Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu greeted with standing ovation in Congress amid protests in Washington

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a long list of critics over the war against Hamas in Gaza. They include fellow Israelis demanding a deal to bring Israeli hostages home, as well as many nations that are moving to isolate Israel internationally.

But Netanyahu was greeted with extensive applause in the House chamber in the U.S. Capitol at the start of a joint meeting of Congress. His address has been particularly controversial among Democrats who remain split over Israel and the war against Hamas. And as he spoke, protests sprang up around Washington objecting to that war.

On his flight to Washington on Monday, Netanyahu had a baseball cap emblazoned with the words "Total Victory" — which sums up his belief that Hamas must be completely destroyed in Gaza. This is likely to be a central theme in his speech.

While President Biden supports Israel's war aims, he's also pushing for a cease-fire that's been under discussion for months. There's no sign of an imminent breakthrough, though Netanyahu is sending Israeli negotiators back to Qatar on Thursday for another round of talks.

In addition to his speech on Capitol Hill, Netanyahu is expected to meet with Biden on Thursday and Vice President Harris, and with former President Donald Trump on Friday. Yet all these meetings could come with sticking points.

Biden is frustrated with the way Israel is prosecuting the war, particularly when it comes to the high Palestinian civilian death toll. Gaza's Ministry of Health said recently the number of Palestinians killed in the territory has surpassed 39,000. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but it says women and children account for well over half of the dead.

On the rare occasions when