WASHINGTON

The White House said Tuesday that the US wants to see the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip continue as the deal's first phase is set to expire this weekend.

Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump and his administration "remained very much engaged."

"We want to see the ceasefire continue, and the president has made it very clear he wants to see all of the hostages who have been held in captivity in Gaza returned home," she told reporters

The first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which began Jan. 19, includes three stages, each lasting 42 days, with negotiations required before moving to the next phase.

It is set to expire Saturday.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed talks on the second phase -- originally set to begin Feb. 3 -- the first phase resulted in the release of 29 Israeli prisoners (out of 33 planned) including four bodies, in exchange for 1,755 Palestinian prisoners.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly called for taking over Gaza and resettling its population to develop it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

The idea has been vehemently rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who said it amounts to ethnic cleansing.