US envoy Witkoff tours Gaza while Israel bombs starving civilians at aid sites

US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff visited an aid distribution site in Gaza on Friday, amid growing global outrage over Israel's systematic starvation campaign, enabled and protected by the United States.

Witkoff, accompanied by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, toured sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the controversial aid mechanism jointly overseen by Washington and Tel Aviv.

Their visit followed talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, during which both officials reaffirmed US backing for Israel's ongoing war on Gaza.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the two envoys were tasked with inspecting the sites and speaking to Palestinians, before reporting their "findings" to US President Donald Trump.

Hamas dismissed the visit as a cynical photo-op meant to distract from US complicity in the humanitarian catastrophe.

Izzat al-Rishq, head of Hamas' media office, said the visit was "a propaganda show to contain the mounting anger over the US–Israeli partnership in starving our people in the Strip".

He reiterated calls to dismantle the GHF, which has been condemned for turning food distribution into a deadly trap.

Human rights groups have accused Israel of deliberately targeting starving civilians as they gather at aid points under GHF's watch.

At least 159 Palestinians have died of starvation in recent months, as Israel continues to block food, fuel, and humanitarian relief into the besieged enclave.

Famine-like conditions are spreading rapidly, and the daily scenes of mass desperation are compounded by Israeli forces repeatedly opening fire on crowds at aid distribution sites.

On Friday morning, seven Palestinians were killed and more than 70 were injured in yet another Israeli attack on aid seekers near the so-called Morag Corridor, south of Khan Younis, according to Al Jazeera.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on both the US and Israel to immediately suspend the GHF mechanism, describing the attacks as "serious violations of international law and war crimes".

The UN has also condemned GHF for militarising aid, while other rights groups have labelled the system a deliberate "death trap".

France joined the criticism, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot calling the situation in Gaza "revolting" and announcing a 40-tonne emergency airdrop of aid.

"This is emergency aid but still not sufficient," he told Franceinfo.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed the sentiment, calling the situation “beyond imagination” during a press conference in Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that four Palestinians were killed by Israeli shelling in al-Mawasi on Friday, with another four killed in an Israeli airstrike on Deir el-Balah.

Hamas, in a statement on Telegram, said it was ready to resume negotiations for a ceasefire but only after the humanitarian crisis ends.

"Continuing negotiations under conditions of starvation renders them meaningless and futile," the group said.

It reiterated that a deal must include the release of hostages, a full Israeli withdrawal, the opening of crossings, and the immediate start of reconstruction.

Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 60,249 Palestinians and wounded over 147,000 more since October, according to Gaza’s health ministry.