Israel insisted on Sunday that it would retain control over security in Gaza, despite agreeing to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that foresees the deployment of an international security force.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers Israel would decide for itself where and when to strike its foes and which countries would be allowed to send troops to police the truce.

"Israel is an independent state. We will defend ourselves by our own means and we will continue to determine our fate," Netanyahu said. "We do not seek anyone's approval for this. We control our security."

AFP footage showed an Egyptian convoy in Gaza bringing rescuers and heavy machinery to speed up the search for the remains of deceased Israeli hostages Hamas says are lost in the rubble of the devastated Palestinian territory.

Low-loader lorries flying the Egyptian flag transported bulldozers and mechanical diggers into Gaza, accompanied by tipper trucks sounding their horns and flashing their lights, en route to an Egyptian aid committee based in Al-Zawayda.

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said that Netanyahu had personally approved the arrival of the Egyptian team.

"Now, this is a technical team only, and none of these personnel are in the military," she said.

"The team are allowed entry beyond the IDF's (Israel Defense Forces) Yellow Line position into Gaza territory to conduct the search for our hostages."

Under the terms of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, as Israeli forces withdraw following two years of intense fighting against Hamas, an international force – expected to be composed mainly of troops from Arab or Muslim countries – is set to secure Gaza.

However, Israel opposes any participation by its regional rival Türkiye. Facing criticism from hardliners in his own coalition for agreeing to the ceasefire, Netanyahu maintained a firm stance on Sunday during a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.

"We made clear with respect to international forces that Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us," Netanyahu said one day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded the latest in a series of high-level visits by Washington officials.

Later, Bedrosian put it more starkly, "The prime minister has said it's going to be done the easy way or the hard way, and Israel will have overall security control of the Gaza Strip."

"Gaza will be demilitarized and Hamas will have no part in governing the Palestinian people."

The main Palestinian factions, including Hamas, have agreed to form a committee of technocrats to administer Gaza alongside the ceasefire and reconstruction effort. However, Hamas has resisted calls for its immediate disarmament.

In a statement on Sunday, Hamas's lead negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya said the militant group's weapons are "linked to the presence of the occupation and aggression."

He added, "If the occupation ends, these weapons will be transferred to the state." 

(With input from AFP)