ISTANBUL 

US President Joe Biden on Sunday appointed David M. Satterfield as the special envoy for Middle East humanitarian issues.

"Special Envoy Satterfield will lead U.S. diplomacy to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including work to facilitate the provision of life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people and promote the safety of civilians, in coordination with the United Nations and U.S. partners," the US State Department said in a written statement.

Satterfield "will lead a whole-of-government campaign to mitigate the humanitarian fallout of Hamas' terrorist attack against Israel, supporting critical efforts by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration," the statement added.