Gaza And Genie Lamp: U.S. State Department Spokesperson Mentions “46 Million Meals” Eleven Times In 21 Minutes. “that is the story here” Four Times. Requesting Other Country Support Nine Times
Staying On Message Even When Message Is Misleading
State Department Spokesperson Mentions “46 Million Meals” Eleven Times In 21 Minutes
“That is the story here”
Mentions “Story” Six Times
Viewing the performance of the Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the United States Department of State on Thursday, 26 June 2026, reinforced how a strategy of continuing to repeat phrases so media references are likely to include the desired information can go horribly wrong. See transcript excerpts at end of this analysis
The result was akin to watching someone rubbing a lantern- in this instance eleven times, and hoping the genie would appear to grant wishes- which in this instance would be to have journalists embrace a narrative about Trump-Vance Administration (2025-2029) decisions for Gaza that is entirely devoid from reality.
“So that’s what the story is here…”
“And I think, again, the story here is 46 million meals being delivered to the people of Gaza. That is the story here.”
“[T]he story is the distribution of 40-plus million meals.”
“The story here, again, as I’ve said – as you pointed out – is that 46 million meals. That’s the story here, and the fact that we’re encouraging other countries to step up and support this.”
For perspective, forty-six million meals available to be distributed to approximately 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza means approximately twenty meals per person- less than one meal per day for one month.
However, not every man, woman, or child has access to the meals distributed due to distance to reach any of the four distribution centers, due to lack of transportation to the distribution centers, and due to the inefficient distribution system managed by the distribution centers which results in some people obtaining more than one meal.
There are approximately 2.3 million people inhabiting Gaza. The government of the State of Israel has since 7 October 2023 demonstrably constrained the delivery into Gaza of food products, agricultural commodities, and healthcare products.
Why should United States taxpayers provide US$30 million- or any funds, to the privately-operated Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) which is managed by forty-one-year-old United States citizen with a background in public relations.
r appropriate for the Trump-Vance Administration to seek from countries contributions to the GHF.
The responsibility to feed and to provide access to electricity, fuel, gas, and water to the approximately 2.3 million people inhabiting Gaza is solely the responsibility of the government of the State of Israel as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has destroyed infrastructure throughout Gaza and enforced decisions by the government of the State of Israel to prevent consistent deliveries of food into Gaza.
The group Hamas is not blocking access for deliveries into Gaza from the north, south, east, and west. The IDF is doing that- solely. Thus, they by default have sole responsibility for those who have been impacted by their operational decisions.
Muslim-led nations should, in the words spoken in 1982 by Nancy Reagan, First Lady of the United States (1981-1989), say “Just Say No” when speaking about children avoiding the use of illegal narcotics, to providing funding for Gaza. Specifically, no reconstruction funding until taxpayers in the State of Israel make payments for what the IDF inflicted upon the inhabitants and infrastructure of Gaza.
If Muslim-led nations do permit the government of the State of Israel to escape financial responsibility for what the IDF has inflicted since 7 October 2023 upon the approximately 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza, then not only will the decision give permission for the IDF to do again in Gaza, but set the stage for the IDF to target other real estate in, for example, Egypt, Jordan, Iran (again), Iraq, Lebanon (again), and Syria (again).
Links To Related Analyses
United States Department of State
Washington DC
26 June 2026
Thomas Pigott
Principal Deputy Spokesperson
Press Briefing
2:15 p.m. to 2:41 p.m.
Excerpts (bold added)
QUESTION: So there’s nothing on GHF?
MR PIGOTT: So what I can say on GHF actually – let me – anticipating this question. So what I can say is we have approved funding for $30 million to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and we call on other countries to also support the GHF, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and its critical work. A track record of distributing over 46 million meals distributed to date all while preventing Hamas looting is absolutely incredible and should be commended and supported. From day one, we said we are open to creative solutions that securely provide aid to those in Gaza and protects Israel. This support is simply the latest iteration of President Trump’s and Secretary Rubio’s pursuit of peace in the region.
QUESTION: Do you – this is a technical question. Do you happen to know what account that money is coming from?
MR PIGOTT: At this point, I do not.
MR PIGOTT: I’ll take it back and see if we can get you an answer.
QUESTION: If I may, I also wanted to follow up on something that Matt raised on the GHF. There has been a lot of criticism, almost universal criticism, from the Arab world, from the UN, and others, about the distribution process – four limited sites in southern Gaza, no access in northern Gaza, the deployment of IDF troops monitoring access in violation of certain international norms and the Geneva Conventions. Can you tell us as the U.S. is about to begin funding whether they are expanding the sites to more sites so that they can equal what the World Food Program and others had done previously?
MR PIGOTT: Well look, what I can say is again that 46 million meals distributed to date. That’s something that should be applauded. We’ve talked about here in the past different distribution sites that have been opened, but I think this is an example of seeing that aid that has been distributed and President Trump’s commitment, Secretary Rubio implementing that vision here, to get aid to the people of Gaza. So we’re seeing those 46 million meals and then we’re seeing from there the fact that we’re seeing this $30 million approved.
QUESTION: But if I may, if you do the math, there are 2 million people in Gaza. If you figure that families have multiple children and that this process has been going on now for nearly a month, 46 million meals don’t amount to feeding the population of Gaza.
MR PIGOTT: Well, it’s 46 million meals that have been distributed. That is a positive thing. And we call on other countries to support the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and its work, as we have this $30 million that are approved. We’re seeing the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in line with President Trump’s call to deliver aid in a way where it can’t be looted by Hamas. We’re seeing those creative solutions. We’re seeing the fact that we have 46 million meals distributed. That is good news that we have those meals being distributed, and we call on other countries to join in supporting the GHF’s work.
QUESTION: Every time there’s been a distribution in some of those centers, there has been chaotic scenes and, according to the Palestinian sources, shots and people actually dying heading towards these centers. Now the Israeli army is saying it’s investigating and all that, but it seems to be a pattern from the beginning. So do you have no issue with that whatsoever? Can you – what’s your take on that?
MR PIGOTT: Well, there are two factors here. First, we refer you to the IDF on their investigations. Second, I would remind you that many of these reports, some of these reports, are based in Hamas propaganda. So we have two factors here when it comes to some of these reports.
Ultimately, we want to see aid reach the people of Gaza. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has delivered 46 million meals. We’ve seen that. We want to see that food being delivered. We see the $30 million approved. So that’s what the story is here – moving to implement, get those creative solutions in there to make sure that the aid being distributed is not being looted by Hamas.
QUESTION: And just to follow up on that, you said $30 million. Has that money actually been given to the foundation already?
MR PIGOTT: It’s been —
QUESTION: And to whom?
MR PIGOTT: It’s been approved. That’s as far as I can go on that front.
QUESTION: Yeah. Just to follow on what everyone is asking about, you say you want to see aid get into Gaza. Are you pushing the Israeli Government to allow other groups into Gaza to distribute aid? Today, GHF was the only one allowed into the strip.
MR PIGOTT: What we’re pushing for is for other countries to join us in supporting the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s work. That’s what we’re pushing for.
QUESTION: But there are other groups who had been established and had methods that were able to distribute more widely before the restrictions of the Israeli Government, so are you asking them to also lift these restrictions?
MR PIGOTT: What we’re pushing for is for other countries to support the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s work – the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation being able to deliver that aid without it being looted by Hamas. And again, that’s about that creative solution that President Trump has said from the beginning. So we call on other countries to support the GHF in this.
QUESTION: Thank you, Tom. Just a follow-up. I mean, I’m sure that 46 million meals are very good and the Palestinians appreciate that, but that – as Andrea said, that translates to about 20 meals a person over a period of a month, because it’s been a month since they started this thing. So there are only like four centers, so are there any plans to expand these centers to make – to more – opening more entry points and so on for aid and all this? Because Gaza used to receive a thousand, maybe a couple thousand trucks of food a day. So it is a situation very dire.
MR PIGOTT: So I don’t have anything to preview in terms of future plans here. I’m not going to get into that here. I can say what we’ve seen in the past is distribution sites opening. We’ve seen a ramp-up of the meals being delivered.
MR PIGOTT: And I think, again, the story here is 46 million meals being delivered to the people of Gaza. That is the story here.
QUESTION: Let me follow up very, very quickly. Yes, but also it has been a death trap. I mean, everybody is documenting that. Palestinians are being killed at these centers and so on. Many of them are afraid to go. There is a looming disaster. I mean, is – are you talking to the Israelis? Are you urging them not to be trigger-happy in confronting very hungry people who are so desperate that they’re probably grabbing stuff and so on?
MR PIGOTT: Well, I answered your question earlier. But I think it’s also important to recognize that Hamas bears sole responsibility for this conflict, as has been stated from this podium several times by Spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
MR PIGOTT: The fact that we’re seeing Hamas act in certain ways – and really in barbaric ways, that they’ve continually done that. So Hamas bears sole responsibility for this conflict. And again, the story here is the 46 million meals that have been able to be distributed to the people in Gaza during this time and the fact that we’re encouraging other countries to also support the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
QUESTION: Thanks, Tommy. Sticking on the GHF, do the Americans plan on playing – other than the role of a benefactor here – any other role in terms of management, in terms of security? There were eight Palestinian GHF contractors that were shot dead, what, last week. What is the role here other than here’s cash?
MR PIGOTT: Well look, fundamentally, again, we wanted to make sure we get those resources in a way that helps deliver that food, helps deliver that aid. I have no further details for you at this time. We may have more details in the days ahead. But ultimately this is about those 46 million meals and trying to get more aid into Gaza, in the sense of that $30 million that’s been approved for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
QUESTION: Hi, Tommy. I’m going to stick on this subject just for a little bit more. You keep saying that this – the story is the distribution of 40-plus million meals, and we’re just – we’re trying to just point out all of the other multifaceted angles of what’s going on here given that the government is about to invest a lot of money into this. So I’m just wondering, like, what – why – again, to Jenny’s question, does this mean the U.S. Government doesn’t support the World Food Program trying to get into Gaza right now? And if not, why not? I just – we’re just trying to get a clear answer on whether – why is it just one organization and not the others?
MR PIGOTT: Well, as I just said, what this indicates is the fact that we have $30 million approved for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. That’s what this indicates. We’ve also seen the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, as I was saying, been able to deliver aid in a way that is not being looted by Hamas. The story here, again, as I’ve said – as you pointed out – is that 46 million meals. That’s the story here, and the fact that we’re encouraging other countries to step up and support this. President’s been clear. He’s been looking for those creative solutions to get aid into Gaza. This is one of those indicators, showing a follow-through on that commitment from Secretary Rubio here implementing that vision at the State Department.
QUESTION: And I don’t – sorry, if I could just have one more. I don’t know if you’ve seen in the last couple of weeks there was an American security contractor who used to work for the organization. He wrote his experience in Zeteo, and he described how the contractors, the Americans going to work for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, were themselves not getting enough sleep, not getting enough to eat. He describes how some of the contractors were picking up food from the ground, aid that was – food that was supposed to go to the Palestinian people. I’m just going to very quickly read this to you. He said, “We’re telling crying women trying to pick up food for their families that they had to go were looking at this food on the ground that they desperately needed, and they couldn’t take it.” He said, “It was absolutely horrific.” So when you say the story is that you are – they are getting millions of meals out, the other side of it is that there are many more people who are not getting food and it’s not enough food, and the security situation on the ground – other stories are starting to come out about people who were actually there. So do you have a comment on the experience of some of these contractors who you are about to – you are about to fund?
MR PIGOTT: Well, at every single one of these briefings every single day we have conversations about the situation in Gaza. Every single day we have those conversations. And every single day we’ve been working in terms of trying to figure out creative ways to get aid to the people of Gaza. Every single day we’ve been working on that – the humanitarian situation – trying to address that every single day. And what we’re seeing here is that $30 million commitment to this organization. That is what we’re seeing. That is the commitment that President Trump laid out in terms of trying to get those creative solutions in there. So that’s really what we’re talking about here, that $30 million going to that organization, the 46 million meals. But of course we’re aware of what’s happening in Gaza. That’s part of why the President had this commitment to get aid in there, but also to get to that ceasefire, get to that peace, talking about long-term prosperity for everyone in the region, the fact that the people of Gaza have suffered tremendously under the hands of Hamas. The President has spoken about this continually. So has Secretary Rubio. So that’s part of what we’re seeing here, that $30 million to this foundation, and we encourage, as I said, other countries to also join in supporting this effort.
QUESTION: Thank you. Thanks, Tommy. You mentioned the Israeli army investigations into some of the food distribution incidents at these GHF sites. On June 2nd, Ambassador Huckabee – excuse me – Huckabee attacked the press for reporting on some of the scenes of chaos and bloodshed, and he said that all the meals back then initially had been distributed smoothly and with – quote, “without incident.” Will the ambassador amend his statement against the press if the army – the Israeli army confirms that there had, indeed, been chaos and bloodshed at the aid distribution sites?
MR PIGOTT: Well, I’m not going to speculate on the future there. What I can say is – I’d refer you to my earlier answer about the two dynamics that we’re dealing with here.
QUESTION: And I have a follow-up about the GHF. You said that there are investigations, or are you aware that there are investigations from the Israelis? Because you said that there are looting by Hamas, but we are seeing kids dying, so why they are using force when there are kids, like, just trying to get food that they are in dire need for?
MR PIGOTT: As I said, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is part of why we have seen the President call for creative solutions to get aid into Gaza. It’s important to remember, though, that as I said, again, Hamas bears sole responsibility for this conflict. That is fundamental. And what we’re seeing here is the President saying we need creative solutions to get aid into the Gaza, and we’re seeing $30 million approved to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in order to support those efforts.
QUESTION: There’s force used next to kids who are in dire need of food. Why are they – why are the IDF using force and, like, bullets next to kids who are trying just to get some flour?
MR PIGOTT: Well, as – I, again, refer you to my earlier answer of the two dynamics here: the fact that there are some examples and the IDF has said publicly that they are investigating – I refer you to them on their investigation — but also that there are examples – excuse me – where – of Hamas propaganda. So they are two different dynamics here. I refer you to them on that question.
