US lawmaker says nuking Gaza would harm Israel

Republican congressman Randy Fine has said using a nuclear bomb on Gaza would be “a terrible idea” because radioactive fallout would reach Israel and kill Israeli hostages.

Speaking to CNN on Monday, Fine, an ardent Zionist, defended previous comments in which he appeared to back the use of nuclear weapons against Palestinians.

“Nuking Gaza would be a terrible idea - the fallout would drift into Israel,” he said. “It would kill the hostages.”

When pressed about the risk of killing civilians, including women and children, Fine replied: “War is a messy thing.”

In May, Fine told Fox News that Israel should follow the model of World War II, when the United States used nuclear weapons to force Japan’s unconditional surrender. He argued that negotiations with Palestinians were not viable.

“There is something deeply wrong with this culture and it needs to be defeated,” he said, repeating his belief that only overwhelming military force can bring an end to the conflict.