Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to free a “maximum number” of living hostages held in Gaza in the first stage of a proposed ceasefire deal with Hamas, AFP reports.

“I would like to emphasise: The efforts to release a maximum number of living hostages — already in the first stage of the deal”, he said in a video statement released by his office after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group, which has previously accused the Israeli side of “sabotage,” thanked Blinken “for his unwavering support” alongside US President Joe Biden’s administration “to finalise the hostage deal”.

In a statement released, the group representing many families of hostages still held in Gaza urged “all parties involved to sign an agreement as soon as possible”, because “time is running out for the hostages”.

“We cannot afford to waste this critical opportunity, which may be the last opportunity,” it said.