TEHRAN — Israel’s relentless slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza—including desperate civilians seeking food—exposes the sham of its so-called humanitarian claims. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration has shown a ruthless contempt for Palestinian lives, wielding starvation and indiscriminate violence as weapons of collective punishment.

Over the weekend, Israel announced a daily “tactical pause" in military activity in three areas of Gaza, purportedly to allow humanitarian aid to enter. This move was framed as a rebuttal to “false claims of deliberate starvation.” Yet the killings have continued unabated. On Tuesday alone, dozens more Palestinians—including those seeking aid—were killed by Israeli forces.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began in October 2023, with more than 145,000 others injured. Among the dead are over 150 civilians who have died of hunger and malnutrition, as Israel continues to obstruct humanitarian aid.

The situation has deteriorated so severely that even a UN-backed food security monitor has declared that the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip.” The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that “widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths,” and noted that famine thresholds have been breached across most of Gaza, including Gaza City.

Despite the mounting evidence, Israeli officials continue to deny responsibility. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar dismissed accusations of obstructing aid as “lies,” while Netanyahu absurdly insisted that “there is no starvation in Gaza.” These statements fly in the face of international reports—and now, even remarks from President Donald Trump.

In a rare moment of candor, Trump publicly contradicted Israel’s narrative during a visit to the United Kingdom, stating: “We can save a lot of people, I mean some of those kids. That’s real starvation; I see it and you can’t fake that. So we’re going to be even more involved.”

Trump’s unexpected acknowledgment of “real starvation” in Gaza not only exposes the falsehoods propagated by Israeli leaders, but also underscores the hypocrisy of Washington’s unwavering support for Israel. The United States has armed, financed, and diplomatically shielded Israel throughout this campaign, even as evidence of war crimes, including deliberate starvation, mounts. Trump's words, albeit accidental in their honesty, inadvertently illuminate a deeper truth; that the US is not a passive bystander but a direct enabler of Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.

In this context, the claims of humanitarian concern from both Tel Aviv and Washington ring hollow. The facts on the ground—mass death, famine, and a crippled health system—speak louder than any press release. If Trump, hardly a paragon of compassion, can recognize the horror unfolding in Gaza, it begs the question: How much longer will the international community tolerate this manufactured catastrophe?