US envoy meets Israeli hostage families in Tel Aviv

US envoy Steve Witkoff met anguished relatives of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza yesterday, as fears for the captives' survival mounted almost 22 months into the war sparked by Hamas's October 2023 attack.

Witkoff was greeted with some applause and pleas for assistance from hundreds of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv, before going into a closed meeting with the families.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum confirmed the meeting was underway and videos shared online showed Witkoff arriving as families chanted "Bring them home!" and "We need your help."