As hostage exchanges are brought to a halt between Israel and Hamas amid the former's refusal to negotiate the cease-fire's second stage, hundreds of Israelis have joined a campaign demanding the formation of a state commission of inquiry, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

The commission would investigate, among other things, the way the negotiation for the release of hostages has been conducted, Haaretz reports, citing a statement by the October Council, an organization which now comprises of more than 1,500 families.

On Saturday, Israeli media reported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "not interested" in agreeing to a second phase, which was was meant to start Sunday. Instead Netanyahu is reportedly considering either restarting the war or maintaining the cease-fire without hostage exchanges, in order to pressure Hamas.

Among the October Council's members, new and existing, are relatives of Oct. 7 victims as well as former hostages. New to the campaign is Yarden Bibas, whose family's captivity and death was widely publicized during the war.

Freed hostages Rimon Kirsht Buchshtav, Sharon Aloni Cunio, Keren Munder, Yagil Yaakov, Noga Weiss and Shiri Weiss; the wife of killed hostage Tsahi Idan; the daughter of killed hostage Shlomo Mantzur; the mother of freed hostage Daniella Gilboa; the mother of freed hostage Karina Ariev; the father of freed hostage Arbel Yehud; the father of freed hostage Omer Wenkert are also among signatories of the petition, Times of Israel reported.

“We, the families of the hostages, demand that the Israeli government immediately establish a state commission of inquiry to thoroughly and comprehensively investigate [the events] with full transparency, including the management of the negotiations for the return of our loved ones,” the families said in a statement.

“Only a state commission of inquiry can provide us with answers, offer some solace to our souls, and prevent the next disaster," the statement continues. "The failure to establish such a commission and draw lessons would mean harming the security of the state.”

Israeli NGOs file motion against government

Also on Sunday, Gisha, an Israeli human rights organization, along with four other NGOs filed a motion to the Israeli High Court of Justice calling for an interim order banning the government from cutting of the supply of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Cited by Al Jazeera, Netanyahu’s office said on Sunday that “the entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip will be halted,” accusing Hamas of refusing to accept U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff's proposal to extend the first phase of the cease-fire for six weeks during Ramadan — the Muslim holy month that began over the weekend — and the Jewish Passover holiday, which ends on April 20.

According to Times of Israel, the NGOs warn the step endangers the lives of Palestinian civilians in the territory and therefore violates Israel’s obligations under international law.

Gisha argues that halting the provision of aid is illegal “even if [Israel] claims that the existing aid is sufficient,” and says that recent media reports that six babies in Gaza died of hypothermia in February proved the claim to be false.

“According to humanitarian law, there is an obligation to protect the civilian population and allow the free passage of humanitarian aid to such a population,” writes Gisha in its petition. “These obligations cannot be made conditional on political considerations, and humanitarian aid cannot be used as a tool of war or a way of exerting pressure,” the human rights groups contends.