Starmer shares UK-led peace plan as Trump acknowledges 'starvation' in Gaza
The prime minister is preparing to host an emergency cabinet meeting on the crisis on Tuesday.
Starmer started work on a plan with France and Germany over the weekend, after an emergency call with the two countries' leaders, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz.
In a readout of his meeting with the US president, Downing Street said the two leaders reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire to pave the way for peace.
'The Prime Minister welcomed the President's efforts to secure this and shared the plans he is working on with other European leaders to bring about a lasting peace,' a No 10 spokesperson said.
Starmer described the situation in Gaza as an 'absolute catastrophe' as he appeared alongside Trump at his Turnberry golf course ahead of their talks.
'It's a humanitarian crisis, it's an absolute catastrophe,' the prime minister said.'Nobody wants to see that.
"I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they're seeing on their screens, so we've got to get to that ceasefire.'
The US president was asked if he agreed with Netanyahu's comments on Sunday in which the Israeli leader said, "There is no policy of starvation in Gaza and there is no starvation in Gaza."
"I don't know," Trump replied Monday. "I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry."
Israel announced at the weekend that it would suspend fighting in three areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day and open secure routes for aid delivery, while the UK confirmed it was taking part in plans led by Jordan to airdrop aid into the territory.
But aid agencies operating in Gaza said the new measures were not enough to counter worsening starvation and that nothing on the ground had changed.
Martin Penner, a spokesperson for the UN food agency, said all 55 of its aid trucks that entered on Sunday were unloaded by crowds before reaching their destination.
Speaking at his Ayrshire golf course, Trump said the US would set up new food centres in Gaza "without fences", after the current US-led arrangement had led to multiple killings of Palestinians.
'We're going to set up food centres, and we're going to do it in conjunction with some very good people,' he said."I want him to make sure they get the food," Trump said. "I want to make sure they get the food."Hinting at sticking points in negotiations over a peace deal, Trump said Palestinian militant group Hamas had become 'very difficult to deal with' in recent weeks, suggesting this was because they only held a small remaining number of Israeli hostages.
Starmer has likened the plan he is working on with France and Germany to the coalition of the willing, the international effort to support Ukraine towards a lasting peace.The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the plan would build 'on the collaboration to date that paves the way to a long-term solution on security in the region'.
The Prime Minister is meanwhile facing calls from a growing number of MPs to recognise a Palestinian state immediately.Palestinians have an 'inalienable right to statehood', and it is a 'question of when, not if' the UK will agree to recognition, No 10 said.More than 250 cross-party MPs have now signed a letter calling for ministers to take the step, up from 221 on Friday.
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