Seoul, Aug 1 (IANS): South Korea expresses "deep concern" over the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East and urges all parties to exercise restraint and seek diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

"Our government expresses deep concern over the recent sharp escalation of tensions in the Middle East," ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a commentary, Yonhap news agency reported.

"We strongly urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and hope that diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, including ceasefire and negotiations on the release of hostages, will continue without interruption," he said.

Tensions have heightened in the already devastated region in the wake of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of the Hamas militant group who had been leading the negotiations on pausing the conflict with Israel.

His death has dampened the prospects for the negotiations on ending the war, as Iran has claimed Israel's responsibility for the killing and threatened to retaliate.

Fears of a wider regional clash have also gripped the Middle East following Saturday's rocket attack on a town in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights that killed 12 children. Israel has accused Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah of being behind the attack.