United States President Donald Trump has floated the idea of letting Israel take full control of food distribution centres in Gaza — a proposal that critics say could deepen the humanitarian crisis and put more Palestinian civilians at risk.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump repeated unproven claims that Hamas routinely steals aid sent into Gaza, despite multiple aid agencies and UN officials denying any such large-scale diversion.

“A lot of things have been stolen. They send money. They send food. And Hamas steals it,” Trump said. “So it’s a tricky little game.”

Trump added that he trusted Israel to oversee aid handouts, even as reports continue to mount of Israeli forces firing on desperate Palestinians trying to reach existing food points.

“We’re going to be dealing with Israel. And we think they can do a good job of it,” he said. “They want to preside over the food centres to make sure the distribution is proper.”

It remains unclear where these new centres would be set up, or whether they would operate directly under Israeli forces or via the controversial US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has faced allegations of dangerous and chaotic aid operations.

Since May, Israel has kept a stranglehold on food access in Gaza, funnelling nearly all deliveries through the four GHF sites in the south. These areas have repeatedly become scenes of bloodshed, with hundreds of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire while waiting for or leaving food distribution lines, according to local reports and witnesses.

Whistleblowers, including US veterans working with GHF, have painted a grim picture of deliberate violence used to control crowds. Anthony Aguilar, who previously worked with the group, testified to Senator Chris Van Hollen:

“What I saw on numerous occasions are the Israeli [military] firing into the crowds of Palestinians… not because they were combatants or hostile or Hamas, but simply as a means to control the crowd.”

Dozens have already died of malnutrition under Israel’s blockade, with aid groups warning that famine conditions are spreading fast. Despite this, Trump stopped short of pressing Israel for broader humanitarian access.

On Monday, the president conceded there is “real starvation” in Gaza but offered no criticism of Israel’s actions. Instead, on Tuesday he made clear he wants Israel in charge of feeding Palestinians.

“I think Israel wants to do it, and they’ll be good at doing it,” Trump said. “The food will be properly distributed.”

When asked if the US would consider pressuring Israel toward a long-term solution or ceasefire, Trump dismissed the idea, saying any such push would only “reward Hamas”.

Rights groups warn that putting Israeli troops directly in charge of food distribution risks repeating recent tragedies — and could make a catastrophic hunger crisis even worse.

With input from Al Jazeera