U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Monday became the first Republican member of Congress to describe Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a “genocide,” marking a rare break from her party’s traditionally strong support for Israel.

Her comments followed a post by fellow Republican Rep. Randy Fine of Florida, who wrote on X, “Release the hostages. Until then, starve away.” He also called malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza “Muslim terrorist propaganda.”

“It’s the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct. 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza,” Greene posted on X. She also condemned Fine’s remarks, calling it “disgraceful” for “a Jewish U.S. Representative calling for the continued starvation of innocent people and children.”

Greene’s use of the term “genocide” places her among a small group of 12 U.S. lawmakers who have used such language to describe Israel’s actions in Gaza, according to Zeteo.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. Over 18,000 of them were children. At least 154 Palestinians have died from starvation, with more than half of those deaths recorded in July. A U.N.-backed report recently warned of “the worst-case scenario of famine” in the enclave.

Greene’s remarks came the same day U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged widespread hunger in Gaza, contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeated denials.

“I mean some of those kids. That’s real starvation. I see it and you can’t fake it,” Trump told reporters during an official visit to Scotland.

Greene’s comments mark a sharp departure from her earlier positions. In 2023, she introduced a resolution to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, for criticizing Israeli policies. She now finds herself aligned with progressive Democrats who have long condemned Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

“[Greene] is actually the first Republican member of Congress to use that word ‘genocide’… it reflects a changing attitude in the United States,” Times Radio reported Wednesday.

A recent CNN poll supports that trend: only 27% of Americans now consider Israel’s actions in Gaza fully justified, down from 54% following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

Greene’s statement signals emerging cracks in the bipartisan consensus backing Israel’s war and may prompt renewed debate in Congress as the humanitarian crisis deepens.

For Muslim American communities and Palestinian rights advocates, her comments represent a striking shift from an unexpected source — potentially opening new avenues for bipartisan engagement on U.S. policy in the Middle East.