President Trump on Monday signaled a break with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Trump acknowledged there was “real starvation” happening.

Trump told reporters during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that he did “not particularly” agree with Netanyahu’s claim that there was no starvation happening in Gaza, which has been devastated by Israel’s war against Hamas. The president also said the U.S. would take a more active role in getting food into the region.

Still, Trump has not gone as far as some European leaders in calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state. And he has largely stopped short of outright criticizing Israel for its role in preventing aid from getting to Palestinians.

“I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry,” Trump told reporters when asked about Netanyahu’s claim.

Starmer, standing beside Trump after the two greeted each other in Scotland, called the situation in Gaza, in which photos of malnourished children amid reports of 1 in 3 people going multiple days without eating show a crisis coming to a head, “absolutely intolerable” and “revolting.”

Trump and his administration have been involved in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, but so far no agreements have stuck. Trump recently put the blame on Hamas as the obstacle to a deal.

But the president has also routinely shown frustration with Netanyahu, with their bond being tested before over the continued fighting with the two leaders’ opposing assessments of starvation in the enclave as the latest example.

“He certainly seemed to have a different view of what’s happening on the ground in Gaza with respect to starvation or massive hunger,” said Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“He also seemed to open the door for potential increase in funding or maybe a new approach,” Yacoubian added. “But whether that actually translates into something is a whole other question because we’ve certainly seen the president state a position then within 24 hours take a completely........

© The Hill