Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their last meeting in July to quickly end Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip. At a press conference in New Jersey, Trump stressed that Israel must win quickly and end the ongoing violence. “It has to be over quickly. … Get your victory and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop,” Trump said, referring to his conversation with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago.

The former president also attacked President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their continued calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, arguing that such demands would only give Hamas time to regroup. Trump criticized those calling for a ceasefire as “pro-Hamas thugs” and “jihad sympathizers” and threatened to arrest and deport them if he becomes president again.

Trump and Netanyahu both denied an Axios report that they discussed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations the previous day. The report claimed the phone call was intended to get Netanyahu to consider a ceasefire, which has encountered numerous obstacles despite mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.