Trump recalibrates Gaza stance as humanitarian concerns grow

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Source: Politico

Trump recalibrates Gaza stance as humanitarian concerns grow

By Eli Stokols, Dasha Burns and Felicia Schwartz
08/01/2025 05:36 PM EDT

President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made a rare trip to Gaza on Friday, spending five hours on the ground touring an aid distribution center and vowing to address a humanitarian crisis amid a growing global outcry.

“The purpose of the visit was to give @POTUS a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza,” Witkoff wrote on X.

The visit is emblematic of the ongoing shift inside the White House as Trump, while still supportive of Israel’s campaign, has grown increasingly concerned about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

A White House official, granted anonymity to speak candidly about the president’s thinking, asserted that Trump “hasn’t changed his fundamental belief” that Hamas is “largely” to blame for the protracted conflict. Still, referring to Trump’s own comments in recent days, the official acknowledged “some new concerns.”

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Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/01/trump-still-blames-hamas-for-crisis-in-gaza-but-has-new-concerns-00489354