US President Donald Trump on Sunday rejected the characterization of Israel’s campaign against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip as a “genocide,” emphasizing that the war started when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

Asked about the genocide accusation, Trump said: “I don’t think it’s that. They’re in a war.”

Israel has strongly rejected allegations of war crimes, insisting it does not target civilians and pointing to efforts to evacuate civilians from harm’s way and facilitate the entry of aid throughout the 22-month campaign. International groups accuse Israel of failing to let in sufficient aid to prevent hunger and of showing disregard for civilian casualties.

“Some horrible things happened on October 7,” Trump said, as he prepared to board Air Force One in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “It was a horrible, horrible thing. One of the worst I’ve ever seen.”

The invasion of southern Israel by thousands of Hamas-led terrorists in 2023 saw some 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage. Fifty hostages are still held in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Asked for an update on Gaza more broadly, Trump reiterated that the US was working to feed Palestinians in the Strip.

“We want the people fed. We’re the only country that’s really doing that. We’re putting up money to get the people fed. And Steve Witkoff is doing a great job.”

Trump said Washington was “giving some pretty big contributions, basically to........

© The Times of Israel