President Trump Says He Is ‘Not Particularly Convinced’ by Netanyahu’s Denial of Famine in Gaza
Speaking in Scotland alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump stated that he was “not particularly convinced” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that there is no famine in Gaza.
Although President Trump acknowledged disturbing images from Gaza, he stopped short of blaming Israel directly.
“Based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry,” he said, when asked if he believed Netanyahu’s assertion that there is no starvation in Gaza. Trump emphasized that the US and its allies would soon establish “food centers” that would allow access without restrictions.
Starmer was stark in his criticism, saying, “I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they are seeing on their screens.”
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Netanyahu, addressing American evangelicals in Jerusalem on Sunday, dismissed accusations against Israel’s war policy. “There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza,” he said, citing nearly 2 million tons of food Israel has allowed into the territory. He accused Hamas of stealing aid and manipulating public opinion: “Hamas robs, steals this humanitarian aid and then accuses Israel of not supplying it.”
Israel has implemented daily 10-hour humanitarian pauses and expanded aid corridors. According to Israeli officials, much of the aid is looted or diverted by Hamas, and terror groups have weaponized hunger as a tool of propaganda.
US Vice President JD Vance backed President Trump’s concerns but also noted that Hamas is obstructing relief. “We’ve got to wage war on Hamas so that those folks stop preventing food from coming into this territory,” he said.
Netanyahu’s government maintains that Israel’s operations are focused on dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure and recovering the remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive in Gaza. Negotiations, meanwhile, remain deadlocked due to Hamas’s escalating demands.
Although opposition voices in Israel such as Yesh Atid MK Yair Lapid blame Netanyahu for the ongoing crisis, others argue that much of the suffering stems from Hamas’ strategy of embedding within civilian areas and refusing any deal that doesn’t leave it in power.
As Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called on Trump to intervene and end the war, Israel reiterated that no lasting ceasefire could occur while Hamas retains control.
