Trump's envoy arrives in Israel as Gaza criticism mounts

AFP | Jerusalem

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US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel yesterday to discuss ways to end the crisis in Gaza, where nearly 22 months of grinding war and dire shortages of food have drawn mounting international criticism.

Gaza's civil defence agency reported dozens of Palestinians killed late Wednesday when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd attempting to block an aid convoy -- the latest in a spate of near-daily incidents of desperate aid seekers being shot.

The Israeli military confirmed having fired "warning shots" as Gazans gathered around aid trucks, but said it had no knowledge of casualties in the incident. An AFP correspondent saw the bullet-riddled corpses of Palestinians in Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital.

Jameel Ashour, who lost a relative in the shooting, told AFP at the overflowing morgue that Israeli troops opened fire after a crowd surged towards the convoy. "When people saw thieves stealing and dropping food, the hungry crowd rushed in hopes of getting some," he said.

With talks for a ceasefire and hostage release deal at an impasse, Witkoff met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss humanitarian aid and the "next steps" on Gaza.

He may also visit a US-backed humanitarian group distributing food in Gaza, according to Israeli reports. Footage released by Netanyahu's office showed the Israeli leader smiling warmly and greeting a cheery Witkoff in his office.

Witkoff has been the top US representative in the indirect Israel-Hamas talks, but discussions broke down last week when Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Doha.

Israel is under mounting international pressure to agree a ceasefire and allow the world to flood a hungry Gaza with food, with Canada the latest Western country to announce plans to recognise a Palestinian state.

Trump criticised Canada's decision and, in a post on his Truth Social network, placed the blame for the ongoing conflict squarely on Hamas.

"The fastest way to end theHumanitarian Crises in Gaza isfor Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!" he declared.