Trump called a ‘disgrace’ after ‘shocking’ comments about Gaza starvation crisis

People have been left shocked over a comment US President Donald Trump made about the starvation crisis in Gaza.

Hunger in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with nearly half a million people facing famine-like conditions, while a third of the Gaza population are going without food.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that malnutrition in Gaza is spiralling out of control, with a sharp rise in deaths - most of them in July - marking what it calls a 'dangerous trajectory'.

"People in Gaza are neither dead nor alive, they are walking corpses," said Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

He added that one in five children in Gaza City is malnourished – a number which increases every day that unhindered humanitarian aid is blocked by Israel.

Around the world, pressure is mounting on leaders to act, with Keir Starmer recalling cabinet from their summer break to have emergency crisis talks on the situation in Gaza.

Speaking about the desperate situation, US President Donald Trump was recently asked about the crisis during a press conference with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.

A reporter asked: "Should Israel be doing more to allow food into Gaza?"

"We gave $60 million two weeks ago for food and nobody even acknowledged it," Trump said.

Trump made the comments during a press conference (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

"You really want at least somebody to say thank you, no other country gave anything, we gave $60 million two weeks ago for food, for Gaza.

"Nobody acknowledged it, nobody talks about it, and it makes you feel a little bad when you do that and other countries don't give anything, none of the European countries... nobody but us.

"Nobody said thank you very much, and it would be nice to have at least a thank you. I took a lot of heat, when I do that, a lot of people aren't happy, a lot of people said, 'why are we doing it and no one else?'

"But I think we had a humanitarian reason for doing it."

Starvation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels (Khames Alrefi/Anadolu via Getty Images)

People were pretty taken aback by the comments, with one person commenting on the video: "Children are starving in Gaza. The images are heartbreaking. Kids with hollow eyes, dying from hunger and dehydration. I cry watching this. And he talks about needing a 'thank you'?"

While another said: "Millions are starving in Gaza, most of them children, and Trump wants a thank you like he dropped off cupcakes. Real leaders give because it's right, not because their ego needs a pat on the back. This isn’t charity. It’s performance."

And a third added: "Imagine wanting a thank you when people are dying of hunger and war."

In a comment to Tyla, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said: “President Trump wants to alleviate suffering for the people of Gaza because he has a humanitarian heart. He announced a new aid plan today to help Gazans obtain crucial access to food – details are forthcoming.”