The first phase of the truce, which has largely halted more than 15 months of devastating war in the Gaza Strip, is due to expire in early March, and details of a planned subsequent phase have not been agreed.
Netanyahu, speaking at a military ceremony a day after Israel halted the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for six hostages freed from Gaza, vowed to achieve the war’s objectives in negotiations “or by other means”.
Since the ceasefire began on January 19, Gaza militants have released 25 living Israeli hostages in staged ceremonies, often flanked by masked gunmen and forced to speak.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has facilitated the hostage-prisoner exchanges, has previously appealed to “all parties” for the swaps to be carried out in a “dignified and private” manner.
Naim called on the truce mediators, “especially the Americans”, to pressure Israel “to implement the agreement as it is and immediately release our prisoners”.
- 'Prevent return' -
The attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people, and Israel's retaliation killed more than 48,000 in Gaza, according to figures from both sides.
A military statement later on Sunday said “it was decided to increase the operational readiness in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip”.
“We’re hopeful that we have the proper time... to begin phase two, and finish it off and get more hostages released,“ Witkoff told CNN.
Alongside the Gaza war -- which displaced almost the entire population of 2.4 million -- Israel has intensified its military operations in the West Bank.
The military said a tank division will be sent into Jenin, the first such deployment to the West Bank in 20 years.
- 'Parading bodies' -
He noted that Netanyahu, under domestic pressure over his handling of the war, could face the choice of either returning to fighting or his far-right coalition government potentially collapsing.
The six Israelis freed Saturday were the last group of living hostages set for release under the truce's first phase.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the “parading of bodies” during a ceremony in which coffins, with pictures of the dead attached, were displayed on a slogan-bedecked stage.
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