Palestinian militants of the Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, take part in a training exercise in Gaza City . Israel and Hamas ratcheted up the rhetoric today ahead of the expiry of a six-month Gaza truce which the Islamist rulers of the Palestinian enclave say they are unlikely to renew. The truce in and around the Gaza Strip was initially negotiated through Egyptian mediation for an initial period of six months which ends on December 18. APAIMAGES PHOTO \ ASHRAR AMRA