In a significant and unexpected shift in tone, President Donald Trump has publicly broken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, describing images of malnourished children as evidence of “real starvation” and announcing that the United States will establish “food centers” inside the territory to alleviate the suffering.
The president’s remarks, made while speaking to reporters in Scotland, represent a dramatic departure from his administration’s previous reluctance to publicly pressure Israel on its conduct of the war. They also serve as a direct contradiction to Mr. Netanyahu, who just hours earlier had asserted that “there is no starvation” in Gaza.
When asked directly if he agreed with the Israeli leader’s assessment, Trump was unequivocal. “I don’t know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry,” he said.
Deeply moved by the images, Trump expressed his concern and acknowledged Israel’s role in the crisis. “I see it, and you can’t fake it,” Trump said, referring to the pictures of emaciated children. “That is real starvation.” He added that he recognized Israel “has a lot of responsibility” for the limits on aid entering the besieged enclave.
In response to the escalating catastrophe, the president unveiled a new U.S. initiative to directly provide aid. “We’re going to be setting up food centers, and we’re going to be doing it in conjunction with some very good people,” Trump announced. He described the facilities as being open-access, with “no borders” and “no fences,” and confirmed that the U.S. would be providing funding for the effort. “We’re going to spend a little money on some food. Other nations are joining us,” he said.
The move signals a more direct American involvement in the humanitarian response, a step Trump suggested was a necessary intervention. “So we’re going to get further involved,” he stated.
While maintaining that Hamas was to blame for the collapse of recent ceasefire negotiations, the president’s message was also clearly directed at his Israeli allies. He revealed that he had urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to change his approach.
“I told Israel, I told Bibi, that you have to maybe do it a different way now,” Trump said, emphasizing that Israel must ensure that food aid reaches the civilian population.
The president’s change in tone and new policy announcement mark a pivotal moment in the administration’s approach to the conflict, placing the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza at the forefront of U.S. concern and signaling a new willingness to publicly diverge from the Israeli government’s position.
