A boat carrying relatives of Israeli hostages held by Hamas departs for Gaza to demand their release: "We need all the international help we can get."

Relatives of Israeli hostages boarded several boats Thursday headed to the coast of the Gaza Strip to "get as close as possible" to their loved ones kidnapped by Hamas, an AFP journalist aboard one of the vessels said.

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! We need all the international help to rescue the hostages ," said Yehuda Cohen, father of a hostage.

Cohen is part of this group of about twenty people who departed aboard three boats from the Israeli port of Ashkelon, on the northern border of the Gaza Strip.

Many carried yellow flags and signs with images of the hostages, while shouting their names.

Once at sea , other boats joined them.

Of the 251 people kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, 49 remain hostage in Gaza, of whom 27 have been declared dead by the Israeli army.

Ilay David, brother of Israeli hostage Evyatar David , called on the UN Security Council on Tuesday to use its influence to secure the immediate release of those held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The session was called at Israel's request after Hamas released videos showing two Israeli hostages, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, in extreme conditions, including the former digging his own grave.

Evyatar's brother told the Council that since October 7, 2023, the hostages "have suffered an unimaginable nightmare" and warned that "their lives hang in the balance."

"We know from the medical reports that Evyatar, Guy, and the others are on the verge of death. They only have days left. Days! This is how urgent it is. Each of them has lost half their body weight," he declared.

Ilay David called on the Security Council to use "every means" at its disposal to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages, given that "time has run out."

The session took place amid mounting international pressure on Israel to declare a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid into the Strip , which has been devastated by the Israeli military and hit by unprecedented famine.

According to a senior Israeli official who informed Hebrew media on Monday, Netanyahu intends to propose to the Israeli security cabinet, which decides on the offensive in Gaza, "the continuation of the fighting and its expansion to areas where there are fears of hostages," in addition to "the total occupation of the Gaza Strip."

The prime minister, however, faces opposition from the army, which is reluctant to operate in places where hostages are being held for fear that Palestinian militias in Gaza will execute them as troops advance (as happened in late August 2024 with six captives, found on September 1).

The total death toll from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 61,000 , according to the latest daily count by the Palestinian enclave's Health Ministry released Tuesday.