Netanyahu addresses US Senate Republicans, days after Chuck Schumer called for his removal as PM

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu virtually addressed the Republican senators in Washington DC Wednesday (March 20) and reportedly disputed the current Gaza death toll by a few thousand despite a lawmaker's purported claim that the Israeli leader was "very mindful" of the civilian death toll.

Netanyahu's address came days after the highest-ranking Jewish official in US history, the chamber's majority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer denounced the Israeli PM's policy decisions about war in Gaza and stood for early elections in the country that could potentially replace the Israeli PM.

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Notably, the Hamas toll does not distinguish between militants and civilians. Israel says that its forces have eliminated at least 13,000gunmen from Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza, as well as 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on or soon after the October 7 attacks.

"He was very mindful of it [Gaza death toll], he talked about it at some length," Senator Josh Hawley was quoted as saying by the New York Times, adding that Netanyahu insisted that Israel was making every effort to minimise civilian casualties.

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Hawley reportedly recalled that Netanyahu estimated the death toll in Gaza to be at roughly 28,000. The latest death toll from the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza was just under 32,000.

Netanyahu was invited to speak at the Republican Party's closed-door lunch by Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming.

In another sign of the purported distrust of the Biden administration against Prime Minister Netanyahu, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, told reporters that Netanyahu called him last week and asked for an opportunity to address the members of his conference.

Netanyahu may address US Congress too

Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, said in a press conference on Wednesday (March 20) that he was considering a request to invite Netanyahu to address Congress.

"I think it’s very important for us to show solidarity and support for Israel right now in their time of great struggle, and we certainly stand for that position and we’ll try to advance that in every way that we can," he said.

Johnson added that he and Netanyahu held a long conversation on Wednesday morningin which he denounced Chuck Schumer's comments against Netanyahu as 'dangerous' and 'foolhardy'.

Meanwhile, as for Netanyahu's proposed plan to assault Gaza's Rafah where over a million displaced Palestinians are currently living, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his Friday visit to Israel will discuss the need to defeat Hamas, "including in Rafah".

(With inputs from agencies)