The families of the Israeli captives have accused Israel’s government of “abandoning” them, saying officials are choosing to prioritise political interests and prolonging the fighting in Gaza. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group made up of relatives of the captives taken by Hamas and other Palestinian groups on 7 October, slammed the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to achieve a hostage deal eight months since 252 people were taken to Gaza. Netanyahu has been facing increasing pressure from the Israeli public to see the safe return of the captives and th…