Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met on Sunday evening for the third time with a group of families of hostages being held in the Gaza Strip.
"We are committed to returning your loved ones in any way - no matter if it is through operational activity or a deal. In this war, the entire defense establishment is concerned with only two things - the defeat of Hamas and the return of the hostages," said Gallant.
"On October 7, Hamas was counting on Israel to stop, break and not respond - what happened is exactly the opposite. We are looking for any way to get our people back, Hamas is looking for a way to stop the IDF - applying military pressure brings us closer to the goal," he added.
"What started to move Hamas was the realization that they are paying a price. I have known Hamas for decades - only military pressure will help us. We do not have a timetable for the war, we will continue until the hostages are brought back."