Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon address the US Congress, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Thursday, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
“We will soon be hosting Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Capitol for a joint session of Congress,” Johnson said, noting that the visit would signify “a very strong show of support to the Israeli government.”
This invitation follows a double setback for Israel this week: the recognition of a Palestinian state by three European countries and the announcement by the International Criminal Court prosecutor that he would seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes during the Gaza conflict.
The United States has been a steadfast supporter of Israel in its war, which was triggered by the shocking cross-border attack on October 7 by Hamas militants.
However, Democratic President Joe Biden has increasingly urged Netanyahu to moderate his operations in Gaza amid a rising civilian death toll, even threatening to halt arms supplies—a stance opposed by Republicans.
The White House has expressed frustration with Israel, particularly over its military actions in the Gaza city of Rafah, where more than one million people are taking shelter.
Republicans have criticized Biden over his threat to cut off arms supplies, with Johnson accusing Biden of “carrying water” for Hamas.
The bloodiest Gaza war to date erupted after Hamas’s unprecedented attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians.
Militants also took 252 hostages, with 124 still in Gaza, including 37 whom the army reports as dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 35,800 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
