US-backed aid group says it did not operate on Saturday due to Hamas threats
'These threats made it impossible to proceed today without putting innocent lives at risk,' the organization said in a statement. 'GHF will not be deterred. We remain committed to safe, secure and independent aid delivery. We are actively adapting our operations to overcome these threats and fully intend to resume distributions without delay.'
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US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will enter Gaza on Friday to inspect aid distribution and meet with residents of the war-wracked territory. 'Tomorrow, Special Envoy Witkoff and Ambassador Huckabee will be traveling into Gaza to inspect the current (aid) distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists.
Al Arabiya
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Trump officials told Congress Israel agreed to match $30 million for GHF: Sources
Senior Trump administration officials told Congress this month that Israel agreed to match a US award of $30 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, a previously unreported contribution to the controversial armed private aid operation. Aside from the US contribution, which the US State Department announced in June, the sources of the foundation's funding have been opaque - GHF does not disclose its donors. Israel faces intensifying international pressure over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its promotion of GHF's aid operation, which has distribution sites only in southern Gaza and has been called dangerous and ineffective by aid groups and the United Nations - claims the group denies. Aryeh Lightstone and Charles Leith, aides to Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, briefed US Senate and House of Representatives committees on July 8 and 9 about the GHF operation, according to the two sources. They told the congressional committees that Israel had agreed to match the $30 million that the US awarded to GHF in June, enough to fund the organization through the end of July, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Lightstone and Leith did not respond to a request for an interview and the White House referred questions to the State Department. The State Department and Israeli government did not respond to requests for comment. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US had dispensed $60 million for Gaza humanitarian aid. The State Department, however, has made no other announcements beyond the $30 million approved for the GHF in June. A third source familiar with the matter said some US officials believe Trump likely was conflating the US and Israeli funds. 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GHF said in an email to Reuters that it was focused on distributing as much food as was safely possible and was continuing to press the Israeli government to allow it to open additional distribution sites, including in northern Gaza. It declined to comment on its donors or funding. Starvation in Gaza GHF has been criticized by the United Nations, aid groups and others over what they say is an unsafe aid distribution model and a breach of humanitarian impartiality standards, allegations that GHF denies. Israel alleges that the UN-led aid system that has traditionally served the residents of Gaza has let Hamas-led militants loot aid shipments intended for civilians. Hamas denies the accusation. A recent US government internal analysis found no evidence of systematic theft of US-funded aid by Hamas. Starvation has been spreading in Gaza, and a hunger monitor on Tuesday said a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding and immediate action is needed to avoid widespread death. In his Wednesday remarks, Moore denied that famine is developing. 'That's made up. There's not a famine. There's acute hunger. There's not enough food in the Gaza Strip,' he said. Gaza health authorities have been reporting increasing deaths from hunger-related causes and images of emaciated Palestinian children have drawn international condemnation. Trump this week declared that many people were starving, contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said there was no starvation in the densely populated coastal enclave, largely destroyed by Israel's military offensive that has killed over 60,000 people according to Gaza health officials. Trump promised to set up new food centers and said the top priority in Gaza was feeding people. 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Arab News
37 minutes ago
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Top Pakistani general meets Egyptian president, leadership to discuss military, counterterrorism cooperation
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani top general met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the country's senior civil and defense leadership on Thursday to discuss regional situation, military and counterterrorism cooperation, the Pakistani military's media wing said. General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, who is Pakistan's chairman joint chiefs of staff committee (CJCSC), is in Egypt for the third round of defense and security talks between the two countries. During the visit, he met senior Egyptian officials such as El-Sisi, General Abdel Mageed Ahmed Abdel Mageed Saqr, minister of defense and military production and commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Armed Forces, Admiral Osama Mounier Mohamed Rabie. He also met the chairman and managing director of the Suez Canal Authority, as well as Professor Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed El-Tayeb, the grand imam of the Al-Azhar institute, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military's media wing, said. 'Discussions focused on bilateral military cooperation, security, counterterrorism and prevailing regional situation,' the ISPR said. 'Dignitaries from both sides emphasized upon the shared interest in further strengthening and expanding existing military-to-military relationship in the domains of training, joint military exercises and defense cooperation.' Speaking to El-Tayeb, Mirza highlighted the importance of religious and inter-faith harmony to promote tolerance, inclusivity and address the underlying causes of 'terrorism,' the military's media wing said. 'Egyptian dignitaries lauded the professionalism of Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,' the ISPR said. Mirza was presented a guard of honor by an Egyptian Armed Forces contingent upon his arrival at the Ministry of Defense, the military's media wing said. Pakistan and Egypt have cordial ties and both countries have resolved in recent years to facilitate businessmen with visas, exchange trade-related information and promote private-sector contacts. Earlier this month, senior officials of Pakistan and Egypt discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security and farming, with Islamabad expressing interest in learning from Cairo's successful experiences in these areas.
