Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday 2 September that he had called a number of the families of the hostages who were killed last week.
Israel’s prime minister said he asked for their forgiveness for not bringing their loved ones home.
“We were close but we didn’t succeed,” he told a news conference in Jerusalem.
On Monday, thousands of Israelis poured into the streets for a second day on a row in grief and anger after the six hostages were found dead in Gaza.
Mr Netanyahu started Monday’s news conference by standing in front of a crude map of Gaza and highlighting the strategic importance of the corridors which have been a central sticking point in ceasefire negotiations.