Trump says main priority in Gaza is getting people fed, brings forward Ukraine deadline

7NEWS

2 days ago

US President Donald Trump says the number one priority in the Gaza Strip is getting people fed, because 'you have a lot of starving people,' adding that he was not going to take a position on Palestinian statehood at the moment.
Trump, speaking alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland, said the United States had provided $US60 million ($92 million) for humanitarian aid and other countries would have to step up.
He said he discussed the issue with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday, and she told him European countries would step up their assistance very substantially.
He said he also planned to discuss the humanitarian situation with Starmer during his visit on Monday.
'We're giving a lot of money and a lot of food, and other nations are now stepping up,' Trump said.
'It's a mess. They have to get food and safety right now.'
Starmer agreed, saying: 'It's a humanitarian crisis, right? It's an absolute catastrophe .... I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they're seeing on their screen.'
Trump said he would not comment on a push by French President Emmanuel Macron to back Palestinian statehood.
Trump also criticised the Hamas militant group for not agreeing to release more hostages, living and dead, and said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel's approach would likely have to change.
'I told Bibi that you have to maybe do it a different way,' Trump said, echoing similar comments made on Sunday.
Asked if a ceasefire was still possible, Trump said, 'Yeah, a ceasefire is possible but you have to get it, you have to end it.'
He did not elaborate on what he meant.
Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, saying the Palestinian group had changed its position and was refusing to release more hostages.
Hamas has said it is willing to release hostages under a ceasefire agreement with Israel.
It submitted its response to a US-backed ceasefire proposal on Thursday at talks in Doha.
Hours later, Israel withdrew its delegation from the talks.
On Sunday, Trump said Israel would have to make a decision on next steps, adding, 'I know what I'd do but I don't think it's appropriate that I say it'.
Israel carried out an air drop and announced a series of measures over the weekend to improve access for aid, including daily humanitarian pauses in three areas of the Gaza Strip and new safe corridors for convoys.
United Nations agencies say those moves are not yet sufficient to alleviate famine-like conditions facing the enclave's residents.
On Monday, the Gaza health ministry said at least 14 people had died in the past 24 hours of starvation and malnutrition, bringing the war's death toll from hunger to 147, including 89 children, most in just the last few weeks.
Israel cut off all supplies to the Gaza Strip from the start of March, reopening the territory with new restrictions in May.
Israel says it abides by international law but must prevent aid from being diverted by militants, and blames Hamas for the suffering of the Gaza Strip's people.
'Israel is presented as though we are applying a campaign of starvation in Gaza. What a bald-faced lie. There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza,' Netanyahu said on Sunday.
Trump brings forward deadline for Russia on Ukraine war
Trump also said he is setting a new 10 or 12-day deadline for Russia over its war in Ukraine, underscoring his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for prolonging fighting between the two sides.
Trump has threatened both sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made, and said he was disappointed in Putin and shortening a 50-day deadline he had set on the issue earlier this month.
'I'm going to make a new deadline of about ... 10 or 12 days from today,' Trump said during the same meeting with Starmer.
'There's no reason in waiting ... We just don't see any progress being made.'
The US president has repeatedly voiced exasperation with Putin for continuing attacks on Ukraine despite US efforts to end the war.
Before returning to the White House in January, Trump, who views himself as a peacemaker, had promised to end the three-and-a-half-year conflict within 24 hours.
'I'm disappointed in President Putin,' Trump said on Monday.
'I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what's going to happen.'
There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin.
But the president, who has also expressed annoyance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has not always followed up on his tough talk about Putin with action, citing what he deems a good relationship that the two men have had previously.
'We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever,' Trump said.
'And I say that's not the way to do it.'