Steve Witkoff, special envoy for U.S. President Donald Trump, is traveling to the Middle East in a renewed effort to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This diplomatic push comes as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate after more than 21 months of conflict.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce indicated on Tuesday that Witkoff is heading to the region with “strong hope” that the U.S. can facilitate a ceasefire deal and establish a new humanitarian corridor for aid distribution.
Escalating Humanitarian Crisis and Allegations of Violence
The urgency of Witkoff’s visit is underscored by recent events in Gaza, which experienced one of its deadliest days for aid-seekers on Sunday, July 20, with at least 85 Palestinians killed while attempting to access food. The United Nations’ food agency has accused Israeli forces of firing on the crowd, though the Israeli army claims it fired warning shots and disputes the reported death toll as inflated. Tammy Bruce described the incident as “absolutely horrible,” emphasizing the critical need for a new humanitarian corridor.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains severe. According to recent reports:
- Over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with more than half of them being women and children.
- Over 142,000 have been injured.
- Some independent studies suggest the actual death toll from traumatic injuries could be significantly higher, potentially exceeding 75,200 by early 2025, and potentially reaching 100,000 when “indirect” deaths from disease and starvation are included.
- The Gaza Health Ministry reported on July 22, 2025, that 101 people, including 80 children, have died in recent days from starvation.
- The UN human rights office stated on July 22, 2025, that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip.
- Nearly the entire population of Gaza, approximately 2.3 million Palestinians, has been forcibly displaced, with 1.9 million displaced and many families displaced multiple times.
- The entire population faces crisis-level or worse food insecurity, with almost half a million at risk of famine. The UN World Food Program states that nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Ceasefire Negotiations and Sticking Points
Weeks of talks have been held in Qatar, showing some minor progress but no major breakthroughs. A primary sticking point remains the redeployment of Israeli troops after any ceasefire.
The current U.S. proposal outlines a 60-day truce during which:
- Hamas would release some hostages.
- Israel would free Palestinian prisoners.
- A surge of humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza.
- During this 60-day period, negotiations on a permanent end to the war would commence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to continue the war until Hamas is disarmed and no longer holds power. Conversely, Hamas insists it will not release all hostages until the war concludes, seeking assurances that hostilities will not resume after the 60-day truce, as happened in March after an earlier ceasefire expired.
Hamas is currently believed to be holding 50 hostages, of whom 20 are believed to still be alive. Over 200 hostages were abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, with some released, rescued, or confirmed deceased since then.
