Trump on Gaza: "Israel needs to decide what to do" | WATCH
He added, "I know what I would do, but it wouldn't be popular."
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U.S. President Donald Trump called on Israel to make a critical decision regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, while sharply criticizing the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from the territory as a “serious mistake.”
Speaking at a meeting with the President of the European Commission, Trump expressed frustration over the worsening situation in Gaza, highlighting the plight of hostages and their families.“
He said, "We gave $60 million two weeks ago — and nobody even acknowledged it ... When I do that, a lot of people aren't happy about that because they say, 'Well why are we doing it and nobody else?' But I think we had a humanitarian reason for doing it."
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He refused to say whether he urged Netanyahu to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
He said, "It’s terrible when I see the children, especially in recent weeks, people stealing food and stealing money, and stealing money for food. It’s a mess, this whole place is a mess. Gaza is not only Israel's problem, it's now the world's problem ... [But] I don't think there is starvation there ... It's not like the Gazans are eating a lot ... Hamas steal the food and then re-sells it.
He noted the stalled hostage negotiations, stating, “Once you get down to a certain number of hostages, you just can’t make a deal with Hamas. They were talking, then suddenly hardened their position. Israel has to make a decision, I know what I’d do, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to say ... Now we have dead hostages whose parents want back, and we have about 20 alive. It’s important to return the bodies just like the living ones. These people are broken.”
Trump emphasized the need for Israel to act decisively, saying, “Israel needs to make a decision. I know what I would do, but it’s not popular.”
He also reiterated his view that the 2005 disengagement from Gaza, led by then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, was an “unwise” move that “made the situation worse.”The comments come amid escalating violence in Gaza, with reports of over 111 hunger-related deaths and ongoing Israeli military operations.
He commented on the Israel-Iran war and especially the US intervention, noting, "Iran has been nasty with their words, they got the heII beaten out of them, for good reason ... Iran says it wants to continue enrichment, who says that? How stupid do you have to be to say that? We’re not going to let it happen.”
Trump’s remarks have sparked debate, with some on social media criticizing his stance as inflammatory, while others see it as a call for tougher action against Hamas.