Trump Says U.S. Opening ‘Food Centers’ in Gaza, as He Describes ‘Starvation’ Crisis as ‘Real’

TIME

President Donald Trump seemed to be recalibrating his stance on Gaza on Monday, expressing concern about the worsening humanitarian situation and urging Israel to get people food as of emaciated children have emerged.

Transcript

00:00Mr. President, Prime Minister Netanyahu said there's no starvation in Gaza.

00:04Do you agree with that assessment?

00:05I don't know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry.

00:10But we're giving a lot of money and a lot of food, and other nations are now stepping up.

00:16I know that this nation is right here.

00:18It's a humanitarian crisis. It's an absolute catastrophe.

00:22Nobody wants to see that, and I think people in Britain are revolted, it seems, what they're seeing on their screens.

00:27So we've got to get to that ceasefire, and thank you, Mr. President, for leading on that, and also to just get more and more aid in.

00:34And again, America's done a lot on this. A lot of countries have done a lot.

00:38We're now working with Jordan on getting direct aid drops in, but this is a desperate situation.

00:44So I'm speaking to PB Netanyahu, and we are coming up with various plans.

00:51We're going to say it's a very difficult situation.

00:54If they didn't have the hostages, things would go very quickly.

00:58But they do, and we know where they have them in some cases, and you don't want to go riding roughshod over that area,

01:06because that means those hostages will be killed.

01:09Now, there are some people that would say, well, that's the price you pay, but we don't like to say that.

01:13We don't want to say that.

01:14So we've done a lot of good work.

01:16We've had great support from the prime minister anytime we needed help, anytime we needed any form of support.

01:23You've been there. We appreciate it very much.

01:25And we're going to continue onward.

01:27We do have to take care of the humanitarian needs on what they used to call the Gaza Strip.

01:33You don't hear that line too much anymore.

01:34You don't hear the Gaza Strip.

01:35But it is the Gaza Strip, and it's amazing that it's not being handled a little bit differently.

01:45We're going to set up food centers, and we're going to do it in conjunction with some very good people.

01:51And we're going to supply funds, and we just took in trillions of dollars.

01:58We've got a lot of money, and we're going to spend a little money on some food.

02:03And other nations are joining us.

02:05I know your nation's joining us, and we have all of the European nations joining us,

02:10and others also have called, and they want to be helpful.

02:13So we're going to set up food centers where the people can walk in.

02:17Next time you speak to them in Nangu, what will you ask them to do?

02:20Well, I'm going to say, look, we're giving money, and we're giving food.

02:23But we're over here, and we're over in the United States.

02:26And I think I can speak for the prime minister.

02:28We're giving money and things.

02:31He's got to sort of, like, run it.

02:33Well, I want them to make sure they get the food.

02:37I want to make sure they get the food, every ounce of food.

02:40I think you want the same thing.

02:42Because that food isn't being delivered, or at least all of it.

02:46I would say, look, we need to get the hostages out.

02:49They've been held for a very, very long time, and we must always start from there.

02:54But also recognize the situation on the ground in Gaza is absolutely intolerable.

02:59And I think that certainly speaking for the British public and myself,

03:04seeing those images of starving children in particular are revolting.

03:10And there's a sense of revulsion in the British public at what they're seeing.

03:14And they know, and we know, that humanitarian aid needs to get in at speed, at volume.

03:20Yes, some could be airdropped, and we're working with others, with the US, with Jordan, on that.

03:26But the trucks need to get in, because that's the only way you can get the volume in.

03:30And we do thank the President for the work he's done to try to get to a ceasefire,

03:35which we desperately need, but also to put aid in to the region.

03:40There needs to be much more of that.

03:41We need to galvanize other countries in support of getting that aid in.

03:45And yes, that does involve putting pressure on Israel, because this is a humanitarian catastrophe.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended