UN chief appeals to Hamas to release Israeli hostages

Hamas announced on Monday night that it would delay the hostage release scheduled for Feb. 15 until further notice due to what it alleged were Israeli violations of the truce.

By JNS

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday urged the Hamas terror group to abide by its obligation to release additional Israeli hostages in accordance with its ceasefire agreement with the Jewish state.

“We must avoid at all costs resumption of hostilities in Gaza that would lead to immense tragedy. I appeal to Hamas to proceed with the planned liberation of hostages. Both sides must fully abide by their commitments in the ceasefire agreement & resume serious negotiations,” tweeted Guterres.

Hamas announced on Monday night that it would delay the hostage release scheduled for Feb. 15 until further notice due to what it alleged were Israeli violations of the truce.

Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz called Hamas’s announcement an “outright violation of the ceasefire” and said he had instructed the Israeli military “to prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza.” He added: “We will not return to the reality of October 7.”

Then-Foreign Minister Katz declared Guterres persona non grata in the Jewish state in October, hours before Rosh Hashanah began.

“Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack on Israel, as almost every country in the world has done, does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil,” Katz stated at the time.

“This is a secretary-general who has yet to denounce the massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on Oct. 7, nor has he led any efforts to declare them a terrorist organization.”

“Israel will continue to defend its citizens and uphold its national dignity, with or without António Guterres,” added Katz, referring to the secretary-general as “a stain on the history of the United Nations.”