"He'll do what he said... He'll finish it"

"He's going to do what he said he's going to do. He's going to finish it," Senator James Risch said, according to Reuters. He added that Netanyahu addressed the civilian casualties and the need to send more aid to Gaza.

Risch said that Netanyahu is "very supportive" of plans to build a temporary dock and bring aid to Gaza by sea. The Israeli leader spoke to Republicans via video link a week after Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a speech on the Senate floor in which he sharply criticized Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace and called for new elections in Israel, the agency said.

"We requested data and we received information about the war, the release of hostages and the efforts to defeat Hamas. We told him that Israel has every right to defend itself, and he said that this is exactly what they continue to do," said Senator John Barrasso.

Democratic leaders are grappling with divisions in their party over the humanitarian disaster in Gaza five months after the war that began with attacks by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7. Schumer's spokesman said Netanyahu offered to talk to Democrats as well, but Schumer declined, saying the talks should not be partisan.

"I care deeply about Israel and its long-term future. When you make it a partisan issue, you hurt the cause of helping Israel," Schumer told reporters.