Her daughter called her and tried to speak to her on the phone and an arab answered and said and in that moment they understood shes in captivity. They still dont have a way to get her back. I could hear people speaking in arabic outside their door, and they broke in, and the last thing i heard was the youngest who were 12 dont take me, and that was it. That was the last time i heard from them. Israeli families sharing the heart breaking stories of their loved ones being taken hostage by hamas. The Terrorist Group is now threatening executions of dozens of people they have captured and doing so without warning. Meanwhile, israel is promising a complete Siege Of Gaza launching more air strikes overnight while cutting off that area from basic necessities. Well get a live report for the latest on all of that straight ahead. And also ahead, the war in the middle east is putting more pressure on House Republicans to quickly elect a new speaker. Well have more on a Closed Door Meeting last night on capitol hill and what lies ahead today. Good morning and welcome to Way Too Early on this tuesday, october 10th. Im jonathan lemire, and thanks for starting your day with us. And it will be a busy day, indeed. We begin this morning with the rising death toll amid israels war against hamas. According to israeli authorities more than 900 israelis had been killed since the fighting began on saturday. The Health Ministry in gaza says that additionally nearly 700 palestinians are dead. 11 americanerize among those killed. This brings the total number of deaths in the region to at least 1,600. Meanwhile Hamas Terrorists say theyve kidnapped more than 100 people from israel. Its believed that some americans are being held captive as well. The militant group is now threatening to execute a civilian hostage every time israel targets civilians in gaza, and they say theyll do so, quote, without warning. Meanwhile, israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu is vowing to destroy hamas. In a televised address yesterday netanyahu told the country that the Military Operations against the terrorist organization are just beginning. He called on citizens to unite, saying the country has hard days coming but israel will be victorious. Yesterday israel announced a complete Siege Of Gaza, cutting off food, water, electricity, and fuel to the roughly 2 Million People who live there. Since then air strikes have bombarded the border. Israel says it has restored full control over the communities. Hamas militants had stormed in a Surprise Attack over the weekend. Israel also activated 300,000 military reservists, a potential sign it could be preparing for a major Ground Invasion of gaza. Now, the last time Israeli Ground forces entered there was back in 2014. Axios is reporting that netanyahu told President Biden over the weekend that israel does not have any choice but to enter gaza. Quote, we have to go in. We cant negotiate now. Netanyahu said, according to three sources briefed in the call. He went on, we need to restore deterrents. According to sources, the president did not try to convince netanyahu to avoid a Ground Operation. We will go live to israel in just a moment, but first joining us now to start us off today, president emeritus of the council on Foreign Relations and author of the Home And Away newsletter published on substack, richard haus. Thank you for joining us this morning. We just read there Prime Minister netanyahu is suggesting a Ground Operation would be necessary. Walk us through what that could look like in the days and weeks ahead and what sort of large implications it could have. What itll look like, jonathan, is what you setup. Youre talking about potentially tens of thousands of soldiers heavily armed going into gaza, which just to remind viewers is one of the densely populated pieces of real estate in the world, over 2 Million People in an extraordinarily small space. You have a doortodoor street to street fighting, which in some ways doesnt play to the advantage of forces. Israel would take casualties. Israeli soldiers would be taken prizfer. Youd have the Killing Oflg Hamas Fighters but also the killing of civilians. And the real problem is how you stay there and how do you leave what is behind . They do have choices. Israel could simply restore its defense around gaza, which is clearly inadequate when all this happened. It could do pinpoint raids on military targets, so i think theres questions about the wisdom and theficacy of doing something mass against gaza of this sort of thing, the siege youre talking about. Also one other thing, i think a Siege Approach will also lead israel, and its hard for me to say this, israel is the victim given whats happened. These awful attacks and stories youre reporting, but what will happen is if israel has an approach of civilians denying food, water or electricity and theyre hit by a missile, then i think what youre going to see is growing International Condemnation and growing pressure for a ceasefire. President biden according to reporting did not talk netanyahu out of a Ground Operation. Whats your assessment in the earl adays of the administrations response to this ongoing situation. We know well hear from President Biden later today. What is your analysis of the steps weve taken at this point . Look, the administration is trying to support israel militarily, support them diplomatically. Also the United States has a common interest not allowing terrorism to stand. This is what we wept through after 9 11. That said the United States has an obligation to counsel israel, a conversation were having here about is this the wisest approach . Is it sustainable . Do you have a viable, achievable definition of success . Will the outcome and benefits outweigh the cost . Israel as i mentioned has gone into gaza several times. It actually left departing gaza in fullscale in 2005, though its gone in subsequently. So the question is why does israel believe this time around it will be different . Its obviously israels decision to make, but i think the United States as israels partner and ally has the obligation to talk and walk israel through this. Because its not obvious to me as someone sympathetic to their predicament, that the course of action they seem to be embarking on will ultimately prove successful. Absolutely invaluable insight from richard haass. Im certain well be speaking to you again in the days ahead. Lets right now bring in nbc news correspondent Kelly Cobiella who joins us live from tel aviv, israel. What is the latest there on the ground in israel . Well, the Israeli Military is continuing pushing forward hard with its Counter Offensive against gaza, the Israeli Military saying they carried out 200 strikes in the past several hours against gaza positions, against hamas and Islamic Jihad positions inside gaza which including on a mosque, which say say was being used to store weapons for hamas. Meantime a hamas leader exiled in lebanon is telling the a. P. That group is digging in for a long war. They say they have the ammunition to put forward with a long war, that they have the rockets, and that they could use the hostages that theyre holding to secure the release of the palestinian prisoners not just here in israel but internationally. Meantime, concern is growing for those more than 150 prisoners, captives, hostages being held in gaza. Their whereabouts, their health unknown. Of course there was that disturbing message last night from a hamas leader saying one hostage would be killed for every home or Residential Building Hit by israel without warning. Again, still unclear the status, the condition of those hostages inside gaza, but families here very, very much concerned about that. As arod me, it looks as though tel aviv is back up and running today. This is not what a normal Tuesday Morning would look like, though in tel aviv. It is fairly quiet. Many stores are closed. Theres not nearly as much traffic on the streets, no traffic jams. But some people we spoke to say, yes, theyre starting to get out and about again. This country is on a war footing but they say they need to start to get on with life. Nbcs Kelly Cobiella reporting live from tel aviv, well have live reports throughout the day. Thank you, kelly. President biden as mentioned is scheduled to deliver remarks this afternoon from the white house on the developing situation in israel. Donald trump, meanwhile, is backoon the Campaign Trail yesterday with very little to say about it. New hampshire at a rally took more than an hour for the former president to address the Terror Attacks. Instead he used that time to discuss more pressing matters such as weight lifting records, whales, and the struggling new england patriots. And even when trump did get around to mentioning the violence, he quickly went back to reading a poem where he compared migrants to venomous snakes. What happened yesterday was incredible. So many people killed. I dont know if you hear but the number is much bigger than they reported even this morning. Its a very big number. A very, very big number and vicious, too. Young children just slaughtered. Its terrible whats going on. So this is the snake. And people love it, and i do it if people want to hear it. Some people have heard it, some people havent, but well do it, right . On our way to work one morning down the path along the lake, a tenderhearted woman saw a poor half frozen snake. The snake has been a staple of Trump Campaign events since 2016, an allegory about the dangers of migrants, deemed by many to be very racist. Still ahead here on Way Too Early, republican president ial candidate nikki haley picks up an endorsement from someone dropping out of the race. Well tell you what it could mean for the South Carolina governor. Plus, Robert Kennedy jr. Is taking his white house bid in a different direction. Well explain that. Those stories, a check on sports and weather and much, much more on the situation in israel when we come right back. In israel w we come right back [city ambience sounds] [car screech] [car door slam] [camera shutter sfx] introducing neds plaque psoriasis. [camera shutter sfx] he thinks his flaky, red patches are all people see. Otezla is the 1 prescribed pill to treat plaque psoriasis. [ned . ] it can help you get clearer skin and reduce itching and flaking. With no routine blood tests required. Doctors have been prescribing it for nearly a decade. Otezla is also approved to treat psoriatic arthritis. Dont use otezla if youre allergic to it. Serious allergic reactions can happen. Otezla may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Some people taking otezla had depression, suicidal thoughts, or weight loss. Upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. [crowd gasp] with clearer skin, movie night is a groovy night. [ting] live in the moment. Ask your doctor about otezla. all toooo youuuuu sean in the moment. I wish for the amazing new iphone 15 pro jason sean do you mean this one the one with titanium . sean no way i can trade this busted up thing for one. jason maybe stealing wishes from the birthday boy is not your best plan switch to verizon and trade in any iphone and get the new iphone 15 pro on them. sean what . jason yup, and on an Amazing Network sean and i dont have to ruin anymore Birthday Parties jason yeah, that ship has sailed. Lets go get you the iphone. Here we go, come on hon. vo its your last chance to trade in any iphone for a new iphone 15 pro on us. Only on verizon. Welcome back on Way Too Early. Well have more on the situation in israel shortly, but we now to turn to some of the mornings other top headlines. Nikki haley is gaining some traction. Haley has increased her fundraising in recent months. Ised 11 million in the third quarter. Haley is fighting Governor Ron Desantis for the number two spot in the primary gop field. Both lag far behind the frontrunner, however. Thats donald trump. Although desantis raised more money than haley this quarter, she enters with significantly more cash on hand, 9 million compared to roughly 5 million reported by desantis camp. In addition haley picked up an endorsement from a former rival yesterday after republican will herd suspended his president ial campaign. The former texas congressman call off his long shot bid Deeming Haley A candidate that can, quote, unite us. This news comes as haleys campaign reportedly steps up operations in iowa, opening headquarters and hiring staff and advisers. Thats per the des moines register. Ron desantis, meanwhile, will be a guest with us on morning joe later today. President ial candidate jfk jr. Declared himself an independent candidate. And the republicans are frightened that im going to spoil it for president trump. The truth is theyre both right. My intention is to is to spoil it for both of them. Kennedys family name is of course synonymous with the Democratic Party, but in his speech he decried what he claimed was the corruption in the leadership of both parties, adding that the decision was personally painful for him. In response to his announcement, some members of the Kennedy Family released a joint statement denouncing his Third Party Bid. His own sister, kerry kennedy, tweeted out this. Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment. Todays announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country. To note republicans outside his family have stayed silent. Jack smith is hitting back at efforts by Donald Trumps lawyers to delay his classified documents trial until after the 2024 election. In a Filing Yesterday Smith wrote there is, quote, no credible justification to change to trial date after trumps attorneys motion to do so last week. According to the former president s legal team, they are unable to view some of the documents trump is accused of mishandling because of their sensitive nature. Smith contests that those documents only represent a small portion of the trial evidence, most of which is already available for them to review. He also says the government is working on setting up a secure area in florida where the sensitive documents can be looked at by trumps attorneys. The former president is currently scheduled to go to trial next may. Hes pleaded not guilty to all 40 charges against him in the case. Also, the current President Joe Biden sat down with Special Counsel in his classified documents case in the last day or so. Well bring you that story a little later in the show. But next well turn to sports including a monday night Football Game that went down to the wire and a look at playoff baseball. One heavy weight on the brink of elimination. The classic in atlanta. All that and weather when we come right back. L that and weate come right back. Rush, end zone. Intercepted. Good night. Green bay packers quarterback jordan love intercepted for the third time last night in las vegas. That one sealing the game for the raiders in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. The raiders snap a three game skid with a 1713 victory. Turning now to much more interesting stuff, playoff baseball. We begin in atlanta, classic here. Phil as ace zack wheeler struck out ten. He held that potent lineup, he held them hitless into the sixth inning where atlanta capitalized on a Fielding Error to get on the board. The as would go onto erase a fourrun deficit and take the lead in the next two frames using a pair of two run homers. That one and this one with two outs in the eighth by austin riley. That puts the braves up 1, what a clutch hit. And now lets go to the bottom of the ninth. One out, runner on base, phillies up. To right center field. Harris is on the run. He makes the catch. The throttle gets away. Its over its over what a play all around. Bryce harper got doubled up at first base. He got caught offguard by that Spectacular Leaping Grab at the wall by michael harris. Austin grabbed it across the diamond and completed the double to get the play. Braves win 54 and atlanta and philadelphia Split The First two game of the International Division series. Game three is tomorrow in philadelphia. To los angeles now, and oh, boy, the diamondbacks take command of their nlds matchup with the dodgers. Drove in a pair of runs capping a thirtytworun first inning with an rbi single and padding the