In the gaza strip. Israel will no doubt have some mapped out. Not all of them. Where were standing if and when this Ground Invasion comes, it will probably be worse than ones weve seen before in terms of casualties and the bitterness of fighting that we have in store. Kim . Appreciate it. Elliot in london. Thanks americas top diplomat is in jordan after spending thursday in israel, Antony Blinken is trying to prevent the conflict from spreading and hoping to secure the release of hostage, cnn Beckie Anderson has more. The war between israel and hamas kicking off a flurry of diplomatic activity across the east. U. S. Secretary of state Antony Blinken landed in tel aviv thursday to show washington solidarity with israel. The message that i bring to israel is this. You may be Strong Enough on your own to defend yourself. But as long as america exists, you will never have to. We will always be there. By your side. The Secretary Of State also tried to secure the release of hostages taken by hamas. Working with allies such as qatar to strike a deal for the release of israeli women and children for palestinians women and teenagers according to a diplomatic source. But hamas says it will not negotiate as long as it remains under attack from israel. And israel says it has cut off water, electricity and fuel as long as those hostages are held in gaza. With the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave, the u. S. Warned israel it must follow laws of war amid talk of a massive ground assault. Elsewhere, talks underway with egypt to allow civilians to exit gaza by the Border Crossing. So far, no concrete deal there. Meanwhile the crisis paving the way for the first ever phone call between irans president and saudi arabias crown prince. Mohammed stressing escalation and targeting as well as support for the palestinians cause. That matched Normalization Deal with israel. Jordan king one of the first arab states to strike a peace deal with israel renewing calls to accomplish a palestinians state. What the palestinians territories are witnessing is currently is again our area will not obtain peace and stability without achieving a comprehensive and just peace on the basis of twostate solution so that the palestinians people can receive the independent country with sovereignty. While blinken hell reportedly will meet on friday. But despite the diplomatic pressure. Peace in the region seems further away than ever. Beckie anderson, cnn, tel aviv. Still to come the white house confirms at least 27 americans have been killed in the israel hamas war. Were learning more about their personal stories. Plus, iran is blocked from accessing billions of dollars as part of a Prisoner Swap Deal as the u. S. Investigates the country for potential links for hamas attacks. Details next. Defense secretary lloyd austin has arrived in israel. Pictures from is just moments ago scheduled to meet with Prime Minister benjamin netanyahu. His israeli counterpart and the newly created israeli war cabinet. Follows one by u. S. Secretary of state Antony Blinken thursday. U. S. Officials are scrambling to get americans back home sealy. The Biden Administration said it will start charters flights today to destinations in europe. Infer rid home on u. S. Base and other carriers, united, americans and Delta Airlines stopped flying to and from there this week over safety concerns. The white house confirmed the number of americans killed in the conflict is now 27. 14 u. S. Nationals are still missing and were learning their names and their stories. Heres cnn erica hill. Reporter beaming smiles every day joy. Now forever frozen in time. Its amazing. Person. Each and every within that met her loved her. Shes done nothing wrong. His 25yearold Daughter Daniel was born in california. She and her boyfriend recently moved to a new apartment. Adopted a dog and building a life together. They went to a party to celebrate peace and love. Danielle and noaa never made it home from the festival. Told me in the last meeting that she and noah decided to get married. Unfortunately well bare them together. He was a captain in the dog handling unit. The citizens spent his camp in the u. S. His aunt describes him as a fun loving passionate kid. He was 27. His exwife said he moved back to israel two years ago to care for his morning. On saturday, hamas attacked the village where they lived. They were part of the security team, the Pet Troll Team in the in the village. Him and his brother both Israeli Americans were killed. Everyone called him johnny. And she was my sister in law. Running for the council of the area of a bunch of villages. She was such a uplifting quality human being. Renee butler and his young family along with her morning, carol were murdered at the ka but on saturday great loss. On a beautiful tribe. We had. Half of our family is gone. This was our life, our love. I had 14 nieces and nephews. I have 11 now. Reporter family shattered. As countless more wait for word on their loved ones and wonder when they will ever be whole again. Erica hill. Cnn. New york. Iran has been temporarily blocked from accessing billions of dollars as part of a Prisoner Swap Deal between washington and tehran. Comes as u. S. Officials investigate irans possible involvement in hamass attack on israel. Cnn alex has the details. The 6 Billion Dollars set to be released to iran in exchange for the recent swatch five american prisoners that they were holding that deal is now on hold after hamas, which is backed primarily by iran, carried out the horrific and deadly attacks in israel over the weekend. A u. S. Official from the Treasury Department told members of Congress Thursday that the United States and qatar reached a quote quiet understanding, not to allow iran to access any of the 6 Billion Dollars in iranian funds transferred to qatar accounts last month as part of the hostage deal. Money is iranian but still in qatar banks and set to be dolled out by the u. S. Treasury department for humanitarian purposes. Now a source tells cnn those funds will not be touched by iran any time soon heres what Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken said thursday in israel. Fund from that account are overseen by the Treasury Department can only be dispensed for humanitarian goods, food, med. Medical equipment. And never touch iranian hands. We have strict oversight of the funds. And we retain the right to freeze them. The u. S. And Israeli Intelligence communities have found so far no smoking gun tying iran to saturdays attacks directly. But irans longtime backing of hamas over the years with millions and millions of dollars in funding and weapons has made iran, according to the Biden Administration, complicit in hamass attacks in israel. Alex mark, cnn washington. That decision to freeze the 6 Billion Dollars iranian funds comes after growing bipartisan pressure. Cnn wolf blitzer talked about this in conversation with erin burnett. Now the Biden Administration apparently agreed with so many others that that 6 Billion Dollars could be fungible if the iranians get the 6 billion through qatar, through this program, they could free up 6 billion they have to use for food, medicine in other areas and free it up to do other things. I think the Biden Administration now realizeses that a mistake. Given what they see as irans complicity in this hamas attack on israel. They say theres no direct evidence that no compelling evidence that iran was directly involved with hamas in this war, but they think that over the years, the support that iran has given hamas and hezbollah, between to be complicit and not provide other money and probably sense it was a mistake to begin in this direction, given the fact that for several Administration Iran seen as the number one State Sponsor of terrorism. In all the conflicts between israel and hamas over the years, theres been and still is one constant, civilians are always caught in the violence. The wars toll on gaza, children. Plus, no power, no water, Gaza Medical Supply is pushed to the brinks of collapse under israeli bombardments. From chrome to duckduckgo. Duckduckgo is a browser you download to your mobile and desktop devices. Unlike chrome, the Duckduckgo Browser has privacy builtin. It comes with a private alternative to google search, which doesnâ– t spy on your searches, and it blocks cookies and creepy ads. And theres no catch. Its free. We make money from ads, but they dont follow you around. Join the millions of people taking back their privacy by Downloading Duckduckgo On Mobile and desktop today. Welcome back to all of you watching us in the United States, canada and around the world. This is cnn newsroom. Israeli military is calling on all civilians in gaza city to begin Evacuating South Wards now, today. But its not clear where 1 million civilians are supposed to go. The idf claims hamas fighters are hiding in tunnels beneath the city and wants civilians out of harms way. The aim here is to minimize damage to civilians. There are significant Combat Operations ongoing. And we are preparing for future and the continuance of our operations and out of an understanding there are civilians here who are not our enemy. And we do not want to target them. We are asking them to evacuate so that we will be able to continue to strike military targets belonging to hamas in the gaza strip. Israel has now amassed about 300,000 troops along the gaza board and pounding hamas targets nonstop with air strikes and artillery. U. N. Said more than 423,000 people have been displaced by the conflict between israel and a 25 increase in one day. More than 2 3rds are taking shelters in schools run by the u. N. At least two u. N. Schools were being used as Emergency Shelters when they were hit by air strikes. The Organization Says 12 of its staff and 30 students have been killed since saturday. Relief groups are calling for the protection of civilians in gaza humanitarian crisis worsens by the hour. Cnn reports and we want to warn you her report contains graphic content. Reporter gripped by grieve. A loss of unfathomable scale. Gazas death toll and number of civilians wounded is rising with each and every air strike. In the Refugee Camp Men Dig with bare hands, desperate to rescue loved ones from beneath the rubble of what once were their homes. Sad begins to list the names of children killed in the latest strike. Among them his niece. She was just a few months old. Now she is one of more than 442 children Gaza Health Ministry said killed by israeli air strikes so far. Israel says it is striking hamas targets. But authorities here say medical facilities, schools, residential areas have been impacted. Our neighbors said that the israelis called and told them to evacuate the area. So we came to stay with relatives here. But the next morning, when we woke up to pray at dawn, the air strikes happened. There was no warning. The densely speculated gaza strip which has been under an israeli land, sea and air blockade since 2007 is home to more than 2 million people. Around 47 are children. So far, at least 340,000 people have been displaced within gaza. Many are now force to do take shelter in u. N. Run schools like this one. But civilians here are also now facing what the israeli government. Described as a complete siege on gaza. Theres no water for us to drink. No water for us to wash ourselves with so we can pray. Theyve bombed our schools, many people have been killed. Its not far for children like us. Why is this happening to us . Life under a blockade is all that the Children Gaza have ever known. For some, luke 13yearold nadine, its hard to imagine a future beyond this relentless conflict. Last couple of nights have been the worst ive he have lived in my life. This is not living. This is existing. Were not planning our futures anymore. Were just trying to survive. But survival in gaza is becoming more and more difficult by the day. The humanitarian situation in rapidly deteriorating. And while the u. N. Has condemned what it has described as israels unlawful blockade on gaza and indiscriminate nature of eyes, theres little hope that the blood shed will here. Cnn. The Biden Administration says it stands by israel. But theres only so much it can do without a functioning congress. Ongoing u. S. Military aid to israel is on the table. Of course, but theres no scenario for sending u. S. Troops to rescue american hostages in gaza. Yet. Thats what republican president ial candidate tim scott told voters he would do as president. Here he is. We should be in a position where our resources and our military weaponry is available and accessible to refill, replenish israel as the need arises the next several months, i assume. In it takes Special Forces to get our hostages, take american, im willing to send an american to bring an american back. U. S. House republicans are expected to meet Behind Closed Doors friday morning, hoping to find some way to agree on a new leader. House majority leader Steve Scalise pulled out of the running for the top position late thursday after it became clear his fractured party wouldnt come together to support him. If you look at over the last few weeks, if you look where the conference is, theres still work to be done. Our conference still has to come together and is not there. Theres still people that have their own agendas, and i was very clear. We have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what of this country needs. Friday will be the 9th day u. S. House republicans operated without a leader since Kevin Mccarthy became the first Speaker Of The House in history to be ousted by his party. Well be right back. White house says it has no plans to put u. S. Troops on the ground in israel ahead of an expected Military Incursion into gaza. Cnn Nick Robertson reports on preparations. Reporter israels newly emerging front line in the war with hamas. Heavy how it just dug in. Firing on the terror group a few miles away in gaza. Part of israels massive military buildup. Since hamass attacks saturday. Many of the 300,000 reservist called up already deployed ahead of of a highly anticipate asked Ground Offensive into gaza. These are exactly the same gun positions the Israeli Defense forces used in that lost major confrontation with the hamas back in 2021. The question now will this confrontation be different . Will israel actually be able to crush hamas as the Prime Minister says he wants to do. Military offensives beaten them before and wont be easy now. The palestinians death toll and Unintended Consequence israeli shelling and Missile Strikes is climbing. Thursday, u. S. Cautioning care. The Prime Minister and i discussed how israel does this matters. We democracies distinguish ourselvess from terrorists by striving for a different standard, even when difficult. Reporter and it will be difficult. Israel is still reeling from the deadliest most barbaric attack on its civilians when the state was founded. Anger hamas shy so too pressure on the Prime Minister to act decisively. His calling for more International Support as he plans his offensive. Hamas should be treated exactly the way isis was treated. They should be spit out from the community of nations. No leader should meet them. No country should harbor them. Those that do should be sanctioned. Reporter meantime hamas still getting into israel. This gun battle with them late wednesday. There were multiple incursions by hamas yesterday. There was i drove through and three terrorists were out looking for civilians. The tempo of fire, fire higher than in 2021. A drum beat that seemses to signal a Ground Offensive. All but inevitable. Even so its outcome far from certain. Nick robertson cnn, israel funerals were held thursday for some of the people who had been killed the last few days. Israeli families gathered in jerusalems ceremony to funerals of soldiers killed in the conflict with hamas. Palestinians mourn the deaths of five of their own who were killed by Israeli Settlers and forces in the occupied west bank. The nationalities of the victims of the hamas attacks last weekend stretch across the globe. Include thailand, brazil, russia, u. K. , australian and ukraine. So many feel compelled to help with humanitarian