U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff crossed into the Gaza Strip on 1 August after talks in Tel Aviv with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, becoming the most senior American official to visit the enclave since the latest phase of the war began. Witkoff toured an aid-distribution hub in Rafah that has drawn international criticism for bottlenecks, speaking with relief workers and local residents about shortages of food and medicine. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are reviewing current delivery routes and security constraints to shape a new American plan intended to speed the flow of supplies to the territory, where the United Nations warns of imminent famine. The pair will brief President Donald Trump on their findings and seek approval for additional food-distribution centers that the administration says will operate without fencing to improve public access. Witkoff’s visit follows stalled cease-fire and hostage-release negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. While in Tel Aviv, the envoy urged Netanyahu to consider concessions that could revive the talks, though both leaders blamed Hamas for the impasse. The humanitarian initiative is part of Washington’s broader effort to ease civilian suffering even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain deadlocked.