Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu orders ‘immediate and powerful strikes’ on Gaza after accusing Hamas of violating ceasefire

"Following the security consultations, Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the military echelon to carry out powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip immediately," a statement from Mr Netanyahu's office said.

Israel says a coffin handed over by Hamas on Monday did not contain the body of another dead hostage.

Forensic tests showed the remains were Ofir Tzarfati whose body was recovered by Israeli forces in late 2023 and not to any of the 13 dead hostages still in Gaza, the office said.

The office accused Hamas of a "clear violation" of the two-week ceasefire in Gaza.

Hamas has said it is committed to the deal which was brokered by the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.

It has said it needs help to find remains of hostages buried under the rubble left by two years of the war.

Hamas has responded by accusing Israel of “fabricating false pretexts”.

The terror group released a statement earlier today saying Israel is obstructing its efforts to search for bodies in the Strip.

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They called on mediators to “allow the relevant bodies to carry out their humanitarian tasks away from political and aggressive calculations”.

Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday Israel would decide which foreign forces it would allow as part of a planned international force in Gaza.

The force will be established under US President Donald Trump’s plan to secure a ceasefire in the Strip.

Israel has voiced concerns about the make-up of the force, while the Trump administration has ruled out sending US Soldiers into the Gaza Strip.

“We are in control of our security, and we have also made it clear regarding international forces that Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us, and this is how we operate and will continue to operate”, Mr Netanyahu said.

“This is, of course, acceptable to the United States as well, as its most senior representatives have expressed in recent days”, he said during a session of his cabinet.

Israel continues to control all access to the territory after a two-year military operation in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, atrocities which saw the deaths of over 1,000 Israelis.