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U.S. President Donald Trump said his Middle East Special Representative Steve Witkoff conducted "very productive" meetings during his recent visit to Gaza, with discussions centered on addressing the region's famine and food supply crisis.
Speaking to reporters as he departed the White House for a weekend stay in New Jersey, Trump praised Witkoff's recent trip to Israel and Gaza as highly successful.
"I spoke with Steve Witkoff. He had great meetings with many people. The main subject of the meeting was food aid (to Gaza), I'll tell you more about that later, but basically he held meetings to get food to the people," Trump said.
The president has previously acknowledged the severity of Gaza's humanitarian crisis, stating Thursday that "what's happening there is horrible. Yes, it's a horrible thing. People are very hungry." Trump had earlier admitted there was "real starvation" occurring in Gaza.
Witkoff had stated that his Gaza visit aimed to provide Trump with a clear assessment of conditions in the region. Following Trump's instructions, the envoy met with Israeli officials to discuss the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Witkoff reported that his Gaza visit lasted five hours. The special representative visited the U.S.-Israeli coordinated GHF distribution center in Gaza's Rafah city and was scheduled to proceed to another center in Khan Younis.
Social media photos from Witkoff's visit showed notably fewer people waiting for aid at the Rafah distribution point compared to typical days, drawing attention to the timing of the high-level visit.
The discussions come as international humanitarian organizations continue to raise concerns about food security and access to basic necessities for Gaza's population. Trump's focus on the food crisis through his special envoy signals the administration's recognition of the urgent humanitarian needs in the territory.
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