US President Donald Trump has said there is “real starvation” in Gaza, contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that there is no hunger crisis in the besieged enclave.
Speaking during a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland, Mr Trump said, “I don’t know… those children look very hungry… that’s real starvation stuff.” The remarks were made in response to a question about Mr Netanyahu’s recent statement calling allegations of hunger in Gaza a “bold-faced lie.”
The president added, “Nobody’s done anything great over there. The whole place is a mess… I told Israel maybe they have to do it a different way.”
Mr Trump’s comments came shortly after the United Nations’ humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, said that “vast amounts” of aid were urgently needed to prevent a worsening famine in Gaza. He welcomed Israel’s recent moves to allow more humanitarian access through daily tactical pauses and resumed airdrops but warned that the current level of assistance was “just a drop in the ocean.”
“It’s the beginning, but the next few days are really make or break. We need to deliver at a much, much greater scale,” Mr Fletcher said in an interview with BBC Radio 4.
Israel said that on Sunday, 120 aid trucks were collected from its border crossings during a 10-hour pause in military operations. It also confirmed that Jordan and the United Arab Emirates conducted airdrops of 28 food packages into Gaza.
However, th health ministry in Gaza reported that 14 more people had died from malnutrition within 24 hours, bringing the total number of starvation-related deaths since October 2023 to 147, including 88 children.
Israel has denied any allegations of deliberately blocking food and aid, and says it facilitates humanitarian access. Mr Netanyahu reiterated on Sunday that “there is no policy of starvation in Gaza,” and accused Hamas of obstructing aid distribution.
“What a bold-faced lie… Otherwise, there would be no Gazans. What has interdicted the supply of humanitarian aid is one force — Hamas,” Mr Netanyahu said in a televised address.
The Israeli government has insisted that the military's recently introduced humanitarian corridors and tactical pauses prove its commitment to aid delivery. “The UN now has no excuses left,” Mr Netanyahu said. “Stop lying. Stop finding excuses. Do what you have to do.”
But UN officials have expressed concerns over limited access, security threats, and logistical hurdles. Mr Fletcher said many UN trucks were looted by starving civilians upon entering Gaza. “Most of those lorries were hit by desperate individuals. The flour was taken off those lorries, and it’s very, very dangerous for our drivers,” he added.
He also warned that the humanitarian pauses may only last a week, which would be “clearly insufficient” to address the scale of the crisis. “Ultimately, we need a ceasefire,” he said. “Pauses are a good step in the right direction, but stopping the conflict is the key.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also raised alarm, stating that malnutrition-related deaths are “on a dangerous trajectory,” with a sharp spike recorded in July. The WHO said that 63 of the 74 deaths recorded in 2025 occurred this month alone, many among children under five. Most patients reportedly died shortly after arrival at health facilities, showing signs of “severe wasting.”
The agency described the crisis as “entirely preventable” and condemned what it called the “deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid.”
While Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of diverting or stealing aid, both the New York Times and Reuters reported that Israeli and US officials have found no evidence of systematic aid theft by the group.
On the ground, violence continues unabated. Hospital sources in Gaza said more than 30 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Monday, including civilians waiting for humanitarian assistance.
The war began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage. In response, Israel launched a sustained military campaign in Gaza. As of now, at least 59,821 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Despite growing international pressure and calls for a ceasefire, Israeli operations in Gaza continue. Mr Netanyahu’s office stated Monday night that Israel would cooperate with the US, European nations, and humanitarian groups to increase aid flows. It insisted the humanitarian crisis narrative was being exaggerated and manipulated by Hamas for political purposes.
