BERLIN - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met for 40 minutes in Tel Aviv with relatives of German hostages held by Hamas and said the German government would do whatever it can to secure the hostages' release, the relatives told journalists on Tuesday.

"We are getting out of this meeting a little bit more affirmed but still of course worried about our dear ones and the fate and safety of all the people being held hostage by the most barbaric, cruel human beings on this earth at the moment," said Gili Romann, brother of 35-year-old Yardan Romann, who was among the hostages.

Shaked Haran, 10 of whose relatives are among those being held hostage, said the families needed information on their relatives' whereabouts and wellbeing.

The families said they will hold a rally in Berlin on Sunday to call for their relatives' release.

Officials have said 1,300 Israelis, many civilians, were killed since Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, and nearly 200 hostages taken back to Gaza. Authorities in Gaza, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, say more than 3,000 people have been killed in Israel's 11-day bombardment, around a quarter of them children.

Scholz met on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel and planned to travel on to Egypt for meetings on Wednesday with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. REUTERS