Israel-Gaza updates: Hostage speaks 1st time since release

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., to Israel on Wednesday and thanked him for his "moral clarity."

"We've been through dark times in these months of anguish war, and during that time, I can say that Israel has had no better friend than Sen. Jon Fetterman," Netanyahu said in a video. "Senator, welcome to Israel. I want to thank you for your courageous statements that show moral clarity and moral courage. And you just say it the way it is, and we appreciate your friendship at all times, but especially these times."

Fetterman has become outspoken in his support for Israel as some Democrats have increasingly distanced themselves amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He's been seen carrying a small Israel flag around the Capitol and at one point waived a large Israeli flag from the roof of his home in Pennsylvania as protesters gathered on the street waiving Palestinian flags below.

According to the post on X, Netanyahu told Fetterman that "his standing up to pro-Palestinian demonstrators, while waving an Israeli flag, was courageous and heart-warming."

In the video, Fetterman told Netanyahu, "We stand with Israel through this, and I am so sorry for what's been done to this nation, but I'm just in honor to be here today."

At the end of the video, Netanyahu told Fetterman, "I look forward to visiting you in Washington."

Netanyahu is set to address Congress on July 24.

-ABC News’ Allie Pecorin

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote a letter to President Biden on Wednesday urging the president to "leverage all American options and influence to support Israel in bringing these hostages home."

"I write today to express grave concern that your administration is not taking sufficient steps to ensure the release of American hostages who are detained by Hamas." Johnson said. "The United States must do everything in our power to support Israel’s right to self-defense, and work toward the immediate release of hostages, including the remaining American citizens."

Johnson requested a briefing before July 10 on "the specific ways in which your administration plans to address the increasingly dire situation."

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

In the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that the U.S. has slowed the flow of weapons, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said that all the weapons continue to flow except "only one shipment of high-density, low-precision munitions that has been paused."

"Israel continues to get arms and ammunition," Kirby told reporters on Wednesday. "We want to make sure that they have what they need … that commitment will not waver."

Kirby did repeat the administration's message that they are "not going to respond" to all of Netanyahu’s public statements.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said after his White House meeting with national security adviser Jake Sullivan, "We have made significant progress in addressing force buildup and munition supply."

Asked whether the U.S. would support Israel if the war escalated into a conflict on the northern border with Hezbollah, Kirby said more conflict with Hezbollah is not in Israeli's interest and reiterated America's support for Israel.

“We want to see no second front opened and we want to see if we can resolve the tensions up there through diplomatic processes,” Kirby said.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

Officials from the United Nations and the Israel Defense Ministry met to work on addressing security issues impacting aid distribution in Gaza, a U.S. official told ABC News.

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford