Trump says Gaza's Palestinians are starving, US 'will help' as his Gulf tour ends

Trump acknowledged Israel's siege of the Gaza Strip by saying that Palestinians in the enclave are starving, as a Hamas spokesman appeared to praise him

16.05.2025

The New Arab Staff

Source: https://www.newarab.com/news/trump-says-gazans-are-starving-us-will-help-gulf-tour-ends

US President Donald Trump on Friday acknowledged rising starvation levels in the Gaza Strip, which is currently being heavily bombarded by Israel, saying that Washington "would take care" of it.

“We’re looking at Gaza. And we’re going to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving, a lot of bad things are going on," the president was quoted as saying, as he concluded his tour of the Gulf on Friday.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force Once as he headed back to the US, Trump said Washington "must take action" on the Gaza crisis, and that they must "help the Palestinians".

"We’ll do a good job," he added.

Trump’s comments come as Israel continues its more than two month siege on Gaza, prohibiting the entry of much-needed humanitarian relief, while killing scores of people every week in airstrikes.

Israel has frequently denied the hunger crisis in Gaza, despite blocking all entry of aid.

On Tuesday, a UN-backed report said one in five Gazans are currently starving.

Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday urged Trump to use "American leverage" to alleviate the situation in Gaza.

Gaza, under Israeli war for over 19 months, has been subjected to multiple sieges by the Israeli military.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant are wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the use of starvation as a weapon of war, among other charges.

This week, Trump embarked on a tour of the region, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.

Hamas praises Trump

Meanwhile, Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim appeared to praise Trump during a Sky News interview with journalist Yalda Hakim on Thursday.

Naim was interviewed on Hamas’s direct talks with the US over a ceasefire in Gaza, where he said that the US President "has the capability and the will to reach a peaceful situation" for the war-torn enclave.

Naim stressed that Hamas is willing to hand over the remaining captives held in Gaza, as long as an end to Israel’s war is guaranteed.

He added that this has been Hamas’s proposal over the months to mediators, which include Qatar and Egypt. This also includes a resumption of entry of humanitarian relief into the enclave, and the "rebuilding of the Gaza Strip without forceful migration".

He also said Hamas would be willing to cede governance of Gaza, if it meant a lasting ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave.

"We have also told the Americans, we are ready to, again, to hand over the government immediately if we reach an end of this war," he told Sky News.

In a separate interview with Saudi channel Al-Arabiya also on Thursday, Naim said Trump’s administration is more "clear" about their intentions regarding a Gaza ceasefire, compared with the previous administration of Joe Biden.

"We believe President Trump is working hard to achieve the goal of peace and prosperity in the region".

However, he said Hamas believes that Trump is surrounded by a lot of politicians and consultants who are "strongly committed" to the Israeli vision and narrative concerning the ceasefire.

He also hinted that Trump’s seemingly growing frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could help with moving "a little bit forward" with achieving a ceasefire.

He stressed, however, that Trump must remain "strict and committed" to solving the crisis, where the ultimate goal is an end to Israel's brutality.

This, however, comes as reports emerged that the US administration is "not seeking to force" Israel to end its war in Gaza, two Arab officials told The Times of Israel on Thursday, amid Hamas’ insistence on such, and Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the onslaught.

Instead, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has offered a proposal that would see the release of a smaller number of hostages in exchange for a weekslong truce – in a bid to "appease" both parties.

The officials said that Israel and Hamas are unable to come to an agreement despite a push from mediators Qatar and Egypt.

The officials say Qatar and Egypt believe that Witkoff's strategy "should be able" to push Hamas and Israel toward a permanent end to the war.

US Senates push for bill ending Gaza blockade

Members of the US Senate have introduced a legislation urging Trump to use the US's diplomatic prowess to bring an end to Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip.

Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kain expressed grave concerns of the siege’s impact on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, in an official statement on Thursday.

"It is incumbent upon Israeli authorities to ensure that emergency food and humanitarian aid are able to reach Palestinian civilians. As we continue to push for a full and complete ceasefire that includes the safe return of all remaining hostages, the Trump administration must work to ensure that innocent people are not left to die because of inaction," Warner said.

Kaine added that "the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening every day, and innocent civilians—including children—are in desperate need of food and medical supplies".

"The Israeli government must immediately lift any blockades on food and emergency aid and allow credible international organizations to facilitate the swift delivery of lifesaving aid to civilians in Gaza."

Their plea was co-signed by 27 other Democrat and Independent senators, including Bernie Sanders, who has criticised Israel's conduct in the Gaza Strip.