As the Israel-Hamas war continues, efforts to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization are ongoing, and Israeli forces have launched an assault in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
129 killed, over 400 injured in Khan Younis as Israeli operation continues
At least 129 Palestinians have been killed and 416 others have been injured in and around Khan Younis since the beginning of the Israeli operation there earlier this week, the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said Wednesday.
The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged the operation in Khan Younis was ongoing in another release Wednesday.
Palestinians rush casualties to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis following Israeli bombardment east of the city in the southern Gaza Strip, July 22, 2024.
Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images
-ABC News' Diaa Ostaz and Jordana Miller
Jul 24, 2024, 2:53 PM EDT
5 people removed, arrested from House gallery during Netanyahu address
Five people have been removed and arrested from the House of Representatives gallery for disrupting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress, according to U.S. Capitol Police
Capitol Police also said they deployed pepper spray toward part of a crowd of protesters that they alleged became "violent."
US Capitol police alongside members of the NYPD, pepper spray protesters who gathered outside the US Capitol before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers an address to a joint session of Congress in Washington, July 24, 2024.
Jim Lo Scalzo//EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
"The crowd failed to obey our order to move back from our police line. We are deploying pepper spray towards anyone trying to break the law and cross that line," Capitol Police said in tweet on X.
Jul 24, 2024, 2:33 PM EDT
Schumer did not shake Netanyahu's hand, some Senate Democrats not clapping for certain lines
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the chamber, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer did not shake his hand.
Notably, a group of Senate Democrats sitting in the front row middle section of the chamber, including Schumer and Sen. Mark Kelly, stood but did not clap as Netanyahu entered the chamber -- and many of them are not clapping at the applause lines that the majority of the chamber is clapping for.
In the earliest stages of his remarks, the group is seeming to be very strategic about which sentiments they do clap for.
Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer watches as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives before he addresses a joint meeting of Congress in the chamber of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol on July 24, 2024, in Washington.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Though they didn't clap at Netanyahu's entrance, they did all rise and stand to clap when Schumer said, "America and Israel must stand together."
The group that appears to be being selective with their clapping includes Sens. Gary Peters, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kelly, Maggie Hassan, Cory Booker, Alex Padilla, Schumer, Debbie Stabenow, Richard Blumenthal and Amy Klobuchar.
Jul 24, 2024, 2:30 PM EDT
21 Senate Democrats skip Netanyahu's address to congress
Thirty senate democrats were in the chamber on Wednesday. Sen. Ben Cardin, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is presiding over the chamber.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to speak to a joint meeting of Congress to seek support for Israel's fight against Hamas and other adversaries, at the Capitol in Washington, July 24, 2024.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Notably, Rep. Rashida Tlaib -- the only Palestinian-American in Congress -- is sitting in the House chamber. She has said in the past Netanyahu should be arrested and is a war criminal. As Netanyahu entered the chamber, she remained seated.
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is in attendance and sitting front and center on the aisle.
Sen. Mark Kelly, a potential vice president pick for Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, is seated in the second row.
