Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to address a joint session of the US Congress, as he believed all the hostages would be released by Hamas. He said that with proper support, Israel would complete this task all by itself: "Provide us with the necessary tools, and we will complete the task.".
In a speech that drew hearty applause from Republicans, but none from Democrats, Netanyahu went out of his way to thank both parties. He expressed his gratitude to US President Joe Biden for his "strong support" and to former President Donald Trump for brokering the so-called Abraham Accords between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain in 2020.
But to a standing ovation by Republicans, several Democrats boycotted the event and thousands of demonstrators protested his visit outside the US Congress.
He discussed current efforts to secure the release of hostages; one recently released hostage who had been freed by Israeli forces was in the gallery with his wife, Sarah Netanyahu. Joining him were members of the Israeli military who recently fought against Hamas.
This was the fourth time that he had spoken to Congress, which in itself is a testament to his enormous interest in the politics of the United States. He said once more that he is for continuous bipartisan support for Israel from both Republicans and Democrats so that, no matter who wins the presidential election, Israel will remain an important and strong partner for the US in the Middle East.
He stressed that it was not an Israeli affair, but rather a really very universal struggle. "If there's one thing you remember from tonight's speech," Netanyahu begged, "let it be that: our enemies are your enemies; our fight is your fight, and our victory will be your victory.".
He said any shortages of food among Palestinians in Gaza are due to Hamas diverting supplies—not Israeli actions—during his defense of military action in Gaza.
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