The Hostages Families Forum on Monday demanded that Israel's War Cabinet hold a meeting to update them regarding the efforts to release the 136 hostages who remain in Hamas captivity.
Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum headquarters demanded that Israel return to the negotiating table to discuss the release of the hostages: "The War Cabinet promised to meet with us two-and-a-half weeks ago - and it still has not happened. If the Cabinet does not want to speak with us, we can go to international sources, maybe [US President Joe] Biden," the families said.
Yael Adar, mother of Tamir, who was kidnapped from Nir Oz, said, "Those who returned from captivity tell us about the difficult conditions there. Some of them die of mental torture, or because they don't have food and medicine. The Cabinet needs to meet with us today - it is degrading how they ignore us. If by today at 8:00p.m. they have not met with us, we will think how to step up our actions."
Daniel Lifshitz, grandson of released hostage Yocheved Lifshitz, whose grandfather is still held hostage by Hamas, said, "We call on you to immediately return to the negotiating table, because you promised us that you would bring them back at any price. We are losing them, they have no time, food, or air. We heard the horrors from those who returned. My grandfather does not have time. There are no medicines, and there are no more days."
He added, "They think that they were forgotten, according to what those who returned say. You have time for everything, other than for the families. If you do not want to represent us, we will find another international source who will represent us. We will sit around the government offices, at the gate, and we will not move until it happens."
The Prime Minister's Office responded, "A meeting with the hostages' families and the War Cabinet was set already yesterday, for Wednesday. In light of the families' request, we will examine the possibility of moving it up."