Trump Says ‘People Are Starving’ in Gaza and the U.S. Wants to Help
The Gaza Strip is currently facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with the risk of famine looming over its 2.3 million residents. This dire situation has been exacerbated by over two months of total Israeli blockade, leading to a collapse in humanitarian support and a severe shortage of essential resources.
According to the United Nations’ 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, acute food insecurity and child malnutrition reached record levels in 2024, marking six consecutive years of deterioration. Over 295 million people across 53 countries experienced crisis-level or worse hunger, a 5% increase from 2023. The main drivers of this trend are conflict, climate-related disasters, and economic shocks, which often intersect. Conflict alone affected nearly 140 million people, with famine conditions confirmed in Sudan and catastrophic hunger levels in Gaza, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali. Economic instability, including inflation and currency devaluation, pushed 59.4 million into food crises, while extreme weather, exacerbated by El Nino, impacted 96 million people. Alarmingly, the number of people in famine-like conditions doubled to 1.9 million, and 38 million children under five were acutely malnourished. The situation is expected to intensify in 2025 due to significant cuts in humanitarian food aid, including a drastic reduction by the U.S. Agency for International Development. However, there were improvements in 15 countries thanks to aid and improved conditions. The report advocates investing in local agriculture as a sustainable solution to reduce hunger cost-effectively and with dignity. (reuters.com)
The blockade has led to a catastrophic decline in food availability. By May 2025, prices for basic foodstuffs in Gaza had skyrocketed, with a 25kg (55lb) bag of flour priced at $415 (£313) in Gaza City—a 30-fold increase since the end of February 2025. This surge in prices has rendered essential food items unaffordable for the majority of the population. (en.wikipedia.org)
International organizations have raised alarms about the escalating crisis. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that famine is imminent in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, with the entire population facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse. The WFP’s Executive Director, Cindy McCain, stated, “People in Gaza are starving to death right now. The speed at which this man-made hunger and malnutrition crisis has ripped through Gaza is terrifying.” (wfp.org)
Efforts to provide aid have been severely hampered by the blockade. The United Nations announced it will not participate in the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid operation, citing concerns over its lack of impartiality, neutrality, and independence. The GHF is scheduled to begin humanitarian efforts in Gaza by the end of May 2025. (reuters.com)
The situation in Gaza underscores the urgent need for a coordinated international response to address the humanitarian crisis. Immediate and unimpeded access to deliver critical agricultural aid and commercial food production inputs is essential to prevent a full-scale famine and alleviate the suffering of the civilian population.