Josh Shapiro Urges White House To Help Feed Starving Gazans

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Tuesday that the Trump administration should surge aid into Gaza, as Democrats increasingly take Israel and the White House to task over conditions in the territory.

Shapiro said it’s the responsibility of the Trump administration to make sure critical aid reaches the people of Gaza.

“I think our nation, the United States of America, has a moral responsibility to flood the zone with aid and make sure those children that need to be fed get the food and the nourishment and the medicines that they need to be able to survive this,” Shapiro said. “It is awful what is happening in Gaza. And we all have a responsibility to be there for those children.”

Shapiro also said the Trump administration would have an obligation to make sure Hamas did not siphon off aid intended for civilians, since his administration made a decision and “broke that norm of not negotiating with terrorists.”

“He damn well better be on the phone with Hamas trying to figure out how to get aid in there to the starving people and not have Hamas intercept it,” Shapiro told reporters in southern Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County.

Anger in Washington over the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached new heights in recent weeks. Images of starving children have fueled public outrage, and the World Health Organization warned in July that nearly 2.1 million people faced mass starvation — a charge Netanyahu has denied.

Shapiro, who is one of the country’s most prominent Jewish politicians, is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate.

Democrats are facing increasing pressure from their voters to respond to the crisis. Last week, 26 senators backed a push by Sen. Bernie Sanders to bar U.S. arms sales to Israel. Moderate Democrats, including historically strong Israel-backers like Rep. Ritchie Torres, have also subtly changed their tone on the conflict.

In response to questions about Shapiro's remarks, the White House directed POLITICO to comments President Donald Trump made Tuesday in which he said the administration is making efforts to work with Israel and Arab nations to get food to Gaza.

The governor also criticized Netanyahu for denying that Gaza’s residents are facing starvation, saying that kind of language “further isolates" Israel among nations.

“And that’s a dangerous place for Israel to be,” Shapiro said. “So, I think the rhetoric coming from Prime Minister Netanyahu only creates less stability and security for Israel.”