He was reacting to sentiments first expressed by United States President Donald Trump that should Hamas not release all remaining hostages by noon on Saturday, the ceasefire deal would be cancelled, leading to a resumption of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has since echoed Trump’s view on the release of all hostages by Saturday, warning that the Israeli military would return to intense fighting in Gaza until Hamas was finally defeated.

Guterres Spokesperson Farhan Haq says they wanted to ensure that all the hostages were released and that all sides fully abide by their commitments to the agreement, emphasising the need for a resumption of negotiations in Doha, Qatar, towards Phase 2 of the deal.

Haq says there was tremendous concern that the deal would not last, an agreement that has brought a great deal of relief to the long-suffering population of Gaza.

He adds that the United Nations did not want to see a return to killings, a return to famine conditions and the outbreak of the disease in the largely destroyed enclave, calling the ceasefire “precious to the people of the region and indeed the wider Middle East”.

Hamas had earlier indefinitely postponed the next hostage-prisoner swap after accusing Israel of violating the terms of the agreement.

--SABC--