The remains of four hostages are still in Gaza after Palestinian militants released the remains of another on Sunday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted Gaza's Hamas-controlled areas will be demilitarised, rejecting claims that the ceasefire leaves the group armed. Speaking in Jerusalem, he said Hamas disarmament "will happen the easy way or the hard way,

It was the latest attempt by Trump to intervene in the case on behalf of Netanyahu, raising questions about undue American influence over internal Israeli affairs. Trump also called for a pardon for Netanyahu during a speech to Israel's parliament last month, when he made a brief visit to promote his ceasefire plan for the war in Gaza.

The office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced Wednesday it had received a letter from President Trump requesting a pardon for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently

In the 20-point plan, and in any other case, this area will be demilitarized and Hamas will be disarmed — either the easy way or the hard way,” the Israeli PM said in his weekly cabinet

President Herzog's office says he holds Trump "in the highest regard", but that anyone seeking a pardon has to submit a formal request.

President Donald Trump has made official a suggestion that he first issued on the floor of Israel’s parliament: that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be pardoned preemptively for his alleged crimes.