JERUSALEM, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli families of hostages held by Hamas began a four-day march from near the Gaza Strip to Jerusalem, calling for the release of their loved ones.

 

The families commenced their march from Re'im, the site of a music festival on Oct. 7 last year, where about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage by Hamas militants in a surprise attack.

 

Video footage showed them marching with posters and T-shirts bearing printed images of their relatives, chanting "Now! Now! Now!" They are expected to arrive in Jerusalem on Saturday.

 

"No one can be left behind," Ronen Neutra, father of one of the hostages, said in a speech along the march. "(Israel's) War Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that in the current deal, all the hostages will be included."

 

The march coincides with Qatari efforts to broker a Hamas-Israel deal for a ceasefire in Gaza in return for hostage release. However, Israeli and Hamas officials have cautioned that substantial gaps still exist.

 

According to Israeli figures, a total of 134 people are still being held by Hamas, at least 35 of them are believed to be dead.