In what was his first meeting in the framework of the diplomatic visit to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the families of the Israeli-American hostages held in the custody of Hamas, earlier on Tuesday, India time.
"I am doing everything in my power to combine the necessary humanitarian objective and the imperative to return the hostages, and at the same time, preserve the existence of the State of Israel," Netanyahu said after the meeting.
"I am not prepared in any way to give in on the victory over Hamas. If we give up on this, we will be in danger in the face of Iran's entire axis of evil," he added.
Several representatives of the families of the hostages who accompanied the Israeli PM on flight to Washington and soldiers who fought on October 7, and who have fought in Gaza, also participated in the meeting which was also attended by Netanyahu's wife Sara.
Representatives of bereaved families who have lost their sons in the fighting in Gaza and the Western Negev were also present at the meeting.
"We are determined to return them all. The conditions for returning them are becoming ripe, for the simple reason that we are putting very strong pressure on Hamas. We see a certain change, and I think that this change will increase," said Netanyahu.
The Israeli PM said that his visit to the US was an important one, one which will give "the opportunity to bring before the representatives of the American people, and the American people themselves the importance of their support".
Israel's top officials, including the Director of the National Security Council, the Director General of the Prime Minister's Office, the Cabinet Secretary, the Prime Minister's Military Secretary and the Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, also participated in the meeting.
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