UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned the continued loss of life from the war in the Gaza Strip and urged both sides to rejoin and conclude a deal on ceasefire and release of captives, deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said.
"He also again underscores the need to ensure the protection of civilians and for unimpeded and safe humanitarian access into and across Gaza," said Haq.
Meanwhile, international pressure mounted for a ceasefire in Gaza as Britain, France and Germany made a joint plea for an end to fighting with "no further delay".
The call came a day after Palestinian group Hamas urged mediators to implement a truce plan presented by US President Joe Biden instead of holding more talks.
"The fighting must end now, and all captives must be released," French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a joint statement.
"The people of Gaza need urgent and unfettered delivery and distribution of aid," it said.
"There can be no further delay."
International mediators have invited Israel and Hamas to resume talks.
Israel has accepted the invitation from the United States, Qatar and Egypt to send negotiators for talks planned for Thursday.
"The reason we're doing that is to finalise the details of the implementation of the framework agreement," Israeli government spokesman David Mencer told a news conference.
The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was slow to publicly embrace the proposal after Biden laid it out on May 31, and some far-right Israeli ministers still oppose it.
Hamas said on Sunday it wanted the implementation of the plan, which Biden described as Israeli and was later endorsed by the UN Security Council, "rather than going through more negotiation rounds or new proposals".
Unveiling the plan, Biden had said the first phase of the proposed roadmap would include a "full and complete ceasefire" lasting six weeks, with Israeli forces withdrawing from "all populated areas of Gaza" and some captives freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The second phase would see the remaining living captives released as the warring sides negotiate "a permanent end to hostilities", followed by "a major reconstruction plan for Gaza" and the return of dead captives' remains. SEE ALSO P6
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