Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned Hamas as he says a body that was returned to Israel is not that of the hostage the Islamic group claimed it was.



As part of a phase one six-week ceasefire deal, Hamas has released 19 of the 33 hostages the group agreed to free. It also returned four bodies on Thursday.



Hamas said they belonged to an elderly man, two young children and their mother. But the Israeli military said on Friday that the purported body of the mother was not hers.



Netanyahu said in a statement that Hamas put the body of a Gazan woman in the coffin. He also said Israel will "ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement."



Concerns have been raised over whether the development will have an impact on talks for a permanent ceasefire between the two sides, as the six-week ceasefire is due to expire on March 1.



Israeli media reported on Thursday that the country's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer would visit the United States to meet with Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Dermer is a close aide to Netanyahu and is leading the ceasefire talks on the Israeli side.



Witkoff has said phase two of the talks on a permanent ceasefire is more difficult, but there is a chance of success.