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.

Israel's military said on Wednesday it would again observe the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after carrying out a wave of deadly airstrikes in response to an attack that killed one of its soldiers. The health authority in Gaza controlled by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas reported 104 dead and more than 200 injured since Israel began its attacks on Tuesday.

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's intense bombardment of the Gaza Strip this week marked the most serious challenge yet for a fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

Israel's military said on Wednesday it would again observe the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after carrying out a wave of airstrikes in response to a deadly attack on its soldiers. The military said it had bombed dozens of targets in Gaza overnight,

Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 20 people, including children, after Israel accused Hamas of violating the US-brokered ceasefire deal and staging the discovery of a deceased hostage.

Israel won't accept the presence of Turkish armed forces in Gaza under a U.S. plan to end war in the Palestinian territory for good, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Monday.

The prime minister further stated that Israel will not agree to the Palestinian Authority (PA) taking part in governing the Gaza Strip "unless it undergoes fundamental change. " Turkish soldiers will not be allowed to enter Gaza,