Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their last meeting in July to quickly end Israel’s offensive in Gaza, but the former president also criticised ceasefire demands, Reuters reports.

“He knows what he’s doing, I did encourage him to get this over with,” Trump told reporters at a press conference on Thursday. “It has to get over with fast. […] Get your victory and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop.”

In an event later on Thursday about tackling anti-Semitism, Trump labelled pro-Palestinian supporters calling for an end to US support for Israel’s operation as “pro-Hamas thugs” and “jihad sympathisers”. He threatened to arrest and deport them from the US if he became president.

Trump also criticised Biden and Harris’ months-long calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“From the start, Harris has worked to tie Israel’s hand behind its back, demanding an immediate ceasefire, always demanding ceasefire,” Trump said, adding it “would only give Hamas time to regroup and launch a new October 7 style attack.”

Trump added: “I will give Israel the support that it needs to win but I do want them to win fast.”

Netanyahu’s office and Trump both separately denied on Thursday an Axios report that said they had spoken the previous day about Gaza ceasefire and hostage release talks.