Trump ruthless take on Israel's war on Gaza: 'Finish the problem'

Trump ruthless take on Israel's war on Gaza: 'Finish the problem'
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump declared his support for Israel's ongoing war in Gaza in a Fox News interview.
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Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump takes the stage to speak at a Super Tuesday election night party on March 5 [Getty]

US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has thrown his support for Israel in its war in Gaza, in his most explicit comments yet on the fighting, as international pressure grows on Washington to rein in its ally as more than 30,000 Palestinians are killed in the assault.

"Yes," Trump responded when asked during an interview on Fox News if he was "in Israel's camp".

The interviewer then asked if the former president was "on board" with the way Israel was executing its offensive in Gaza.

"You've got to finish the problem," Trump responded.

President Joe Biden, whom Trump is set to challenge for the White House in November, has come under increasing fire both internationally and from his own Democratic base over his backing for Israel as the death toll in Gaza soars and the specter of famine looms.

Palestinian group Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October, resulting in about 1,160 deaths, according to Israeli figures.

Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed 30,534 people, the vast majority women and children, according to the health ministry in the besieged territory.

US protest movements have urged voters to punish Biden at the polls over his support for Israel.

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More than 100,000 people in Michigan voted "uncommitted" rather than cast their ballot for him in the US swing state's Democratic primary last week.

As conditions deteriorate, Israel is facing an increasingly sharp rebuke from its top ally the United States.

Vice President Kamala Harris expressed "deep concern about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza" during talks in Washington on Monday with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz.

Washington has been stepping up pressure on its ally Israel to do more to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the UN has warned that a quarter of the 2.3 million people in the enclave are on the brink of famine.

Trump has been a fervent supporter of Israel throughout his political career, including breaking with US and international consensus by moving the country's embassy to Israel to Jerusalem and recognising Israeli claims to the illegally occupied Syrian Golan Heights,