Pressure on the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu to strike a deal for the return of the hostages remaining in Gaza continues to be exerted by their relatives.

The families are making a new appeal just as Hamas has agreed to a comprehensive ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of the hostages.

“After 700 days, we are finally hearing from both Israel and Hamas that they wish to reach a comprehensive agreement for the return of all hostages – the living for rehabilitation and the dead for burial,” the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said in a post on its X account today.

“We call on Prime Minister Netanyahu, the US government, and the mediators to immediately convene the negotiating teams and have them sit around the negotiating table until an agreement is reached,” the families’ post said.

Established 20 hostages are still alive

Relatives of the 48 hostages still being held in Gaza by Hamas and other militants say they are “running out of time” for their people to return to Israel. Twenty of those hostages are believed to still be alive.

Their families have called on Israelis “to take to the streets, stand with us and call for the return of all the hostages and for an end to the war.”