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

Steve Witkoff, the White House's special envoy to the Middle East, landed in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday morning, according to a statement by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. The visit "constitutes another effort -- a vital and critical effort" to secure a deal to return hostages held by Hamas,

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee had a "very productive meeting" with Netanyahu on delivering food and aid to Gaza.