The families of those who are missing and being held captive by Hamas met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening for the first time since the terrorist organization’s attack on Israel, which claimed over 1,300 lives.
Pictures of Netanyahu comforting Israeli hostage-taker family after meeting them were shared on the social networking platform X by the Israeli prime minister’s office.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with families of the captive and missing,” his office posted.
Netanyahu’s visit comes amid strong criticism from family members who claim the administration has abandoned those detained in Gaza.
According to The Times of Israel, a forum of families with loved ones believed to be held hostage in Gaza, in a statement following the meeting, said that Netanyahu had vowed to work for their return as soon as possible.
Following the meeting, the families have said to have accepted Netanyahu’s “clarification” that National Security Council chief Tzachi Hanegbi’s remarks did not reflect his viewpoint on the subject.
On Saturday, Hanegbi said, “Israel will not hold negotiations with an enemy that we have vowed to wipe from the face of the earth.”
The families forum responded by criticising the government in a statement for “effectively saying that it is abandoning its citizens who have been kidnapped,” according to The Times of Israel.