US President Donald Trump has openly disagreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that there is no hunger crisis in Gaza, calling the situation on the ground “real starvation.”
During a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland, President Trump was asked about Netanyahu’s recent statement calling reports of famine a “bold-faced lie.” Trump replied, “I don’t know… those children look very hungry… that’s real starvation stuff.” He also said the situation in Gaza is a mess and suggested Israel may need to “do it a different way.”
Trump’s comments came shortly after the United Nations’ humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, warned that the aid reaching Gaza is not enough and that more supplies are urgently needed. He praised Israel for allowing some daily pauses in military operations to let aid in, but said it was only “a drop in the ocean.”
Fletcher said, “The next few days are make or break. We must deliver aid on a much larger scale.” On Sunday, Israel said 120 trucks of aid were collected during a 10-hour pause. Jordan and the UAE also dropped 28 food packages by air into Gaza.
But the situation remains critical. Gaza’s health ministry reported that 14 more people died from hunger-related causes in the last 24 hours. That brings the total number of deaths from malnutrition since October 2023 to 147, including 88 children.
Israel strongly denies blocking aid or food. Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “There is no policy of starvation in Gaza.” He blamed Hamas for stopping the aid from reaching people and said, “What has interdicted the supply of humanitarian aid is one force — Hamas.”
Netanyahu added that Israel’s humanitarian corridors and pauses show that the country is helping. “The UN now has no excuses left,” he said. “Stop lying. Stop finding excuses.”
However, the UN says there are still major challenges. Fletcher explained that some aid trucks were attacked by hungry civilians as soon as they entered Gaza. “It’s very dangerous for our drivers,” he said.
The UN also warned that the current humanitarian pauses may only last a week, which is not enough. “What we really need is a ceasefire,” Fletcher stressed.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also raised serious concerns. It said July has seen a sharp increase in hunger deaths, especially among young children. Of the 74 hunger-related deaths in 2025, 63 happened just this month. Most patients died soon after reaching clinics, showing signs of “severe wasting.”
WHO said the crisis is “entirely preventable” and blamed delays and blocks in aid delivery. The agency said large-scale food and health aid is needed immediately.
While Israel claims Hamas is stealing aid, reports from the New York Times and Reuters say there is no proof of systematic theft by the group. US and Israeli officials have reportedly found no clear evidence to back the claims.
Meanwhile, the violence continues. Hospitals in Gaza reported over 30 deaths on Monday from Israeli airstrikes, including people who were waiting for food and help.
The war began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed around 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched a large military campaign in Gaza. So far, at least 59,821 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Despite rising international pressure for a ceasefire, Israel’s military operations continue. Netanyahu’s office said on Monday night that Israel is working with the US, Europe, and aid groups to improve the flow of help into Gaza. Still, Israeli officials insist that the hunger crisis is being used by Hamas to influence global opinion.
