Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. Im rosemary church. U. S. Secretary of state Antony Blinken says the u. S. Is actively working to ensure the people of gaza can get out of harms way and get the humanitarian assistance they need. His comments coming as aid groups describe deteriorating conditions inside gaza, where israel has been launching air strikes at hamas targets since the militant groups deadly attacks. Question heard from a spokesperson with the Israel Defense forces a short time ago. Hamas has taken the gaza strip hostage and is hiding behind its civilians, and this is the reality. The humanitarian operations and this morning, again, we continue to call on the people of the north of the gaza strip to evacuate towards the south. Tens of thousands of palestinians have already fled to the south, but the growing humanitarian crisis remains a major concern. Aid deliveries have been piling up on the egyptian side of the rafe Border Crossing, the only viable way in or out of gaza. Blinken has promised that it will be open, but the u. S. Empathy in israel warns the situation at the crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable. Cnns Clare Sebastian is following developments for us live from london. What is the latest on the hamas israel war from both sides of the border . And what are you hearing about the possibility of a ceasefire coinciding with the opening of the rafha Border Crossing into egypt . Reporter we do not have confirmation from either side, hamas or the Israeli Government. The israels Prime Ministers Office saying there is currently neither a ceasefire in return for the exit of foreigners. The Government Media Office in gaza saying they have no contacts or confirmations from the egyptian authorities regarding the intention to open the rafah crossing. All this followed comments from Secretary Blinken On Sunday In Cairo saying rafha will be opened, but then we got an alert from the u. S. Embassy in jerusalem later saying that the situation was still very fluid, urging citizens to assess the risk themselves before going to rafha. So it is very uncertain whats happening there. Clearly theres a Situation Inside Gaza that is spiraling. Plenty of people wanting to get out, israel ordering them to evacuate from the north of the strip down to the south. There are significant difficulties doing that, given the lack of food, fuel, electricity, and of course the issue that the Health System currently is facing which is getting a lot of focus right now. There may be very few days left with fuel for the hospitals. Take a listen to the head of the Palestinian Red Crescent speaking to cnns erin burnett. Food and water is running out. Medicine and obviously fuel. We have been saying that we only have fuel for a few days. Today, i can say that we only have fuel maybe for tomorrow and after tomorrow. And you know, without fuel, the hospitals will not function. Reporter theyre dealing with more than 9,500 people who are said to be injured so far during the israeli bombardment. Were watching closely israeli preparations as well for potential ground offensive, troops massing on the border with gaza. And of course, intense diplomatic efforts from the u. S. Secretary blinken said to be heading back into israel today. His focus will be on the humanitarian situation, the efforts to get both u. S. Citizens out of gaza, and of course the hostages. And also intense efforts to prevent the conflict from broadening beyond israel and gaza. This is where we see him on the second trip, also why we heard over the weekend the u. S. Plans to deploy another Aircraft Carrier strike group to the eastern mediterranean, a second one there. Thanks to Clare Sebastian for that live report from london, appreciate it. Earlier, israeli president isaac herzog described to Cnns Wolf Blitzer some horrific scenes hes witnessed. Some of the images are graphic. I saw the most horrific scenes. I saw the skull of the woman in which house i visited, a house totally destroyed. Totally destroyed. And they just cut her head off. I saw a pool of blood in that house where the picture of the children is hanging and the grandchildren hanging on the wall. With the knives and the hatchets which they went in. I saw the most horrific scenes possible. I saw bloodshed, and i was thinking to myself, because in the kibbutz there was a special fund to help the neighbors from gaza. For years theyve been paying money to help their friends and neighbors in gaza. Because they advocated peace. And all of a sudden, life was shattered. And the same life was shattered for the israeli nation. My nation is bleeding. My nation is in pain. My nation is in sorrow. And we are faced with an extremely cruel, inhumane enemy which we have to uproot with no mercy. Aid groups are preparing for the worst as the humanitarian crisis in gaza intensifies, with each day of the conflict basic necessities dwindling. Food, medicine, and water in short supply. The Director General of the Palestinian Red Crescent also says hospitals face imminent shutdowns since theres very little fuel left to run generators. Julia tuma, Communications Director for unrwa joins me from athens. Thank you so much for being with us. Thank you for having me, rosemary. So the hamas attacks last saturday in southern israel, they were brutal and abhorrent. Now as israel strikes back with heavy military force, your organization is calling this an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe unfolding inside gaza. Your Commissioner General says the world has lost its humanity with palestinians being denied water, food, and electricity. Describe to us what exactly is happening inside gaza right now. Its a terrible, terrible tragedy, rosemary. 1 Million People have been forced to leave their homes. At least half of them are now in unrwa facilities. We get reports from our staff they are terrified. Unrwa lost 14 colleagues of mine. Teachers, engineers, gynecologists. No place is safe in gaza. Efforts are under way to establish a humanitarian corridor, get food, water, and other supplies into gaza. Are you hearing any more details about that corridor or any information on the possibility that the rafe Border Crossing may open soon . Were Hearing Rumors of a possible ceasefire. What are you hearing on all of this . Weve got to get in supplies. And weve got to get in those supplies urgently into the gaza strip. We need fuel, we need wheat flour, we need other basic supplies. Unrwa has not been able to deliver anything in the past week. We need to get in supplies as soon as possible. Fuel especially so that the water can come back to people in the gaza strip. Why hasnt egypts president elelsissy opened that border given hes been condemning israels air strikes on gaza and calling the cutting off of resources punishment. But hes not doing anything to help the Palestinian People who are massing at that rafha Border Crossing. Look, rosemary. Unrwa is calling for humanitarian assistance in whichever shape, way, form possible. So that were able to get in humanitarian assistance. The situation right now on the ground is very, very dire. Water has run out for 2 Million People. Little children are drinking dirty water. Weve got to get in those supplies, especially fuel and wheat flour, as soon as possible. Time is really running out for the people of gaza. Its running out. That is a real concern. And if Israel Proceeds with its Ground Incursion into gaza, what will likely happen to those palestinians who werent able to evacuate and to the hospitals that werent able to evacuate some of those patients and those who are helping them . Well, more people will be killed. More civilians will be killed. And its time for all of this to come to an end. Too many people have been killed. Too many civilians, tool children, too many women, old people. This has got to stop. Humanitarian supplies need to get into gaza, and the siege on the gaza strip must be lifted right away. So at this point, we know that humanitarian aid is sitting at the rafha Border Crossing on the egyptian side, but the problem is that that crossing hasnt been opened up. Once it is, and it could there are rumors it could happen any moment. Some of these aid groups are positioned to be able to get that humanitarian aid to those most in need . Well, you see, before the 7th of october, unrwa used to bring in supplies from the israeli crossing. So right now, what were calling for is to lift the siege. We are ready. We would like and we would urge all those who have influence on parties to the conflict to open up gaza so that unrwa is able to bring in muchneeded supplies for people. Theres 1 Million People who are in need on the ground. Half of them are sheltering in unrwa facilities. We are running out of supplies, on the earn of not being able to continue operations. Lets hope that happens soon. Were all watching and waiting for that very action to occur. Julia touma, thank you so much. Still to come, as israeli troops prepare for an expected Ground Attack on hamas, we will take a look at The Last Time the idf moved into gaza. China takes on diplomacy in the middle east with top diplomats delivering some increasingly strong words for israel. Well take you to beijing for the latest after a short break. Welcome back, everyone. Aid groups say conditions in gaza are deteriorating rapidly. The enclave has been cut off from water and electricity for days as israeli air strikes continue to pound towns and cities. Tens of thousands of palestinians have already fled from Northern Gaza to the south to escape an expected Israeli Ground incursion. The last time the idf went into the enclave to target hamas leaders was back in 2014. Nic robertson looks back at the operation then and what israel is planning now. Reporter close to gaza, preparations under way for a muchanticipated ground offensive. Troops from different units training together. There is an urgency here. They have to be ready fast. Right now, this is a rehearsal. If and when theres an incursion, these troops could be at the front of it. Tanks, or for this Practice Model ones, followed by infantry and combat engineers. A combined force spearheading an incursion. If they do, major offic will be near the front. We expect to go to war. We expect to destroy the terrorist organization, hamas, kill its governments, and kill every last terrorist. Thats what we plan to do, and thats how it will be. Reporter The Last Time the idf went into gaza targeting hamas leaders was 2014. Ariel bernstein was 21, in the special forces, one of the first to cross the border. We are just afraid that there is something waiting for you at every corner. Reporter but his experiences then have left him questioning the tactics today. Back then, he says, the idf warned civilians to leave, and hamas told them to stay just as its happening now. But some had stayed. His orders, he says, whoever you see is engaged in fighting, involved in fighting, therefore we call it engaging with fire with any home you enter, with any kind of shape of a person that you see from afar. Reporter in many ways, israels actions are playing out just as they have in the past. 2021, gun positions freshly dug back in use. And in gaza, the civilian death toll, according to Palestinian Health officials, already higher than in 2014. And like then, israel is already facing Huge International pressure to avoid more civilian casualties. What we are doing is saying privately what weve said publicly, which is that all Military Operations should be conducted consistent with law of war, that civilians should be protected. Reporter the problem, the idf says it faces, just like 2014, hamas will be hiding amongst civilians. The whole situation were talking about with Gazan Civilians forcibly embedded is another element of hamas. Hamas has to be fully defeated. Reporter the responsibility is on them, not you . The responsibility is on hamas for their own civilians. Our responsibility is to eliminate hamas capabilities completely. Reporter major Offic Pausing during training in a mockedup palestinian town says they dont hurt innocents, only terrorists. But admits if he is sent into gaza, avoiding civilian deaths wont be easy. Do you think its possible that a to fight hamas without civilians getting injured . Translator were concerned with overthrowing the hamas regime and killing the terrorists who are currently in gaza. If it will be difficult, it will be difficult, not easy. Reporter outside the camp gates, as israels Military Ponder their next move, troops are saying their fond farewells. Nic robertson, cnn, southern israel. The idf says its fighter jets hit hezbollah Military Infrastructure in lebanon on sunday. An uptick in clashes with hezbollah is raising fears that the conflict could spread. Ben wed men is in Southern Lebanon with details. Reporter it was another day of crossborder strike and counterstrike between hezbollah and israel with the Violence Edging beyond isolated incidents and starting to veer toward the scenario so many here fear, another fullon war between hezbollah and israel, one worse, perhaps, than the more than monthlong battle they fought in 2006. Throughout the day, hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli Military positions on the border, firing guided missiles at communications, observation, and surveillance equipment. Also hitting some israeli towns, killing one israeli civilian and wounding several others. Israel fired artillery and launched air strikes on what it called hezbollah Military Infrastructure. As a result of the fighting, israel declared a fourkilometerdeep, Closed Military Zone along the border to keep civilians away. In the afternoon, a volley of rockets was fired into israel, most intercepted by the iron dome. But it wasnt hezbollah, but rather the military wing of hamas that claimed responsibility. At roughly the same time, iraq had hit the headquarters of the u. N. Peacekeeping force just north of the border, slamming into the helipad there. No one was injured. The u. N. Is trying to determine where the rocket was fired from. All of this doesnt amount to war yet, but its getting dangerously close. Ben wedeman, cnn, Southern Lebanon. China is weighing in on the war between israel and hamas. The countrys top diplomat says israel now has gone beyond selfdefense with its actions since the hamas attack. Chinese Foreign Minister wang yi says that the right to selfdefense should line up with International Humanitarian law. He also told irans Foreign Minister in a phone call that statehood for the Palestinian People has long been put on hold. And cnns beijing bureau chief, steven jeong, joins us from the chinese capital. What more can you tell us about chinas response to israels war with hamas . Reporter yeah, rosemary, wang yis remarks regarding israel have raised some eyebrows because some perceive it to be a hardened stance from beijing towards israel as the humanitarian crisis in gaza worsens. In all of the readouts after his phone calls with regional powers over the weekend, not just iran but also turkey, saudi arabia, and the u. S. As well, you see this emphasis on chinas traditional champion cause that is, Palestinian Statehood as mentioned. One thing thats been conspicuously missing is the word hamas. They have not mentioned this group in any of their statements and readouts and condemnations. Perhaps, because like most arab nations, china has long reviewed the group as a resistance organization, not a terrorist group. Thats reflected in their Media State Coverage on the story, focused on palestinian suffering after the israeli counterattacks while barely mentioning the initial israeli heavy casualties when the hamas Group Launched these heinous attacks against civilians. So that, of course, has not gone unnoticed by israel and its allies, including the United States. But despite beijings claim of impartiality and insistence that they have no agenda in this conflict other than being on the side of peace and justice, very much you see this onesided emphasis on the Palestinian Statehood. Thats, of course, something theyre not the only ones saying. But at this juncture, it seems thats not something very practical. Thats why some say despite beijings recent inroads in the region, they still lack the expertise and experience in dealing with perhaps the worlds most sensitive and complex issue. That may be a i flexion of beijings calculation that at the e