed while searching for help since May 27, with 105 fatalities in just the last two days of July.
The majority of these deaths occurred near U.S‑backed aid sites and along convoys used by the U.N. and other humanitarian agencies.
U.S. Inspection and GHF’s Role
- Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, inspected a U.S‑backed distribution centre on Friday.
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee joined him, claiming the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) delivers over one million meals a day.
- GHF’s own social media announced it had served its 100‑millionth meal, citing it as an achievement “in line with Trump’s call to lead with strength, compassion and action.”
Human Rights Watch Accuses Israeli Forces
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report alleging that Israeli forces use starvation as a weapon of war.
Belkis Wille described the situation: “Israeli military is not only starving civilians, but they are also shooting desperate families who seek food.”
HRW claimed the U.S.‑supported, militarised delivery system turned aid sites into “regular bloodbaths.”
Israeli Military’s Response
The Israeli army stated GHF operates independently, but soldiers “are in proximity to the new distribution areas to enable orderly delivery.”
They blamed Hamas for obstructing food relief and said they were reviewing the reported deaths to minimise friction between civilians and soldiers.
Political Dialogue and Threatened Consequences
- Witkoff met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss ending the 22‑month war, feeding civilians, and freeing remaining hostages.
- Netanyahu pledged to destroy Hamas and secure captives, while facing international pressure to halt further bloodshed.
- Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul of Germany urged the Israeli government to provide humanitarian aid urgently, saying “the humanitarian disaster in Gaza is beyond imagination.”
Hostage Humanitarian Video
On Thursday, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad released a video showing 21‑year‑old Rom Braslavski, a German‑Israeli hostage, pleading for release.
The video galvanized reactions from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel and prompted German Foreign Minister Wadephul to confront the situation directly.
- Germany continues to push for the release of all hostages, including dual nationals, with an estimated single‑digit German‑Israeli captives still held.
- Wadephul criticized the kidnappers’ “utter depravity” and asserted Germany would keep working for outcomes.
Contextual Summary
The October 2023 assault by Hamas caused 1,219 deaths (mostly civilians).
Only 49 hostages remain in Gaza, with 27 reported dead by Israeli forces.
The retaliatory Israeli offensive has claimed at least 60,249 Palestinian lives, primarily civilians.
This week, U.N. aid agencies began reporting deaths from starvation, highlighting a dire humanitarian situation that demands immediate global attention.
