Lets show you live pictures from gaza now. The israeli army has asked residents of several different areas across the gaza strip to leave their homes. Move to the city centres or take refuge in shelters in preparation for Launching Attacks against hamas targets. Witnesses told the bbc that dozens of families had started leaving their homes and were sheltering in un schools. This comes as israeli troops are still going house to house to clear communities after the saturday assault. We are hearing there is still fighting ongoing in Southern Israel at this hour. Lets get some reaction now from washington. Us Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken spoke with several of his european counterparts. State Department SpokespersonMatthew Miller says they discussed and condemned the hamas attacks and underlined the us support for israels right to defend itself. Live now to elliot abrams, who served in the George W Bush and trump administrations. Welcome to you. Thank you for joining us. The Biden Administration is calling for allies around the world to form allies around the world to form a coalition to respond to this. What are your expectations for this . I what are your expectations for this . ~ , this . I think there will be lots of support this . I think there will be lots of support for this . I think there will be lots of support for israel| this . I think there will be i lots of support for israel for a few days, and this is what we saw in the 2006 lebanon war, then casualties appear on the other side, then casualties appear on the otherside, in then casualties appear on the other side, in this case, in gaza. Then people tend to fade away and the initial support weakens or disappears. But in terms of the weakens or disappears. But in terms of the us weakens or disappears. But in terms of the us support, weakens or disappears. But in terms of the us support, do l weakens or disappears. But in l terms of the us support, do you anticipate that being steadfast and what do you think, and to what lengths do you think, washington will go to in order to support its key ally, its longtime ally, israel . Ithink president longtime ally, israel . Ithink President Biden longtime ally, israel . Ithink President Biden was longtime ally, israel . Ithink President Biden was quite i President Biden was quite strong today in saying that the us would, and i think it means two things. It means diplomatic support for israel at the un if there are efforts by others in there are efforts by others in the Security Council, the general assembly, to condemn israel. And it may mean resupply if, in the course of the next week, say, israel runs short of any particular item. It would mean sending it to them as the us did in the 1973 war. 50 years ago almost exactly to the day. Exactly to the day. You mentioned exactly to the day. You mentioned there exactly to the day. You mentioned there the i exactly to the day. You mentioned there the United StatesUnited Nations and we know the Security Council will meet tomorrow, sunday. Do you think that anything can be achieved there . Think that anything can be achieved there . No. I dont think at this achieved there . No. I dont think at this point achieved there . No. I dont think at this point there achieved there . No. I dontj think at this point there will be a condemnation of us by name. There may be a condemnation of violence hamas. In the past has been difficult to get through condemnations of loss, thats what i look for. I think it will be a strong sign of support for israel. And a strong sign that countries such as china and russia really do disapprove of what hamas did but im doubtful it will happen and i think thered probably be the kind of Land Resolution thatjust the kind of Land Resolution that just calls for, the kind of Land Resolution thatjust calls for, you know, an end to violence. Thatjust calls for, you know, an end to violence. And what about, then, an end to violence. And what about, then, the an end to violence. And what about, then, the netanyahul about, then, the Netanyahu Administration . If we look at the language used today by the Prime Minister, he has vowed to the destruction of hamas. How far do you think Benjamin Netanyahu will now be looking to go . Netanyahu will now be looking to no . , netanyahu will now be looking too . , 4. , netanyahu will now be looking to io . , 4. , netanyahu will now be looking too . , ~. ,. , to go . You know, if you go back to go . You know, if you go back to the 2006 to go . You know, if you go back to the 2006 lebanon to go . You know, if you go back to the 2006 lebanon war, to go . You know, if you go back to the 2006 lebanon war, the i to the 2006 lebanon war, the Prime Minister then sat on day one that he would destroy hezbollah. Of course, that didnt happen. I think it will be very substantial israeli attacks on him us hamas because they thought that hamas would never do anything, like this, and so able hit hard. And i think there will be a government of National Immunity but after this is over, lets say a month from now, i think there will be a commission of National Enquiry and i think the netanyahus reputation as mr security is really damaged. I think hes got a lot to answerfor in this i think hes got a lot to answer for in this terrible Intelligence Failure. Intelligence failure. You mentioned Intelligence Failure. You mentioned 2006. Intelligence failure. You mentioned 2006. If Intelligence Failure. You mentioned 2006. If we | Intelligence Failure. You i mentioned 2006. If we can Intelligence Failure. You mentioned 2006. If we can go back to that moment because back to that moment because back then the United States gave the Un Along With gave israel along Wish To Change was the ground so do you think that can happen again . In the ground so do you think that can happen again . Can happen again . In my case the war lasted can happen again . In my case the war lasted a can happen again . In my case the war lasted a month can happen again . In my case the war lasted a month or can happen again . In my case the war lasted a month or 34| the war lasted a month or 3a days exactly but after a couple of weeks the United States was beginning, at least the State Department, beginning to push israel to stop it. I think thats likely to happen here. That is, i think the israelis have a few weeks. I doubt they have a few weeks. I doubt they have much more than about a month. ,. ,. , i. Month. How long to you potentially month. How long to you potentially foresee month. How long to youj potentially foresee what month. How long to you potentially foresee what we are seeing now going on for when we are witnessing what appears to be an unprecedented attack . Well, i think the hamas attack will end soon because they will be pushed out and back to gaza and because they will, at some point, run out of rockets and missiles to keep shooting. The question for israel is whether they plan to do a bigger version of what theyve done in the past, which is attacks. Or do they plan to go in on the ground . Everyone air attacks. Do they plan to go in on the ground . Everyone airattacks. I dont think there is any taste for a kind of don� t think there is any taste for a kind of re dont think there is any taste for a kind of re conquering of gaza going back to pre 2005 when Prime Minister sharon took the idea out of gaza. Took the idea out of gaza. Took the idf. I may be wrong it seems they dont really want to run gaza. What they want to do is enormous damage to hamas. D0 is enormous damage to hamas. Do ou is enormous damage to hamas. Do you think there is any policy that the United States or, indeed, its International Partners can pursue to de escalate the situation . I dont, because i think the main support and encouragement for hamas is coming from iran. And it isnt going to stop. Its true that when they were very, very heavy sanctions on iran and they couldnt really sell much oil, they have less money and they have less money for hezbollah and less for hamas and others. But i dont think that unless you can get iran out of the business of supporting him us hamas and hasluck, the underlying situation is going to change. Elliott abrams there joining us. Thank you so much for your perfect gift tonight, really appreciate it. Your perspective tonight. Live now to laurin whitney gottbrath, world editor at axios. Good to see you, thank you for being with us and i want to begin on getting your thoughts to what we heard from elliot abrams. I to what we heard from elliot abrams. ~. , to what we heard from elliot abrams. ~. Abrams. I think what he said, what a lot abrams. I think what he said, what a lot of abrams. I think what he said, what a lot of folks abrams. I think what he said, what a lot of folks who abrams. I think what he said, what a lot of folks who have l what a lot of folks who have been covering this conflict for years would agree with that. I do think israel does not have much time in terms of attention by the west. At least at the level that will see in the next week or couple a few weeks ahead. I do think in terms of the us and what the us will do is obviously very complicated by our own domestic politics at the moment, especially in congress and whether or not biden can get congress to approve any sort of additional funding for israel and any sort of closed time frame. Obviously, that very much depends on what happens in the house and i think it is another factor that is complicating or potentially could complicate sort of how the us also goes about this. About this. Thats a really interesting about this. Thats a really interesting point about this. Thats a really interesting point and about this. Thats a really interesting point and on | about this. Thats a really i interesting point and on that point i want to bring in elise labott, she is from politico and as you heard, this comes at and as you heard, this comes at a difficult time domestically for the United States right now. We have a paralysed congress, do you think that this will have a bearing on how the us is able to proceed in terms of its support here . I dont, i think that you saw kyle dont, i think that you saw kyle earlier give the statements from other congressmen and i think on Capitol Congressmen and i think on capitol hill, everyone tries to out israel capitol hill, everyone tries to out israel each other and more supportive than the next and especially on the republican side especially on the republican side. You have a bit on the democratic side, the hardline progressives. Starting to be a little progressives. Starting to be a little bit progressives. Starting to be a little bit more pro palestinian, thats been a problem for the israelis, palestinian, thats been a problem forthe israelis, in fact problem forthe israelis, in fact israeli officials have been fact israeli officials have been over here over the last year been over here over the last year or been over here over the last year or so been over here over the last year or so to try to woo progressives but on the republican side, everyone is pro republican side, everyone is pro Israeland Ifanything is going pro Israeland Ifanything is going to pro Israeland Ifanything is going to inspire them to get their going to inspire them to get their act going to inspire them to get their act together, i think itll their act together, i think itll be their act together, i think itll be we dont have a us commander in the region because of szeremeta Tommy Tubervilles hold on of szeremeta Tommy Tubervilles hold on military appointments. We may hold on military appointments. We may see they go away pretty quick we may see they go away pretty quick we may see they go away pretty quick senator. There will be an effort quick senator. There will be an effort to quick senator. There will be an effort to show solidarity just an effort to show solidarity just like an effort to show solidarity just like again we have been, the whole 9 11 comparison, just after the whole 9 11 comparison, just after 9 ii the whole 9 11 comparison, just after 9 11 when everyone united. After 9 11 when everyone united, i think theres been ithink united, i think theres been i think there will be a real show i think there will be a real show of i think there will be a real show of support for israel right show of support for israel right now and as elliott was saying right now and as elliott was saying about the us Giving Isreel saying about the us giving israel a saying about the us giving israel a kind of long leash, its true israel a kind of long leash, its true i israel a kind of long leash, its true. I think they will let them its true. I think they will let them do what they need to do. Let them do what they need to d0~ you let them do what they need to do. You are going to hear calls for a do. You are going to hear calls for a ceasefire, lets wrap this for a ceasefire, lets wrap this up. For a ceasefire, lets wrap this up, lipservice about civilians, you know, avoiding civilian civilians, you know, avoiding Civilian Casualties which they mean. Civilian casualties which they mean. By Civilian Casualties which they mean, by the way that they know israel mean, by the way that they know israel will mean, by the way that they know israel will have to do what it needs israel will have to do what it needs to israel will have to do what it needs to do. I think this will io needs to do. I think this will go on needs to do. I think this will go on for needs to do. I think this will go on for quite a while. Inaudible behind the scenes the support could look like militarily, the replenishing of the iron dome, what sort of things could the us offer to bolster its already the idf is already well stocked but to bolster the defence . I think sophisticated bolster the defence . I think sophisticated weapons bolster the defence . I think sophisticated Weapons Systems and ammunition and it could be very and ammunition and it could be very hard and ammunition and it could be very hard on the intelligence time very hard on the intelligence time frame, it was an Intelligence Value for the israelis but also, i have to say, israelis but also, i have to say, for israelis but also, i have to say, for the us because the relationship is very close but it will relationship is very close but it will be relationship is very close but it will be a lot more Co Ordination and intelligence and its Co Ordination and intelligence and its going to be the replenishing of the iron dome batteries because all of this incoming rockets will be very important. The us has a very robust important. The us has a very robust Military Supply deal with robust Military Supply deal with israel about giving its military with israel about giving its Military Supplies and i think it may Military Supplies and i think it may be sped up. But already a lot it may be sped up. But already a lot of it may be sped up. But already a lot of things in the pipeline so i a lot of things in the pipeline so i think a lot of things in the pipeline so i think its probably speeding up and making sure that israel has everything it needs that israel has everything it needs but then there is also going needs but then there is also going to needs but then there is also going to be the question of their going to be the question of their guard rails on some of these their guard rails on some of these questions weapons, some these questions weapons, some youve see them giving to the ukrainians that have been very the ukrainians that have been very controversial like cluster munitions, things like that. They munitions, things like that. They will munitions, things like that. They will avoid anything that can really do damage to civilians. In can really do damage to civilians. Can really do damage to civilians. ,. ,. , civilians. In anticipation of what benjamin civilians. In anticipation of what Benjamin Netanyahu civilians. In anticipation of what Benjamin Netanyahu has failed will be a fierce response and i want to go to laurin whitney, listening to that, the world editor at axiata. Haps you could sketch out a bit of the situation in terms of the gaza strip and palestinians living there now been told to get out axios. Of course, eating in and out is controlled, as we know, by israeli authorities so talk to us about the conditions in their and what theyll be facing. Their and what theyll be facini. , their and what theyll be facini. ,. , facing. Absolutely. Gaza itself is incredibly facing. Absolutely. Gaza itself is incred