Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted an Israeli source as saying that if the list of prisoners transferred by Hamas through mediators does not change by 7 a.m., Israel will resume the attack on the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli War Council meeting ended at dawn today without announcing a decision regarding extending the truce.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that no agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas regarding extending the truce. It said that Hamas submitted, through mediators, a list of names of prisoners that Israel rejected, and Israel made clear that Hamas had to amend it in order to approve it, otherwise Israel would not be part of it. The deadline for Israel (to resume fighting in Gaza) is 07:00 am.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper also quoted an Israeli security source in talks to extend the ceasefire, saying that before Israel agrees to talk about releasing additional categories, Hamas must return about 25 women and children prisoners in Gaza.

American officials said that they are discussing with their Israeli counterparts how to protect thousands of civilians in southern Gaza if Israel decides to resume the attack on the Strip after the end of the truce.

Options being discussed by US and Israeli officials include transferring civilians who were displaced south at the beginning of the war to the north once military operations there end, a senior US official told CNN.

Agence France-Presse quoted a source in the Hamas movement on Wednesday evening as saying that what has been proposed to extend the temporary truce in the Gaza Strip is “not the best” at this stage.

Source: agencies