U.S. envoy visits distribution site in Gaza as humanitarian crisis worsens
With food scarce and parcels being airdropped, Mr. Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee toured one of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's distribution sites in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city. Chapin Fay, the group's spokesperson, said the visit reflected Mr. Trump's understanding of the stakes and that 'feeding civilians, not Hamas, must be the priority.'
All four of the group's sites are in zones controlled by the Israeli military and have become flashpoints of desperation during their months of operation, with starving people scrambling for scarce aid. Hundreds have been killed by either gunfire or trampling.
The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces, and GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding.
Mr. Witkoff's visit comes a week after U.S. officials walked away from ceasefire talks in Qatar, blaming Hamas and pledging to seek other ways to rescue Israeli hostages and make Gaza safe.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday (July 31, 2025) that Mr. Witkoff was sent to craft a plan to boost food and aid deliveries, while Mr. Trump wrote on social media that the fastest way to end the crisis would be for Hamas to surrender and release hostages.
Officials at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza said they have received the bodies of 25 people, including 13 who were killed while trying to get aid, including near the site that U.S. officials visited. The GHF denied anyone was killed at their sites on Friday (August 1, 2025) and said most recent incidents had taken place near United Nations aid convoys.
The remaining 12 were killed in airstrikes, the officials said. Israel's military did not immediately comment.
International organisations have said Gaza has been on the brink of famine for the past two years. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the leading international authority on food crises, said recent developments, including a complete blockade on aid for two-and-a-half months, mean the 'worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in Gaza.'
Though the flow of aid has resumed, including via airdrops, the amount getting into Gaza remains far lower than what aid organisations say is needed. A security breakdown in the territory has made it nearly impossible to safely deliver food to starving Palestinians, much of the limited aid entering is hoarded and later sold at exorbitant prices.
At a Friday (August 1, 2025) press conference in Gaza City, representatives of the territory's influential tribes accused Israel of empowering factions that loot aid sites and implored Mr. Witkoff to stay several hours in Gaza to witness life firsthand.
'We want the American envoy to come and live among us in these tents where there is no water, no food and no light,' they said. 'Our children are hungry in the streets.'
In a report issued on Friday (August 1, 2025), Human Rights Watch called the current setup 'a flawed, militarised aid distribution system that has turned aid distributions into regular bloodbaths.'
'It would be near impossible for Palestinians to follow the instructions issued by GHF, stay safe, and receive aid, particularly in the context of ongoing military operations, Israeli military sanctioned curfews, and frequent GHF messages saying that people should not travel to the sites before the distribution window opens,' the report said. It cited doctors, aid seekers and at least one security contractor.
Since the group's operations began in late May, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in shootings by Israeli soldiers while on roads heading to the sites, according to witnesses and health officials. The Israeli military has said its troops have only fired warning shots to control crowds.
Responding to the report, Israel's military blamed Hamas for sabotaging the aid distribution system but said it was working to make the routes under its control safer for those traveling to aid sites. GHF did not immediately respond to questions about the report.
The group has never allowed journalists to visit their sites and Israel's military has barred reporters from independently entering Gaza throughout the war.
International condemnations have mounted as such reports trickle out of Gaza, including from aid organisations that previously oversaw distribution.
A July 30 video published Thursday (July 31, 2025) by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs showed an aid convoy driving past a border crossing as gunfire ricocheted off the ground near where crowds congregated.
'We were met on the road by tens of thousands of hungry and desperate people who directly offloaded everything from the backs of our trucks,' said Olga Cherevko, an OCHA staff member.
Some of Israel's traditional allies have moved toward recognising Palestinian statehood hoping to revive prospects of a two-state solution. Germany has thus far refrained from doing so. On a tour in the occupied West Bank, the country's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Germany's foreign minister called on Israel to be open to making peace and said Hamas militants should lay down their weapons and release the hostages.
Speaking in the Christian-majority village of Taybeh, Mr. Wahedphul called Israeli settlements in the West Bank a key obstacle to a two-state solution. He condemned settler violence and destruction and criticised the Israeli military for failing to do more to prevent the attacks.
The frequency of settler attacks in the West Bank have increased since the war between Israel and Hamas began, according to the United Nations. The conflict erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 others.
They still hold 50 hostages, including around 20 believed to be alive. Most of the others have been released in ceasefires or other deals.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians. The ministry operates under the Hamas government. The U.N. and other international organisations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Will Sean Diddy get a pardon? President Trump opens up on charges against the rapper
US President Donald Trump openly spoke about singer and rapper Sean Diddy Combs and said that he considers him 'sort of half-innocent' despite his criminal conviction in federal court in July 2025. The US president said that pardoning the music mogul was 'more difficult' because of past criticism. In an interview with Newsmax on Friday night, Trump said, 'He was essentially, I guess, sort of half-innocent.' 'He was celebrating a victory, but I guess it wasn't as good a victory,' he added. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Healthcare MBA Product Management Finance Degree MCA Management others Digital Marketing Leadership Operations Management Design Thinking healthcare Data Analytics Artificial Intelligence Data Science Data Science Project Management PGDM Technology Others Public Policy Cybersecurity CXO Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis in Healthcare Financial Management & Investing Strategic Management in Healthcare Process Design & Analysis Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Program in Healthcare Management Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details Combs, 55, was convicted in a New York federal court of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, for sexual encounters, while he was acquitted of more serious charges. He could get up to a decade in prison at his sentencing set for Oct. 3. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Build Your Dream Villa Near Bengaluru Airport Sumadhura Group Learn More Undo According to The Guardian, several media outlets reported that Trump has been weighing a pardon for Combs. He has been seen partying in public and exchanging mutual declarations of friendship ahead of his two presidencies. Speaking about the music mogul, Trump said, 'When I ran for office, he was very hostile.' 'It's hard, you know? We're human beings. And we don't like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements. So I don't know … It makes it more difficult to do.' Live Events Combs had told The Daily Beast in 2017 that he did not 'really give a f**** about Trump,' according to The Guardian. When Trump's first presidency ended in 2020 following a defeat to Joe Biden, Combs, who is Black told radio host Charlamagne tha God that 'white men like Trump need to be banished.' 'The number one priority is to get Trump out of office,' Combs said. Sean 'Diddy' Combs asks judge to throw out guilty verdicts or grant him a new trial Meanwhile, Combs has asked a judge to throw out his guilty verdicts on prostitution-related counts or grant him a new trial, saying such convictions are without precedent. 'This conviction stands alone, but it shouldn't stand at all," the Wednesday filing said. Combs' lawyers argue that his two felony convictions were a unique misapplication of the federal Mann Act, which bars interstate commerce related to prostitution. 'To our knowledge, Mr. Combs is the only person ever convicted of violating the statute for conduct anything like this,' a Wednesday filing from Combs' legal team said.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
How will Trump's tariffs impact India?
The story so far: On July 30, U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on imports from India 'plus a penalty'. While this puts to rest months of speculation over what the tariffs would be on Indian imports into the U.S., it opens up fresh uncertainties with respect to a potential bilateral trade agreement between India and the U.S. What did Mr. Trump announce? Taking to social media, Mr. Trump cited India's tariff and non-tariff measures on trade, and its dealing with Russia on energy and military equipment, as the main reasons behind imposing the 25% tariffs and the penalty. There is no clarity yet on what the penalty will look like, but Mr. Trump has in the past threatened a 10% additional tariff on BRICS countries. If this comes to pass, then effective tariffs on Indian imports would be 35%. There is also a legislation in the U.S. in the process of being passed that could see an additional 500% tariff on India, China, and Brazil for their dealings with Russia. What does it mean for India? Tariffs are paid by importers. Therefore, tariffs on Indian imports would be paid by those in the U.S. that are importing Indian goods. That is, Indian goods will become more expensive for them. Therein lies the true problem for India. On a macro level, the tariffs and the impact they will have on Indian exports are expected to only lower India's GDP by 0.2%, according to research by the Bank of Baroda. So, if India's growth forecast had been 6.6%, then these tariffs — if they are imposed — could lower growth to 6.4%. However, the issue arises in individual sectors. According to the Bank of Baroda, sectors such as garments, precious stones, auto parts, leather products, and electronics (although their inclusion is uncertain) could face the pinch and would have to rework their strategies. 'The issue really is that some of the competing nations like Vietnam (20%), Korea (15%) and Indonesia (19%) have lower tariffs compared with India,' the Bank of Baroda added in its research note. How did things come to such a pass? While most trade deals are negotiated over years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Trump in February 2025 announced that they would conclude the first tranche of a trade deal by fall. To put this in perspective, the recently-signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between India and the U.K. took about three years to negotiate. What made the announcement by Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump notable was that it came before the latter's big moves on reciprocal tariffs, which is what pushed other countries to start negotiating with the U.S. The announcement was thus a strong and positive commitment towards strengthening ties between the two countries. But then, on April 2, Mr. Trump announced his Liberation Day reciprocal tariffs. These included a 10% baseline tariff for all countries, and additional tariffs on a country-by-country case. For India, this total was 26%. However, just a week later, Mr. Trump announced a 90-day pause on these tariffs so that bilateral deals could be struck so as to reduce the U.S.'s trade deficit with most of its trading partners. The 90-day pause was to end in July, but Mr. Trump extended it to August 1. What are the points of friction? It's hard to pinpoint any single recent development that has soured relations, but there have been several points of friction between the two countries in the past few months. The matter of India's tariffs and non-tariff barriers has been something Mr. Trump has been highlighting since his first term as President. It was no surprise that he would take up the issue in his second term. Soured relations: The Hindu editorial on Trump's 25% tariff, 'penalty' Mr. Trump has brought up India's engagement with Russia, too, saying countries like India are partly financing Russia's war with Ukraine. India, however, has reiterated that it will secure its national and energy security, and if that means buying cheap Russian oil, then that is what it would do. Russia currently accounts for about 35-40% of India's oil imports, making it a significant partner. In addition, India has remained adamant about keeping core parts of its agriculture and dairy sectors out of trade deals, including with the U.S. This has upset negotiators on the U.S. side, but it is a 'red line' India will not cross. Opening up these sectors would expose India's relatively low-productivity farmers to global competition, which will likely have devastating impacts on their livelihoods. Then, there is the fact that Mr. Trump has repeatedly stated that it was him, and his trade talks, that encouraged India and Pakistan to agree to a ceasefire following the launch of Operation Sindoor by India. The fact that the Indian government has refuted it has only further angered Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump's claims have irked the Indian establishment as well, since it has provided the Opposition a means to attack the government. India has informed the World Trade Organization that it reserves the right to impose additional tariffs on imports from the U.S. to retaliate against its higher tariffs on items like steel, aluminium, and automobiles. Taking these things together, Mr. Trump's tariff announcement comes as a confirmation that at least one, if not all of these factors, worked toward souring relations. Will India continue paying these tariffs? Although there has been a lot of talk about a 'mini-deal' between India and the U.S. to walk back the reciprocal tariffs, Indian officials have been cagey about the date for such a deal. The tariff announcement by Mr. Trump confirms that such a deal is not coming. However, the two sides have been remarkably consistent about their commitment of having some sort of trade deal finalised by the fall 2025 deadline. So far, negotiators from the two sides have met in New Delhi and Washington five times, including the first meeting in March where the Terms of Reference for the negotiations were finalised. The team from the U.S. will visit India in late August to take forward the talks. Things have, however, become trickier for Indian negotiators because Mr. Trump has now directly linked India's dealings with Russia to India's trade relationship with the U.S. The tariffs will come into effect soon. According to an Executive Order dated July 31, Mr. Trump said that his duties on India and other countries would come into effect '7 days after the date of this order'. What about deals with other countries? Over the last month, Mr. Trump has concluded deals with the U.K., Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, the EU, and South Korea. The deal with the U.K. does not specify a general tariff level, but it will see British car exports to the U.S. attract a 10% tariff, down from the earlier 27.5% and a removal of tariffs on aerospace exports to the U.S. Japan negotiated lower tariffs of 15% for its exports to the U.S., the same as the EU.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
France condemns 'despicable' Hamas hostage video
France Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Saturday denounced as "despicable" videos of Israeli hostages held in Gaza posted by Hamas's armed wing and by another Palestinian Islamist group. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot looks on, during a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Nicosia, Cyprus July 31, 2025.(Reuters) "Despicable, unbearable images of the Israeli hostages held for 666 days in Gaza by Hamas," Barrot wrote in a post on X "They must be freed, without conditions," he added. "Hamas must be disarmed and excluded from ruling Gaza." He also called for humanitarian aid to be supplied to the people of Gaza in massive quantities. The armed wing of Palestinian militant group Hamas released a minute-long video Friday of an Israeli hostage held in Gaza looking weak and malnourished, inside a narrow concrete tunnel. On Thursday, the armed wing of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad published a video of an Israeli-German hostage abducted during Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel. The release of the videos has sparked outrage in Israel. Israel's top general, army chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, warned Saturday there would be no respite in fighting in Gaza if negotiations fail to quickly secure the release of hostages. Of the 251 hostages taken during the Hamas October 7, 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures. A total of 898 Israeli soldiers have also been killed since ground troops were sent into Gaza, according to the military. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,332 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
