Trump says Israel will have to decide on next steps in Gaza, pledges more aid

By Andrew Gray, Andrea Shalal and Kanishka Singh

TURNBERRY, Scotland/WASHINGTON July 27 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, adding he did not know what would happen after the collapse of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with Hamas.

Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, saying they had suddenly "hardened" up on the issue. He added Washington would provide more aid to the Palestinian enclave devastated by U.S. ally Israel's military assault.

"They don't want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision," Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland.

"I know what I'd do, but I don't think it's appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision," he said, while also claiming, without evidence, that Hamas was stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it.

Reuters reported on Friday an internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies, challenging the rationale that Israel and the U.S. gave for backing an armed private aid operation.

Over 20 Democratic U.S. senators wrote a letter to the Trump administration on Sunday, urging it to cease funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and restore support for existing United Nations aid distribution mechanisms.

The U.N. estimates Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 people seeking food supplies, the majority near the militarized distribution sites of the GHF, the new private aid group that uses a for-profit U.S. logistics firm run by a former CIA officer and armed U.S. military veterans.

Dozens of Gazans have died of malnutrition in recent weeks, according to Gaza's health ministry. It reported six new deaths over the past 24 hours due to malnutrition, bringing the total deaths from malnutrition and hunger since the start of Israel's war in Gaza to 133 including 87 children.

Democratic former President Barack Obama said on Sunday aid must be permitted to reach people in Gaza. "There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families," Obama wrote on X, adding action should be taken "to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation."

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, alleging Hamas did not want a deal.

Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling "alternative" options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home and ending Hamas rule in Gaza, where starvation is spreading and most of the population is homeless amid widespread ruin from Israel's assault.

Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be "hunted down", telling reporters: "Hamas really didn't want to make a deal. I think they want to die... And it got to be to a point where you're going to have to finish the job."

US TO PROVIDE MORE AID, TRUMP SAYS

Trump on Sunday said Washington would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza, but wanted other countries to participate as well. He said he would discuss the issue with von der Leyen.

"We're giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything," he said. "If we weren't there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it's not like they're eating well."

He said he spoke with Netanyahu, adding they also discussed Iran. He said he and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer would discuss Israel on Monday.

Trump said Washington was not acknowledged for earlier food aid for Gaza.

"No other country gave anything," he said, calling out Europe in particular. "It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything... Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you."

The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show.

Gaza's health ministry says Israel's subsequent military assault has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza's entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.