Hostages on 60th day in Gaza as freed captives meet Israel PM

JERUSALEM, Undefined — As Israel marked Tuesday the 60th day that nearly 140 hostages are held by Gaza militants, a group of former captives met the country's prime minister to urge him to secure the release of those left behind.

A one-week truce in fighting between Israel and Palestinian armed group Hamas saw 105 hostages return from the Gaza Strip, including 80 Israelis -- mostly women and children -- exchanged for 240 Palestinians jailed by Israel.

But the truce collapsed on Friday and mediation efforts for more releases have stalled, with fierce combat resuming and southern Gaza now bearing the brunt.

The war was triggered by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attacks on southern Israel, which officials say killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw about 240 snatched into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Israel on Tuesday said 138 hostages still remain in the narrow Palestinian territory.

An intense Israeli military campaign since October 7, aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing captives, has killed more than 16,200 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas government.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some Israeli cabinet members, released hostages and family members called for immediate action for the release of remaining captives.

"I asked Netanyahu if the primary objective of the war was to bring back the hostages," Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of 23-year-old hostage Romi Gonen, told Israeli television after the meeting.

"He answered me directly: 'yes'," she said. "I am happy with his answer, but only reality counts."

Leshem Gonen said she was concerned that hostages were being "severely mistreated -- women, young girls, and men too".

Israeli media reported the sit-down as being tense.

In televised remarks after the meeting, Netanyahu said he had "heard heart-rending stories, of hunger and thirst" as well as "about cases of sexual abuse and cruel rapes".

He slammed international women's and human rights organisations for what he said was their silence on the issue.

"Where the hell are you?" Netanyahu said.

He went on to say the government would "spare no effort to bring back our loved ones".

Dozens of protesters, meanwhile, gathered