Turnberry [Scotland], July 29 : US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) contradicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that there was "no starvation in Gaza," delivering a stark rebuttal to the claims made by one of the US's prominent allies in West Asia.
Speaking to reporters during a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump noted the visible suffering, stating that the starvation crisis in Gaza cannot be faked, while outlining plans to address the crisis.
"We'll be helping with the food. We have a lot of access to food... We're going to bring it over there. We're also going to make sure that they don't have barriers stopping people. You've seen the areas where they actually have food and the people are screaming for the food... They won't let them because they have lines that are set up, and whether they're set up by Hamas or whoever, they're very strict lines. We have to get rid of those lines," Trump said.
"But, we're going to be getting some good, strong food. We can save a lot of people. Some of those kids... that's real starvation stuff. I see it, and you can't fake that," he added.
The remarks directly challenge Netanyahu's declaration on Sunday (local time) during a conference in Jerusalem, where he insisted that there was no starvation in Gaza despite reports suggesting that the region had been grappling with a humanitarian crisis amid Tel Aviv's ongoing military operations in the region.
"There is no starvation in Gaza, no policy of starvation in Gaza, and I assure you that we have a commitment to achieve our war goals. We will continue to fight till we achieve the release of our hostages and the destruction of Hamas' military and governing capabilities. They shall be there no more," Netanyahu said.
According to Al Jazeera, citing local health officials, at least 14 Palestinians, including two children, have died from hunger and malnutrition in Gaza within 24 hours.
On Monday, the Gaza Ministry of Health stated that the latest deaths bring the total number of malnutrition-related deaths since the start of Israel's military campaign in October 2023 to 147, which includes 88 children.
The majority of these deaths have taken place in recent weeks, as Gaza faces a deepening hunger crisis caused by Israel's strict limitations on the flow of humanitarian aid into the region, Al Jazeera reported.
Earlier in March, Israel had enforced a complete blockade on Gaza, which was partially eased in May.
However, since then, only limited aid has been permitted to enter, despite repeated warnings from the United Nations and humanitarian groups about the risk of widespread starvation.
Defying global demands for a ceasefire, the Israeli military has continued its assault on Gaza since October 7, 2023, following a deadly attack led by Hamas in southern Israel, which left 1,139 people dead and over 200 people taken hostage.
Since then, the conflict has claimed the lives of nearly 60,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, Al Jazeera reported.
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