Trump says Gaza children 'look very hungry,' pushes back on Netanyahu's claim

India Today

5 days ago

The deepening hunger crisis in Gaza has drawn urgent calls from US President Donald Trump, who said he believes there is a famine in Gaza and urged Israel to reconsider its approach, suggesting, "maybe they have to do it in a different way.""People in Gaza need to get food and safety right now," Trump said, adding that the US was providing "a lot of money and a lot of food" and other nations were stepping up aid as well.advertisementTrump's comments came just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that "there is no starvation in Gaza." When asked if he agreed, Trump responded, "I don't know. Based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry."
The US president also said he had told Israel that "maybe they have to do it a different way," and criticised the broader handling of the conflict. "Nobody's done anything great over there. The whole place is a mess," he said.Trump's remarks put him at odds with Netanyahu, who has denied any starvation in Gaza and vowed to continue military operations against Hamas, even as global pressure mounts over the worsening humanitarian crisis.He also said Hamas had become "difficult to deal with" recently but confirmed he was in talks with Netanyahu about "various plans" to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza.DEATH TOLL RISES AS HUNGER SPREADSAccording to the Gaza health ministry, at least 14 people have died in the past 24 hours due to starvation and malnutrition, bringing the total number of hunger-related deaths to 147 since the war began — 88 of them children. Most of these deaths have occurred in recent weeks.The overall death toll from the war, which began on October 7, 2023, now approaches 60,000, according to Gaza health authorities. Nearly 470,000 people are living in famine-like conditions, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported, with 90,000 women and children urgently needing specialised nutrition."In this moment, children are dying every single day from starvation and preventable disease," said Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council. "Time has run out."ISRAEL ANNOUNCES NEW HUMANITARIAN MEASURESAmid growing pressure from world leaders, Israel announced several new steps over the weekend to help people in Gaza. These include a pause in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza, safe routes for aid trucks, and fresh airdrops of important supplies.Two Israeli defence officials acknowledged that worsening conditions and global outrage had prompted the new steps. A spokesperson for COGAT, the Israeli military agency coordinating aid, confirmed that more than 120 truckloads of aid were delivered on Sunday in cooperation with international organisations.advertisementHowever, witnesses report that some trucks are being raided by armed looters or desperate civilians. "Currently aid comes for the strong who can race ahead, who can push others and grab a box or a sack of flour," said Emad, a former factory owner in Gaza City. "That chaos must be stopped."The WFP said it has 170,000 metric tons of food stockpiled near Gaza -- enough to feed the entire population for three months -- if Israel grants clearance for delivery.CIVILIANS TRAPPED IN CRISISFor ordinary Gazans, the situation is dire. Wessal Nabil, a mother from Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, described her daily struggle to feed her three children. "When you go to bed hungry, you wake up hungry," she told news agency Reuters. "We distract them with anything to make them calm down.""I call on the world, on those with merciful hearts, the compassionate, to look at us with compassion to stand with us until aid comes in and ensure it reaches us," she pleaded.A United Nations spokesperson said Israel had recently agreed to support a one-week scale-up of aid efforts. "We hope this pause will last much longer than a week, ultimately turning into a permanent ceasefire," said Eri Kaneko, speaking for UN aid chief Tom Fletcher.Israel initially blocked aid to Gaza in March, hoping to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages. It reopened crossings in May but added new restrictions. While Israel claims it follows international law and wants to prevent aid from falling into the hands of militants, Hamas accuses Israel of using hunger as a weapon.- EndsMust Watch