Thousands of protesters are massed outside the US Capitol building in Washington, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

It comes as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the US Congress, telling its members that Israel’s enemies are also America’s enemies.

Netanyahu also lashed out at the demonstrators, calling them “Iran’s useful idiots”.

He said Hamas’ attack on October 7th 2023 is a day that “will live in infamy”.

About 1,200 people were killed in the attack and 251 others were taken hostage.

Nine months into Israel’s campaign in Gaza, over 39,000 people have been killed.

The Associated Press says more than 50 congressional Democrats were noticeably absent from Congress, after announcing publicly that they would not be attending the speech in protest of the prime minister’s handling of the war.

With regard to the demonstrators, AP says many were there to protest the killings of Palestinians, while others condemned Netanyahu’s inability to free the hostages taken during the October 7th attack.