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Israel orders beefed up troops around Gaza as ceasefire shows signs of faltering

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli official says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the army to beef up troops in and around the Gaza Strip after Hamas threatened to call off a scheduled hostage release on Saturday.
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Relatives and supporters of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip protest outside the prime minister's office in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. after Hamas announced it would delay a planned hostage release after accusing Israel of violating a fragile ceasefire. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli official says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the army to beef up troops in and around the Gaza Strip after Hamas threatened to call off a scheduled hostage release on Saturday.

The official said Netanyahu also ordered officials “to prepare for every scenario if Hamas doesn’t release our hostages this Saturday.”

The preparation plans come after Netanyahu met with his Security Cabinet for four hours on Tuesday to discuss Hamas’ threat, which has put the fragile ceasefire agreement in danger.

The Associated Press