By Downloading Duckduckgo On Mobile and desktop today. Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world, im john vause. U. S. President joe biden will travel to israel wednesday, a dramatic show of support which comes at a crucial moment. More than a week after a Surprise Attack by hamas militants who murdered more than 1400 civilians in israel, and Israeli Ground offensive in gaza is now going to be imminent as well as israeli airstrikes that left gaza facing a humanitarian crisis like never before and white house officials fear this conflict could spiral into a wider regional confrontation. U. S. Soccer state Anthony Blinken announced the president s visit. Hes been on a marathon Diplomatic Mission across the middle east. Blinken also says the u. S. And israel have agreed to develop a plan for humanitarian aid from donations to reach civilians in gaza. You and experts warn that the territory is being strangled by israels weeklong siege and aerial bombardment. The Prime Minister says that more than 2000 an Israeli Ground offensive in gaza is expected to start at any moment. Benjamin netanyahu says the country will not stop until it is destroyed the military and government capabilities of hamas. More now from cnns Senior International correspondent sam kiley and a warning, his report contains some graphic video. At a widening wall in the middle east. A humanitarian horror and floods of refugees. The conundrum that israel faces is selfdefense versus Collective Punishment. Still reeling from the october 7th hospitality, in which at least 1400 people were killed, and most of them civilians, israels Prime Minister has pledged to destroy hamas and called for international support. He said, just like the world united to destroy the knot seas and crisis, now the world must unite in order to defeat hamas. But at what cost . The u. S. Secretary of state embarked on a frantic round of talks with israel ahead of a widely anticipated Ground Assault on gaza. You know our deep commitment to israels right, indeed its obligation, to defend itself and to defend its people. But theres also been a warning from the white house. I think it would be a mistake for israel to occupy gaza again. Hamas is blamed for mounting civilian casualties in gaza by israel and the uks foreign secretary. Of course we want to minimize palestinian casualties, we want to minimize israeli casualties, we want everybody to respect civilians. But the real clear distinction is israel are trying to get civilians out of danger, hamas are trying to put civilians into danger. Gaza has no power, no freshwater, it is besieged by israel, and its egyptian border sealed. Half its 2 million population has been told to leave the north of the enclave amid continued israeli airstrikes. [sound of artillery] more than half 1 million are on the move. Egypts president said i believe the ongoing retaliation goes beyond the right of selfdefense for israel, and amounts to the Collective Punishment of the gaza strip. Egypt further insists that the palestinians should not leave their territory and face permanent displacement. China, meanwhile, is spending a special envoy to the region next week and calling for calm as around the world, revulsion of hamas has really sent atrocities risks being eclipsed by israels operation in gaza. Along the israel gaza border, lebanon and israel have been skirmishing. Israel evacuated 28 villages along the frontier in case of outright war, an invasion of gaza could trigger just that. Once again, in the middle east, there is Global Division over what the problem is and fear of some of the solutions. Sam kiley, cnn. Live now to london, cnns Katie Polglase is following developments for us. What more do we know about bidens visit . This is a second trip to an active war zone this year, it comes at some personal risk for the president , but also he feels like he needs to do. Good morning john, absolutely. That is clearly very evident from the decision here to provide him to go visit israel. There is a clear security risk, the white house has said that they have done their homework before deciding that biden will visit, clearly there have been some considerable preparations before this decision was made. But it also shows how seriously Bidens Administration think this issue is and how pressing it is to ensure that there is some deescalation. Now, if you look at his Secretary Of StateAnthony Blinkens visit recently, all of this diplomacy that weve been talking about. The number of different state actors, the number of Different Countries that blinken met with really shows how many Different Countries are involved and how much concern there is for this conflict spreading, broadening out into a wider regional conflict beyond just israel and the palestinian territories. That is really part of why biden is deciding to make this visit arriving tomorrow. Clearly there was also the question of whether there will be u. S. Military involvement as well. We are hearing just this morning that the u. S. Head of Central Command is in israel talking to the israel Chief Of Staff, the armys Chief Of Staff about potentially help from the u. S. Military. Clearly a statement there that the u. S. Is considering some kind of form of support for israel, but, amid all of this discussion about a potential shuffle diplomacy states, states getting involved in this conflict, there is the continued concern about the humanitarian situation in gaza. As mentioned there in some of the package, and also, as we have seen from blinkens statements about this in the recent report that the u. S. And israel are now making a plan for humanitarian aid to enter into gaza, this is a pressing humanitarian need on a very, very dire scale. Clearly we are looking at the road for border, that is the only border where there is potential access to the gaza strip, that is with egypt. There have been many discussions, biden yesterday calling the egyptian president regarding this crossing. We dont know if they discussed this crossing, but clearly that is the main topic of discussion. Also we know that bidens Secretary Of State blinken also discussed with the potential opening of the Rafah Crossing. This is crucial for enabling aid in gaza and one of the main reasons why the gaza strip has not had any humanitarian aid at all since this conflict began. Likely to be on the table as biden arrives tomorrow. Really, as we are seeing, two things to discuss. The humanitarian aid, as we are talking about, but also any u. S. Involvement as this conflict clearly, there is a very major concern about escalating, broadening out from israel and involving many other states as well. John . Katie, thank you. Katie polglase live for us in london. Eight groups have been warning of a Imminent Health Crisis in gaza if supplies of water and fuel remain cut off. Cnns Salma Abdelaziz has more on the growing desperation inside gaza. A warning, some images in her report are graphic. This is what life looks like in places israel told families to flee towards for their safety. Constant bombardment has reduced homes to rubble and wiped out entire families. Survivors say, i lost all my relatives, 15 people, this man says, we were not on the frontline or anything, we were just sitting at home. What have we done wrong . The u. N. Warns there are no safe places. About half 1 Million People fled here to southern gaza, after invocation order from the Israeli Military. Families, desperate for refuge are still trapped in the war zone. The dead and injured flooding and Health Care System on the brink. Civilians are caught in the crossfire. The death toll mounting just over a quarter of those killed our children. According to palestinian officials. A weeklong Sieges Strangling u. N. Says. Food, fuel, water, and medical supplies will soon run out. Some 2 Million People are crammed into this 140 square mile territory. Many of them pushing to an even smaller corner. About half the population are children. There are not enough shelters to house the sheer number of civilians. Even those who do fine spaces in overwhelm schools turn refugee centers, it is a little comfort to the youngest victims. Theres no one to protect us, this little girl says. There is no one to come save us. How are we supposed to live, how . Answer me. [crying] Prime Minister netanyahu has vowed to annihilate hamas, after a Terror Attack by the group left 1400 killed in israel. With hamas soon deeply embedded within gazas population, the group fears a bloodbath. What we are seeing great now, the direction that israel is going to, they have said they want to destroy hamas, but their current trajectory is going to destroy gaza. Hamas does not answer to the people of gaza. No elections have been held here since the group seized power in 2007. Still, its these residents that will pay the price. With the potential Ground Incursion expected, that cost is unfathomable. Salma abdelaziz, cnn, london. Joining me now from tel aviv s jonathan conricus, International Spokesperson for the Israel Defense forces. Colonel, good to see you, thanks for being with. Us good morning, thank you for having me. Its a pleasure, sir. Im wondering if you can comment on a report which just received from palestinian sources within gaza that there were israeli airstrikes around the Rafah Crossing in the south, killing at least 28 people, also airstrikes in the region of which as you know is in the center of gaza. These areas which israelis urged palestinians to head towards to be out of danger for Israeli Operations that were taking place in the north. What more can you tell us about the airstrikes in the south . Yes, the Combat Operations continue. We continue to hunt hamas operatives to attempt to degrade their military capabilities, whereabouts, locations, tunnels, rocket launchers, and of course other things that are part of this war that has been forced upon us. I am not aware of any strikes specifically in those areas, but they could have happened. Anyhow, we continue to operate and strike hamas targets as we have defined before and we tried to do that according to the conflict and to minimize civilian casualties. Just as we have you talking about rafa, what was the situation there as far as you know, with regards to that Border Crossing actually being open so that all the trucks on the egyptian side of the border, trucks filled with humanitarian assistance can be allowed into gaza . Yes, i know, first of all i am aware of lots of discussions of reports and quite a lot of conflicting information about it. Sorry to say i dont have clarity myself. The only thing i can say is that the last attempt that i am aware of, that we were involved, in was three days ago when there was an attempt to evacuate foreign nationals, americans and others, which failed because hamas refused to open the gate. Other than that, i dont have any update on the situation. We understand the complexity and perhaps there will be news later in the day about rafa and other issues pertaining to humanitarian aid. Its confusion and more comes with the territory, but we appreciate everything you can do to clarify. We just heard the news as well on monday that the u. S. President joe biden will visit israel on wednesday. There is an imminent Ground Operation in gaza. Does the president s visit to israel complicate or delay that Ground Incursion in any way . Not as far as i understand, and i think, what i understand from public statements, the Statement Bag by Secretary Blinken, the secretary is here to show its support for israel and that he stands with israel. Our right to defend ourselves and, of course, any enhancement of our operation is part of our right to defend ourselves. I think the president also said that hamas needs to be destroyed and that is exactly our military aim. We want to dismantle hamas and make sure that, never again, will any terrorist organization in gaza have the ability to perform the atrocities that hamas did on the 7th of october. With regards to the Military Operations in the exodus from the north of gaza to the south that we are talking about moment ago, that did send a fairly clear message to hamas that Big Operation was on its way. Can you say how long and specifically where those operations will take place around the north in gaza city and whether the risk is facing those who stay in that area . Is there a danger of two hamas militants of what is coming down the line . Yeah, three good questions in one. Listen, it is generally not wise for military to be advertising its intelligence. We are aware of the fact that we have just advertised our intelligence by telling civilians in Northern Gaza to go south. Why have we done that . Because we want to civilians out of fighting and we dont want them to be killed. So there is a balance here between achieving a military objective and minimizing civilian damage and, in this case, which is very evident and you cannot argue with it, we have chosen to that the sanctity of life and helping Palestinian Civilians to go south and not be stuck in an area where there will be significant combat activities. There is a risk and we will have to mitigate this risk with the tactics, the weapons, and the time that we use when and if we will operate. There is tremendous desire in israel to see hamas defeated, to see the scourge and the terror gone from gaza, but israelis, of course, also want the idf to operate smartly and in a way that does not expose our troops to undo danger in an environment that already is amongst the most dangerous on any battlefield. Very quickly, one of the other reasons why President Biden is coming to the region, to israel, and the Secretary Of StateAnthony Blinken has been there is concern that this conflict with hamas in gaza could spread and erupt into a much bigger regional confrontation with actors for iran, in particular, warning if there are any more Palestinian Civilians killed, if this continues, there will be consequences for israel. What is your response to that . Well, i read it the same way. I see that President Biden and Secretary Blinken and Many Americans statements are made exactly to prevent regional escalation. The common denominator of, lets say the region or power that could escalate the middle east into regional escalation is iran. They have their tentacles, they have their Proxy Organizations around israel, hezbollah in the north, jihad in the south, and lots of proxies in syria and iraq, and if they decide so than maybe they will want to throw more of their proxies towards israel. That would be unwise and definitely not something that would serve the interest of the people of the region. Maybe it would serve iranian interest, but definitely not the people of the region. I think that is a very strong message that the u. S. Is delivering to iran. If you are thinking about doing it, dont. What we are saying is we are prepared, along the northern border, in the south, whoever threatens us and whoever challenges our safety and security of our civilians, we will defend and we will make sure that they dont have the ability to do so. Colonel conricus, thank you for being with us, we appreciate your time. Thank you, good morning. Well take a short break, when we come back i moss has released the first Hostage Video of a woman taken prisoner from israel. Well have your families reaction when they saw her. That is just ahead. Hamas released the first Hostage Video. A 21 year old woman by the name of cnn made the decision not to air that video, but we have seen it and she was talking about an arm injury and that she was taken to gaza. Its not known when the video was recorded or if she is still alive. The mother says that she is grateful for that video, heres what she told cnns anderson cooper. How does your daughter look to you . She has been through shes in pain. She is injured and she looks a bit terrified. But she is alive and stable. Does it help to see her . Of course, because until now i didnt know that she was dead or alive. Cnn spoke with israeli families of others who are missing and they are pushing for the government to show more urgency in bringing home hamas hostages. More details now from cnns clarissa ward. Four days they have that outside the Military Headquarters in tel aviv, Holding Vigil for their