Trump Describes Gaza ‘Starvation' Crisis as ‘Real'
'We're going to set up food centers, and we're going to do it in conjunction with some very good people,' Trump told reporters while at his Turnberry resort in Scotland, where he is meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. 'We're going to supply funds… and we're going to spend a little money on some food. Other nations are joining us.'
Trump said the facilities would be open-access, with 'no boundaries' and 'no fences,' and framed the effort as a direct response to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. 'That's real starvation stuff,' he said. 'I see it, and you can't fake that. So, we're going to be even more involved.'
The announcement marked a shift in tone from the President, who has largely avoided directly pressuring Israel throughout the past 21 months of war that has turned Gaza into what aid officials now describe as a zone of famine. On Monday, however, Trump acknowledged that Israel 'has a lot of responsibility' for the limits on aid entering Gaza—even as he continued to blame Hamas for the collapse of ceasefire negotiations and the failure to release hostages.
'I'm looking for getting people fed,' Trump said. 'Right now, to me, that's the number one position, because you have a lot of starving people.'
Asked whether he agreed with Netanyahu's claim that there is 'no starvation' in Gaza, Trump replied, 'I don't know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry.'
Netanyahu on Sunday denied that Palestinians in Gaza face starvation and accused Hamas of stealing humanitarian aid, a claim that U.S. officials have since contradicted. 'There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza,' Netanyahu said.
Trump's remarks come as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate at a pace that United Nations officials now warn could be irreversible without a sustained ceasefire and unfettered access for aid. More than 147 people, including 88 children, have died of starvation and malnutrition since the conflict began, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. At least 14 of those deaths occurred in the last 24 hours alone, it said.
The Israeli military began a near-total blockade of Gaza in March, cutting off food, fuel, and humanitarian supplies. In May, Israel reopened crossings under a new set of restrictions, but aid organizations say the flow remains far below what is needed to stave off mass starvation. The UN's World Food Programme said last week that it had requested permission for 138 convoys to collect aid from the border holding area, but only 76 were approved. Once aid enters Gaza, WFP trucks can face delays of up to 46 hours before being cleared to move through Israeli-designated corridors, further complicating efforts to reach civilians in need.
On Monday, U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher warned that the coming days would be 'make or break' for humanitarian operations. 'We have a plan,' Fletcher told BBC Radio 4's Today. 'We can reach everyone in Gaza in the next couple of weeks with our aid, with lifesaving aid. We can save as many survivors as possible.'
Still, he added, 'Ultimately, we need a ceasefire. These pauses are a good step in the right direction, but stopping the conflict is key.'
Trump did not directly criticize Israeli policy but said he had spoken with Netanyahu and suggested that Israel may need to reconsider its approach. 'I told Bibi that you have to maybe do it a different way,' Trump said. Asked whether a ceasefire was still possible, he said, 'Yeah, a ceasefire is possible, but you have to get it, you have to end it.'
On Sunday, Trump said the U.S. had already provided $60 million in humanitarian assistance but complained about not receiving enough thanks. 'You know, we gave $60 million two weeks ago and nobody even acknowledged it, for food,' he said. 'And you really want at least someone to say 'thank you'. No other country gave anything. It makes you feel a little bad when nobody talks about it.'
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