UN chief says Gaza ceasefire 'must hold' as first phase due to expire

UN Secretary General António Guterres on Friday urged both Israel and Palestinian group Hamas to uphold their ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, stressing the urgency of the next few days.

"The ceasefire and hostage release deal must hold," Guterres said shortly before the first phase of the ceasefire was set to expire.

"The coming days are critical. The parties must spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of this deal," he added, according to a UN statement.

The first phase of the ceasefire, which began on January 19, expires on Saturday, according to the Times of Israel.

Under the terms of the agreement, fighting is to remain suspended as long as both sides continue negotiations for a second phase.

Hamas has reportedly insisting on moving directly to the second phase.

Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks late on Friday with senior ministers and defence officials to assess the situation.

An Israeli negotiating team had earlier returned from indirect discussions with mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US in Cairo, with reports indicating that negotiations will continue on Saturday.