WASHINGTON: US Senator Bernie Sanders has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and a “liar” following his speech to a joint session of US Congress where he spoke of his “vision for Gaza” with a “future of prosperity, security and peace”, Al Jazeera reports.

“All humanitarian organisations agree: Tens of thousands of children face starvation because his extremist government continues to block aid,” Sanders wrote on X.

Sanders, who boycotted the speech along with a number of other high-profile Democratic senators, accused Netanyahu of coming “to Congress to campaign” amid his rising unpopularity among Israelis.

Hamas has said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “misleading” the international community after he addressed the US Congress and called for expedited military aid to his country, AFP reports.

“Netanyahu’s talk about intensified efforts to return the hostages is a complete lie and misleading Israeli, American and international public opinion, while he is the one who thwarted all efforts aimed at ending the war and concluding a deal to release the prisoners, despite the continuous efforts of mediators from our brothers in Egypt and Qatar,” the Palestinian group said in a statement.

US Democratic Senator Nancy Pelosi has described a speech given by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington as “by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary” ever at US Congress, Al Jazeera reports.

“Many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings,” she wrote on X.