Islamic Jihad says U.S. envoy’s Gaza visit aims to whitewash Washington’s “criminal image”

TEHRAN (Iran News) Palestinian Islamic Jihad has condemned the recent visit of a U.S. envoy to southern Gaza, calling it a “deceptive show on the scene of crime” aimed at whitewashing the image of Israel and its main backer, the United States.

In a strongly-worded statement on Saturday reported by Palestinian Shehab News Agency, the militant group denounced the visit of Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for West Asia, to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday. Witkoff toured an American-Israeli humanitarian aid distribution center in the area.

“This visit is nothing but a propaganda stunt where the criminal appears dressed as a rescuer,” the statement said, adding that it was part of “blatant efforts to sanitize the image of the occupiers and their main partner, the U.S. government, especially during the Trump administration.”

Islamic Jihad accused Washington of being a direct accomplice in Israel’s ongoing military aggression in Gaza, which have devastated the enclave and killed thousands of its residents. “Everyone knows that Washington is the main partner and direct supporter of the Zionist killing machine,” the group said.

The statement also described the visit as a part of a “misleading media campaign” aimed at containing growing global outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In a strongly-worded statement on Saturday reported by Palestinian Shehab News Agency, the militant group denounced the visit of Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy for West Asia, to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday. Witkoff toured an American-Israeli humanitarian aid distribution center in the area.

“This visit is nothing but a propaganda stunt where the criminal appears dressed as a rescuer,” the statement said, adding that it was part of “blatant efforts to sanitize the image of the occupiers and their main partner, the U.S. government, especially during the Trump administration.”

Islamic Jihad accused Washington of being a direct accomplice in Israel’s ongoing military aggression in Gaza, which have devastated the enclave and killed thousands of its residents. “Everyone knows that Washington is the main partner and direct supporter of the Zionist killing machine,” the group said.