President Donald Trump appeared to acknowledge the ongoing starvation in Gaza, giving vague promises of U.S. aid and disaster relief in a press conference on Monday.
Speaking in Turnberry, Scotland, alongside British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Trump was asked about the ever-worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“It’s crazy what’s going on over there,” Trump said.
“We’re gonna set up food centers,” the president continued, “and we’re gonna do it in conjunction with some very good people, and we are going to supply funds.” He claimed that “all of the European nations” would be part of the process.
“We have a lot of money, and we’re gonna spend a little money on some food,” he said. Trump blamed the inability of Palestinians to access food, not on the killing of aid seekers by Israeli forces, but on “lines.”
“We’re gonna set up food centers where people can walk in and no boundaries — we’re not gonna have fences … You have seen the areas they have food and the people are screaming for the food and they are 35, 40 yards away, and they won’t let them because they have lines set up … we have to get rid of those lines.”
Trump described the aid to be given to the starvation-wracked Gaza as “some good, strong food.”
“We can save a lot of people. I mean, some of those kids- that’s real starvation stuff…and you can’t fake that.”
Trump’s comments come as a group of more than 20 Democratic senators have called for a halt in funding to for the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which was set up to replace aid distributed by the United Nations; its aid distribution sites have repeatedly seen Israeli soldiers and U.S. contractors open fire on Palestinians seeking aid, killing hundreds.
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In a letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the senators cited “grave” concerns with the organization.
“We urge you to immediately cease all U.S. funding for GHF and resume support for the existing UN-led aid coordination mechanisms with enhanced oversight to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in need,” the letter read. It accused the GHF of “blurring the lines between delivery of aid and security operations.”
Earlier in the day, Trump was asked by a reporter whether he agreed with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu that there “is no starvation in Gaza.”
“I don’t know,” Trump said. “Based on television, I would say not particularly, because children look very hungry.”
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