President Donald Trump has announced that the United States(US) will provide additional humanitarian assistance to Gaza, while reiterating false claims that Hamas is stealing aid. Trump made the announcement during a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Turnberry, Scotland.
Trump expressed frustration that the US aid had not been acknowledged, saying, “Well, you know, we gave $60 million two weeks ago and nobody even acknowledged it, for food. And it’s terrible. You know, you really at least want to have somebody say, ‘Thank you.'” He added that he “took a lot of heat” for distributing the aid. When asked about the images of starving children in Gaza, Trump responded, “It’s terrible.”
Despite the controversy surrounding aid distribution, Trump emphasized that the US will continue to provide aid to Gaza. “Will I do more aid? Yeah,” Trump said. “The US is going to do more aid for Gaza, but we’d like to have other countries participate.” He stressed that the issue is an international problem, not just a US problem, saying, “We’re giving a lot of money and a lot of food, and a lot of everything. If we weren’t there I think people would have starved, frankly.”
However, Trump’s assertion that Hamas is stealing aid has been disputed. An internal US government review found no evidence of widespread theft by Hamas of US-funded humanitarian aid in Gaza. According to a source familiar with the report, “There was no indication that there was a systemic loss due to Hamas interference or theft or diversion.”
The starvation crisis in Gaza is dire, with six more Palestinians dying from starvation in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to at least 133 since October 2023. Trump’s announcement of additional aid comes as the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Critics argue that Trump’s approach to humanitarian aid may be influenced by his broader foreign policy goals and skepticism towards international institutions.
Trump’s past actions on humanitarian aid have been marked by controversy, including attempts to cut funding to UN agencies and a push for more localized aid distribution. His administration’s policies have been criticized for prioritizing national interests over humanitarian needs. As the US provides significant funding to humanitarian efforts globally, Trump’s stance on aid distribution may have far-reaching implications for crisis response and recovery efforts worldwide.