Dozens of hostage family members gathered outside the war cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Tuesday, calling to arrive at a hostage deal, according to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.
The families called to liberate the hostages before Passover, the holiday where Jews celebrate the biblical exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt.
"Our whole family came here to support the other 132 hostages and to tell the Israeli government and the members of the cabinet that their time is up," said Efrat Machikawa, niece of hostage Oded Moses, who turned 80 while in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
"We lost Elad Katzir...We don't want one more case to happen. The time is up," Machikawa added. "Just before Passover, the holiday of freedom, do everything so they [the hostages] will be here to celebrate Passover with us properly.
"We are not ready to think about the possibility that one of you will fail the responsibility assigned to you and make a wrong decision. We are with you. We are in favor of a deal. It is on the table. Do everything you can to bring them home before Passover, the holiday of freedom," she continued.
Elad Or, brother of hostage Dror Or, said the hostage families had no other choice but to call for a hostage deal to get their relatives out of Gaza captivity.
The hope and disappointment of hostages' family members
"This nightmare began on Sukkot, and we are already approaching Passover, the holiday of freedom. Even your name, "Dror," means freedom. We can't believe that we are still here calling and demanding the release of all the hostages," Or noted. "If this evening also ends with another announcement about Hamas hardening positions, we know what comes next: messages about bodies and dead people."
Einav Moses, daughter-in-law of Gadi Moses, who is detained in the Strip, spoke of the cycle of hope and subsequent disappointment hostage family members undergo as new hostage deal proposals emerge but fail to be implemented.
"The people of Israel will not forgive you...if you do not sign a deal," she stated. "There is a cruel enemy across the table. He is piling up difficulties, we know. But a strong prime minister and a strong government that wants life and that wants to give a good future to its citizens will find a way to overcome these difficulties...and return all the hostages because this is its national and moral responsibility."