Name: Why is the US silent about the starvation in Gaza? CNN NewsNight panel debates
Uploaded: 2025-07-25T17:03:33.000Z
Duration: 8 min 6 s
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I wonder if you feel like this moment, these images that are coming out about the humanitarian situation is in fact an inflection point.

I mean, in November of last year, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu for the war crime of starvation.

Eight months ago, before Israel cut off all food, all water, all electricity into the Gaza Strip for three months.

And to say the United States is silent, it's much, much worse than that.

We are profoundly complicit and deeply responsible.

It is our weapons that enforce this starvation.

It is our diplomatic efforts that prevent international justice from being done.

The blood is on our hands as Americans because it is our weapons that is responsible for those children starving to death.

Hamas has lots of- Is there no blood on their hands?

You blame Israel and you blame the US, but we have Hamas here.

I actually have, one of my closest friends in college was blown up by Hamas.

I have probably a lot more experience with suffering from Hamas with all due respect than you do.

If we want to see who is more to blame for the starvation of children in Gaza, Hamas or Israel, let CNN in.

Israel has not allowed internet Western journalists in since October 7th.

Let them go in, let CNN go in, and decide for themselves.

How about Hamas releases the hostages and you proceed?

What do you think would happen if Hamas releases the hostages?

Scott, let me ask you a question because Hamas is responsible for October 7th.

Hamas is responsible for a lot of terrible things, but the question is, who can alleviate the starvation at this moment in Gaza?

And does Israel have a responsibility to do much more than it is doing right now?

The suffering of the people in Gaza is their direct responsibility of what Hamas has done.

And instead of doing anything for the people of Gaza, built tunnels for this siege.

But what about Israel's role in controlling the flow?

You can ask me a question, I'll want to answer it.

But what about Israel's role in controlling the flow of food?

I just want us to set the table here because I understand that there's a lot of political talking points around this, but this is a conversation about human beings and about the things that they need in order to survive, which is food and water.

And the question I have for you is, is there a moment for you where you sit here and you think, yeah, maybe more can be done?

And at what point should the United States government say that?

They've stolen it from the United Nations to resell it to finance their war.

Some people think they've made a billion dollars stealing and weaponizing this aid.

That's not the United States doing, that's Hamas doing.

Number two, they've made unreasonable demands in these hostage negotiations.

We're on the brink of a hostage deal and a ceasefire.

They've blown that up today with Israel and now the United States having to walk away from an unreasonable situation.

It is blatantly obvious that Israel and the United States wants the hostages home, they want a ceasefire, and they want to feed the people in Gaza.

The Israeli government's stated position, stated position is to support the Trump plan for the full expulsion of all Palestinians from Gaza.

And I would remind you, there is no Hamas leadership in the West Bank.

How are Palestinians being treated in the West Bank where Hamas is not in control, where there are no Hamas fighters?

Palestinians are being expelled from their homes, living under conditions that even Israel's own human rights organizations call apartheid in the West Bank where there is no Hamas.

So yes, Hamas does despicable things, but these talking points, with all respect, people don't believe them anymore.

All they have to do is release the hostages.

She's the executive director of the World Food Program.

And she talked about what is happening right now in terms of the actual administration of aid and what it could be.

And she knows that because she's done it before.  When we had full access, we had 400 distribution sites.

So the capability that we have is unmatched by any other organization or any other foundation.

And we know where our food goes because we have a system on the ground that is tested and works.

We need full sustained access, we need at scale so we can set up the kinds of aid stations that can actually help people and do it where it's not a panic situation.  Cindy's right.

Let me just say from the outset, Hamas is responsible for what happened in Gaza.

Having said that, Israel needs to be doing far more than they're doing to allow food to come in or to provide it themselves.

And I mean, having spent much of the last three years in the Muslim world, you ought to see how the U.S. is being portrayed there for standing by and being silent, at least on this.

Now, Hamas, they are a terrorist organization.

I don't speak for them, but Israel needs to do more and America needs to do more to force them to allow food in.

It's just, it's heartbreaking to see what's going on.

I served meals in Southern Turkey after the earthquake with somebody from World Central Kitchen who later went to Gaza and was killed by a strike.

Anybody who can watch what we just watched and say, now Israel's doing enough, the U.S. is doing enough, we're not.

Yeah, I mean, she said 400 distribution sites is what they typically would have to feed a population of that size.

And then at those sites, I can show you the headlines.

I mean, dozens killed in separate incidents over the course of the last several weeks, just trying to get aid at those sites, creating incredibly dangerous conditions.

It just seems, Abel, at this moment, it's not actually asking all that much for there to be more than what is happening right now, because what's happening right now is clearly not even close to being enough.

Abbie, to look at the images, obviously it's painful, especially I'm a father.

There's a lot of us here who are fathers to see these kids.

But then Hamas is just, they portray as a political party.

These kids wake up in the morning, there's a kazan coming over their head.

They paint them as snails so these kids can play in culverts to protect themselves.

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Why is the US silent about the starvation in Gaza? CNN NewsNight panel debates

access

situation

panic

miserable