ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge today for what he described as a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza after authorities determined that a body released by Hamas was not the Israeli mother of two small boys promised by the militant group.

The incident raised new doubts about the future of the fragile deal that paused Israel’s 15-month siege.

In the short term however, there were indications that the deal’s next step — the release of six living Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian captives — would proceed.