Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken with relatives of the Israeli hostages who appeared in Hamas videos in recent days, according to a statement issued by his office.

Netanyahu had"a long conversation" with the families of hostages Rom Breslevski and Evyatar David, the statement said. The prime minister made it clear that he was"dismayed" by their situation. He also reportedly stated that"efforts to repatriate all our hostages are continuing relentlessly."

In recent days, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have released three videos showing Israeli hostages Breslevski and David. The images of the emaciated hostages have caused an uproar in Israel. The videos have also further fueled calls for an agreement to release the hostages. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday evening to show their support for the families.

The Forum of Families of the Missing and Hostages reported on X that 60,000 people had protested."End this nightmare, which has lasted 666 days," the call reads."Sign a comprehensive agreement that brings back all fifty hostages and ends the fighting." Protests also took place in other Israeli cities, The Times of Israel reports. According to the news site, this is one of the largest nationwide protests in recent weeks.

Around fifty hostages are still being held by Hamas and other groups. At least twenty of them are reportedly still alive. Indirect negotiations for a new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, in exchange for the release of hostages, have so far yielded no results.