Tel Aviv, Oct 28 (IANS): The Hostages and Missing families forum on Saturday demanded Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to meet them as the Israel military has commenced ground assault in Gaza.

In a statement, the forum said, "The families spent a night in great anxiety. This night was the most terrible of all nights. It was a long and sleepless night, against the backdrop of the major IDF operation in the Strip, and absolute uncertainty regarding the fate of the hostages held there, who were also subject to the heavy bombings.

It added, "Anxiety, frustration, and especially enormous anger that none of the war cabinet bothered to meet with the families of the hostages to explain one thing - whether the ground operation endangers the well-being of the 229 hostages in Gaza."

The statement also said that the Israeli families were worried about the fate of their loved ones and were waiting for an explanation from the Israel war cabinet.

The forum members also called upon Defence Minister Gallant and members of the war cabinet to meet with them immediately.

The forum has been meeting world leaders to fan up support for the release of their dear and near ones from the custody of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.