Hostage relative: Netanyahu won't prioritise captives over defeating Hamas

A relative of a hostage captured by Hamas said on Monday that Israel's top officials told him that they won't prioritise the release of captives over the defeat of Hamas.

Udi Goren, whose cousin Tal Chaimi is being held captive in Gaza, was one of several family members of hostages who met with the war cabinet, including with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"What we've heard is that taking down Hamas and bringing the hostages are equally important," Goren told reporters after coming out of the meeting at the Kirya, in Tel Aviv.

"This is incredibly disappointing because we know that taking down Hamas, we keep hearing from them, is going to take months or years and it's going to take a long time," Goren said.

Netanyahu had earlier promised to meet with the family members of all hostages.

Goren also said the war cabinet - a body set up immediately after the Hamas attack - did not share any details about any possible deal to release the hostages.

"We didn't get any new information," Goren said.

"It is absolutely clear that they have to keep things confidential... if they told us about the details of the deal that is now being done, then it might jeopardise it", he added.