Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu says he will be held accountable for Hamas attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his country is preparing a ground invasion of Gaza, and that "we are working against the clock" in preparations to destroy Hamas. 

"We are in a war for our sovereignty, for our existence, and we have set ourselves two fundamental objectives: to eradicate Hamas's military and governmental capabilities and to do everything possible to bring the hostages held by the Palestinian Islamist group back home," Netanyahu said in a televised address.

He did not give any details on when this operation would begin. 

The prime minister also conceded that he will be held accountable for the bloody 7 October massacre by Hamas militants, but that will only come after Israel’s Gaza campaign. 

“October 7 is a black day in our history,” he said. “We will get to the bottom of what happened on the southern border around Gaza. This debacle will be investigated. Everyone will have to give answers, including me.”

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says its relief operations across the Gaza Strip will need to be sharply curtailed amid crippling Israeli airstrikes.

Hospitals in Gaza are doing their best to provide treatment to the wounded with diminishing resources.

The war, in its 19th day, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said Wednesday that at least 6,546 Palestinians have been killed and 17,439 others wounded. 

In the occupied West Bank, more than 100 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since 7 October.

Death tolls cannot be independently verified, as Hamas says it tallies its figures from hospital directors. 

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, according to Israeli officials, mostly civilians