Monday, 25 May 2026
A charity distributes meals to Palestinians facing food shortages amid ongoing Israeli attacks and severe restrictions in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Ali Jadallah/Andalou/Getty Images
Gazans call on Witkoff to witness true hardship
GAZA CITY (CNN) — US special envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to an aid distribution center in Gaza ignited a mix of hope, doubt, and frustration among residents, as hunger continues to grip the region.
Hatem Abu Rahma, a resident of Gaza, expressed hope that Witkoff’s trip to Rafah might spur a ceasefire capable of halting the widespread starvation.
“My message to the US envoy, Mr. Witkoff, is to intensify efforts to bring an end to this war and to ease the suffering of thousands in Gaza. It’s evident now to everyone—Gaza has become uninhabitable. With no education, no healthcare, and ongoing starvation, the situation is dire,” Abu Rahma told CNN.
Raed Radwan, another local, was far less encouraged by the diplomatic visit, labeling Witkoff’s appearance as “provocative” in light of the unmistakable humanitarian catastrophe facing Gaza.
“This is a superficial visit. Frankly, I see it as a slap in the face to all the reports from global news agencies about famine here,” said Radwan. “After all the deaths from hunger and malnutrition, after seeing so many emaciated bodies, do they still refuse to believe it—so they send someone just to see for themselves?”
Radwan likened the chaos around food aid in Gaza to “throwing food to animals in a cage,” where only the strongest have any hope of securing basic staples like flour.
“I’m pleading for the American administration to guarantee us safety, to offer protection, and to make sure aid reaches defenseless civilians,” he said.
Nima Hassan, another Gazan, described Rafah as a city reduced to ruins—a stage for occupation and its visitors.
“To Witkoff, who visits as a guest of war: We urge you not to be satisfied with the sanitized version presented by the Israeli side,” Hassan said. “See for yourself what life in Gaza is truly like.”
A senior official from Hamas dismissed Witkoff’s visit on Friday as a “staged personal visit” crafted for publicity.
“Mr. Witkoff, Gaza is not some animal enclosure for you to orchestrate a photo-op in front of death traps created by American companies,” declared Basem Naim, former Palestinian health minister in Gaza, in a statement shared with CNN.
“Let me remind you once again: The people of Gaza are not beggars—they are a proud, independent people who seek only their freedom, dignity, and return to their homeland,” Naim said.
Witkoff entered Rafah in southern Gaza on Friday to tour a controversial, US-supported aid distribution center managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Naim lambasted the GHF’s aid system as a “humanitarian scandal.” This operation was established as a replacement for the United Nations’ role in providing aid to Gaza, after Israeli authorities alleged UN deliveries were reaching Hamas.
However, the GHF mechanism has faced widespread criticism for failing to alleviate the crisis. Starvation persists, and according to the UN, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking food—with hundreds of fatalities occurring near GHF distribution points. The GHF disputes these figures.