Relatives of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian gunmen in Gaza stormed a parliamentary committee session in Jerusalem on Monday, demanding that the lawmakers do more to free their loved ones. The action by about 20 people signalled growing dissent in the fourth month of the Gaza war against Hamas. Families and supporters have also started camping outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coastal home as well as the Knesset building. One protester held up pictures of three family members who were among the 253 people seized in the cross-border Hamas rampage of Oct. 7 that triggered the worst fighting in decades.

"Just one I'd like to get back alive," the woman protester cried after pushing into the Knesset Finance Committee discussion. The fate of the hostages - 27 of whom Israel says have died in Gaza - has riveted the country. Demonstrations that initially promoted national unity have become more aggressive. Regular weekend rallies demanding the hostages be released have in recent weeks been reinforced by demonstrations calling for an election that might topple the hard-right government. On Monday, Netanyahu told hostage families that Hamas has made no solid offer that would see their loved ones freed, a day after he rejected conditions presented by Hamas to end the war.

"There is no real proposal by Hamas. It's not true. I am saying this as clearly as I can because there are so many incorrect statements which are certainly agonising for you," Netanyahu's office quoted him as telling the group. Outside Netanyahu's house in Jerusalem, The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum have set up a vigil calling for a swap deal to be advanced. "If the prime minister decides to sacrifice the hostages, he should show leadership and honestly share his position with the Israeli public," the Group stated in a press release.