Starmer and Trump call for end to starvation crisis in Gaza as aid drops begin

· Forces News
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met US President Donald Trump during his five-day trip to Scotland (Picture: PA)

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told US President Donald Trump that their two countries must work "at volume, at speed" to get humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The pair were speaking a day after Jordan and the United Arab Emirates carried out an airdrop of 25 tonnes of food and supplies into the territory.

BFBS Forces News understands a small number of UK military personnel will support further drops of food and essential supplies, while the Government is considering other possible ways in which to deliver aid.

Sir Keir described the situation in Gaza as an "absolute catastrophe," adding that people in Britain were "revolted" by the images of emaciated children which have circulated in recent days.

The US President announced plans to set up new food distribution centres in Gaza, promising they would be open and without fences.

"We're going to supply funds… we're going to set up food centres where the people can walk in and no boundaries," he said.

President Trump also confirmed the US had given $60m in humanitarian aid in recent weeks, adding: "Other nations are going to have to step up."

Over 100 aid agencies and human rights organisations have issue a warning about the growing threat of mass starvation in Gaza (Picture: Alamy)

Sir Keir also stressed the need for an urgent ceasefire and thanked Mr Trump for "leading on that".

Mr Trump, for his part, said Hamas had become "very difficult to deal with" in recent days and the Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza were a key obstacle to a swift ceasefire.

There are also concerns about the effectiveness of air drops, with many questioning the problems that comes with air drops.

The commissioner-general for the UN Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, posted on X that they "will not reverse the deepening starvation" and could even do more harm than good.

He added: "They are expensive, inefficient & can even kill starving civilians".

Mr Trump tells journalists he is speaking to the Israeli Prime Minister, but adds the situation is difficult (Picture: PA)

British support 

The Ministry of Defence has maintained a continuous presence in the Eastern Mediterranean since the October escalation, with Royal Navy ships and RAF aircraft positioned to support humanitarian and surveillance operations.

Between March and May 2024, the UK carried out 11 airdrops into Gaza as part of a Jordanian-led international effort, delivering more than 100 tonnes of aid, including food.

A temporary pause in Israeli military activity was announced on Sunday to allow humanitarian corridors to reopen and facilitate renewed deliveries.