'Do everything you can': Families of Hamas hostages call for lawmakers' help in securing their release

American and Israeli families of hostages being held by Hamas came to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, continuing their calls for lawmakers to help bring their loved ones home.

«You are all lawmakers of the most powerful country in the world, a beacon of democracy, a defender of civil and human rights,» said Yarden Gonen, whose younger sister was kidnapped on Oct. 7 by Hamas, which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist group. «Please, with this great power comes great responsibility. I ask you to do everything you can to get our hostages home where they deserve to be.»

A bipartisan group of senators hosted the families in the Capitol to discuss the importance of the United States' support in helping to bring their family members home after spending more than 100 days in captivity, according to a news release.

The senators assured the families they had their support and would continue to push for the hostages' release as the war rages on between Israel and Hamas.

In the Gaza Strip, more than 24,400 people have been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health. In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials.

«We are making slow, slow, slow, but important progress,» said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. «Not that that progress can't come fast enough.»

Orna Neurta, whose son Omer was abducted by Hamas, recalled a meeting over a month ago she had with President Joe Biden, who encouraged the families to keep hope.

While she said she is trying to stay hopeful, as Biden suggested, she called for more action.

«At no point in our lives, so far, has hope and prayer in and of themselves without action