‘Cancel your trip to Washington if…’: Yair Lapid vs Netanyahu in Israeli Knesset over hostage deal

Israeli opposition lawmakers slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in a heated debate at the Knesset on Wednesday (July 17) as he vowed to fight against Hamas until ‘absolute victory.’ Netanyahu is criticised for his war management and for delaying an agreement on a deal that could see the release of some 120 hostages held for more than nine months in Gaza. Netanyahu is due to address the U.S. Congress on July 24 during a visit to Washington. He will speak to a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate. In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid called on Netanyahu to cancel his trip to Washington if a ceasefire deal is not reached by then. Netanyahu is expected to meet U.S. President Joe Biden and address the U.S. Congress about his country’s war in Gaza, a White House official said.