Donald Trump on Israel-Hamas deal: ‘Israel must make a decision’
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Trump on Gaza talks collapse and Hamas hostage standoff: ‘I know what I’d do… but Israel is going to make a decision’
Hamas ‘doesn’t want to give hostages back’, says US President Donald Trump. He says Israel will have to ‘make a decision’ on how to proceed in Gaza. Trump also highlighted ongoing US aid efforts to Gaza. He expressed frustration at the lack of international recognition of the aid. The comments come as Israel faces growing criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with aid airdrops and corridors for UN convoys announced over the weekend. The US is going to do more aid for Gaza but we would like to have other countries participate, he said.
“They [Hamas] don’t want to give [the hostages] back,” Trump told reporters in Scotland. “And so Israel is going to have to make a decision.”
Trump added: “I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say. But Israel is going to make a decision.”
Aid to Gaza: ‘Nobody acknowledged it’ The President also highlighted ongoing US aid efforts to Gaza, lamenting the lack of international recognition.
“We gave $60 million two weeks ago for food, for Gaza,” Trump said. “And nobody acknowledged it, nobody talks about it. It makes you feel a little bad when you do that, and you have other countries not giving anything.”
Trump said some of his own supporters criticised him for providing aid to Palestinians, but he defended the move.
“There is a humanitarian reason for doing it,” he said. “Will I do more aid? Yeah. The US is going to do more aid for Gaza but we would like to have other countries participate.”
Trump: US prevented starvation in Gaza Trump claimed that without American assistance, conditions in Gaza would have deteriorated further.
“If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved, frankly,” he said. “They would have starved and it’s not like they’re eating well.”
Calls for global help and recognition Trump called on other nations to contribute to humanitarian efforts in Gaza and expressed frustration at the lack of acknowledgment from the international community.
“It would be nice to at least have a ‘thank you,’” he said.
Background: Crisis deepens in Gaza Trump’s comments come as Israel faces growing criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Over the weekend, Israel approved humanitarian airdrops and announced plans to establish corridors for United Nations convoys to distribute supplies.
Trump says Israel must decide next steps in Gaza after failed ceasefire talks
US President Donald Trump said Israel would have to decide on its next steps in Gaza. Trump said he did not know what would happen after the failure of the ceasefire deal and hostage negotiations with Hamas. Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that Hamas members are stealing food supplies entering Gaza. Six more deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 133, including 87 children. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen also said his country had decided to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza to avoid European Union sanctions. The US President said he had discussed various issues with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including Iran. He also mentioned that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would discuss Israel on Monday at Trump’s golf club in Turnberry, Scotland.
Trump noted he did not know what would happen after the failure of the ceasefire deal and hostage negotiations with Hamas. He made these remarks during a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“They don’t want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision. I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he told reporters.
At the same time, Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that Hamas members are stealing food supplies entering Gaza.
Dozens of people in Gaza have died from malnutrition in recent weeks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Officials said six more deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 133, including 87 children.
US to provide more aid
In addition, Trump announced that the United States would send more humanitarian aid to Gaza. He expressed hope that other countries would also participate. The President said he would discuss this issue with von der Leyen.
“We’re giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything. If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it’s not like they’re eating well,” Trump said.
He also mentioned that the United States has not received recognition for the food aid it previously sent to Gaza.
“No other country gave anything. It makes you feel a little bad when you do that, and you know, you have other countries not giving anything… Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you,” Trump added.
The US President said he had discussed various issues with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including Iran. He also mentioned that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would discuss Israel on Monday during a meeting at Trump’s golf club in Turnberry, Scotland.
Breakdown of negotiations
Reuters recalled that on Friday, Trump and Netanyahu appeared to walk away from talks with Hamas on a Gaza ceasefire, saying the Palestinian group had no interest in a deal.
Netanyahu said Israel was now considering “alternative” options to achieve its goals of returning hostages from Gaza and ending Hamas’ control of the enclave.
Trump, for his part, said he believed Hamas leaders would now be “hunted down.”
“Hamas really didn’t want to make a deal. I think they want to die. And it’s very bad. And it got to a point where you’re going to have to finish the job,” he told reporters.
Israel to pause fighting in Gaza
Meanwhile, Israel’s military officially announced daily pauses in fighting in Gaza to allow humanitarian aid corridors.
Combat will stop from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM local time, but only in certain areas.
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen also said his country had decided to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza to avoid European Union sanctions.
Trump says ‘Israel is gonna have to make a decision’ on Gaza — as he vows more aid
President Trump said Israel had to ‘decide what to do’ with Gaza after cease-fire talks collapsed once again. Trump also complained that the US doesn’t get credit for sending aid to the Gazans. Israel has come under pressure from human rights organizations over reports of a worsening food crisis on the ground in the Gaza Strip. Over 250 trucks filled with aid from the UN and other groups entered Gaza on Saturday, which is down from the roughly 600 trucks per day that entered during the prior ceasefire that collapsed in March. Over two dozen Western countries have publicly demanded that Israel take steps to allow more aid into Gaza. The US is going to do more aid for Gaza but we would like to have other countries participate, Trump said.
“When you get it down to a certain number, you’re going to be able to make a deal with Hamas because once they give them up, then they feel that that’s going to be the end of them,” Trump said, referring to hostage negotiations.
“They [Hamas] don’t want to give [the hostages] back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision.”
Trump said Israel had to ‘decide what to do’ with Gaza after cease-fire talks collapsed once again. AFP via Getty Images
He added: “I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say. But Israel is going to make a decision.”
Speaking to reporters ahead of his talks with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during his trip to the United Kingdom, Trump also complained that the US doesn’t get credit for sending aid to the Gazans.
“If we weren’t there. I think people would have starved frankly,” Trump said. They would have starved and it’s not like they’re eating well.”
President Trump vowed to send more humanitarian aid to Gaza. AFP via Getty Images
“We gave $60 million two weeks for food, for Gaza,” Trump bemoaned at another point. “And nobody acknowledged it, nobody talks about it. It makes you feel a little bad when you do that, and you have other countries not giving anything.”
“It would be nice to at least have a ‘thank you.’”
Trump claimed that he had backlash from some of his supporters but stressed he decided to send aid to Gaza anyway because there is “a humanitarian reason for doing it.”
“Will I do more aid, yeah,” Trump replied when asked about sending additional resources to the beleaguered Gaza Strip. “The US is going to do more aid for Gaza but we would like to have other countries participate.”
The president did not specify how much more aid the US intends to send.
Israel has come under pressure from human rights organizations over reports of a worsening food crisis on the ground in the Gaza Strip. Over two dozen Western countries have publicly demanded that Israel take steps to allow more aid into Gaza.
Over the weekend, airdrops of aid began to fall into Gaza with the blessing of the Israeli military. Israel’s military also announced plans to establish critical humanitarian corridors for United Nations convoys to enter and disperse aid to starving Palestinians in Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Force described the shift as being “aimed at improving the humanitarian response” in Gaza and to “refute the false claims of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip.”
Over 250 trucks filled with aid from the UN and other groups entered Gaza on Saturday, which is down from the roughly 600 trucks per day that entered during the prior ceasefire that collapsed in March.
Israel had been engaged in ceasefire negotiations with Hamas this month, but those discussions broke down last week.
Trump says Israel will have to decide on next steps in Gaza, pledges more aid
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza. He said he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with Hamas. Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue. He added Washington would provide more aid to the Palestinian enclave devastated by U.S.- ally Israel’s military assault. Democratic US senators ask Trump administration to stop funding the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) Obama on X says aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza and calls for action to prevent “a travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation” The U.N. estimates Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 people seeking food supplies, the majority near the militarized distribution sites of the GHF, the new private aid group that uses a for-profit logistics firm run by a former CIA officer.
Summary Democratic US senators ask Trump administration to stop funding GHF
Obama on X says aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza
Trump says US to provide more aid, seeking other donors
Trump says he spoke with Netanyahu about Gaza, Iran
TURNBERRY, Scotland/WASHINGTON July 27 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza , adding he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with Hamas.
Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue. He added Washington would provide more aid to the Palestinian enclave devastated by U.S. ally Israel’s military assault.
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“They don’t want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,” Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland.
“I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he said, while also claiming, without evidence, that Hamas was stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it.
Reuters reported on Friday an internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies, challenging the rationale that Israel and the U.S. gave for backing an armed private aid operation.
Over 20 Democratic U.S. senators wrote a letter to the Trump administration on Sunday, urging it to cease funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and restore support for existing United Nations aid distribution mechanisms.
The U.N. estimates Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 people seeking food supplies, the majority near the militarized distribution sites of the GHF, the new private aid group that uses a for-profit U.S. logistics firm run by a former CIA officer and armed U.S. military veterans.
Dozens of Gazans have died of malnutrition in recent weeks, according to Gaza’s health ministry. It reported six new deaths over the past 24 hours due to malnutrition, bringing the total deaths from malnutrition and hunger since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza to 133 including 87 children.
Democratic former President Barack Obama said on Sunday aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza. “There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families,” Obama wrote on X, adding action should be taken “to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation.”
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, alleging Hamas did not want a deal.
Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling “alternative” options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home and ending Hamas rule in Gaza, where starvation is spreading and most of the population is homeless amid widespread ruin from Israel’s assault.
Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be “hunted down”, telling reporters: “Hamas really didn’t want to make a deal. I think they want to die… And it got to be to a point where you’re going to have to finish the job.”
US TO PROVIDE MORE AID, TRUMP SAYS
Trump on Sunday said Washington would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza, but wanted other countries to participate as well. He said he would discuss the issue with von der Leyen.
“We’re giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything,” he said. “If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it’s not like they’re eating well.”
He said he spoke with Netanyahu, adding they also discussed Iran. He said he and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would discuss Israel on Monday.
Trump said Washington was not acknowledged for earlier food aid for Gaza.
“No other country gave anything,” he said, calling out Europe in particular. “It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything… Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you.”
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show.
Reporting by Andrew Gray, Andrea Shalal and Kanishka Singh; additional reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington, writing by Andrea Shalal and Kanishka Singh Editing by Marguerita Choy and Nick Zieminski
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Trump says Israel has to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, pledges more aid
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza. He said he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with Hamas. Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue. He added Washington would provide more aid to the Palestinian enclave devastated by U.S.- ally Israel’s military assault. Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling “alternative” options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home and ending Hamas rule in Gaza where starvation is spreading and most of the population is homeless amid widespread ruin from Israel’s assault. The UN estimates Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 people seeking food supplies, the majority near the militarized distribution sites of the GHF, the new private aid group that uses a for-profit logistics firm run by a former CIA officer and armed U.N. military veterans.
Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue. He added Washington would provide more aid to the Palestinian enclave devastated by U.S. ally Israel’s military assault.
“They don’t want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,” Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland.
“I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he said, while also claiming, without evidence, that Hamas was stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it.
Reuters reported on Friday an internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies, challenging the rationale that Israel and the U.S. gave for backing an armed private aid operation.
Israel begins ‘tactical pause’ in attacks in 3 Gaza areas as half a million Gazans endure famine-like conditions
Over 20 Democratic U.S. senators wrote a letter to the Trump administration on Sunday, urging it to cease funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and restore support for existing United Nations aid distribution mechanisms.
The UN estimates Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 people seeking food supplies, the majority near the militarized distribution sites of the GHF, the new private aid group that uses a for-profit U.S. logistics firm run by a former CIA officer and armed U.S. military veterans.
Dozens of Gazans have died of malnutrition in recent weeks, according to Gaza’s health ministry. It reported six new deaths over the past 24 hours due to malnutrition, bringing the total deaths from malnutrition and hunger since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza to 133 including 87 children.
Former President Barack Obama said on Sunday aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza. “There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families,” Obama wrote on X, adding action should be taken “to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation.”
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, alleging Hamas did not want a deal.
Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling “alternative” options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home and ending Hamas rule in Gaza, where starvation is spreading and most of the population is homeless amid widespread ruin from Israel’s assault.
Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be “hunted down”, telling reporters: “Hamas really didn’t want to make a deal. I think they want to die… And it got to be to a point where you’re going to have to finish the job.”
Israel says it is considering alternatives to ceasefire talks
Trump on Sunday said Washington would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza, but wanted other countries to participate as well. He said he would discuss the issue with von der Leyen.
“We’re giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything,” he said. “If we weren’t there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it’s not like they’re eating well.”
He said he spoke with Netanyahu, adding they also discussed Iran. He said he and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would discuss Israel on Monday.
Trump said Washington was not acknowledged for earlier food aid for Gaza.
“No other country gave anything,” he said, calling out Europe in particular. “It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything… Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you.”
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show.
Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s subsequent military assault has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza’s entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.