The U.S. Capitol Police announced on Wednesday that they had arrested 6 people who are relatives of detainees in Gaza during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before a joint session of Congress.

Capitol Police spokesperson Briana Birch stated that the detainees "disrupted" the speech from within the House chamber, according to the American news site Axios.

She added that the charges against these individuals were made under a local law prohibiting "marching, protesting, or demonstrating inside any of the Capitol buildings."

The protesters wore shirts with the phrase "Make the deal now," demanding Netanyahu reach an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of detainees in the sector who have been held for more than nine months.

All those arrested were family members of detainees who are either still with Hamas or have died in captivity.

In their statement, the families of the detainees said, "We came to the United States to advocate for a deal that brings all the detainees home now. Some of us wore shirts calling on our Prime Minister to make that deal because it is his responsibility."

This event comes at a time when pressure is mounting on the Israeli government to reach an agreement with Hamas, amid growing concerns for the fate of the remaining detainees in Gaza.

Thousands of anti-war protesters gathered near the U.S. Capitol, with some carrying Palestinian flags.

Banners were placed on a platform set up by the protesters stating that Netanyahu is a "war criminal wanted for justice," referring to an arrest warrant requested by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers were absent from the session where Netanyahu delivered his speech, expressing their discontent over the thousands of civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis resulting from the Israeli war in Gaza.

This speech marks Netanyahu's fourth address before a joint session of both the House and Senate, surpassing British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who delivered such speeches three times during World War II.

The demonstrators gathered holding Palestinian flags and signs inscribed with leftist slogans or biblical texts in front of the Capitol building, calling for a ceasefire and Netanyahu's arrest as prosecutors at the International Criminal Court seek to issue a warrant for him, according to Agence France-Presse.