The countdown for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is underway with both sides preparing for a new reality scheduled to go into effect on Thursday morning. On Wednesday, while Israel officially confirmed its committment to the Egyptian brokered truce, government ministers and senior IDF officers said while Israel will give the truce a serious chance, the army is ready to launch a ground offensive if the deal falls through. Hamas leader Khaled Masha'al warned that Hamas would respond swifly to any Israeli violation of the truce and  stressed that IDF soldier Gilad Schalit's release would be treated as a separate issue to the ceasefire and only in the framework of a  prisoner exchange.06/18/08