Pro-Hamas demonstrators disrupted Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday over his support for Israel’s alleged “genocide” in Gaza.

Blinken was on Capitol Hill to give testimony over the U.S.’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. As he started to deliver his remarks, protesters with hands painted red started shouting, “Secretary Blinken! Secretary of genocide!”

“As a father, how can you justify sending bombs to destroy homes and tents, killing thousands of innocent children, babies, and their families?” one protester yelled, while another screamed, “Once the dust settles in Gaza and the world finds out the true extent of his crimes, the people will give him no rest.”

In response, Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) briefly paused the committee to announce that disrupting “committee proceedings is against the law” and quickly ordered their removal.

As for Blinken, he will be heading back to the Middle East on Friday, marking his 12th visit since the Israel-Hamas war began last year and his first since Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s fall from power in Syria. The Syrian upheaval has raised fresh concerns about stability in a region already dealing with three ongoing conflicts; however, the US has indicated support for the new regime.

“The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syrian government that results from this process,” Blinken said. “We stand prepared to lend all appropriate support to all of Syria’s diverse communities and constituencies.”

“The transition process and new government must also uphold clear commitments to fully respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance to all in need, prevent Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that any chemical or biological weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed.”

The Secretary of State’s two-day trip will take him to Jordan and Turkey, and although he will not be visiting Israel, the State Department has indicated more stops could be added to his schedule if deemed necessary.