Lucknow Press
Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday that during their last meeting in July, he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end Israel’s war in Gaza as soon as possible. Along with this, the former president also criticized the demands for a ceasefire in Gaza. He also talked about expelling Hamas supporters from the country.
Trump told reporters at a press conference on Thursday. “He knows what he’s doing, I encouraged him to end it, end it quickly. … Get your victory and end it. This has to stop, the killing has to stop.”
Trump was referring to his meeting with Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago residence in late July when Netanyahu visited the United States. He also met President Joe Biden and Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris during his visit.
At an event on Thursday about combating anti-Semitism, Trump criticized Biden and Harris’ appeal for a ceasefire in Gaza. He said, “From the beginning, Harris has worked to tie Israel’s hands, demanding an immediate ceasefire, always demanding a ceasefire, this will give Hamas time to regroup and launch a new attack in the style of October 7.”
“I will give Israel the support they need to win, but I want them to win fast,” Trump said.
At the same event, Trump described Palestinian supporters who called for an end to US support for Israel’s war as “pro-Hamas hooligans” and “pro-jihadists.” He threatened to arrest and deport them from the US if he became president.
Both Netanyahu’s office and Trump on Thursday separately denied an Axios report that they had talked the previous day about a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release talks.
