Trump Calls Harris's Remarks on Gaza War 'Offensive'

Donald Trump, after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that his relationship with Netanyahu has always been 'warm' and criticized Kamala Harris's remarks about the Gaza war made the previous day. Netanyahu visited Trump's residence on Friday, expressing hope that negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza would progress. The Israeli Prime Minister had met with Joe Biden, the President of the United States, and Kamala Harris, the Vice President, a day earlier, and Trump criticized Harris's statements, as she is expected to be the Democratic candidate and his rival. Trump remarked on Harris's comments: 'I think her statements were offensive.' Following her meeting with Netanyahu, Harris called for an end to the war and stated she would not remain silent about the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza. She said, 'Israel has the right to defend itself, but how it does so is important.' The U.S. Vice President added that she shared her serious concerns about the suffering of the people in Gaza with the Israeli Prime Minister. She emphasized, 'The time has come to end this war,' and insisted, 'I will not remain silent.' On the other hand, Netanyahu, after his meeting with Trump, expressed hope that his visit to the United States would expedite the ceasefire negotiations. He told reporters that Israel's military pressure on the extremist group Hamas has led to increased efforts to finalize an agreement. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and European countries and has been at war with the Israeli army in Gaza for over nine months. The Gaza war began following Hamas's attack on Israeli territory on October 7 of last year, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis. Since then, around 39,000 people have been killed due to continuous Israeli attacks on Gaza. Trump dismissed any tension with Netanyahu after their meeting on Friday, stating he has always had a good relationship with him. During his presidency, Trump decided to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran, which Netanyahu strongly opposed. However, Netanyahu's congratulatory message to Joe Biden after the 2020 election angered Trump, who claimed there was 'fraud' in that election, a claim that has been debunked. Meanwhile, Netanyahu, in his speech on Wednesday at the U.S. Congress, harshly criticized the Islamic Republic of Iran and accused anti-war protesters gathered outside the Congress building of acting in Iran's interests. He told them they should be 'ashamed' of themselves and added, 'You have officially become useful idiots for Iran.' Netanyahu also stated that 'in the Middle East, the axis of Iranian terrorism is positioned against the U.S., Israel, and our Arab friends.' In this speech, the Israeli Prime Minister emphasized the destruction of Hamas's military capabilities in the Gaza war and identified the return of hostages as another goal of Israel. While he spoke at the U.S. Congress, dozens of Democratic representatives boycotted the speech, but Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, and other Republican members warmly welcomed him.