Pressley, Warren, Markey skip Netanyahu's address to Congress

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington, D.C. Wednesday to address a joint session of Congress, but some of the Massachusetts delegation weren't there to hear what he says.

Speaking Wednesday, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley harshly criticized Netanyahu and the decision to allow him to speak at the Capitol. Instead of attending his address, Pressley said she would provide space for the Palestinian and Israeli victims of the war.

"While the United States Congress wrongly platforms Prime Minister Netanyahu today, a war criminal, I want to platform the people, the civilians killed, the hostages, their families," she said.

Earlier in the day, Pressley took to the floor to tell the story of a Palestinian family affected by the war. She later pushed for the U.S. to stop sending weapons to Israel and for an immediate, lasting cease fire in Gaza.

"We must enforce U.S. law. We must push for a permanent ceasefire to return all hostages and deliver life saving humanitarian aid," Pressley said. "And we must enact an immediate offensive arms embargo to prevent further death and destruction in Gaza."

She later joined other Congressional colleagues, including Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, in a late morning meeting with the family members of Israelis held hostage by Hamas.

Another Massachusetts delegation member skipping Netanyahu's speech was Sen. Elizabeth Warren. In a statement, Warren called for a cease fire in the region, saying the war "has failed to bring the hostages home and [Netanyahu] has created a humanitarian catastrophe."

"We need an immediate ceasefire, the return of all the hostages, and massive amounts of humanitarian aid — and we need to give both sides a hard shove toward the negotiating table to work out a two-state solution for a lasting peace," Warren said.

Sen. Ed Markey also announced he would skip the Netanyahu speech just minutes before it was slated to begin.

"Instead, today, I met with Maya Roman," he said in a statement posted on X, formerly called Twitter. "I worked to bring her cousin Yarden home after she was kidnapped by Hamas during the heinous October 7 terrorist attack. I continue to stand with her, the Roman Gat family and all of the families of hostages, and with the Israeli and Palestinian people who deserve enduring peace."

Markey also called for a cease fire, the release of hostages and "massive" humanitarian aid in Gaza.