(MENAFN) The Trump administration is set to assume direct control over humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza, citing Israel’s inadequate management of the crisis, according to US and Israeli officials who spoke with a news outlet on Tuesday.

This shift in responsibility was discussed during a White House meeting Monday evening between US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump, sources told the outlet.

Witkoff recently spent more than five hours in Gaza evaluating conditions on the ground, the US State Department confirmed.

A US official conveyed that while Trump is "not thrilled" about stepping in, he acknowledged that "there doesn't seem to be another way."

The decision stems from the administration’s growing frustration over Israel’s insufficient response, the official added.

Describing Trump’s escalating concern, the official stated, "The starvation problem in Gaza is getting worse. Donald Trump does not like that. He does not want babies to starve."

Sources revealed that funding for the expanded US role is anticipated from Gulf countries such as Qatar, with Jordan and Egypt also expected to take part.

An Israeli official confirmed that Tel Aviv endorses the increased US involvement in the aid distribution process.

Currently, aid delivery in Gaza is managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a contentious organization established by Israel with US support in February. Since launching operations in late May, the foundation has seen over 1,300 individuals killed while trying to access aid.

Meanwhile, starvation has claimed the lives of at least 188 people—including 94 children—since October 2023, amid the broader conflict that has resulted in more than 61,000 deaths in Israel’s ongoing war.

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