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Terrorist attacks. Dont go anywhere. Cnn this morning starts right now. Hello, everyone. Were glad youre with us. Im poppy harlow with Phil Mattingly in new york. Erin burnett joins us live in israel. Its 6 00 a. M. On the east coast. 1 00 p. M. In tel vooe, where Secretary Of State Antony Blinken is on the ground now as the war between israel and hamas intensifies. Were expecting to hear from him shortly. Hes meeting oneonone with the israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as airstrikes continue to gaza. Hostages are still being held captive this morning. This is what it looks like in gaza city right now. Israel is now vowing to keep power, water and fuel cut off to the gaza strip until hamas releases hostages. The International Committee of the red cross is sounding the alarm saying hospitals will turn into morgues with cancer patients, babies in incubators and elderly at serious risk. There are hundreds of thousands of troops massing near the border with tanks and artillery as that vows to crush hamas. We have Team Coverage across the region. Lets get to erin burnett live at a hospital in ashkelon. This is a hospital that got Hit Yesterday in the strikes that you were reporting from. And also thats treated hundreds of patients since the initial attack over the weekend. What are you seeing and hearing . Reporter yes, thats right. And its very busy here, so were in ashkelon. We hear the thuds of those strikes that you were referring to in gaza. A very busy morning for the idf forces. And here at this hospital, it was Hit Yesterday. 650 people actually were treated here for the actual attacks. 70 people came here yesterday as a result of the strikes we were reporting from. And as you can see behind us, its busy. This is the er and the trauma unit entrance. But what youre seeing here is food and assistance for first responders. They say that they have been receive ing donation from all around israel ever since the strikes started. And thats what youre seeing behind us. So here in this hospital, obviously, used to being a target. They are accustomed to that. Hundreds of people, 650 people were treated here for the attacks themselves. Youre roughly eight miles away from the boarder of gaza. You were reporting from there all day yesterday. When you talked to officials, when you talk to people like those that are behind you now, what kind of preparation are they making for whats expected to come in the days and weeks ahead . Reporter there is a resignation, and also, theres trepidation. People are aware something is going to happen. They are sure something is going to happen. But they dread it. And i think thats the fair way to describe it. As were standing here, and i know you cant hear it, but we hear the regular thuds of those strikes in gaza. So here its not just talking about it. Its something palpable they can feel and hear. Its obviously affected their community. As you point out with gaza, we stand in this hospital here that is received hundreds of people is suffering from the attacks and the ongoing strikes in gaza they say that hospitals are at risk of humanitarian crisis. You refer ered to that because the electricity and fuel shortage. They say the hospitals will be turned into morgues. Thats what were hearing from officials in gaza. But you have the israelis saying theres going to be no electricity, no fuel, no water to gaza until those 150 hostages are returned to israel. That is the question of what does portend. We could see in your live shots yesterday all of the equipment and the troop buildup right there on the border and that begs the question that everyone has been asking about a Ground Invasion if that will happen, when that could happen, away have you seen today so far . Reporter we have seen it continue. Theres no change. It does raise the question of how long you can stay and what Military Experts will call a crouch. Youre crouched down and ready to go. You cant stay in that position for a period of time. So when you have 300,000 troops, you need to make a decision. And i think thats the real question that they have is exactly when. A spokesperson told me that i spoke to overnight that referring to it as something to happen within days. I think it just reflects the sense that what happens will happen. It will happen in the near future. This isnt something where you can indefinitely, as we saw with putin for months and months, start to build up along the border. Thats not the situation were looking all the at all. You made such a great point. This is not abstract, the feeling is palpable. Youre hearing the boom. Is the tempo increasing, decreasing, talk about what youre seeing and feeling . Reporter i can tell you what we have seen so far in ash can ke lon. Its really just constant thudding. Im not going to say it sounds like more than yesterday, maybe it does a little bit. Thats as far as i would go, but they are regular strikes. They are constant. You hear a thud, seconds later or a minute or two later, you hear another thud. On the Receiving End of that is gaza where you keep hearing about the injury toll, the death toll going up, and those hospitals are becoming overwhelmed because of people seeking care, but also because of the fact they dont have electricity, fuel or water. We also understand, even from those who may have supplies or generators like a hospital might, youre in a situation where because nothing can come in, even with that sort of a backup, you only have a few days that you can operate. Thats what they are dealing with just a few miles from here across that border. Thank you so much. Stay with us. Well get back to you very soon. We know that at least 1,300 people have been killed inside of gaza. More than 6,000 injured. That comes from the Palestinian Health ministry. Israel continues this blockade about a food, fuel, water, supplies into gaza. Health officials are warning the Hospital System is on the brink of collapse. Ben wedeman joins us from lebanon. You have reported extensively in gaza throughout the years. Talk to us about what that would be like on the ground in gaza with this continuing blockade. The situation was grim even before this war began, but certainly what we have seen is a dramatic, catastrophic deterioration of liveing conditions in gaza. Yesterday at 2 00 p. M. Local time, the only power plant in gaza shut down because of lack of fuel. Now hospitals who have backup generators and Storage Facilities for that fuel, but they say they are quickly running out. We have heard from the Palestinian Ministry of health that this hospitals are at total capacity, the beds are full, the injured are basically lying on the ground in the hallways. The system is essentially collapsing. Now the International Committee of the red cross has put out a statement, which you have referred to as well as erin, but i want to read this critical paragraph. It says as gaza loses power, hospitals lose power, put ting newborns in incubators and elderly patients on oxygen at risk. Kidney dialysis stops and xraies cant be taken. Without electricity, want hospitals risk turning into morgues. The israelis have announced they have imposed this total siege, no electricity, no food, no fuel, the water seems to have been cut as well. But lets keep in mind, there are 2 Million People in gaza. Many of them, probably more than 50 , are not supporters of hamas. They are just trying to survive. 40 pors of the population is under the age of 15. The Population Density of gaza is around 21,000 people per square mile. Thats about 6 times the Population Density of washington, d. C. So as you have this totality of factors, no food, no water, no electricity, no fuel, the hospitals collapsing, under bombardment 24 hours a day, we understand that today has perhaps the most intense bombardment on the gaza strip so so far. The situation is unbearable for the people of gaza. They are appealing for help. The Palestinian Ministry of help is asking for International Help to come in and set up hospitals, field hospitals, operating theaters, because nothing is getting in. And not even journalists. In the past we have been able to cover these events, but in this instance, the israelis arent letting anybody in. The Egyptianss Have sealed the border for journalists as well. There are very capable journalists in there at the moment, but the rest of us are stuck on the outside. But from afar, we are seeing just how difficult that situation is and just deteriorating dramatically by the minute. Ben wedeman, thank you very much. Especially given all your Expertise Reporting inside of gaza. Well get back to you soon. Youre looking live at pictures from the gaza border where we are seeing a lot of tanks and military vehicles that continue massing forces. We want to bring in former member of the joint staff, Colonel Lateen. As we have seen throughout the course of the morning, we kept seeing large components flow into that area. How long can they stay there . Whats the length of time they would mass before an incursion could begin . Yeah, good morning. That depends on a lot of factors. One of the key things is how long are they going to have food and fuel just to stay there. Troops are not happy troops. And the key thing here is these guys are going to be sitting here probably for about 72 to 96 hours or so. And then after that, they are going to basically spring into areas in prepositions all around this border area right here. This zone is basically the zone in which they are going to be operating in, and all the points at which the tanks and apcs and infantry vehicles are located, this is the jumping off point for anything they might be be doing in gaza in terms of actually conducting operations in that way and make ing things work for the Israeli Forces this area. Stay with us. Thank you. Were waiting to hear from Secretary Of State Antony Blinken. He has landed in israel. We know hes meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Well bring his remarks, as soon as they come. That will come as the white house is faced with a real dilemma. How to respond to the atrocities without escalating the conflict. We have new reporting, ahead. Were surging additional Military Assistance i obncludin munition, and we will will send the carrier fleet. They are sending more fighter jets to that region. And made it clear to the iranians, be careful. That was President Biden on wednesday relaying a series of developments in americas response to the war between israel and hamas. The president has been focused on getting the tone just right and the consequences of making a misstep. But he faces a dlilemma. How to support it every in way without sparking a wider war Priscilla Alvarez is live for us at the white house. Its such a fine line to walk. Whats happening the behind the scenes . Reporter this boils down to outrage without escalation. To give you an ideas look, the president gathered his advisers earlier this week before his speech on israel, and in that meeting, he told his advisers he wanted to include more detail about the apaling nature of the attack. He forcefully talked about the shear evil. That deep emotional reaction by the president is what has translated into a forceful response by the u. S. Ask that includes ordering u. S. Warships to the region, sharing intelligence, as well as really little attempt at encouraging any restraint by israel. But this is a very delicate balance. Thats really the message that has come through in closeddoor meetings. Thats what we have learned from officials. President has made clear they have to be careful with any missteps. That is really the fine line that they are towing here. And we see parts of that. In meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he also talks about the importance of the rules of war and they have been wary of making any links with iran because of any concerns of escalation. Now as you know, the president has a deep experience in foreign policy. They are leaning on that, but its very clear they need to strike a delicate balance when it comes to expressing the outrage over what we are seeing in israel, but also trying to avoid any escalation of this moving forward. In the middle of that, the president has also not the completely ruled out the possibility of sending u. S. Troops to israel. Is there any clarity from the administration on what it would take for that to happen . For now, Officials Say we are not there at this point. A person close to the white house said if hezbollah were to launch missiles, that could escalate the situation. Yesterday National Security Council Spokesman john kirby said they are not seeing any rogue actors skirt the warnings from the u. S. , but all of this is unfolding very quickly. So for now, the situation remains that there will be no troops sent there, but all uggs officials are keenly aware of how quickly things can change, but actions as of now remain focused on deterrence and A Show Of Force by the u. S. In the region. Pwe expect to hear from Secretary Of State Antony Blinken. Well bring that to you live. Blinken said the negotiations created a corridor to leave gaza. Well break down why the negotiations are so complicated. Thats ahead. Youre probably not easily persuaded to switch mobile providers for your business. But what if we told you its possible that comcast Business Mobile can save you up to 75 a year on your wireless bill versus the big three carriers . Its true. Plus, when you buy your first line of mobile, you get a second line free. There are no Term Contracts or line activation fees. And you can bring your own device. Oh, and all on the most reliable 5g Mobile Network nationwide. Wireless that works for you. Its not just possible. Its happening. Israel is saying this morning they are not going to let up on this blockade on gaza until the hostages are all freed. President biden speaking about the release of hostages in an impassioned speech on wednesday. Listen. You want to make it real clear. Were working on every aspect of the hostage crisis. Theres a lot were doing. I have not given up hope of bringing these folks home. Lets get back to books east erin burnett. You spoke with the idf. He said something i havent heard them say, which is where they believe these hostages maybe held. Reporter thats right. They did give more information about that. They were pretty specific. When we talk so much ab the tunnels under gaza, how they may have been involved in the attack itself, but hes saying he believes that hamas is holding these hostages in various locations, scattered around gaza in tunnels underground, and specifically, that they think these are locations that have not been known to have been used before by hamas. Which is a significant way of putting it. Not saying israel doesnt know where the locations maybe, but they dont know hamas has used these before. It is new information. Much more detail than we had gotten to this point. One person trying to help rescue these hostages, i should note, we saw a lot of what appeared to be consular officials from a lot of countries going by. Im not saying they were going for negotiations, but its possible that was the situation because there were a lot of countrys delegations going down by had that check point. Brian stern is trying to help rescue these hostages. Its a veteranled organization thats Rescued Americans around the world. I know youre working on projects in afghanistan, obviously here in gaza, as well as in ukraine, where you and i first met. Youre in israel right now as well. When you hear what the idf is telling me where these hostages maybe held, are you getting anymore information . Does that fit with what you understand to be the case . I think what youre getting from the israelis is accurate. Theres a lot more information thats coming out every single day. Thats normal for these kinds of situations. These terrible situations have an arc, if you will. Every single day well get more and more and more. And the Hostage Takers will learn more and more about them, which were doing. Which everyone is doing. And what they want and need and what the Leverage Points are and different opportunities to recover or rescue or get them released, which is by far the most amicable for everybody. The Hostage Takers dont want to be dead. They know what they have. Its in everyones interest to get them released. I was talking to a father, who his wife and both of his daughters, who are ages 5 and 3, he was literal ly on the phone with her in the safe room when militants came in and she was taken hostage. He doesnt know the situation. But you are dealing when you talk about 150 hostages, with very young children. Do you know anything about the conditions they are being held in, where they are being held, and how the reality of such small children being among the hostages is affecting the situation . Obviously, when children are involved, thats twice the war crime, if you will. Hostages are bad, but children bring a different dynamic to it. I dont have children, and i cant even begin to fathom what that father is going through. The conditions