Trump Ally Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee faces backlash after dismissing Gaza genocide and starvation claims, saying Palestinians need Ozempic instead X via @GovMikeHuckabee

Mike Huckabee has sparked fresh outrage after appearing to dismiss claims of genocide and starvation in Gaza while suggesting some Palestinians shown in photographs looked like they needed Ozempic.

The remarks, highlighted on The Kyle Kulinski Show, have fuelled criticism of the former Arkansas governor and current US ambassador to Israel, particularly over his argument that Israel could not be committing genocide because Gaza's population has continued to grow.

Huckabee made the comments while discussing accusations against Israel, arguing that the country had delivered large quantities of food and medical supplies to Gaza during the war.

His remarks have since been seized upon by critics who say population figures and food deliveries do not, by themselves, disprove hunger, civilian deaths or allegations of atrocities.

Huckabee Dismisses Gaza Genocide Claims

In the podcast segment, host Kyle Kulinski played a clip of Huckabee discussing allegations of genocide and starvation in Gaza.

'If Israel is attempting genocide, they are really, really bad at it,' Huckabee said.

He then pointed to the amount of food he said Israel had allowed into Gaza and referred to photographs of Hamas leaders, claiming they did not appear to be starving.

'You see people who need a good dose of Ozempic,' Huckabee said.

Ozempic is a prescription medicine primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes, although drugs in the same class have become widely associated with weight loss.

Huckabee also cited Israel's provision of vaccines against polio and claimed Gaza's population had continued to grow since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack and the subsequent war.

Starvation Claims Become a Major Flashpoint

The discussion quickly turned towards the separate allegation that Palestinians in Gaza have faced severe food shortages.

Kulinski challenged the suggestion that food entering Gaza automatically meant civilians were receiving enough to eat.

In the podcast, he cited figures attributed to international organisations and argued that the amount of food entering the territory should not be confused with the amount actually consumed by civilians.

The distinction has become a major part of arguments over the humanitarian crisis. Aid deliveries can be affected by distribution problems, insecurity, damaged infrastructure and restrictions on movement, meaning food entering a conflict zone does not necessarily reach every household.

The podcast also referenced reports of extreme food shortages during the conflict, with Kulinski arguing that some Palestinians had survived on drastically reduced calorie intake.

Photographs and videos of severely malnourished children have also become central to the wider debate over Gaza's humanitarian situation, although individual cases can have multiple medical causes.

Huckabee Faces Backlash Over Ozempic Remark

The Ozempic comment became the most striking part of Huckabee's remarks because it appeared to turn a discussion about alleged starvation into one about obesity.

Kulinski reacted angrily, accusing Huckabee and other pro-Israel voices of dismissing evidence of suffering despite extensive footage, photographs and reporting from Gaza.

The host also criticised former Republican congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, who was discussed earlier in the same podcast segment after reportedly arguing that Gaza's population growth contradicted claims of genocide and saying obesity was a greater problem.

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