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The average envoy of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, visited a food distribution site on the Gaza Strip operated by an American contractor backed by Israeli whose efforts to deliver food to the territory affected by hunger have been fogged by violence and controversy.
International experts warned this week that a “worst case of famine” in Gaza is being developed. Israel’s almost 22 months military offensive against Hamas has destroyed security in the territory of about 2 million Palestinians and made it almost impossible to deliver food safely to hungry people.
The envoy of the Middle East Steve Witkoff and the United States ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee toured a distribution site of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah, the most southern city of Gaza, which has been almost completely destroyed and is now an Israeli military zone largely.
Hundreds of people have been killed by the Israeli fire while they are aimed at such help sites since May, according to witnesses, health officials and the United Nations Human Rights Office. Israel and GHF say they have only fired warning shots and that the toll has been exaggerated.
In a report issued on Friday, the Human Rights Watch, based in New York, said that GHF was in the heart of a “militarized and defective aid distribution system that has turned the aid distributions into a regular blood bath.”
Witkoff published in X that it had spent more than five hours within Gaza to obtain “a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help elaborate a plan to deliver food and medical help to the people of Gaza.”
He did not request any meeting with UN officials in Gaza during his visit, UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, told reporters. The UN agencies have provided help throughout Gaza since the beginning of the war, when the conditions allow it.
Chapin Fay, a GHF spokesman, said the visit reflected Trump’s understanding of bets and that “feeding civilians, not Hamas, must be priority.” The help group says that it has delivered more than 100 million meals since it began operating in May.
The four sites of the group established in May are in areas controlled by the Israeli army and have become points of despair, with hungry people fighting for little help.
More than 1,000 people have been killed by the Israeli fire since May while looking for help in the territory, mostly near GHF sites, but also close to the United Nations Help convoys, said the UN Human Rights Office last month.
The Israeli army says that it has only fired warning shots to people who approach their forces, and GHF says that their armed contractors have only used pepper spray or warning shots to avoid mortal overcrowding.
Dozens killed near help sites
Nasser hospital officials in southern Gaza said Friday received by the bodies of 13 people who were killed while trying to get help, including near the site that US officials visited. GHF denied that someone was killed in their sites on Friday.
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The Israeli army said their forces had shot hundreds of meters (yards) of the help site in the people he described as suspects and said they had ignored the orders to distance themselves from their strength. He said he was not aware of any victim, but he was still investigating.
Another 23 people were killed and dozens wounded near Crossing Zikim, administered by Israelíes, the main entrance point for aid to northern Gaza, according to Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of the Shifa hospital, which received the bodies. He said that the vast majority of injuries were shot.
The Israeli army said that he hit several armed militants in northern Gaza, but that the strike “was not carried out near the passage of humanitarian aid trucks and that they were not caused damage.”
The Crescent Crescent Palestinian emergency service said that 11 people were killed at another point of help distribution in Gaza City. There were no immediate comments from the military about those deaths.
HRW Slams Help system backed by Israelis
Human Rights Watch said in his report that “it would be almost impossible for the Palestinians to follow the instructions issued by GHF, stay safe and receive help, particularly in the context of ongoing military operations.” He cited doctors, help search engines and at least one GHF security contractor.
On the basis of previous accounts, he described how thousands of Palestinians meet near the sites at night before opening. While they go to sites on foot, Israeli forces control their movements opening fire to them. Once inside the sites, they run for help in a frantic rate for all, with weaker and more vulnerable people who leave without anything, HRW said.
In response to the report, Israel’s army accused Hamas of sabotaging the help distribution system, without providing evidence. He said he was working to make the routes under his control safer for those who travel to help sites. GHF did not immediately answer the questions about the report.
The group has never allowed journalists to visit their sites and the Israel Army has banned journalists to enter Gaza independently throughout the war.
The main German diplomats condemns the violence of the settlers in the West Bank
Germany Foreign Minister visited Taybeh in occupied Bank, a Palestinian Christian village that has seen recent attacks from Israeli settlers. Johann Wadephul said Israel’s settlements are an obstacle to the peace and violence of convicted settlers. He also asked Hamas to place his arms in Gaza and release the remaining hostages.
Until now, Germany has refused to join other important Western countries, including Canada, announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state.
The Palestinians in another nearby city went to Khamis Ayad, 45, who, according to them, suffocated while extinguished fires established by the settlers during an attack the previous night. The witnesses said that Israeli forces fired live rounds and tear gas towards residents after the settlers attacked.
Israel’s army said the police were investigating the incident. They said that the security forces found Hebrew graffiti and a burned vehicle on the scene, but had no suspect.
There has been an increase in the attacks of settlers, as well as the Palestinian militant attacks against the Israeli and the large -scale Israeli military operations in the West Bank occupied since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 against Israel de Gaza that caused the Israel War of Israel.
Militants led by Hamas killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, that day and kidnapped another 251. They still have 50 hostages, even around 20 that are believed to be alive. Most of the others have been released in cessation -fire or other agreements.
The retaliation offensive of Israel has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians and operates under the government of Hamas. The UN and other international organizations see it as the most reliable data source about victims.
Metz reported from Jerusalem and Frankel of Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press Edith M. Lederer’s writer of the United Nations contributed to this report.
