MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Guterres wants Israel and Hamas to keep negotiating while Trump heralds hell in Gaza

“We must avoid at all costs the resumption of hostilities,” Guterres said

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres Tuesday urged the terrorist group Hamas not to drop the plan to release Israeli hostages in exchange for convicted Palestinians. The Portuguese diplomat urged both sides of the conflict to avoid “hostilities” and carry on with the second stage of the ceasefire. Hamas had announced it would not abide by the deal after Israel allegedly violated the truce.

As per that arrangement, a new exchange is scheduled for Feb. 15. However, US President Donald Trump announced late Monday that if Hamas does not release all the Israeli hostages by noon Saturday, hell would ensue in the Gaza Strip.

“I call on Hamas to proceed with the release of hostages scheduled for next Saturday,” Guterres said in a statement from Paris. “The hostilities in Gaza will lead to an immense tragedy,” he added. “We must avoid at all costs the resumption of hostilities” there, insisted the Portuguese diplomat.

Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said Israel should terminate its agreement with Hamas and “let all hell break out.” Then he made it clear that that was what he would do, although the final decision was up to Tel Aviv.

“As far as I'm concerned, if all of the hostages aren't returned by Saturday at 12:00 -- I think it's an appropriate time -- I would say, cancel it, and all bets are off and let hell break out,” Trump stressed.

“I'm speaking for myself. Israel can override it, but from myself, Saturday at 12:00, and if they're not -- they're not here, all hell is going to break out,” he went on after making it clear he meant every hostage still held by the terrorist organization.

Trump is to meet Jordan's King Abdullah in Washington on Tuesday, just days after saying his country would take over Gaza and ship 1.9 million Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt. “If they don't agree, I would conceivably withhold aid,” Trump argued.

According to ABC News, King Abdullah has been lobbying to build a coalition against Trump's Gaza proposal, seeking endorsement from the UN and other potential allies.

Meanwhile, Israeli sources confirmed that hostage Shlomo Mantzur, 86, had been killed by Hamas right after the Oct. 7, 2023, raids but made believe to be still alive so as to include him in the negotiations. Mantzur was a survivor of the Farhud massacre in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1941.

Kibbutz Kissufim residents and Mantzur's former neighbors described him as “a father, a grandfather, a true friend, and a beating heart of Kissufim.” His passing is “a wound that will not heal,” they stressed as they demanded Tel Aviv and other world leaders “to act decisively to return all hostages – living and dead.”