Former President Obama on Sunday called for action to stop what he described as the “preventable” starvation reported in the Gaza Strip.
“While a lasting resolution to the crisis in Gaza must involve a return of all hostages and a cessation of Israel’s military operations, these articles underscore the immediate need for action to be taken to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation,” Obama wrote in a post on the social platform X, linking to two New York Times articles.
“Aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza. There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families,” he added in a subsequent post.
Israel’s military said earlier Sunday that it would start a “tactical pause” in fighting in Gaza amid mass starvation concerns.
President Trump on Sunday told reporters that Hamas is stealing food meant for people in Gaza, when asked for his response to the images of starving children in the Palestinian territory governed by the militant group.
“When I see the children and when I see, especially over the last couple of weeks people are stealing the food, they’re stealing the money, they’re stealing the money for the food. They’re stealing weapons, they’re stealing everything,” the president said.
He added, “It’s a mess, that whole place is a mess. The Gaza Strip, you know it was given many years ago so they could have peace. That didn’t work out too well.”
The Israeli military has reported that there is no proof that the Palestinian militant group had systematically stolen aid.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back against international criticism on Sunday, saying Israel has been allowing limited humanitarian aid into Gaza, as long as the aid didn’t enhance Hamas’s military capabilities or harm hostages. Netanyahu said Israel must continue to do so, The Jerusalem Post reported.
“We’ve done this so far,” Netanyahu said, according to the Israeli newspaper. “But the U.N. is spreading lies and falsehoods about Israel. They say we don’t allow humanitarian supplies in, yet we do. There are secure corridors. They’ve always existed, but now it’s official. No more excuses.”
