Next, stage, israel air strikes ahead of the likely invasion as fears grow the region could be drawn into the c conflict. What is israels plan. Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee mike turner joins many he. And lifeline. More humanitarian trucks poised to enter gaza carrying desperately needed food and water and medical supplies. These trucks are not just trucks. They are a lifel line. But are conditions about to get much worse . Plus at odds. With future aid to israel on the line, the republicans are back to square one in the speakership as they plan for more votes could anyone unite the conference . Liz cheney is here for her first interview in more than a year. Hello, im jake tapper in washington where the tate of the union is grieving, so many pain and loss of life. This morning the Israeli Military is stepping up air strikes against hamas in gauze and the idf hit a mosque to prevent a imminent Terror Attack as we learn details about the brutality of the hamas Terrorist Attack on israeli civilians on october 7th. Now with anticipation of a ground war building, the Human Devastation is coming into clearer focus. Disturbing video shows a hospital in the Gaza District overwhelmed with bodies following overnight air strikes. Just now more aid trucks are being allowed to enter through the rafah crossing although it is not clear how many or what they were carrying, the first aid trucks were led through yesterday as they warn civilians lives are being pushed to the edge of catastrophe. And as anger as isreal grows through nout the middle east, there is new signs of this growing into a regional war. The u. S. Military is deploying in response to escalation across the region. Antony blinken held a call with his qatari counter part to try to get hostages released after two american hostages were making their way home. What hamas got in exchange for those two hostages has not been disclosed. Joining me now from northern israel, is matthew chance. When it comes to fears of this war spreading to become a larger regional conflict, israel is vaccing more communities near where you are . Reporter that is right. Im in the northern town of shimmona, which has already been evacuated. The authorities sending buses to get those out who couldnt get out by their own vehicles. And towns and villages all across this very volatile region in the north of israel, close to lebanese and close to the syrian border, theyve been cleared out. Were talking about hundreds of thousands of people here and have evacuated because of the ak thats last week in gaza who have been displaced because of this ongoing violence in the country. The situation here in the north is particularly of concern. Because the Israeli Military say there has been an upsurge in attacks by hooezbollah. And drones and rocket strikes and antitank weapons being fired at border fence and infiltration of militant fighters that have been repulsed as well. All of this, the Israeli Military have responded to and carrying out attacks in southern lebanon. But they have warned lebanon as well and hezbollah as well, that it will press further, that it will launch enormous strikes on hezbollah and indeed on lebanon if that escalation continues. One Idf Spokesperson saying that hezbollah is playing a dangerous game and dragging lebanon into a war that it will lose. And so, yeah, look there is a lot of concern about what lebanon is doing, about what hezbollah is doing. But in a commitm to strike back hard if that escalation continues. Weve seen israeli troops an tanks building up on the border with gaza. Do we know anything about any sort of timeline for an Israeli Ground incursion into gaza . Reporter no. I wish we did. But obviously were very very nervous and tense watching when that move will be made across that font erontier into gaza. Theyve been stepping up air strikes an put more pressure on hamas. The objective remains the same. They say which is to in their words destroy hamas and dismantle its military infrastructure. But in terms of when the actual green light for a Land Invasion is going to be put on, or not, we dont know yet. There is a possibility, although this isnt an official position, there is a possibility that israel may be waiting to see what further results the talks between the United States and qatar and hamas may yield in terms of more hostage negotiations. And more hostage releases. Already two u. S. Citizens held by hamas in the past 24 hours have been released with a hope that more could be freed and could be brokered as well. That is not the official israeli position. They will choose the exact time and moment when it is best suited for a Military Incursion for them to green light it, jake. Maja chance, thank you. Joining me now, liz cheney. She was the number three republican in the house and before that was a highranking State Department official. Thank you so much for being here. An it is good to have you. Gaza city is very densely populated and hamas em beds itself within the population. Do you think it is wise to stage a Ground Incursion and do you think israel has been doing enough to prevent the loss of innocent life. We know hamas em beds within the civilians, that is what they do, theyre a Terrorist Organization. But is this smart for israel. People need to recognize that what is happening in terms of the conditions in gaza is the responsibility of ham yas. Hamas has been in charge in gaza since 2006. At least. So, israel, we have moved so quickly beyond the focus on the devastation of the Terrorist Attack that absolutely Barbaric Slaughter of men, women and children. And the stories that we continue to see come out of babies tied up with wire, and murdered brutally, of people tortured in front of their children. I mean, the fact that people have moved on from that is really wrong. And israel. Just fyi, we have not and we continue to tell the stories on cnn. It is very important. What weve seen around the world. Yeah. Is even frankly israel began any kind of response in gaza, we saw this massive expansion and explosion of demonstrations around the world, antisemitic, antiisrael. Here in the United States, on our university campuses, it is outrageous and dangerous and israel may take whatever action they need to defend themselves and the u. S. Should not be in the business of telling them to stop, to slow down. They have to defend themselves and that means they have to defeat hamas. But let me ask you, in terms of advising a country that is an ally, a lot of people are drawing parallels to 9 11, but this was worse proportionally. This would be the same as killing 40,000 people in israel as opposed to 3,000 that happened here in 9 11. On 9 11, your father was vice president. You came to work at the State Department after 9 11. Take a listen to what President Biden said in israel this week. I caution this while you feel that rage, dont be consumed by it. After 9 11, we were enraged in the United States. While we sought justice and got justice, we also made mistakes. Given the goal of not just defeating hamas, but a longterm goal of israel living in peace, of a twostate solution, if that is even a serious proposition any more. What lessons do you think we have learned as a country that we could tell israel . That we could share with israel . Well, look, i think probably the biggest mistake that we made post 9 11 was President Bidens decision to withdraw from afghanistan the way that he did. I think the biggest lesson that weve learned and frankly after 9 11, the fact that the steps that we took for over 20 years now have prevented another Mass CasualtyTerrorist Attack at the hands of islamic terrorists is something that we all ought to be very clear about and we have to remember. The lesson that weve learned an the lesson that we need to apply here is first of all, these con flicks are connected. Iran absolutely is behind what is happening with respect to hamas with respect to hezbollah, some of the hamas terrorists, they found iranian munitions and north korea munitions in their kit and theyre talked about their ties to russia. We have an ally, an adversary against us who only understands strength, who only understands that they dont weakness to them frankly is provocative. And if they think that were weak, and that were going to lose our resolve, they will, in fak, be strengthened. So the less than that we need to learn is iran needs to recognize if they do come in, then they will face very severe consequences from israel, from us. But, the forces of freedom are at war with the forces of tyranny and terrorism around the world. And america has got to lead. I thought that part of President Bidens speech from the oval office was good. I think the themes of the indispensable nature of america in the battle for freedom globally, that is what we need to be saying. The Administration Needs to make changes if respect to their iran policy. We saw last week for example, the sanctions preventing iran from exporting Missile Technology lapsed. Those are gone plow. That expired. And the administration didnt take any steps to stop that. We need to do a better job and enforce the sanctions with respect to the oil exports and put the houthis back on the terrorist list. So there are a range of things that we need to do and in my view the lesson from the post 9 11 era is that american strength is what matters will keep us safe and israeli strength is something that we ought to be supporting and advocating for. At tack was on october 7th, a saturday. I this i it was wednesday that donald trump gave a speech in which he insults benjamin netanyahu, the Prime Minister, said the attacks wouldnt have happened if he had been president , and said that netanyahu let him down. He said it was something to do with strike against soleimani, but a lot of people interpreted it because he congratulated biden after he won the presidency. He insulted the Defense Minister Of Israel called him a jerk and praised hezbollah and did it surprise you that trump could say all of that about the Prime Minister while they were still burying dead after the october 7th terrorist and attack and it didnt have any impact on republican sote voters or what republicans on capitol hill said about donald trump. They were appalling comments. And you know, youre absolutely right, that there should about vn a response. I think that every republican member of congress ought to be asked about think comments. Every republican candidate for the presidency ought to be asked about this comments. Remember about donald trump, that he reportedly shared Israeli Intelligence with the russians very early in his term. He also, as we know now from the indictments that weve seen from jack smith, shared high lit classified military documents relating to a Military Action potentially against iran. He shared that with mark meadows Ghost Writers and Political Consultants according to the indictments. So if you think about not only is he out there advocating for complementing americas adversaries and Terrorist Organizations that slaughter innocents, he also seems to have shared very highly Classified Intelligence information both ours and the israelis, in fact, with adversaries. So i think it is simply the latest example of why donald trump is not fit to be president of the United States. Who do you think is providing better leadership on the International Stage right now . Biden or trump . Oh, certainly biden. President biden also pushed for more aid to ukraine. I want you to take a listen to what a sitting republican senator had to say about the package that biden is pushing. Whatever your view is on ukraine, it is a separate country and a separate problem. I think what the president did is completely disgraceful. If he wants to sell the American People on 60 billion more to ukraine, he shouldnt use Deadize Raely children to do it. It was disgusting. Your response . Look, i mean, what j. D. Vance is saying is completely wrong. Ignorant and uninformed. As i said before, america is facing four add Vversaries Righ now and in china and russia and north korea and iran. And what happens with respect to our willingness to defend ukraine has a direct impact on all of those other challenges and conflicts that we face. And the idea that were now in a situation where youve got this growing movement on the part of republicans, not to support american aid to ukraine, is dangerous, it is wrong, and anybody who is today saying they dont support aid to ukraine needs to be asked and frankly i hope they will be asked in the Candidate Forum tomorrow night for speaker, why in the world would you be engaged in surrendering to americas adv adversies. Because that is what that is. If you do not support ukraine, you are in fact happening americas adversaries when we need to show strength. So it is dangerous andil informed. We have some questions about the candidates for speaker coming up. Well be right back after this quick break. So close. I only need, what, 100 votes . Knock, knock, knock. Yoo hoo, this is the losers office. President. Im so glad youre here. And you endorsed me and then just kind of disappeared. Yeah, well, that is because i prefer the jordans who win, okay. Welcome back to state of the union. Im jake tapper. The House Of Representatives or more specifically the republicans in the House Of Representatives are no closer to finding a speaker than they were two weeks ago. So with billions of aid for ukraine and israel on the table, waiting for their consideration, with americans literally dying, House Republicans did what your boss would no doubt let you do if you were way behind on crucial projects. They took the weekend off. With Seven Members saying they will put their names forward. The conference will convene with a possible vote back on tuesday. Back with me now is liz cheney, who was once the third ranking republican in the house. I have to ask, what has it been like to watch this fiasco play out over the last few weeks . It is hard to describe. I wish that it were surprising. You know, what weve seen is a result of really the Leadership Decisions that Kevin Mccarthy made back after the 2020 election and certainly after january 6. And, you know, looking the other way in the face of the kind of assault on our democracy that weve seen from donald trump and his allies in the house, including jim jordan, elevating those members frankly some of whom are white supremacists, some of whom are antisemitic, and a number of whom were involved directly in the attempt to seize power and over turn the election. So it is its not a surprise when you see that those people have been empowered. But it is also mccarthy empowered them, right . Exactly. In order to be able to obtain the votes he needed to become speaker. But i also have been watching the extent to which Political Violence and the threats of violence have now reared their head once again. Those have become part of our politics in a way that certainly they never should. I talked to one of my former colleagues who was in the meeting with jordan and the holdouts a few days ago and when some of the members received threats of violence and raised it and asked jordan about it, representative davidson, also from ohio, said, essentially, it is not jim jordans fault, it is your fault because youre voting against jim jordan. Now that kind of acceptance of violence is completely inappropriate and dangerous in our politics. So we need people who are serious and who recognize and understand the dangers that we are facing globally as well as from donald trump and those who support him. It used to be that that kind of what is called sarcastic terrorism, people demonizing enemies an not specifically not specifically calling for violence against their enemies, but demonizing them in such a way, who will rid me of this meddle some priest and then people will come and threaten them. That was founded upon and discouraged in politics. Do you trace it back to donald trump . When did this become a acceptable part of republican politicals . It is in the modern version related to donald trump. And we know frankly because of the lie, we know that the lie about the election, we know that telling people that they have to, you know, use violence in order to take back their country, we know that lie was very effective in sparking violence and it hasnt stopped. I mean, one of the issues that i again will hope come up at the speakers Forum Tomorrow night is the question that ken buck keeps asking, do you understand and accept that donald trump last the election in 2020 . And do you understand and recognize that connection between continuing that lie and the Political Violence that weve seen unleashed across the country. And a bunch of candidates for speaker, kevin hearne, byron donalds, mike johnson, jack burgman