Captions by vitac www. Vitac. Com im jim acosta in washington. Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world to cnns breaking News Coverage of israel at war. It is 11 00 p. M. Saturday night in israel one week after hamas slaughtered 1,300 people in a Terror Attack inside israel. Israels military said its preparing for the next stages of war, and israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu delivered that message himself to the front lines earlier today. This is video he posted online of that exchange. Along the border with gaza, more than 300,000 Israeli Soldiers with heavy equipment, you can see some of the tanks right there, are awaiting netanyahus orders of Ground Invasion into gaza. It could come at any time. Israel is ordering more than a million civilians to evacuate Northern Gaza for their safety. Today, the State Department is urging Palestinian Americans in gaza to move closer to the Rafah Crossing into egypt. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in gaza grows ever more ominous. The United Nations says water is running out, putting two Million People at risk. The United Nations also says israels blockade must allow Fuel Deliveries to water plants and other facilities saying, its a matter of life and death. Lets begin our coverage with Jeremy Diamond. Hes in jerusalem. Im going to be speaking with the Idf Spokesman in just a few moments but it just seems eerily quiet in gaza. It seems quiet where you are. But of course, things may be changing dramatically in the coming hours. Reporter no doubt about it, jim, and the idf is making very clear that the next phase of this Military Campaign is going to be far more kinetic and much wider and it is going to involve coordinated strikes from air, sea, and land. That is the latest update from the Israel Defense forces in just the last few hours as they telegraphed, perhaps in the clearest terms yet, that a Ground Operation inside of Gaza Of Significant Scale is indeed in the offing. When exactly that takes place, we do not yet know, but this latest statement from the idf says there will be a emphasis on significant Ground Operations in the next phase of this military response. At the same time, its very clear that they are taking a very deliberate, a very strategic approach to the buildup that we are seeing along the gaza strip. More than 300,000 reservists have been called up. We have seen tanks and artillery beginning to be positioned in key locations around the gaza strip, and beyond that, of course, the idf is also ordering civilians inside the northern half of gaza to head south. That is provoking, of course, very difficult humanitarian conditions inside of gaza, but the idf says that it is intended to try and minimize those civilian casualties, which we have already seen dramatically increasing in recent days as israel has ramped up its aerial Bombing Campaign of gaza. What we are also hearing this evening from israeli officials is a clearer indication of what the goal is here. We have heard a lot of fire and brimstone from the israeli Prime Minister and other saisraeli officials talking tough about destroying hamas, and tonight, the National Security advisor saying that hamas will not be the ruler in gaza after this operation, after this war concludes, saying that hamas will no longer be the sovereign following Combat Operations in gaza. And jeremy, lets talk about whats happening in gaza right now and specifically the situation at the Rafah Crossing, which is currently the only way out of gaza. We heard our colleague, wolf blitzer, talking to the egyptian Foreign Minister about that a short while ago. The egyptians are saying that that crossing is opening is opening as far as theyre concerned, but thats not what were hearing on our end of things. Do we have any clarity as to whats going on there and why is that so important right now at this stage . Reporter yeah, jim, cnn has spoken with americans who are inside of gaza who made their way to the Rafah Crossing earlier today after being urged to do so by american officials who believed that that crossing would be open between 2 00 and 5 00 p. M. Local time today, but they were not able to go through. That crossing did not open for them, and there were some reports in egyptian media earlier today that egyptian officials are refusing to open that crossing so long as there is not humanitarian aid being allowed into gaza. We know that this all comes against the backdrop of the fact that israeli Officials Say they are laying a siege to gaza, not allowing food, water, electricity, or fuel, which, according to United Nations human rights officials, is a violation of international law. And more broadly, we know that the humanitarian situation in gaza is worsening by the hour. Hospitals are running out of fuel to be able to keep their generators running, to be able to continue to provide care for critically injured gazans, thousands of whom have been injured in recent days. The death toll is topping more than 2,200. 1,300plus buildings have been destroyed inside of gaza, and even those civilians who are able to flee south following israeli officials orders, there are still strikes being conducted in the southern part of gaza as well. So it is a very, very precarious situation for those gazaens in what is one of the most densely populated places on earth, and of course, as of yet, there is simply no way out. The only borders that gaza has is israel to the east and the eres crossing which existed previously, was destroyed in this hamas attack on saturday. Israeli officials are not allowing anyone out. And then to the south, you have egypt, and egypt, as of yet, has not opened that crossing to our knowledge, jim. Jeremy diamond in jerusalem for us. Jeremy, stay close by. Well get back to you. Thank you so much. Lets get Immediate Reaction from Lieutenant Colonel jonathan of the israeli Defense Forces. Lieutenant colonel, thank you very much for joining us. We appreciate it. If you dont mind, if i could just pick up on what Jeremy Diamond was just talking about a few moments ago and help us sort out what is happening at the Rafah Crossing. My colleague, wolf blitzer, spoke with the egyptian Foreign Minister just a short time ago and the Foreign Minister insisted that crossing is open as far as theyre concerned on the egyptian side of things, but that is not what we are hearing. Perhaps you can help us sort this out. What information can you provide . Yeah, the what i understand that hamas is doing is all humanitarian efforts to alleviate the situation. They have been obstructing and actively stopping Gazan Civilians in the north from going south as we have directed them to do. And i have also seen reports, this isnt 100 confirmed yet, that theyre doing the same thing in the south. And at this time, i think it is abundantly clear that hamas bears responsibility for everything in the gaza strip. First and foremost for the humanitarian situation, and they could change the situation very dramatically and very quickly. They only need to return our hostages and surrender unconditionally and the humanitarian situation in gaza would be improved almost overnight. And colonel, Prime Minister visited troops near the gaza border earlier today. He indicated that the next stage is coming. How imminent is a Ground Incursion into gaza . Might we see that happen overnight tonight . I know you dont want to forecast things, Telegraph Things too much, but are we in the final hours before something begins . Just like shaving, its not something that you like to do in a rush. We are looking at a very, very difficult combat area. This is densely populated urban terrain that hamas has had the time to prepare for ground battle. They will be using everything that they have at their disposal, first and foremost the civilian infrastructure, and i think that nothing would be beneath them once our fighters get close if that indeed is whats going to happen. So, we will definitely not be rushing anything. Currently, we are striking hamas from the air. We are hunting their commanders. Were striking their facilities. We are striking their logistics capabilities to sustain operations and we are making it increasingly difficult for hamas to continue to operate with the end game or the aim being to dismantle them totally. And what about the hostages at this point . Have the israeli Defense Forces essentially gotten to a point where youre not going to be able to remove the hostages and the next stage of your operation has to continue even with that in mind . Well, they are front and center and at the top of our list of priorities at the highest levels in israel. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families that are, i think, totally petrified in fear about the fate of whats Dpgoing On Wh their loved ones. We are pooling and focusing all of our intelligence collection assets in order to understand whos being held and to have a final list of the people that we assess are being held, and then where they are and then importantly, most importantly, how to develop a plan and execute it in order to get them back. But the aim of our operation here, the Strategic Military aim, is to dismantle hamas and its military capabilities. And i know the israeli Defense Forces and the Israeli Government have given civilians in Northern Gaza a timetable to leave that area, so they are not in harms way when the next stage of this operation is conducted. Has that time expired . No, and you know, its less about a specific time. As the saying goes, somebody might have the clock, but someone else has the time. Its more about the amount of civilians that are still in that area. And what were trying to do is to get these people to voluntarily evacuate themselves, to go south to an area that is safer, so that we can conduct enhanced Military Operations. I think that the decision will be made in israel once the situation will be deemed better from a humanitarian Point Of View with far less civilians there, then we can conduct and begin to operate. Again, important to emphasize, none of the civilians are our enemy. Its only hamas that we are looking for. We are not trying to punish anybody or to inflict undue damage. We are focusing our Military Effort against hamas, their leaders, and their supporting infrastructure and the combatants. Those are the ones we are after. Just to press you on that with a quick followup question, does that mean that there is still some time for these civilians to make their way out . There is time, but listen, this is a matter of life and death, and people should get their stuff and go south. Its very clear. I understand that their situation is complex, and i wouldnt be where they are. I wouldnt like to be in an Israeli Community on the morning of the 7th Of October either, but this is where we find ourselves because of their aggression, and what i tell gazans, civilians, take your belongings, take your family, go south, do not listen to the statements and efforts by hamas to keep you there, because they are only using you for their political purposes. And what is the mission if and when this Ground Incursion begins . I suppose its now a matter of when. Might we see something along the lines of a temporary occupation of the area . Is that essentially what were going to see . Have your forces prepared for that . For a temporary occupation, a holding of that area until such time you feel that hamas has been rooted out . Yeah, well, we have to distinguish between the method and the tactics by which were going to achieve the aim and then the strategy and what it will look like. If well be able to totally dismantle hamas and its military capabilities within a short period of time, then there would be no need for israeli troops to stay even one day. But as long as theres friction, as long as hamas exists and has fighting power, as long as anwar is alive and his lieutenants and their commanders are alive, then we still have a fighting capability, and the end of this war will be with a dead hamas leadership and with a dismantled Military Capacity of hamas. And so that could last for some time. That could last for days, possibly weeks. We definitely hope it will last shorter, but we are prepared, and we understand that we are on the brink of a very challenging operation. However, we will continue to enhance our operations, but we are on the brink of a very challenging operation in a very complex battleground, and obviously, we would prefer to do it quicker for everyone involved, for our purposes and for the civilians in gaza and to be able to return to normalcy in israel despite the atrocities that we have encountered, but if it takes longer, it will take longer. What matters is that the job gets done and that at the end of the war, when the last bullet is fired, there is no more Military Hamas capabilities and that theyll never, ever have the ability to threaten israeli civilians again. All right, Lieutenant Colonel jonathan conricus, thank you very much for your time. Thank you for having me. We know theres long hours ahead. Still ahead, the top democrat on the House Intelligence Committee joins us on the warning signs that may have been missed before the Terror Attack in israel a week ago. Cnns Special Coverage of israel at war continues in just a moment. This just in to cnn, the white house says President Biden spoke with israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu earlier today, marking the fifth call between the two leaders since hamass attack on israel last saturday. Lets discuss more with democratic congressman jim himes of connecticut, the Ranking Member on the House Intelligence Committee. Congressman, great to see you. Appreciate the time. We were just speaking with Idf Spokesman just a few moments ago trying to get some kind of sense as to when things are going to escalate there in gaza. Obviously, theyre not going to give us an exact timetable, but looking for some clarity on all of that. Just curious, have you received any briefings as part of your role in the house on the Intelligence Committee as to what may be taking place and what the u. S. Is doing to monitor the situation . Yeah, i have as recently as yesterday when chairman and Ranking Members of the various security and Foreign Affairs committees gathered to hear about the white houses thinking on a supplemental. As you probably know, jim, the administration feels like in the very short term, theyre just fine to be able to provide the israelis with the weapons and the munitions that they need, but that is for the short term, and so congress had a uniquely dysfunctional moment, needs to figure out how to get its act together for both that and for resupplying the ukrainians. But to answer your question directly, jim, you know, if it didnt come through in the last interview, the israelis are moving a little more slowly than you might have anticipated given the brutality of the attack of their country for two reasons. Number one, unlike hamas, the idf will operate pursuant to the laws of Armed Conflict and they have a brutal task in that regard, because their enemy, hamas, stores munitions in schools and mosques and hospitals, and Urban Warfare is brutal in the best of times, and this is far from that. Secondarily, i can tell you, and this is the subject of much conversation between the United States and israel, theres if the israelis dont succeed in going after hamas in a way consistent with the protection of civilians, that puts enormous pressure on hezbollah to get into the fight, and a twofront war is obviously something that everybody would like to avoid here. Yeah, and that is something that the Idf Spokesman said that they do want to give the civilians