Israel orders extra troops around Gaza as ceasefire shows signs of faltering

Israeli soldiers gather by the border with the Gaza Strip (Ariel Schalit/AP)

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, an Israeli official said.

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