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Donald Trump acknowledged that Gaza was facing “real starvation” as Israel’s devastating military offensive has triggered fears of a mass hunger crisis and famine.
US President Donald Trump addressing the media in Scotland. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump on Monday said he would help with aid efforts in the battered Gaza Strip, acknowledging that the enclave was showing signs of “real starvation” amid the raging conflict between Israel and Hamas.
While speaking to reporters in Scotland alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said the United States will set up “food centres” in Gaza to help avert a deepening hunger crisis. “We’re going to set up food centres where the people can walk in — and no boundaries. We’re not going to have fences,” he said.
“We’ll be helping with the food. We got a lot of food ourselves, and we are going to bring it over there. We are also going to make sure that they don’t have barriers stopping people. You can see some areas where people are screaming for the food there, and they won’t let them in as they have lines set up. We have to get rid of those lines,” he added.
“We can save a lot of people. Some of the kids are… that’s real starvation. I see it, and you can’t fake that. We did some airdrops, and people are running for it. The Prime Minister (UK’s Keir Starmer) is going to help us,” he added.
.@POTUS on Gaza: “We’ll be helping with the food … We’re also going to make sure that they don’t have barriers stopping people … We can save a lot of people. That’s real starvation. I see it, and you can’t fake that.” pic.twitter.com/zcFiVYCxrE— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 28, 2025
Israel’s devastating military offensive in Gaza, in response to Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, that killed over 1,200 people, has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians and reduced most of the enclave to rubble, triggering outrage over a growing humanitarian crisis.
‘It’s A Mess’
Israel, under immense global outrage, 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 Gaza and new safe corridors for convoys. However, UN agencies say those moves are not yet sufficient to alleviate famine-like conditions facing Gazans.
Earlier on Monday, Trump said the number one priority in Gaza was getting people fed, because “you have a lot of starving people”, but declined to comment on French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Trump said the US had provided $60 million for humanitarian aid, and other nations would have to step up. “We’re giving a lot of money and a lot of food, and other nations are now stepping up,” he said. “It’s a mess. They have to get food and safety right now.”
The president 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, while saying a ceasefire is still possible.
Meanwhile, Spain on Monday said it would airdrop 12 tonnes of food into Gaza this week as the threat of famine stalks the Palestinian territory after 21 months of war.
(with inputs from agencies)
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
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