Trump proposes Gaza ‘food centres,’ says starvation is ‘real’

President Donald Trump said the US would work to set up “food centres” to alleviate starvation in Gaza along with other governments and organisations, including the UK and European Union.

Trump laid out his proposal during a Monday meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his golf club in Turnberry, Scotland, though he did not provide full details. Starmer said little about the plan, but reiterated the need to alleviate suffering in the war-torn territory.

“We’re going to set up food centres and we’re going to do it conjunction with some very good people,” Trump said, adding the US would supply funds for the effort. “We’re also going to make sure that they don’t have barriers stopping people.”

Asked if he agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assessment there is “no starvation” in the territory, Trump said ahead of the meeting that “based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry.”

“That’s real starvation stuff, I see it, and you can’t fake that,” Trump said.

“Israel has a lot of responsibility” to address the crisis, Trump said, while adding that Netanyahu’s government is “hampered” by hostages held by Hamas and what Trump said was the militant group’s theft of food aid.

“People in Britain are revolted by what they’re seeing,” Starmer said. “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.”

Humanitarian aid needs to reach Gaza at “speed and volume” Starmer said, adding “we need to galvanise other countries in support of getting that aid in and yes that does involve putting pressure on Israel.”

The meeting with Starmer took place during Trump’s five-day visit to Scotland, a prime example of how Trump is mixing personal business with his official duties unlike any of his modern predecessors. The UK leader was swept up in the effort: Trump later Monday was due to host Starmer again at his other golf property in Aberdeen as part of their day-long itinerary.

Their sit-down also came a day after Trump struck a deal with the European Union to avert a damaging economic war with the US’s largest trading bloc. The EU will face a 15% tariff on most exports to the US, including automobiles. That’s higher than the 10% levy on most British goods that Starmer agreed to in May in a deal with Trump.

“Our relationship is unparalleled,” Trump told reporters. “When you’re able to have a good trade deal, it keeps it even closer.”

Trump said the deal is “in great shape” but declined to say whether he and Starmer could iron out lingering divisions on metals imports.

The president shook Starmer’s hand as they greeted each other at the course. The prime minister was joined by his wife, Victoria, as bagpipes played and the three chatted while looking over the property.

Starmer, who is not a golfer, praised the course’s beauty but told Trump that “I’ll invite you to a football ground at some stage and we can exchange sports.”

Starmer’s trade deal marked an early victory for his approach, yet that pact - and his overall effort to charm the US leader - has been put to the test by the president’s ongoing trade threats as well as the Gaza and Ukraine crises.

Starmer has ramped up criticism of Israel amid growing international outrage at Netanyahu’s government over starvation there. Israel’s military paused some operations against Hamas on Sunday to allow UN relief convoys to move in.

Starmer was speaking with Trump about a UK plan designed to deliver immediate relief to Gazans and chart a path to turn any ceasefire into lasting peace through a two-state solution, his spokesman, Dave Pares, told reporters on Monday. He said it was a matter of “when not if” the UK recognises Palestine as a state, but that it must be one step along a pathway to peace.

Starmer is facing demands from members of his Labour Party to push Trump to do more to urge Netanyahu to end the conflict. He has not gone as far as joining French President Emmanuel Macron in recognising a Palestinian state.

“It’s an absolute catastrophe, nobody wants to see that,” Starmer said.

Trump said he is “not going to take a position” on Palestinian statehood but doesn’t mind if Starmer does. He defended the US’s prior efforts to supply aid and faulted others, including Hamas, for food shortages in Gaza.

“We’re going to be discussing it, but we gave $60 million. Nobody said even thank you. Somebody should say thank you. But other nations are going to have to step up,” Trump said.

There were few signs of public division between the two men. Trump praised Starmer’s handling of migration, another thorny topic.

“I hear that you’ve taken a very strong stand on immigration, and taking a strong stand on immigration is imperative,” the US president said, while the UK leader added “we’ve done a lot of work” to stop migrants from entering the country.

Despite Trump’s words, a record of more than 24,000 irregular migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats from France so far this year, putting Starmer under increasing pressure to stem the flow.