Israeli authorities released images Thursday of babies they said were killed and burned by Hamas. The images were shown to Secretary of State Antony Blinken by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government during his visit to Israel.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry told ABC News the photos were taken by ZAKA, the organization that removed the bodies, in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz near the Gaza border where Israeli military officials said more than 100 people were killed by Hamas fighters.

Two Hamas officials, who did not provide their names, claimed in a video statement released Thursday that fighters were instructed to not target civilians and had tried to avoid harming them.

“Sadly the Hamas PR machine is now trying to claim that they did not target children and women specifically and that it was not their intention which is a blatant lie and a fake campaign to try and distance themselves from the massacre they carried out," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said. "That is why sadly we have to tweet pictures of babies they killed."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed that the U.S. is exploring all options in getting the American citizens who were taken by Hamas forces back safely during an interview Thursday with "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir.

He would not say if those plans included using U.S. Special Forces.

"I'm not going to get into the specifics of what we're looking at considering, unfortunately, [that] we have a lot of experience with this over the years," Blinken told Muir. "President Biden has always been determined in these situations to explore every possible option. That's what we’re doing."

Blinken added that the U.S. is working with other countries "who may have leverage with Hamas to use that leverage in favor of getting the hostages home."

-ABC News' Ivan Pereira

In an interview Thursday with "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir, Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his disgust and anger with Hamas after he saw the gruesome details from last weekend's attack.

During a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in Israel, Blinken said he was shown images and videos of the victims who were killed and wounded during last weekend's attack.

Blinken said that the images, many of which were not seen before, were "genuinely overwhelming."

"A young infant riddled with bullets, a family hugging each other, in a death embrace, having been burned to death, beheaded soldiers," Blinken said, describing what he saw. "It almost defies human comprehension precisely because it's not human."

-ABC News' Ivan Pereira

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said there are "no credible or specific threats" against the city ahead of Friday, when Hamas is calling on their supporters to hold worldwide "Day of Rage" protests that could turn violent.

"We are deeply disturbed by the message of hate. It is not acceptable," Adams said during a briefing.

The mayor said he has directed the NYPD to surge additional resources to schools and houses of worship "to ensure that they are safe." Police are also stepping up patrols in certain neighborhoods, he said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also said at the briefing there is no intelligence "showing any active threats" in the state but "we will continue to exercise elevated vigilance."

She said state police have been "fully activated" and the National Guard has been directed to patrol key transportation hubs.

"There's no reason to feel afraid," Hochul said.

In remarks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at least 25 Americans had now been confirmed dead in Israel.

Netanyahu described some of the atrocities committed by Hamas.

"Hamas has shown itself to be an enemy of civilization: The massacring of young people in an outdoor music festival, the butchering of entire families, the murder of parents in front of their children and the murder of children in front of their parents. The burning of people alive, the beheadings," he said.

"Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated," he said. "They shouldn't be spit out from the community of nations. No leader should meet them. No country should harbor them. And those that do should be sanctioned."

Blinken said he was speaking not only as an American diplomat, but as a Jew, a husband and a father of young children, saying it was impossible for him to look at photos of families killed "and not think of my own children."

"The same time that we've been shocked by the depravity of Hamas, we've also been inspired by the bravery of Israel citizens," he said. "The grandfather who drove over an hour to a kibbutz under siege, armed only with a pistol and rescued his kids and grandkids. The mother who died shielding her teenage son with her body, giving her life to save his -- giving him life for a second time."

Blinken remarked that some U.S. aid had already been delivered, and that more military aid was on his way. He said the administration would work with Congress to meet Israel’s additional needs and that bipartisan support for Israel was "overwhelming."

The secretary called on world leaders to condemn Hamas.

Blinken also reiterated that Israel "has the right -- indeed, the obligation -- to defend itself" but that it was "so important to take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians."

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford