WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is dispatching two senior administration officials to Gaza on August 1 to assess the worsening hunger crisis and examine food distribution efforts, as the region faces growing international concern.
Steven Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will travel to Gaza “to secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on July 31.
The pair is expected to meet with President Trump following their visit to finalize the administration’s strategy for delivering food and humanitarian aid amid the ongoing Israeli military campaign against Hamas.
Earlier that day, Witkoff and Huckabee spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding efforts to ensure food and aid reach those in need, Leavitt confirmed.
“It’s terrible what’s occurring there. It’s a terrible thing. People are very hungry,” Trump told reporters. “You know, the United States gave $60 million for food and it’s a shame, because I don’t see the results of it. And we gave it to people that in theory are watching over it fairly closely. We wanted Israel to watch over it.”
A recent alert by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has raised alarm about a potential famine in Gaza. The United Nations’ World Food Programme reported that one-third of Gaza’s population goes multiple days without eating, and one in four residents is “enduring famine-like conditions.” According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 100 people have died from malnutrition in recent days.
President Trump diverged from Netanyahu’s position earlier this week, publicly challenging the Israeli leader’s assertion that starvation isn’t occurring in Gaza. Trump instead called on Israel to expand access for food aid into the territory.
As harrowing images of starving children circulate globally, Netanyahu has firmly rejected accusations of deliberate starvation tactics, describing them as a “bold-faced lie” and maintaining that no starvation is taking place.
In addition to the Gaza trip, Trump revealed on July 31 that Witkoff will soon travel to Russia. The visit comes ahead of a 10-day deadline Trump has given Moscow to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face U.S.-imposed tariffs and penalties. “Going to Israel, and then he’s going to Russia, believe it or not,” Trump said.
