Protesters caused chaos in Congress on Tuesday by demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling for the U.S. to stop ‘supporting the genocide of the people of Gaza’.

Demonstrators called Secretary of State Antony Blinken a ‘murderer’ who has ‘blood on his hands’ as his testimony to the Senate Appropriations Committee was derailed. 

His comments were interrupted multiple times by the group in the audience demanding the U.S. stop ‘supporting the genocide of the people of Gaza’. 

Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin were forced to sit in chaos as protesters chanted ‘ceasefire now’ and held up their hands covered in red paint.

Capitol Police dragged at least five demonstrators out as the chaos suspended the hearing. 

It follows a string of similar demonstrations on Capitol Hill over the Israel-Hamas war and comes hours after Republicans announced a plan for $14.3billion in aid to be sent to Israel.

A hearing in Congress was dramatically taken over by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza

Secretary of State Antony Blinken (foreground) looks ahead as demonstrators with ‘bloody’ hands derail the hearing 

‘Stop the brutal, brutal massacre in Gaza…Ceasefire now! Ceasefire now,’ one heckler shouted.

They also held signs saying: ‘All the walls have got to go’ and ‘Free Gaza’.

Another shouted: ‘Blinken, you have blood on your hands! Murderer.

Blinken restarted his testimony when order restored inside the hearing room. He referenced the demonstrators by saying the U.S. is committed to ‘protecting civilian life.’

‘I also hear very much the passions expressed in this room and outside this room. All of us are committed to the protection of civilian life,’ he said

Just before the hearing began, Israel said it has killed ‘dozens’ of Hamas terrorists during ‘fierce’ fighting ‘deep’ inside Gaza with video showing soldiers scouring the streets for the gunmen amid raging battles. 

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Israeli troops attacked Hamas positions within the terrorists’ vast tunnel network – a key objective for Israel as it it expands ground operations inside Gaza to wipe out Hamas following its gun rampage three weeks ago that killed over 1,400 people.

Amid chaotic scenes Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Ausitn were forced to sit silently as demonstrators chanted ‘Ceasefire now!

Capitol Police remove one of the protesters during the hearing

Capitol Police dragged at least five demonstrators out as the chaos suspended the hearing

Blinken was able to resume his testimony and insisted the U.S. is focused on ‘protecting civilian lives’

On the fifth day of major ground operations inside northern Gaza, the army said it had engaged in ‘fierce battles’ with Hamas terrorists, with footage showing columns of tanks and soldiers advancing further into the besieged enclave.

The IDF said its forces ‘struck a Hamas terrorist outpost’ in the northern Gaza Strip in the last few hours where they killed ‘dozens’ of gunmen and destroyed anti-tank missile launch and observation posts. 

Video released by the IDF shows Israeli troops walking through the bombed out streets of northern Gaza while raising their guns at the destroyed buildings – ready to pounce at any movement of Hamas terrorists potentially hiding within. 

The army said it had hit around 300 targets and confiscated ‘numerous weapons’ such as guns and bombs as well as ‘military compounds inside underground tunnels’ belonging to Hamas terrorists. 

In response, Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli forces with machine gun fire and anti-tank missiles. ‘The soldiers killed terrorists and directed air forces to real-time strikes on targets and terror infrastructure,’ the IDF said. 

The fighting came after Netanyahu on Monday evening slapped aside a call from 120 countries for a sustained humanitarian truce, saying such a ceasefire would be ‘surrendering’ to Hamas. 

‘This will not happen,’ the premier said, vowing Israel would ‘fight until this battle is won’. 

‘Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas,’ he said.