US President Donald Trump on Friday said he is working on a new initiative to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, amid growing concerns over reports of starvation in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
Speaking briefly to Axios by phone, Trump stated, “We want to help people. We want to help them live. We want to get people fed. It is something that should have happened long time ago.”
While voicing concern for the humanitarian situation, Trump placed the blame squarely on Hamas. He noted the terror group has been seizing and selling aid entering Gaza, impeding international relief efforts.
Trump’s remarks came as White House envoy Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited aid centers in Gaza on Friday, operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) - an initiative backed by the US and Israel. The centers, which operate primarily in southern and central Gaza, have faced criticism for requiring civilians to travel through dangerous areas to access food and medical supplies.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday that Trump intends to approve a new aid plan for Gaza following Witkoff’s assessment. However, as of Friday morning, Trump told Axios he had not yet been briefed. “He’s doing great work,” the President said of Witkoff.
Trump declined to provide details of the developing aid proposal, and it remains unclear whether the new effort will expand support for GHF or include other humanitarian channels. He has recently stated that the US is prepared to increase its aid to Gaza, while also urging Israel and other Western nations to contribute their share.
Witkoff met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday to discuss the impasse in negotiations over a ceasefire and the release of hostages. According to an Israeli official, they also reviewed the prospect of shifting from incremental ceasefire agreements to a more comprehensive arrangement. Trump declined to elaborate on that possibility, telling Axios, “You will see soon.”
On Thursday, Trump addressed the situation in Gaza during an interview with NBC News and said, "We want to make sure people get fed."
Asked whether he trusts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to administer US aid in Gaza, Trump replied that “he’s certainly a competent person”, adding that he remained concerned about Hamas stealing aid.
“Good management will stop that. Hopefully, the Israelis will provide that,” the President told NBC News.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)