Israeli soldiers refuel their Merkava tank near the southern Israeli city of Sderot. File / AFP

Israel is preparing a ground invasion of Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement on Wednesday, but he declined to provide any details on the timing or other information about the operation.

He said the decision on when forces would go into the Palestinian enclave, controlled by Hamas movement, would be taken by the government's special war cabinet, which includes the leader of one of the centrist opposition parties.

"We have already killed thousands of terrorists and this is only the beginning," Netanyahu said.

"Simultaneously, we are preparing for a ground invasion. I will not elaborate on when, how or how many. I will also not elaborate on the various calculations we are making, which the public is mostly unaware of and that is how things should be."

Netanyahu on Wednesday acknowledged for the first time that he would have to give "answers" for security lapses exposed in the deadly Oct.7 attacks by Hamas.

"The fault will be examined and everyone will have to give answers, including me. But all this will happen later," the right-wing leader said in a televised address as the Israeli military prepares for a widely expected invasion of the Gaza Strip.

"As prime minister I am responsible for securing the future of the country," he said.

Israel has carried out days of intense bombardment of the densely populated Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israeli communities that killed some 1,400 people.

Earlier, citing US and Israeli officials, the Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had agreed to delay the invasion of Gaza for now, so the United States could rush missile defences to the region.

Media reported on Monday that Washington advised Israel to hold off on a ground assault and is keeping Qatar - a broker with the Palestinians - apprised of those talks as its tries to free more hostages and prepare for a possible wider regional war.

Reuters