Israel is preparing a ground invasion of Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement on Wednesday, warning that Hamas militants are "doomed".
Israel's leader did not provide any timings or further information about the ground invasion, saying that decisions would be taken by the government's special war cabinet.
It comes after the United Nations chief rejected accusations by Israel that he justified the October 7 attacks by Hamas, saying "this is false" and the "opposite" of what his statement to the Security Council said. Antonio Guterres told the council in New York on Tuesday that attacks by Hamas "did not happen in a vacuum".
His comments enraged Israeli diplomats who announced they would no longer grant visas to UN officials and called for his immediate resignation.
On Wednesday the UN chief said he wanted to "set the record straight especially out of respect to the victims and to their families". "I am shocked by the misrepresentations by some of my statement ... as if I was justifying acts of terror by Hamas. This is false. It was the opposite," he told reporters.
Also on Wednesday the first UK RAF flight providing medical and water supplies to Gaza was sent to Egypt. UN relief workers in Gaza have warned they will run out of fuel by Wednesday night and may have to cease operations.
