Hello welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world, im john vause at the cnn center in atlanta with cnns breaking News Coverage of israels war with hamas. And there has been no letup in israeli airstrikes which continue to pound gaza. More than 1000 targets have now been hit according to the idf. All of them linked to hamas, the gaza base militant group it carried out a Surprise Attack over the weekend. The deadliest on israeli soil in 15 years. This is the beginning of an israeli response which Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu has warned will resonate for generations. As explosions lit up the night sky over gaza, the Israeli Defense minister ordered a complete siege, cutting off electricity and water from israel as well as food, fuel, and other supplies. [sound of artillery] rocket fire from gaza has continued overnight, mostly targeting southern israel. Right now, dozens of hostages are being held by hamas somewhere in gaza with a spokesperson for the military wing of hamas warning a civilian hostage will be publicly executed in response to israeli airstrikes on palestinian homes. The death toll on both sides has soared more than 1500, including at least 900 killed in israel where officials are still finding bodies after this prize attack by hamas, which came from the air, land, and see. This is israels Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu. Savage attacks that hamas perpetrated against innocent israelis are mindboggling. Slaughtering families in their homes, Massacring Hundreds of young people at an outdoor festival, Kidnapping Scores of women, children, and elderly, even holocaust survivors. Hamas terrorists bomb, burned, and executed children. They are savages. Hamas is ices and, just as the forces of Civilization United to defeat i. S. I. S. , the forces of civilization must support israel in defeating hamas. Cnns not a beshear is following developments, she knew him just now live from london. So, now to, the death toll among palestinians is surging, also with the israeli airstrikes. One of the reason why the Israeli Death toll continues to rise as because of finding more victims that were attacked by hamas. What are they just numbers that we have more is this all adding . Absolutely right, that death toll is continuing to rise and will continue to rise as this war goes on. Of course, were expecting an intensification, particularly focused on gaza as israel prepares its response. We have heard from the idf, they have said that they do not want hamas to have any military capabilities after this response from israel. We have heard from Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu vowing to completely destroy hamas in gaza. Of course, as we heard there, we are still hearing about the victims of that attack on saturday on a music festival. Of course, there are still questions around those who are still missing who are believed to have been taken hostage. According to israels message to the United Nations, its believed that between 100 250 israelis citizens have been taken hostage in gaza for the loved ones and families of those still missing it is an anxious wait to hear their fate. Take a look. This was israels festival in the early hours of saturday morning. But, in the distance, rockets seemingly intercepted in the dawn sky. The festival then brought to an abrupt, terrifying and as a Mosque Gunman launched a deadly rampage, Killing Hundreds and taking dozens hostage. They were shooting at them and taking them by force. They were waiting, my daughter tried to get to her car and they had militant people standing by their cars and shooting, so people couldnt reach their cars even to go away. That is when they took her. 21 year old abby mosel of fossil among those targeted in the ambush. Her mother hopes that she could still be alive, held captive in gaza. But fears that time is running out. I am a mother who is looking for her daughter. She is missing. I believe she is hurt, she is bleeding somewhere and like me there are hundreds of families who are looking for their beloved. I am a mother, i want to protect my kid. That is all i want to do and i am sure that all mothers on the other side in gaza, everywhere, that are thinking the same thing. Dash cam footage geolocated by cnn shows hamas gunman at the site shooting and killing people at point blank range. The site of saturdays massacre now stands eerily quiet, charred cars lined nearby streets. Hamas claims it has captured more than 100 israeli citizens, though no exact figure yet from the Israeli Defense forces. The result, dozens of families left in anguish, all hoping against hope for a miracle. [speaking in a nonenglish language] translator she called and said mom, theyre shooting at us. The cars hit. We are all wounded. I dont know how you feel, but the nightmare of apparent sitting and hearing her child saying mom, come and help me and we cannot do a thing. Nothing. Only to beat with her on the phone and say to her, i love you. Hide. But as theyre anxious wait continues, questions are also beginning to mount as to how an attack of this scale was allowed to take place. What is happening is unbelievable, simply unbelievable. We join in the grieving of all the families. We demand answers, not all the answers will be happy ones. Now, john, of course we have heard from regional voices, we have heard from International Rights groups and Human Rights Organizations who have said that, while this attack was deplorable, and deeply unprecedented, it did not happen in a vacuum. This has come after decades of what hamas and other palestinians view to be occupation of palestinian territory. It comes after decades of violation of palestinian rights and decades of which is where the Rights Groups and u. N. Human rights experts have characterized as policies and practices which amount to apartheid. But, of course, there is deep concern over the civilian population, both israeli civilians and Palestinian Civilians across the board. Rights groups, the United Nations, and International Allies calling for an end to the violence, calling for civilians to be spared. Not a beshear in london, thank you. Joining us now from tel avivs Lieutenant Colonel jonathan International Spokesperson for the Israeli Defense forces. Colonel, thank you for being with us. Thank you for having me. So, just some facts off the top. In terms of the immediate area around gaza, have her Israeli Forces secured security there . Are you confident that is not one hunted percent under israeli control . Yes, the area is under our control, but in war, nothing is ever 100 . But, we have regained control over all of the communities that were overrun and taken temporarily by terrorists. We have been able to clear and evacuate many of these communities in order to allow the civilians there to be in a safer place in Central Israel so that the idf can enjoy a much larger freedom of action and we have taken a lot of Engineering Steps in order to close back the fence and barrier that was breached in several locations. We are now patrolling it, guarding it with various means. Whats the latest in terms of rocket fire from gaza, is a mass firing these officials indiscriminately into southern and Central Israel . Yes, indeed they are. Unsurprisingly, rockets continue to rain down on israeli communities. Over the night in the last hours it has been mostly rockets towards communities in the south. There has not been, sorry, there has not been any fire towards Central Israel this tonight. The israelis in southern israel are in shelters and, of course, subject to indiscriminate war crimes, which is the firing of rockets. Do you have the latest numbers on israeli airstrikes inside gaza . Last report we had, more than 800 targets were hit, which the idf said were all sites linked to hamas. Can you update that number . Yes, we are nearing, lets at approximately 1000 to the figure that you just said and over the last 24 hours the idf has struck many hamas target all across the gaza strip. We are focusing our efforts on the military components of hamas, the aim is to degrade their military capabilities and achieve an end state at the end of this war where hamas will not be able to threaten or kill or terrorize a single israeli civilian. When it comes to the air strikes on targets inside gaza, what determines if a target is linked to hamas . If it is a Military Target as opposed to a civilian target . All of our targeting is done based on updated, realtime intelligence that has been gathered, assessed, analyzed, and vetted over a long period of time. There is a rigorous process of Vetting Intelligence and making sure that it is, indeed, a legitimate Military Target. The problem, the challenge that hamas opposes is that there is not even one single building in gaza with a hamas sign on it. They dont advertise that they use civilian infrastructure. So, for the unknowing i, you will see a Building Collapse and you might be mistaken in calling it a civilian building, when in fact it is a building used by hamas for research and development, command and control, any other topic that hamas needs office space or otherwise space for. We go through a long process of collecting the intelligence and venting it before any target is struck. Very quickly, all we still have, you thats a choice in to the north of israel, there has been some militant groups, islamic jihad, both backed by iran taking responsibility for earlier attacks there. As that situation quieted down . Whats the expectation, whats the latest from the northern part of israel . Solicitation is volatile. We are vigilant, we have added Tens Of Thousands of additional troops along the border, reservists as well as regular units in anticipation of a hezbollah attack. We have strongly urge them to think twice before they embark on any such attack against israel. So far, the last few hours, the situation has been quiet and lets hope it remains like that. Lieutenant colonel jonathan conricus, we appreciate your time. Thank you. U. N. Secretary general is condemning the attacks by hamas calling on militant group and its assault and release all hostages. Hes dressed only negotiated peaks can bring stability to the region. I recognize the legitimate grievances of the palestinian people, but nothing can justify these acts of terror and the killing, maiming, and abduction of civilians. Israel must see physicality materialized and palestinians must to see a clear perspective for the establishment of their own state realized. Guterres went on to say he was distressed by israels announcement of the complete siege of gaza. He urged all sides to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian Civilians who are trapped in gaza. Still to come here on cnn, more of our breaking News Coverage of the fighting, including israels next steps in its offensive against hamas. Also, the u. S. s Air Defense Ammunitions to israel in response to the deadly attack by hamas. Details next. Its just 16minute path of an in gaza on a Tuesday Morning in many palestinians now waiting through another day of airstrikes, fear, and concern. Cnn teams in southern israel can hear heavy explosions from the border of gaza. Strikes like this one a part of an offensive, israeli Prime Minister benjamin now valves will be like another before. Seven other people wrinkled and gaza, including 140 children. That is according to the Palestinian Health ministry. Thousands more have been injured, and thousands have been split east. Joining me now from jerusalem is the Senior Fellow for the jewish people policy institute. Its good to see you. Thank you, john. The israeli Prime Minister gave an indication as to what happens next, at least in terms the Military Response in gaza. Here is. Translator we have begun, and i emphasize, we have only begun to strike at hamas. What we will do to our enemies in the coming days will resonate with them for generations. Israeli Ground Forces briefly gaza in 2014. It seems theres a much wider, much more extensive Ground Operation on the horizon. It is a question of when not if . I think its a question of when, john. Israel is facing very bad options, but one of those options is the only viable one. On the one hand, israel can continue to strike at gaza from the air, that is pretty much what we have got used to in recent years where there have been these rounds on average about every 24 months for so. We will get them, they would get us back and forth, and it would be last a few days only from the air, only rockets, and an occasional tunnel they were tried to cross through, but that would be it. In this case, israel has to go into gaza because it has to push back hamas. The line of contact for people understand military terms, is currently inside israeli territory. Israel have to go and does it create a new line of contact inside gaza because the defense, the barriers completely breached. So it has to push back hamas and prevent more infiltrations that can cause more massacres by these barbaric terrorists as we saw on saturday. The second reason is that if israel doesnt go in, what lesson to our other enemies learn from that . Hezbollah is watching on the fence in lebanon, they are watching in tehran, everyone is watching to see what israel does. It has to show strength today after this terrible attack on saturday and sunday. You mentioned this, over the years israels objective with hamas in gaza has been and containment. Back in 2008, 2009, hundred 50 palestinians, israelis killed, 160 palestinians and six israelis were killed, and then in 2014 more than 2000 palestinians and 71 israelis were killed. This list goes on and on, but these operations were described to me at the time as cutting the grass, making sure the grass doesnt get out of control. Containment clearly hasnt worked, but the reason why was the preferred policy is because the ground working garage as seen as unwinnable and exactly what hamas wants. Look, again, these options are really bad. I hear all of these slogans. Topple hamas, collapsed hamas. It sounds good, especially when the blood is boiling and israel, after what happened on saturday, 1000 israelis massacred. People in their homes, children, men, women, elderly, taken to the gaza strip and held hostage by this ices like organization, a Terrorist Group. But, on the other hand, what does that mean to topple hamas . Israel is going to go into gaza, take over the entire place . I dont know if that is the option. What we are talking about is a complete degrading of hamas capabilities. Israel has to go in, theres only so much can do from the air, john. You have to go house to house. You have to capture the people, you have to kill their terrorists, you have to destroy their infrastructure, we have to take away the sophisticated iranian arms. Theyre supported by iran. All of this is needed, you can only do so much from the air and its going to be painful for both sides, but this was a war that was forced and compelled upon israel. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regardless of what party he belonged to her what this sport is, hes always seen as mr. Security. The guy who could ensure israel security. What has happened to that reputation now, where does he stand politically . Obviously the country is waving the flag, not the Prime Minister. Yeah, i dont see, you know, ive been asked about israelis rallying behind him. I see israelis rallying behind the flag, the state, the dire need and State Of Emergency that were in. He was mr. Security, that is definitely no longer the case. Where he is in his state of mind, is he thinking about the political day after . He probably is somewhat, but right now i am sure that he understands this is a fight for israels survival. Israel is at an existential point right now, not just because of hamas, but because of what we see happening in lebanon. That border is intense and volatile, there were clashes, there was overnight a deputy Brigade Commander was killed and clashes already with some of those infiltrators. My own brother stationed right now along that border as part of those Tens Of Thousands of soldiers who were deployed there, called up on saturday, left his wife and young daughter to go serve and defend the country there because a war might come there. And that war, john, you know this, they have 150,000 rockets and missiles that cover the entire state of israel. They can strike anywhere with precision and much larger warheads than hamas. So, the devastation that weve seen from gaza that pales in comparison to what we would see from hezbollah, we have to prevent that war. This is a moment where israel needs to show strength to the world and to this region because, otherwise, the future of this country very quickly, right now, more than 100 isra