UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a true humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, rather than a temporary truce since the "humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is getting worse by the day."
"The dialogue that led to the agreement must continue, resulting in a full humanitarian ceasefire, for the benefit of the people of Gaza, Israel, and the wider region," said Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in a statement.
"The United Nations will continue to support these efforts in every possible way," said the secretary-general.
Guterres has once again demanded that Hamas hostages be freed quickly and unconditionally, according to Dujarric.
During the truce, the UN has increased humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza and transported aid to certain northern parts of the coastal enclave that had been largely blocked off for weeks, according to Dujarric.
"However, this assistance pales in comparison to the enormous needs of 1.7 million displaced people." "The humanitarian disaster in Gaza is worsening by the day," he stated.
"The decision for war and escalation is in Israel's hands because Lebanon does not want or seek war," the Lebanese foreign ministry stated in a post on X.
It called on "Israeli officials to stop the threats to destroy Lebanon and the daily and repeated military violations of Lebanon's sovereignty.”
Since October 8, the Israeli army and the Lebanese group Hezbollah have been exchanging fire over Lebanon's southern border.