‘Children in Gaza look very hungry, there are a lot of starving people’, says Trump

US President Trump said on Monday that the children in the Gaza Strip shown on television “look very hungry” and reiterated that the US has “given a lot of money and food” to Gaza but added that Hamas has stolen much of that aid. There are “a lot of starving people” in Gaza at the moment, Trump told reporters at his Turnberry resort in Ayrshire, Scotland, while addressing media with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer who had called on him.

“I mean based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry,” Trump said on being asked if he agrees with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assessment that there is no starvation in Gaza.

Starmer then interrupted the US president and said, “It’s a humanitarian crisis. It’s an absolute catastrophe. I think people in Britain are revolted in seeing what they’re seeing on their screens.”

The UK PM said they need to get a ceasefire and thanked Trump for leading on that front. Starmer added that they are working with Jordan to get direct aid drops into Gaza.

“Other nations are going to have to step up,” Trump said adding that EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told him European nations would “step up” their support substantially.

‘Hamas keeping hostages as shields’

Trump thanked Starmer for helping the US in the release of hostages being held in Gaza but added that Hamas won’t release the final 20 hostages, and “that’s like their shield”.

The US president told reporters that the fight between Israel and Hamas “will have to be a little bit different” going forwards.

Trump said that he has told Israel’s prime minister Benjmain Netanyahu that he will have to approach the conflict in “a different way”.

“A ceasefire is possible,” he said and claimed that six major wars would have been going on if he wasn’t around.

Trump threatens to reduce 50-day deadline for Putin

Replying to a question about Russia’s war in Ukraine, Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been close to reaching a ceasefire deal five times.

“I’ve spoken to President Putin a lot, I’ve gotten along with him very well,” he said, but added that Putin “goes out and starts launching rockets into some city, like Kyiv, and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever, you have bodies lying all over the street”.

Trump said he is “very disappointed in Putin” and added that he may reduce the 50 days he has given the Russian president to agree to a ceasefire deal.

“I’m going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number, because I think I already know the answer what’s going to happen,” Trump said.

Trump praises Starmer’s stance against illegal immigration

When a reporter asked Trump on what he thinks the UK should do to tackle the small boat crisis, Starmer took a moment to explain the situation to Trump, saying that it’s about “stopping people coming over the channel who shouldn’t be here”.

“If you’re stopping immigration and stopping the wrong people, my hats are off to you,” Trump said and praised Starmer’s strong stance against illegal immigration.

PM Keir Starmer arrived at Trump’s Turnberry resort in Ayrshire along with his wife Victoria for a bilateral meeting.