Israel's defence minister has urged forces amassed on Gaza's border to "be ready", as they prepare to soon see the enclave "from the inside".
Israel has massed tens of thousands of troops along the border, suggesting a ground offensive on the besieged enclave is imminent.
In a fiery speech to Israeli infantry soldiers, defence minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday evening urged the forces to "get organised, be ready" for an order to move in.
"Whoever sees Gaza from afar now will see it from the inside...I promise you," he said.
"It might take a week, a month, two months until we destroy them," he added, referring to Hamas.
Israel has pounded the besieged Gaza Strip with air strikes, in retaliation for a devastating Hamas rampage in southern Israel almost two weeks ago.
The Gaza Health Ministry said 3,785 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, the majority of them women, children and older adults.
More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed, mostly civilians.
As a major Israeli offensive against Gaza felt imminent, Rishi Sunak visited Israel on Thursday to express the UK's solidarity.
Mr Sunak met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described the war as his nation's "darkest hour". "It’s the world’s darkest hour," Mr Netanyahu added.
“We need to stand together and we want to win," he entreated Mr Sunak.
“This is a long war and we will need your continual support. There will be ups and downs, there will be difficulties, the people here are united, they are prepared to take the necessary action.”
Mr Sunak vowed Britain would stand by Israel, responding: “You describe this as Israel’s darkest hour.
"Well it’s for me to say I’m proud to stand here with you in Israel’s darkest hour as your friend. We will stand with you in solidarity, we will stand with your people, and we also want you to win.”
Violence between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon - which shares a border with Israel - has flared in recent days, leading to growing fears that the fighting between Israel and Hamas could disrupt other areas across the Middle East.
Continuing his Middle Eastern tour, Mr Sunak on Thursday headed to Saudi Arabia for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of an effort to prevent the Israel-Hamas confrontation spiraling into a wider conflict.
Mr Sunak urged Saudi Arabia to support stability in the Middle East as Israel geared up for a “long war” with Hamas.
More than one million Palestinians, roughly half of Gaza's population, have fled their homes in Gaza City and other places in the northern part of the territory since Israel told them to evacuate.
Most have crowded into UN-run schools-turned-shelters or the homes of relatives.
Israel on Wednesday consented for Egypt to let in food, water and medicine, providing the first possibility for an opening in its sealing off of Gaza.
Many among the territory's 2.3 million residents are down to one meal a day and drinking dirty water.
Gaza's overwhelmed hospitals are trying to stretch out ebbing medical supplies and fuel for diesel generators to keep the equipment running, as authorities worked out logistics for a delivery of aid into the area from Egypt.
Doctors in darkened wards across Gaza stitched wounds by mobile phone light, and others used vinegar to treat infected wounds.
Israel did not list fuel as a permitted item, but a senior Egyptian security official said Egypt was negotiating for the entry of fuel for hospitals.
The Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, said on Thursday 3,785 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, the majority of them women, children and older adults.
Nearly 12,500 others were injured, and another 1,300 people were believed buried under the rubble, health authorities said.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians killed during Hamas's deadly incursion on October 7.
Roughly 200 others were abducted. The Israeli military said on Thursday it had notified the families of 203 captives.
The deal to get aid into Gaza through Rafah, the territory's only connection to Egypt, remained fragile.
Israel said the supplies could only go to civilians in southern Gaza and that it would "thwart" any diversions by Hamas.
US President Joe Biden said the deliveries "will end" if Hamas takes any aid.
More than 200 trucks and some 3,000 tons of aid were positioned at or near Rafah, according to Khalid Zayed, the head of the Red Crescent for North Sinai.
Under an arrangement reached between the United Nations, Israel and Egypt, UN observers will inspect the trucks carrying aid before entering Gaza, and the UN working with Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent will ensure aid goes only to civilians, an Egyptian official and European diplomat told the AP news agency.
