U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration plans to assist in delivering food to the people of Gaza, on Monday during a press conference at the White House.
According to All Israel News, Trump stated, “We’re going to help the people of Gaza get some food,” and added, “People are starving, and we’re going to help them get some food. A lot of people are making it very, very bad.”
He also accused Hamas of hindering aid efforts by stealing humanitarian aid, stating, “If you look, Hamas is making it impossible because they’re taking everything that’s brought in. But we’re going to help the people of Gaza because they’re being treated very badly by Hamas.”
These comments followed the Israeli cabinet’s approval of a plan to distribute humanitarian aid via private companies and aid organizations. Israeli officials have denied that conditions of starvation exist in Gaza, claiming that the aid provided during the recent ceasefire remains sufficient for several more weeks. However, they acknowledged that Hamas has been stealing aid meant for civilians.
A senior Israeli defense official indicated, as reported by All Israel News, that aid entry into Gaza would only resume following a broad evacuation of much of the Gaza population from areas controlled by Hamas. The official reaffirmed that the blockade on aid would continue and explained that “only later, after the beginning of operational activity and a broad evacuation of the population to the south, a humanitarian plan will be implemented.”
Currently, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are attempting to clear the Rafah area of Hamas presence, with plans to establish it as a humanitarian zone where aid can be distributed to Gaza civilians outside Hamas’s control and disruption.
While Israel prefers that private firms or NGOs handle aid distribution, the military remains reluctant to take on that responsibility, instead focusing on combatting Hamas. One company reportedly considered for aid distribution is a U.S. security agency that was involved in inspecting vehicles entering northern Gaza during the recent hostage-ceasefire negotiations.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has opposed Israel’s plan, asserting that it ‘is fundamentally against humanitarian principles.’ The UN criticized the requirement for Gaza residents to travel into a war zone to receive aid, calling it unsafe. Israel, in turn, has accused the UN—particularly the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—of turning a blind eye to Hamas’s seizure of aid and of deploying Hamas operatives within its ranks.
