Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will explore “every option” to secure the release of more than 220 hostages taken by Hamas to Gaza on October 7, AFP reports.

Facing increasing anger over the fate of the captives as Israel steps up its war on Gaza’s Hamas rulers, Netanyahu agreed to meet representatives of hostage relatives who demanded to know how the government would handle the crisis.

Netanyahu made no commitment to any exchange deal but told the families authorities would “exhaust every option to bring them (the hostages) home”.