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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics
Nicholas Cecil and Nina Lloyd

Trump now admits 'real starvation' in Gaza as Starmer says people in UK 'revolted' by scenes of hunger

Donald Trump said there was “real starvation” in Gaza having hours earlier declined to admit such a scale of the aid crisis as he met Sir Keir Starmer for talks in Scotland.

The Prime Minister was clear cut that people in Britain are “revolted” over the scenes of hunger in the strip of land besieged by Israel..

More than 100 aid agencies have warned of “mass starvation” in the growing crisis.

Seven-month-old Salim Mahmoud Awad suffers significant weight loss due to the lack of baby formula and food after being displaced to Gaza City, (Anadolu via Getty Images)

Speaking to reporters as Sir Keir arrived at Turnberry, Scotland, where Trump has a golf course, the president was asked whether he agreed with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that children are not starving in the small enclave of land.

He said he did not know before adding: “Based on television I would say not particularly.

“There are some children who look very hungry.

“But we are giving a lot of money and a lot of food.”

He also praised the UK and other nations for “stepping up” to deliver desperately needed aid.

Sir Keir interjected, saying; “It’s a humanitarian crisis. An absolute catastrophe.

“People in Britain are revolted at what they are seeing on their screens.”

Hours later at a press conference with Sir Keir, the president struck a different line.

He said he was “not particularly convinced” by Israeli denials of starvation in Gaza.

Having seen pictures on TV, he stressed that the children “look hungry.”

"That's real starvation stuff... and you can't fake that," he added.

Palestinian children queue for a portion of hot food distributed by a charity kitchen at the Nuseirat refugee camp (AFP via Getty Images)

The Prime Minister praised Trump for “leading” on getting more aid into Gaza and a ceasefire.

The president blamed Hamas for the failure to get a truce, saying he had expected the terror group to stall on peace moves once it only had around 20 Israeli hostages left as otherwise it would lose its bargaining power.

Ahead of the meeting, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said Britain backed air drops to Gaza.

Air drops have been criticised for not being able to deliver aid on a sufficient scale and for risking the lives of desperate people seeking food who could be hit by the deliveries.

Burt Mr Reynolds told Sky News: “The point about the air drops is that we cannot wait, we have got to do something, its an unconscionable situation.

Pressed whether the Government would support direct RAF involvement on air drops, he added: “I believe we are working directly with the Jordanians on this.

“I don’t know whether they would be the one’s to distribute the aid in that way.

“We might be supporting in a logistical capacity.”

Israel is now allowing a limited amount of additional aid into Gaza after strong condemnation of its actions on restricting food.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher: “One in three people in Gaza haven’t eaten for days in a row now.”

Trump and Sir Keir have built a rapport on the world stage despite their differing political backgrounds, with the US president praising Sir Keir for doing a “very good job” in office ahead of their talks on Monday.

The leaders will also discuss the US-UK trade deal, with a headline 10% tariff level imposed on British imports, but concerns remaining over a 25% level of steel, and the rate set to be imposed on pharmaceuticals.

They will also talk about the war in Ukraine, with Trump saying he was “disappointed” with Vladimir Putin’s failure to agree to a ceasefire.

Mr Trump’s private trip to the UK comes ahead of a planned state visit in September.

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