Protests Erupt in D.C. During Netanyahu Visit

A pro-Palestinian demonstrator spray-painted a Hamas support message on the Columbus Fountain outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered at various locations in Washington, D.C., to protest Netanyahu's visit, who earlier addressed U.S. lawmakers at the Capitol.

Pro-Palestinian groups and university students have for months protested in the U.S. against Israel's offensive in Gaza, a Hamas-ruled enclave where health authorities say nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly all of its 2.3 million people have been displaced.

Israel's military assault followed an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, whose militants surged into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sketched a vague outline of a plan for a "deradicalized" post-war Gaza in a speech to Congress and touted a potential future alliance between Israel and America's Arab allies.

“Now Just as malicious lies were leveled for centuries at the Jewish people, malicious lies are now being leveled at the Jewish state.

My friends, whenever and wherever we see the scourge of anti-Semitism, we must unequivocally condemn it and resolutely fight it without exception,” Netanyahu said.

Anti-Israel protesters stand with Hamas and "should be ashamed of themselves," Netanyahu added.

Greeted by a standing ovation and cheers from Republicans, and a more subdued reception from Democrats, Netanyahu pledged that hostages would be released soon.

While dozens of Democrats boycotted his remarks and thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrated nearby, Netanyahu dismissed criticism of an Israeli campaign that has devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 39,000 of its residents, according to Gaza health officials.