WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and urged Israel to get people food, seemingly recalibrating his stance on Gaza as images of emaciated children have sparked renewed worries about hunger in the war-torn territory.
Trump, speaking in Scotland on Monday, said that the U.S. 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 said. “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 Israel-Hamas war last week, when ceasefire talks derailed. His remarks Monday also marked a new divergence from Netanyahu after the two leaders had become closer following their nations’ join strikes in Iran.
AP AUDIO: Trump says he wants Netanyahu to ‘make sure they get the food’ in Gaza amid humanitarian crisis
AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports President Trump is urging Israel’s leader to get more food into Gaza.
The U.S. 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.”