we also need to be focused on the day after. and so in conversations that we'll be having through the course of this weekend, i expect you'll see a focus there, and particularly how we can get over time two states for two peoples, which in our judgment remains the best guarantor and maybe the only guarantor of a secure jewish and democratic israel and palestinians with the state that they are entitled to. so, these roadway the things that we are focused on. these are challenging times. these are intensely difficult issues. but i'm convinced that american diplomacy can make a difference in moving everyone to a better place, that's what we'll be working to do. >> thank you, mr. secretary. do you assess that israel has shown restraint up to this point in their offensive in gaza and what are the concrete steps you'll be pushing them on, are you confident you'll be able to get them to make movement on this, given the positions we have seen from israelis? >> as we said and it's important. israel has the right and the obligation to defend itself and again, to try to make sure that what happened never happens again. no country, no country, not the united states, not anyone else that i can think of would tolerate the slaughter of its civilians. so we stand behind that. we stand behind the proposition. but as democracies, the united states, israel, other democracies have a responsibility to do everything possible to protect civilians who may be caught in harm's way and this again is a crossfire quite literally of hamas' making. it deliberately has men, women and children as human shields puts its command posts, puts its leadership, puts its fighters, its weapons, munitions underneath hospitals or inside them. schools, mosques, makes this incredibly challenging but we have to rise to that responsibility and so we will be talking about concrete steps that can and should be taken to minimize harm to men, women and children in gaza and this is something that the united states has committed to. i'm not going to get into the details here, but it's very much on the agenda. when i see a palestinian child, a boy, a girl, pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building, that hits me in the gut as much as seeing a child in israel or anywhere else. so this is something that we have an obligation to respond to and we will. >> thank you. i wonder if you have your assessment of the current risk of the spill-over in the conflict. hezbollah says they have attacked 19 posts along the border with lebanon and the houthis say they are answering the conflict. and how will you get the other countries in the day after plan, rising opposition and protests, see bahrain and others pull out their ambassadors. >> we will prevent escalation whether it's lebanon, northern israel, southern lebanon, west bank, anywhere else in the region and the president's been very clear in what he said publicly. we have been very clear in what we shared privately. we have been very clear in some of the actions we are taking, that we are determined to deter any escalation. so, with our partners as well, we are making sure that that message gets through. it's not in anyway's interest for this to escalate and i think some of the other parties involved actually recognize that. but we are going to work on that every single day. >> it's happening, though, the strikes are already taking place. >> what we have seen so far are discreet attacks. we have responded as necessary including on our forces, our forces who are in the region in syria, iraq, to prevent resurgence of isil, and response to that. but we are determined to prevent escalation, prevent the spread of this conflict and taking necessary steps to make sure that happens. with regard to what comes next, again, i think understandably, people are very focused on the day of, not just the day after. but we do have to have conversations now about how we can best set the conditions for a durable, sustainable peace, durable, sustainable security for israelis and palestinians alike. so i expect that those are conversations that we'll have an opportunity to pursue over the next couple of days, but this is a long-term effort but we have to make sure we are focused on it now. thanks. thanks, everyone. >> john: the secretary of state antony blinken there as he prepares to board the jet headed for tel aviv and discussions with israeli officials and sandra, he may also be going to amman, jordan to speak with the fatah leader and that could indicate there are plans afoot for the way forward after hamas. don't forget, the president was supposed to meet with him and el-sisi a few weeks ago but that was postponed because of the explosion in gaza. >> sandra: and the secretary waved good-bye, on board, saying we need to focus on the day after plan, that will be focused a lot over the next few hours and days as he makes this trip. his discussions while travelling and conversations will focus on that this weekend. the day after plan. and he said he's determined to prevent escalation, so we'll see what more comes from this trip, calling it a challenging times, intensely difficult issues, and they are indeed, john. >> john: a lot more ahead, too, in the next two hours, starting here. >> a bomb, a come came down, explode everything. >> if you care about jewish people, i need you to call for a ceasefire right now. >> get out! >> john: awaiting an update from the white house on the war in the middle east after president biden said he wants israel to "pause" its battle to defeat hamas and breaking moments ago, wall street journal reporting the u.s. believes the russian-backed wagner group may be helping hezbollah, that is a concerning sign this war may be about to widen. i'm john roberts in washington. good to be with you this thursday. >> sandra: makes blinken's trip even more important as we watch that this weekend. good to be with you. sandra smith in new york. the president stopped short of backing a full ceasefire in gaza, saying he wants a humanitarian pause. so negotiations can continue with hamas to try and free the hundreds of hostages. his comments coming as the idf warns it is preparing for a major push into gaza city. the base of hamas's political and military machinery. >> john: as the fighting rages, hundreds have now been allowed to leave war torn gaza through the rafah crossing into egypt, few hundred americans trapped there for weeks have been given the green light to leave in coming days. >> sandra: those not so fortunate are the 242 israeli hostages still being held by terrorists. now shining a light on 32 innocent children abducted from their families and urging the world to bring them home. >> john: fox team coverage over the next two hours and breaking news from the war in the middle east, starting with trey yingst, live again in southern israel with the latest from there. trey. >> john, good afternoon. certainly no pause in fighting along the israel-gaza border, as antony blinken was speaking, we could hear small arms fire in the distance. watching throughout the day as the israelis also continue airstrikes. our cameraman capturing these images as the strikes took place against gaza over the past hour. it has been a back and forth as the factions inside the strip have maintained their ability, 27 days into this conflict to fire on central israel. major population centers despite the thousands of strikes you can see in gaza city, just pure devastation to the infrastructure as the israelis are looking to support infantry troops on ground with air support with helicopters like that one and the fighter jets. we know according to the israeli military, they have lost 19 soldiers this week inside gaza as the gun battles continue. hamas and islamic jihad ambushing forces in the strip. the southern crossing between egypt and gaza, the second day in a row, palestinians injured were able to cross in ambulances to go to egyptian hospitals and foreign nationals were able to cross and make their way into egypt. i've been speaking throughout the day with american citizens who were able to cross into egypt and get a sense of relief, because they have been waiting for weeks to get out. i want you to listen to this american citizen who spoke from that crossing. >> the war just got escalated so fast. a lot of people are dying, a lot of people are under the rubbles of buildings. this is my fifth attempt to leave. we evacuated our house about 19 days ago. right now i'm between ice and fire. i don't know if i'm ever going to be able to see the family that i left behind or the friends that i left behind. >> i was sent a copy of the list of everyone who was approved to cross from gaza into egypt today. there were 400 american names on that list. we don't know who all actually was able to cross and made it to rafah into egypt. but it is a significant development and clearly shows the state department is working behind the scenes to try and get these americans out and get them home. all these developments in the south do come as fighting continues in the north. israelis say they have struck a number of hezbollah targets tonight as they continue targeting southern lebanon in response to rocket and mortar fire into northern israel. >> john: and concerns things may pick up north to south beginning tomorrow. trey yingst, thank you. >> sandra: president biden calling on israel and hamas to pause fighting as hundreds of americans are still in the gaza strip. critics say it would only benefit hamas. meantime, some of those americans are getting out, crossing over into egypt today. fox team coverage of all this with mike pompeo on how a pause could affect this war. but first, peter doocy joining us live at the white house ahead of a briefing that should be underway a short time from now. peter. >> yes, and sandra, i was just in the oval office where president biden was meeting with the dominican republic president and i was trying to ask him about this new report that antony blinken is going to push the israelis at the end of the plane ride to pause for humanitarian reasons. i was shouting out trying to get a question in how long of a pause is okay. the president seemed to answer something different where he said there is good news and more than 70 dual citizens have been able to get out today. so, we will have that tape for you, clean it up and play it a little while from now. last night was the first time we have seen president biden pressured in person by a protestor pushing for a ceasefire, somebody that paid to go to a fundraiser in minnesota and how that played out. >> mr. president, do you care with jewish people. as a rabbi i need you to call for a ceasefire right now. >> get out! >> right after that, according to the pool that was there, president biden said i think we need a pause. the rabbi asked what that meant and the president said, a pause means give time to get the prisoners out, give time. and while it's unclear exactly what he was getting at there, that is along the same lines of what we have heard from the white house briefing room and john kirby this week. >> our concern with that is that hamas benefits to the tune of being able to refit, renew themselves, plan and execute additional attacks. right now is not the time for a general ceasefire. it is, however, the time to consider pauses in the fighting. >> and we expect some further clarity about that when he and karine jean-pierre are in the briefing room later on this hour. >> sandra: we will get to that when it begins. peter doocy will be in the room. thank you, john. >> john: let's bring in mike pompeo, former secretary of state, former cia director and fox news contributor. let me if i could, mr. secretary, based on your vast experience get you to weigh in on this idea, and the white house has actually been talking about this in one form or another, occasional pauses in the fighting in gaza to allow either humanitarian relief to get in or try to get some of the hostages out. what do you believe net effect of that would be? >> well, john, even talking about it encourages hamas to wait for those moments, right, to say yep, we can get more weapons in, fuel stolen, all of those things. biden administration is unclear what they have been asking about. they talked about temporary ceasefires, and now the term pause, these are all verbs to describe inaction and so if you are trying to put pressure on hamas in order to get these hostages home, that includes all the people there, not just those held hostage but folks who cannot get across the rafah border and you are trying to create a corridor, that's one thing. 20 minutes, a half hour, hour, we know how to do this. but if you are talking about long extended pauses in operation, that is deeply dangerous to those very hostages, it's bad for the israeli effort to wipe hamas off the map and sends a signal to the entire world that you frankly don't understand what took place on october 7th, and that you are prepared to provide money, hundreds of millions of dollars to hamas in the middle of that, is just deeply dangerous, john. >> john: i want to replay a piece of video from the president's event in minneapolis that peter doocy brought us. this woman who stood up in the middle of the president's address and said there needs to be a ceasefire. listen here. >> mr. president, if you care about jewish people as a rabbi i need you to call for a ceasefire right now. >> sit down. >> get out. >> john: i need you to call for a ceasefire right now. here is what hillary clinton said about that the other day. >> people who are calling for a ceasefire now do not understand hamas. that is not possible. it would be such a gift to hamas because they would spend whatever time there was a ceasefire in effect rebuilding their armaments, you know, creating stronger positions. >> john: mr. secretary, there may be a lot of daylight between you and the former secretary on a lot of things but i think you tend to agree on that point. >> you are about to make me commit a nearly unnatural act, john, agreeing with secretary clinton. but she's got this right and i'm glad for that, and glad she's taking that on board and i'm glad there are other democrats who have understood the risk of a ceasefire to demand the israelis do a ceasefire while they are doing the absolute necessity. we had peace on october 6th, right. there weren't 1400 barbaric acts committeed, or 30 american hostages on october 6th. i'm glad secretary clinton and i share the same view, a ceasefire would be a mistake and demanding of the israelis, a foreign policy error of the highest order. >> john: one of the things we have seen on college campuses across america and other places as well, a troubling rise in antisemitism. we have been looking to the white house to respond to this. what the vice president said about it. listen here. >> we have seen an uptick in anti-palestinian, anti-arab, antisemitic and islamaphobic across america. this is a plan from hate, bigotry and violence. >> john: what did you think of the white house announcing the policy in the despicable rise of antisemitism? >> yeah, its disgusting what vice president harris said and disconnected. disgusting in that it fundamentally does not understand that it is jews across america being threatened in large numbers, radically disproportionate numbers, even according to their own fbi director and disconnected because it fundamentally is disconnected from the decency that i think every american demands, the religious tolerance we demand. you talk about the rise in antisemitism. what i think has happened, we have unmasked it. it was hiding in progressive institutions for the past years and what happened on october 7th now unmasked it and we are seeing it in ways we never anticipated we would see and requires a fall-out assault to put it back in the box and to hear vice president harris speak this way and say the largest problem facing the united states is islamophobia. >> john: and the big problem facing israel, if you let hamas survive, what happens next, which is why israel is so determined to decapitate hamas. listen to this. >> we must teach israel a lesson and we will do this again and again. it's just the first time and there will be a second, a third, a fourth, we have the determination, resolve and the capabilities to fight. >> john: a lot of that could be bluster, mr. secretary, but seems pretty determined to destroy israel. >> oh, goodness. i suppose it's a tactical matter may exhibit some bluster but ideological, there is not a call from a two-state solution from this guy as with antony blinken, with you a call for wiping jews off the map in israel. the objective, goal, why israel must complete its task and add to this, john, connected. i heard what secretary blinken said about his trip. he refuses to even utter the word iran. you cannot begin to solve what you just heard in that clip that you played or the confrontation between not only israel but arab states, sunni arab states threatened by iran as well. secretary blinken talks about trying to contain this, to keep it from escalating. there is one address that you can go to. you want the hostages back, force the iranians to tell hamas to release them. you want to keep hezbollah out of the fight, force iran, force them to tell hezbollah stay out of the fight. a singular address that can be gone to and this administration simply refuses to do it and has negotiated in ways that are indecent and you talked about the russians getting involved, russians and iranians were sending drones to kill ukrainian kids. i hope this administration will issue a statement that says iran is at the foot of the problem and we will apply pressure on iran to allow israel the time and space necessary. >> john: we'll keep watching for that. thank you, secretary mike pompeo. >> sandra: former president donald trump's sons, donald trump, jr., and eric trump wrapping their testimonies in the 250 million civil fraud trial brought on by the new york attorney general letitia james. nate, what happened in court today? >> well, sandra, right now the court is in lunch break. don, jr. wrapped up his testimony with eric trump to continue his direct examination in an hour. and so far the state's questioning focuses on the brothers' role at the trump organization, specifically any involvement with preparing financial statements that the new york attorney general claims contained fraudulently overvalued properties. the trumps deny wrongdoing and don, jr. said yet another attack on his family. >> the attorney general has brought forth a case that is purely a political persecution. i imagine to you guys i'm not the upstanding individual hunter biden is but seems i've done undue testimony, 50 hours before congress, all of it ends up being nonsense. >> so don, jr. arrived at the courthouse with his brother eric this morning. both of them are co-defendants in the trial, alongside their father, donald trump. eric's examination is underway. he says he does not remember having any involvement in preparing the trump organization's statements of financial condition. former president trump himself criticized the justice saying he's a whacko having a great time endlessly sanctioning, fining and pushing around trump, hurting my very good children and working to damage and defame me for purposes of interfering with the 2024 presidential election. attorney general james is in the courtroom again today. she maintains the former president lied about his net worth to receive financial benefits. the afternoon session resumes at 2:15 today, so about an hour from now, again, eric trump will continue his direct examination then, sandra. >> sandra: nate foy, thank you. we'll, mayors of several big cities run by democrats are in washington today seeking federal aid to help manage the surge of migrants arriving in their cities. jason c