Trump envoy Steve Witkoff arrives in Israel amid Gaza crisis and collapsed peace talks
Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, has arrived in Israel for high-level meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials.
(NBC)- Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, has arrived in Israel for high-level meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials. Witkoff, who also works extensively on issues involving Russia and Ukraine, rarely travels to the region unless a major diplomatic breakthrough is imminent—making his visit particularly noteworthy.
However, sources close to the situation confirm that no ceasefire agreement or major peace deal is currently expected. The visit comes just days after peace talks in Doha collapsed and as Israeli officials signal plans to intensify military operations in Gaza.
Conditions in Gaza remain dire. At least 30 people were reportedly killed this week while waiting in line for humanitarian aid. Incidents like this are becoming increasingly common, as desperate civilians risk their lives to secure food and basic supplies. Israeli media report that Witkoff may visit the Gaza Strip during his trip, including a stop at a site operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization has been at the center of aid distribution efforts inside the enclave—efforts that remain controversial due to the limited scale and continued logistical challenges.
This marks the fourth day since Israel eased restrictions slightly to allow more aid into Gaza. Hundreds of trucks have delivered supplies, and several countries have begun airdropping food and medicine. Still, aid organizations and United Nations officials say the relief is nowhere near sufficient.
Malnutrition continues to take a devastating toll, especially on children. Humanitarian groups report that more than half of the approximately 150 people who have died from malnutrition since the war began are minors—underscoring the urgency of ramped-up aid and diplomatic intervention.
