Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu placed the blame for civilian casualties and destruction in the Gaza Strip squarely upon Hamas Wednesday after a month of bitter fighting.

"It must be ostracised from the family of nations for its callous abuse of civilians," he told a press conference in his first public remarks since a 72-hour ceasefire came into effect Tuesday.

"Every civilian casualty is a tragedy, a tragedy of Hamas's own making," he added.

During the press conference the Israeli prime minister defended Israel's month-long war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in which not less than 1,875 Palestinians have been killed, as "justified" and "proportionate."

"I think it was justified. I think it was proportionate and that doesn't in any way take away the deep regret we have for the loss of a single civilian casualty," he told a news conference in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel was cooperating with the Palestinian Authority and that it was important the PA had a role to play in the Gaza Strip.

"We are cooperating with the Palestinian Authority on matters you have raised," he said, when asked about reconstruction in the war-battered enclave run by the Islamist movement Hamas.

"We are prepared to see a role for them ... I think it's important for the reconstruction of Gaza," the Israeli premier added.

Since Israel launched its offensive against Gaza on 8 July, 64 of its soldiers and three civilians have been killed in clashes and shelling in and around the enclave.

Currently there is a three day truce between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza as Palestinian and Israeli delegations hold indirect talks for permanent ceasefire in Cairo.