Trump's envoy meets with Netanyahu after new massacre in Gaza food lines

BarcelonaAt least 86 more Palestinians were killed Wednesday as they sought humanitarian aid in different parts of Gaza. This latest massacre came on the eve of a visit by the United States special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. The White House confirmed Thursday that Witkoff will visit the Gaza Strip tomorrow, Friday, to assess the humanitarian situation.

Most of the deaths in the last 24 hours, about 60, were at the Zikim crossing in the northwest of the enclave, and the rest were distributed at food distribution points in the center and south of the Strip. The incident occurred between 7 and 7:45 p.m., a time when, according to the Israeli army's announcement last Sunday, the deaths would take place. "tactical pauses," during which he assured that he would not attack certain points to facilitate the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid..

Despite the announcement of these pauses, witnesses reported by Efe claim that soldiers opened fire with tanks and snipers on the crowd gathered near the Zikim crossing, and medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City state that all those in Gaza claim that all those in Azach claim that all the soldiers claim that all those in Azas claim that all the soldiers claim that all the soldiers claim that all the soldiers claim that all the soldiers open fire with tanks and snipers. The Israeli armed forces, for their part, acknowledge having fired "warning shots" at the Palestinians because, they say, they were too close to the soldiers. With yesterday's deaths, more than 1,300 have died in hunger queues since the distribution of humanitarian aid controlled by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began in May.

In this context, Trump's special envoy landed in Israel this Thursday to hold meetings with senior government officials on the situation in Gaza. The visit coincides with growing international pressure for Israeli authorities to take measures to improve the humanitarian situation in the Strip. This Thursday, Sweden called on the European Union to "freeze the commercial part of its association agreement with Israel as soon as possible" and "increase economic pressure" on Tel Aviv to "allow the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid" into the Strip. Likewise, a letter signed by 58 former EU ambassadors accused Brussels of "complicity" in the "campaign of violence and destruction" in Gaza.

All this comes the day after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Wednesday that he will recognize the State of Palestine at the next UN General Assembly to be held in September. He thus joins France and to United Kingdom, which earlier this week had already confirmed their intention to recognize Palestine in an attempt to pressure the Israeli government to end the indiscriminate bombing of the population and the humanitarian blockade it imposes on Gaza, which has unleashed a severe hunger crisis.

Carney justified the decision as a response to the "unbearable suffering" caused by Israel's actions, which prevent the distribution of humanitarian aid in the Strip, the violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and the plans to annex the Palestinian territory. Despite recalling that he rejects Hamas's violence and the attacks of October 7, 2023, the Canadian Prime Minister emphasized the responsibility of Netanyahu's administration to comply with its obligations under international law. Carney explained that he had held talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, to whom he conveyed that Canada's decision is based on a desire to pursue "major reforms" such as holding general elections in 2026, rather than on the demilitarization of the Palestinian territory.

US threatens Canada and imposes sanctions on the PA and PLO

But the reaction of Israel's great ally was not long in coming: US President Donald Trump threatened Canada with trade retaliation on Thursday if it goes ahead with this announcement. "Canada just announced that it supports the state of Palestine. This will make it much more difficult to get a trade agreement with us, oh Canada!" he said on his social network. Despite the fact that last Monday, Trump himself admitted that "people are starving in Gaza" and that "it's terrible what's happening there," this Thursday he once again positioned himself on Israel's side and in another message on his Truth Social network he warned that "the fastest way to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is for Hamas to go."

In fact, also this Thursday the Trump administration announced that it will impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority and thePalestine Liberation Organization (PLO) "for failing to fulfill their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace."

With this letter of introduction, Trump's special envoy to the region returns, having met with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Tel Aviv this Thursday. Taking advantage of Witkoff's visit, several American doctors working as aid workers in Gaza have urged him to travel to the enclave. In fact, during his stay, Witkoff is scheduled to visit a from the GHF distribution points, heavily criticized by the UN and humanitarian organizations, but supported by the United States and Israel.

Last week, Witkoff withdrew the US team participating in indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Doha because both the Netanyahu administration and the United States claimed Hamas lacked the will to reach a truce. However, on Monday, US President Donald Trump asserted that he saw a ceasefire as possible and acknowledged that Palestinians in Gaza were starving, because that's what he sees on television.