Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army on Tuesday to immediately carry out "powerful strikes" in Gaza, a new test for the tenuous US-brokered ceasefire.

Eyewitnesses in Gaza City said Israeli military planes had begun launching air strikes, while tanks firing and explosions were reported in other parts of the Strip.

The order from Netanyahu follows heightened tensions, as Israel reported Hamas firing on its forces in southern Gaza and after Hamas returned a set of remains that Israel said belonged to a hostage recovered earlier in the war.

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Netanyahu called the return a "clear violation" of the ceasefire agreement, which requires Hamas to return all Israeli hostage remains as soon as possible.

In a sign of

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