The Israeli government meets with the families of hostages taken by Hamas.
Members of various Israeli households threatened to protest if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant did not agree to meet with them.
A spokesman for the families previously said they planned to gather in a central square in Tel Aviv before news broke of a meeting with Netanyahu and Gallad.
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Relatives and family members of hostages kidnapped in the Gaza Strip hold a demonstration and call on the Israeli government to bring them back, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)
Families are calling strongly for a meeting after Israel stepped up its attacks on Gaza overnight on Friday.
The military’s claim that it is targeting tunnel infrastructure has sparked fears among families that military leaders are riding on the lives of the hostages, who are believed to be being held inside the tunnels.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said there are more than 230 hostages of all ages confirmed to have been captured in the October 7 terror attack, in which Hamas infiltrated Israel and murdered at least 1,400 people, including at least 310 soldiers.
The Israeli military has said its main goals in the war are to eliminate Hamas’ military capabilities and rescue hostages.
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Civil defense teams and civilians conduct search and rescue operations following Israeli attacks on the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, Gaza, as Israeli attacks continue. As a result of the Israeli attacks, some buildings were completely destroyed, while others were severely damaged. (Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)
A Hamas official said Friday that the Palestinian terror group cannot release the hostages it has captured during the war with Israel until a ceasefire agreement is reached, a report said.
Russia’s Kommersant newspaper quoted Abu Hamid – a member of a Hamas delegation visiting Moscow – as saying that Hamas needs to identify where Palestinian factions have taken hostages inside the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters.
People take part in a ‘Bring Them Home’ solidarity rally in Trafalgar Square demanding the release of hostages held in Gaza by Hama in London, England. The Israeli government says 210 hostages were taken by Hamas from communities in southern Israel during the Palestinian militant group’s surprise attack on October 7. The hostages, which include Israelis as well as foreign nationals, are being held captive in the Gaza Strip. (Peter Nicholls/Getty Images)
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“They captured dozens of people, the majority of them civilians, and we need time to find them in the Gaza Strip and then release them,” Hamid was quoted as saying, noting that a calm environment is needed to do so.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
