Former US President Donald Trump on Friday expressed hope for a breakthrough in Gaza, saying a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be reached within the next week. This comes amid growing global outrage over reports of mass killings near food distribution centers in Gaza.
“We think within the next week, we’re going to get a ceasefire,” Trump told reporters during a briefing, suggesting backchannel talks are underway.
The previous truce, brokered in the final days of President Joe Biden’s administration with assistance from Trump’s transition team, collapsed in March when Israel launched renewed assaults on Hamas targets following the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Hunger Meets Gunfire
Israel’s two-month-long blockade of aid supplies to Gaza raised global alarm over an impending famine. Though limited aid resumed via the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the system has drawn fierce criticism after reports of deadly shootings at distribution sites.
Eyewitnesses, aid agencies, and local health officials report that over 500 people have been killed near food centers since late May — many while simply trying to feed their families.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the situation, declaring:
“The search for food must never be a death sentence.”
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), called the new aid system “a killing field,” adding:
“People are being shot at while trying to access food.”
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) went further, branding the GHF operations:
“Slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid.”
Israel has denied targeting civilians, while GHF claims the reported deaths are not linked to its distribution process. However, footage and firsthand accounts continue to surface, intensifying international pressure for a ceasefire and return to UN-led aid efforts.
