Trump announces food centres in Gaza amid escalating hunger crisis

SCOTLAND (Reuters/AP) - US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that food centres would be established in Gaza amid the escalating humanitarian crisis.

“We're going to set up food centres,” with no fences or boundaries to ease access, Trump told reporters after a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland.

He added that Hamas had become difficult to deal with in recent days, but he was talking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about "various plans" to free hostages still held in the enclave.

Trump also said the US would work with other countries to provide more humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, including food and sanitation.

Starmer described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "absolutely intolerable" and said food aid needs to be moved into the enclave quickly.

"We need to galvanize other countries in support of getting that aid in, and yes, that does involve putting pressure on Israel, because it absolutely is a humanitarian catastrophe," he said.

HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

Ahead of the press talk, President Donald Trump said the number one priority in Gaza was getting people fed, because "you have a lot of starving people", adding that he was not going to take a position on Palestinian statehood at the moment.

Trump shared the United States had provided $60 million for humanitarian aid, and other nations would have to step up.

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He said he discussed the issue with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday, and she told him European countries would step up their assistance very substantially. He said he also planned to discuss the humanitarian situation with Starmer during his visit on Monday.

"We're giving a lot of money and a lot of food, and other nations are now stepping up," Trump said. "It's a mess. They have to get food and safety right now."

Starmer agreed, saying: "It's a humanitarian crisis, right? It's an absolute catastrophe.... I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they're seeing on their screen."

Trump said he would not comment on a push by French President Emmanuel Macron to back Palestinian statehood.

Trump also criticised the Hamas for not agreeing to release more hostages, living and dead, and said he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel's approach would likely have to change.

"I told Bibi that you have to maybe do it a different way," Trump said, echoing similar comments made on Sunday.

Asked if a ceasefire was still possible, Trump said, "Yeah, a ceasefire is possible, but you have to get it, you have to end it." He did not elaborate on what he meant.

Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying the Palestinian group had changed its position and was refusing to release more hostages.

Hamas has said it is willing to release hostages under a ceasefire agreement with Israel. It submitted its response to a US-backed ceasefire proposal on Thursday at talks in Doha. Hours later, Israel withdrew its delegation from the talks.

On Sunday, Trump said Israel would have to make a decision on next steps, adding, "I know what I'd do, but I don't think it's appropriate that I say it."

Israel carried out an air drop and announced a series of measures over the weekend to improve access for aid, including daily humanitarian pauses in three areas of Gaza and new safe corridors for convoys. UN agencies say those moves are not yet sufficient to alleviate famine-like conditions facing Gazans.

On Monday, the Gaza health ministry said at least 14 people had died in the past 24 hours of starvation and malnutrition, bringing the war's death toll from hunger to 147, including 89 children, most in just the last few weeks.

Read More: Trump says number one priority now in Gaza is getting people fed

Israel cut off all supplies to Gaza from the start of March, reopening the territory with new restrictions in May. Israel says it abides by international law but must prevent aid from being diverted by militants, and blames Hamas for the suffering of Gaza's people.

"Israel is presented as though we are applying a campaign of starvation in Gaza. What a bald-faced lie. There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza," Netanyahu said on Sunday.

ISRAELI STRIKES ON PALESTINIANS CONTINUE

Israeli strikes killed at least 34 Palestinians before US President Donald Trump met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday in Scotland, where they confirmed plans to discuss Gaza.

Israel on Sunday announced a pause in military operations in certain areas for 10 hours daily to improve aid flow. Alongside the measures, military operations continued. Israel had no immediate comment about the latest strikes, which occurred outside the declared time frame for the pause between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Aid agencies welcomed the new measures but say they are insufficient. Images of emaciated children have sparked global outrage. Most of Gaza’s population now relies on aid and accessing food has become increasingly dangerous.

DEATHS RELATED TO MALNUTRITION REPORTED

Fourteen Palestinians have died of malnutrition-related causes in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, the territory’s Health Ministry said on Monday.

They include two children, bringing the total deaths among children from causes related to malnutrition in Gaza to 88 since the war started on Oct. 7, 2023, the ministry said In a statement.

The ministry said 59 Palestinian adults also have died of malnutrition-related causes across Gaza since the start of July, when it began counting deaths among adults.