Speaking in Scotland, Trump said the US and other nations are giving money and food to Gaza but that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “got to sort of like run it.”
“I want him to make sure they get the food,” Trump continued, adding, “I want to make sure they get the food.”
Trump’s comments seemed to result from the images in recent days of the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza and were more urgent than the resigned message he had about the 21-month Gaza war last week, when ceasefire talks derailed.
His remarks on Monday also marked a new divergence from Netanyahu after the two leaders had become closer following their nations’ join attacks in Iran.
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.”
In the face of mounting international criticism, the Israeli military over the weekend began airdrops of aid, along with limited pauses in fighting in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day to help with the distribution.
Trump on Friday had expressed some resignation about the situation in Gaza after the US and Israel pulled their negotiating teams out of talks in Qatar to try to reach a ceasefire.
