The deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza could trigger a 9/11-style terror attack on US soil, senior Republican figures warned, according to a report by The Telegraph on Thursday.
A senior congressional aide told The Telegraph that while the elimination of Hamas serves American national security interests, continued US support for Israel amid worsening conditions in Gaza risks making American citizens targets of reprisal attacks by Hamas and its allies.
“Ending Hamas is beneficial to American national security, but at what cost?” the aide said. “If we continue to see this humanitarian crisis exacerbate, it will further damage America’s standing globally.”
“Ultimately, we don’t want to see another 9/11,” the source added.
The aide stressed that while Israel is “fighting a valiant and fair and worthy fight,” the tactics employed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF risk further inflaming tensions with the broader Muslim world and provoking escalation against the West.
The comments come amid growing international pressure on Israel to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the Gaza Strip. Aid groups have warned that thousands of children face starvation, with the territory teetering on the edge of famine.
Trump acknowledged there is 'real starvation' in Gaza
US President Donald Trump, in a rare break from Netanyahu, acknowledged earlier this week that there is “real starvation” in Gaza and announced that the US would establish aid centers. “We have to get the kids fed,” he said.
Trump pushed back on Israel’s assertion that reports of starvation were Hamas propaganda. “I see it, and you can’t fake that,” he said, referring to graphic images of severely malnourished children in the enclave. However, he stopped short of directly criticizing the Israeli leader.
Vice President JD Vance took a firmer stance during a visit to Ohio, describing the images from Gaza as “heartbreaking” and stating it was “up to the Israelis” to ensure humanitarian aid is allowed in.
Meanwhile, divisions are emerging among prominent Republicans, largely from Trump's base, some of whom are voicing sharp criticism of Israel’s handling of the war.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch Trump ally, became the first GOP lawmaker to accuse Israel of committing “genocide,” comparing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to the atrocities of October 7. Greene, who has previously defended Israel in Congress, referred to the situation as a “genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation.”
She was joined by former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who said on his War Room podcast that Israel now has “almost no support” among younger MAGA voters and accused Netanyahu of “trying to save himself politically by dragging America in deeper to another Middle East war.”
A former senior Trump administration official told The Telegraph that Greene and Bannon are at the early stages of building momentum around their criticism of Israel, warning that their voices could gain traction within Trump’s base.
“There are an increasing number of people across the board who think Bibi [Benjamin Netanyahu] is taking advantage of us,” said a former official from the George W. Bush administration.
Another congressional source acknowledged the shift in tone. “My team and I have been going back and forth on how to message this differently. I think it’s definitely becoming a more nuanced issue,” the source said. “Those who are not willing to accept that are not in step with the majority of Americans.”
Eroding American public opinion of the war in Gaza
A recent Gallup poll found that just 32 percent of Americans currently approve of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza – the lowest level since November 2023, one month after the Hamas-led assault on October 7.
Some Republicans now warn that the growing devastation in Gaza may embolden isolationist voices within the MAGA movement to push for reduced military aid to Israel, which currently receives $3.8 billion annually from Washington.
“The further the humanitarian crisis goes on without it being addressed by Israeli top officials, the stronger and more popular the argument among the isolationists within the administration becomes,” said a senior Republican aide.
Another former Trump official said the criticism of Israel from Bannon and Greene is “driven purely by ideology and politics with the cover of it being based on humanitarian concern.”
“You can’t divorce US taxpayer spending from the conversation about American support for Israel,” the official added.