United Nations (UN) secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, has expressed deep concern over “the clear violations of international humanitarian law”, being witnessed in Gaza in the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group, Hamas.

Guterres condemned both the use of civilians as human shields and the bombing of southern Gaza after an evacuation order.

Israeli diplomats responded angrily after Guterres also suggested the Hamas attack on Israel “did not happen in a vacuum.”

The Israeli ambassador to the UN called on Guterres to resign, while the country’s foreign minister asked Guterres: “In what world do you live?”

Earlier, one of two hostages freed by Hamas on Monday gave a press conference saying: “I went through hell that I could not have known.”

More than 200 hostages abducted by Hamas continue to be held in Gaza, four have so far been freed.

Israel has continued its heavy bombing of Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry said almost 5,800 people have been killed since October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on Israel killing over 1,400 persons.

This brings the total number of deaths recorded since the war erupted since the first week of October to 7,200.