The Israeli army said on Saturday that its forces are preparing to implement a wide range of offensive operations plans, with growing expectations of an imminent attack on the Gaza Strip, a week after Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel.

The Israeli army statement said that its forces were deployed throughout the country, increasing operational preparations for the next phases of the war, “with a focus on large ground operations.”

The Israeli army said: “We are ready to begin the second phase of the operation, expand it, and begin the ground attack.”

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, published a video message addressed to the Israeli ground forces.

The video showed previous training for Qassam members emerging from a tunnel, attacking Israeli tanks, and taking a number of soldiers prisoner.