Trump Claims Israel Will Oversee U.S. Aid in Gaza

The Role of Israel in Gaza’s Food Distribution

United States President Donald Trump has proposed that Israel would oversee food distribution centers in Gaza, a suggestion that has drawn criticism from various groups. Critics argue that this move could deepen the Israeli occupation and put aid seekers at greater risk. During an appearance on his presidential jet, Trump emphasized the Israeli narrative that Hamas steals food aid distributed in Gaza—a claim that has been refuted by aid organizations and United Nations officials.

Even some Israeli officials have anonymously told news outlets like The New York Times that there is no evidence of food being diverted to Hamas. Despite this, Trump continued to assert otherwise. He stated, “A lot of things have been stolen. They send money. They send food. And Hamas steals it.” According to Trump, this creates a “tricky little game.”

He expressed confidence in Israel’s ability to manage the distribution of U.S. aid, even amid chaotic operations that have led to Israeli troops firing on hungry Palestinians. “We’re going to be dealing with Israel. And we think they can do a good job of it,” Trump said. “They want to preside over the food centres to make sure the distribution is proper.”

However, it remains unclear where and when these centers would be established, or whether Israel would operate them directly or through the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), a controversial U.S.-backed aid foundation accused of unsafe practices. Trump’s remarks suggest that the U.S. is not prepared to support the resumption of aid distribution in Gaza through the United Nations and its partners on the ground.

The Impact of Israel's Blockade

Since May, Israel has tightened its blockade in Gaza, allowing food into the territory almost exclusively through the GHF, which has four sites set up in the south of the enclave. This has resulted in hundreds of Palestinians being killed by Israeli fire while attempting to reach or leave these centers.

The siege has triggered an Israeli-imposed hunger crisis in the territory, with dozens of people dying from malnutrition. Whistleblowers from the Israeli military and GHF have shared testimonies detailing the abuses occurring at the foundation’s sites in recent weeks.

Anthony Aguilar, a U.S. army veteran who worked with GHF, stated that the group has failed to adequately deliver food in Gaza. However, he claimed that GHF has served as a vehicle for displacement, forcing Palestinians to the south of the territory. Aguilar described witnessing Israeli forces firing into crowds of Palestinians, including using tanks, artillery, and mortars. He emphasized that the aid seekers were targeted not because they were combatants or hostile, but as a means to control the crowd.

Critics argue that placing Israeli troops in charge of food distribution sites risks further atrocities against aid seekers. Israel has maintained that there is no actual hunger in Gaza, dismissing the well-documented spread of starvation as Hamas propaganda.

A Controversial Stance

On Monday, Trump acknowledged that there is “real starvation” in the territory but stopped short of criticizing Israel. Instead, he stressed that Israel should be the one delivering the aid. “I think Israel wants to do it, and they’ll be good at doing it,” Trump told reporters. “If they do it — and if they really want to do it, and I think they do — they’ll do a good job. The food will be properly distributed.”

He also compared any pressure on Israel to a “reward” for Hamas. “If you do that, you really are rewarding Hamas, and I’m not about to do that,” he told a reporter who asked about the possibility of the U.S. pushing Israel towards a long-term solution to end the conflict.

Last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on the basis of alleged war crimes, including using starvation as a weapon of war. UN-backed food security experts recently announced that the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in Gaza.”