Trump Switches Gears on Gaza in Chat with Netanyahu

Donald Trump is adding another twist to the ongoing saga in Gaza. During his latest call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump claimed he told Netanyahu, "You’ve got to be good to Gaza," highlighting that people there "are suffering." Trump emphasized to reporters aboard Air Force One that there’s an urgent need for food and medicine, promising, "We’re taking care of it." He also mentioned that Netanyahu was supportive about efforts to get more aid into Gaza.

This softer tone is a noticeable shift from Trump’s previous, more hardline postures. Once upon a time, he threatened Hamas with "hell to pay" if hostages weren’t released, and even floated the idea of the U.S. turning Gaza into a "riviera." (Honestly, that’s a beach day nobody saw coming.)

Earlier this year, just after Netanyahu’s White House visit, Trump said Israel should "let all hell break out" if his deadline for the release of hostages wasn’t met. Hostages weren’t freed by the deadline, but Israel paused before resuming military operations on March 18. Thirty-three hostages were released before the ground campaign restarted.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continues to spiral. No aid trucks have entered since March 2, and global outrage is growing over the severe shortages inside the Strip. Trump is now nudging Netanyahu to rethink his approach, but Israel maintains that aid will stay blocked until all hostages are freed.

There’s also tension over allegations that much-needed aid is ending up in the hands of Hamas rather than the people of Gaza. In November, after nearly 100 trucks carrying food and humanitarian supplies were looted, prices in Gaza shot up, making even basic goods feel like luxury items.

Testifying at the United Nations Security Council, freed Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi described seeing boxes of U.N.-branded supplies in Hamas tunnels while the hostages themselves went hungry. Sharabi, who weighed just 97 pounds when released, said, "Hamas eats like kings."

According to Israel’s Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), 25,200 trucks loaded with over 447,000 tons of humanitarian aid entered Gaza while the hostage deal was in effect. But with the deal off and the crisis deepening, the journey for both hostages and humanitarian aid seems far from over.