Donald Trump has criticised his former ally Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the Israeli prime minister was not prepared for the Hamas attack that triggered the deadliest conflict in the region in 50 years. In an interview with Fox News, the former US president and 2024 Republican frontrunner said Netanyahu 'was not prepared' and that 'Israel was not prepared' for the surprise assault by the Palestinian militant group.
The Hamas attack on Saturday killed more than 1,200 Israelis and injured over 2,700, according to Israeli officials. In response, Israel declared war and launched unprecedented strikes on Gaza, where the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports 1,200 dead and about 5,500 wounded.
Trump also praised Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group designated as a terrorist organisation by the US, calling them 'very smart' for their intelligence on Hamas. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has reportedly fired rockets in solidarity with Hamas after three of its members were killed by Israeli fire.
The remarks drew immediate condemnation from Trump's Republican rival Ron DeSantis, who said it was 'absurd' to attack Israel and praise Hezbollah terrorists. Trump's spokesperson Steven Cheung defended the comments, arguing they were aimed at criticising the Biden administration for 'telegraphing to the terrorists an area that is susceptible to an attack'.
Trump and Netanyahu once had a close relationship, but a rift emerged towards the end of Trump's presidency. Trump has previously said Netanyahu did not want peace with the Palestinians. Speaking to supporters in Florida, Trump reiterated that Israeli security had failed to detect the threat, warning that Israel faces 'potentially a very big force' including Iran, which reportedly funds Hamas.
