Hamas has said the return of the remaining bodies "may take some time" due to the destruction wrought in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday instructed the country's military to "carry out powerful strikes in Gaza," a statement from his office said, in response to alleged ceasefire violations by Hamas.

An official of the Israel Defense Forces told NBC News that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for strikes in retaliation for a Hamas attack in Rafah.

Israel has strengthened its security with a series of sweeping military victories in the past two years. It has also become far more isolated internationally, with no clear path ahead.

Police also worked with paratroopers to locate and arrest several individuals suspected of incitement to terrorism in the Hebron area. The IDF struck and killed three terrorists near Jenin in the West Bank,

The Red Cross has received the coffin of a deceased hostage from the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) said in a joint statement on Monday.

The US Secretary of State stated that the strike was not a violation of the Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal and drew attention to the 13 deceased hostages whose remains are still being held in Gaza.

Israel will not allow Turkish troops to take part in an international force the United States has proposed to oversee the ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Israel's top diplomat said Monday.

It remains unclear whether Arab and other states will be ready to commit troops while Israel has expressed concerns about the make-up of the force.