Israel and Hamas signal preparations for return to battle, as end of truce nears

Israel and Hamas are signalling they are ready to return to battle as the final hours of a six-day truce approach. 

Hamas' armed wing issued a statement telling its fighters to be ready to resume combat with Israel if the temporary truce expires on Thursday at 7 am local time.

"The Al-Qassam Brigades asks its active forces to maintain high combat readiness in the last hours of the truce," the group said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Israeli media has reported that Israel threatened to “resume battle” if it doesn’t receive an “improved list” of Israeli captives to be released by Hamas in the next stage of the truce. 

Israel’s war cabinet met on Thursday without reaching a decision to extend the truce, Israel’s national public broadcaster, Kan, reported.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in Israel to discuss extending the truce.

Meanwhile, mediators from Qatar and Egypt have been pushing Hamas and Israel to extend the agreement which has allowed some desperately needed aid to enter Gaza and captives to be released.