Israel-Gaza updates: 8 killed in Israeli airstrike, Gaza Ministry of Health says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Thursday with the families of hostages declared dead in Gaza.

Netanyahu met with rescued hostages right away but has received criticism for not meeting with the families of the dead until now.

"We are committed to returning all of them, all 120 abductees -- the living and the victims alike," Netanyahu said to the families. "We will not give up on anyone."

The Hostage Center is holding another large rally on Saturday calling for the government to reach a cease-fire deal and bring the rest of the hostages home.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

The temporary pier (JLOTS) off the coast of Gaza has been reattached to the beach, according to two defense officials. Aid should begin flowing soon says one of the officials.

Since the pier first became operational on May 7, more than 3,500 metric tons of humanitarian aid have been transported to that beach for distribution inside Gaza.

But the pier has had two lengthy breaks in service, the first time when rough seas broke off sections of the pier, and this latest preemptive move to the port of Ashdod so it could ride out rough seas to avoid a repetition of the first break in service.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Top Israeli advisers Tzachi Hanegbi and Ron Dermer are traveling from Israel to meet with national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House on Thursday, senior administration officials told ABC News.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will also meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in the coming days.

But another high-level meeting focused on Israel’s security, including Iran, has been canceled by the U.S., according to administration officials. The U.S. is looking to reschedule it.

While administration officials said the high-level meeting was never fully finalized on the schedule, other sources inside the White House said there was frustration over Netanyahu's video claiming the U.S. had paused weapons shipments, which did impact the decision not to hold the meeting.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said in an interview with Channel 13 in Israel that "Hamas is an idea," adding, "Whoever thinks that it can be eliminated is wrong."

"The notion that it is possible to destroy Hamas, to make Hamas disappear, is simply to mislead the public," Hagari said.

This contradicts statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has said destroying Hamas is the war's key objective.

Following Hagari's interview, the IDF said in a statement that it's "committed to achieving the goals of the war as defined by the cabinet, has been working in this way throughout the war day and night and will continue to do so."

"The commanders of the IDF and those who serve fight with determination and persistence to destroy the military capabilities and the governmental and organizational infrastructure of Hamas in Gaza, a distinct military goal," the IDF said. "In his words, the IDF spokesman referred to the destruction of Hamas as an ideology and an idea, and the words were said by him in a clear and explicit manner. Any other claim is taking things out of context."

In response to Hagari’s comments, the prime minister’s office said, "The political and security cabinet headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu defined as one of the goals of the war the destruction of Hamas' military and governmental capabilities. The IDF is of course committed to this."