Our coverage of the israel hamas war continues now. It is 1 00 a. M. Local time there. You can see in its fourth day what it looks like in this war. We also lead our coverage by telling you back here in america, President Biden made his most thorough remarks on this war to date, releasing the news that the u. S. Has confirmed hamas has taken americans hostage in those surprise Terrorist Attacks. The president did not say how many. He did confirm hamas killed 14 americans there in those attacks, and he went on to condemn what he calls pure, Unadulterated Evil. You know, there are moments in this life i mean this literally when the pure Unadulterated Evil is unleashed in this world. Its abhorrent. The brutality of hamas, the bloodthirstiness brings to mind the worst rampage of isis. This is terrorism. The president s comparison there to isis is deliberate. The president is telling americans that hamas is acting like one of the worst modern enemies the u. S. Or modern world has ever faced one that americans remember vividly from its actions and harrowing Propaganda Videos them comparison to isis by the president today is also literal, with the Pentagonayg Hamas at the latest Terrorism Targeting civilihe elderly and children, is as a military matter, isis level savagery, and hamas own threat to carry out potential future murders and on camera clearly does copy measures that isis used, both to murder and to publicize those deliberately horrifi tactics, something we have all grown perhaps familiar with in the recent era in the current world of video and Digital Transmission of terrorism. I can tell you that President Biden also issued that condemnation based on what is known, even as more disturbing evidence emerges each day, including journalists and researchers reaching areas that until today were not always accessible since these attacks occurred. I mentioned this in our coverage yesterday and will as we go through this that when we do go through things our department determined confirmed and part of the larger story well warn new advance of doing that. Last night there were things of such a nature we read descriptions rather than showing them, so what youre about to see as a warning is graphic. The deliberate nature. In over 100 dead bodies found here. The survivors say the terrorists went door to door searching for civilians. Sukh the rivers of blood, the blood soaked carpets touchdown scene of carnage. They attacked similarly here. Israeli soldiers gaining control there just today and discovered scenes like this. Israeli authorities are working to recover and identify the bodies. Again, because it was so many civilians, its not like theyre part of a Military Force with a uniform soldiers might have. One msnbc reporter says walking through the areas of carnage says theres reports of hamas killing children, reports of babies being killed am israeli major Recounting Hamas did a massacre bts and emphasized as youre about to hear, how this was terrorism committed knowingly in bedrooms and baby rooms. Its not a war. Its not a battlefield. You see the babies, the mother, the fathers in their bedrooms in the protection rooms, and how the terrorist killed them, its not a war. Its not a battlefield. Its a massacre. Not a battlefield, a massacre, he says. Israeli authorities releasing footage they describes a Rescue Operation battling live shooters. That is some of whats happening now, that Video Courtesy of israeli police. Also, israeli families are speaking out about their missing relatives. The human side of our story, Nicolle Wallace speaking to people just moments ago, who caught up with this, people who do not know at this hour whats happened to their loved ones. We dont know anything about my daughter, if shes alive, if shes dead, if shes hurt. We dont know if shes in israel, if shes in gaza. There is nothing we can know because israel is a war zone. Apparently. The Casualty Count is roughly 1,000 israelis and 900 palestinians. Those do continue to change. Israel is hitting gaza with air strikes. The new siege of gaza is not only going to put pressure on hamas and even its sympathizers, however they may be counted, but it also is risking a broader humanitarian crisis in the area. Residents reporting severe Water Shortages saying the warnings theyve received from the Israeli Government about evacuating do not mean much, and they say they have no safe place to go. Today the sky fill ready rocket fire and israeli air strikes and as israel swells its forces with the reserves weve reported on, theres also visible evidence here of troops massing near gaza. All parties, both directly on the border but also in the region and also in the United States monitoring whether a full Ground Invasion is what could come next. Were joined now as part of our coverage by avi mayer, editorinchief of the jerusalem post, and marking a msnbc analyst. Avi, what is the state of the conditions right now, and what is the reaction as the scale, which we still are struggling to make sense of or bring words to, the scale of some of the atrocities we just heard about . As i was watching your coverage just now i received a message from a friend that said she hopes im taking time to process whats going on and of course i couldnt text her back because i was watching your show, but of course i dont want to process it, because i think i might break down. The events of the past few days are nothing short of horrifying. Israel never encounters anything like this before. Im not sure any country has. To have a thousand civilians murdered in cold blood, slaughters in their homes, burnt to death, elderly people shot in the street, these are scenes we have never seen before. This is a country in shock and its a country in mourning. So thats the state of affairs here. At the moment people are Walking Around in a bit of a daze. I live in jerusalem. The city is essentially a ghost town. People are not walking out and act. Thaer saying home close to their Bomb Shelters because we have been targeted by several Rocket Strikes since saturday morning. Were watching anxiously to see what the government intends to do and how it intends to bring the hostages back home safely if they can. Yeah, you go to the hostages. Mark, we heard the president speak today. For people who dont follow the region closely or are catching up, it would be a big deal. Im going to Say Something basic, but thats part of the news. It would be a big deal if american hostages were taken and that was the only story in america. The United States has that standoff now with hamas. Israel has what we have been reporting on, a war with hamas. Iran is in the background. Hezbollah is in the background. From a Security Standpoint with our expertise, what do you see as the first order priorities, especially for the countries that are hoping to get their hostages back alive somehow . Well, i think weve seen reports over the last couple hours that the United States has lent some assistance to israel in terms of expertise on hostage negotiation, hostage rescue, the israelis have an incredible special operations capability. The United States trains with them. Well do all we can in terms of intelligence support, Technical Support to help get the hostages back. I sympathize tremendously whats going on. I grieve with old colleagues in israel. I worked in the renal most of my career. This is the feeling that we had, ari, by the way, on september 12th, 2001. I remember walking through the wreckage of the world trade center. The sense of shock, the sense of disgust and anger, and quite frankly, the need for revenge is a term we have to be careful to use, but the need to strike back. I sympathize tremendously. In terms of the Israeli Intelligence services and i think theres something to be said here a lot of us, including myself, talked about this was an intelligence failure, but theres a time for that later. They have to get after knit terms of choosing targets trying to find the hostages, assessing the northern border, and of course determining iranian culpability. I think back to my friend in the Israeli Community what theyre going through now, really, really tough times. Avi, mark makes the reference to 9 11. We are very careful with numbers and comparisons and history is complicated, but it is certainly an numerical relevant comparison that the per capita death toll, the civilian death toll would be, if you want to make the comparison mark made it. We heard other officials make it would be a far greater share of the civilian population of israel than the United States, if you want to use the numbers. Then on top of that, i dont know what again, speaking just candidly, what americans or anyone in any society would do if you looked up and had this many missing, hostages, including women and children or whatever categories you want to make. I know you said youre dealing with your own time line on processing, but what can you tell our viewers in america and those watching online around the world about that aspect of that, about what israel has gone through even though it is a country that, like the territories and the west bank, has had many conflicts before it . I think the comparison to September The 11th is apt. I remember that day vividly. I was a High School Senior in the d. C. Area, and i remember the sense of confusion and chaos, not knowing whether people were alive or dead, whether loved ones were going to return home. It was an extremely unsettling and distressing period. Imagine that, as you said, multipied not by one, by two, but at this point ten. Thats what were talking about in terms of the portion of israels population thats been affected by this, these murdered in these attacks. If you think of israel as the small tight knit country it is, this has something thats affected every family. Theres nobody i know who doesnt have somebody affected by this, a family whose loved one or loved ones is missing. This is something affecting every country in israel. This is a country thats very much in shock, and in a state of constant anxiety about what happens next. I want to play a little more on the ground. Our colleague Richard Engel dealing with air strikes, the iron dome. Well play this for you, mark. Theres a rocket. You can see it streaking in the sky right now. Turning. Theres another. This is being launched from a different site. Now youll start to see the Iron Dome System Ticking them off. Thats some of what that looks like with Richard Narrating from a safe position. Mark, what comes next . As i mentioned, operationally, we see the amazzing of Israeli Soldiers on that board a, but we do not know and they have at telegraphed what they would do. Were told hamas leadership is under ground. We have this siege and as i mentioned a potential building humanitarian crisis there, gaza people who dont have anything to do with the attacks, war. What comes next, mark . First of all, it was good that you showed that, pictures of the iron dome, because and i think President Biden had an outstanding address today. In that were going to reply israel with whatever they need, including the intercepters, include anything else. Theres reports coing across the wire about additional things needed. Its clear at some point israel is going to have to go into gaza. Thats something that is going to be difficult. I think we all have to prepare ourselves, certainly israelis but also americans, too, because the hostages there. Theres going to be significant loss of life. Its going to be tough kind of urban combat. These hamas operatives, the cell leaders are going to be in tunnels. This is tough urban warfare, and the hostages might be in danger. I dont think many people expect that there will be any delay in the Ground Operation because the hostages, while of course the israelis are looking for them. Im sure the Israeli SpecialOperations Community is hard at work. But theres many tough days ahead. Air strikes, i think thats just a preparation for the days and weeks to come. Theyre going to go in. All right, thats the view from mark. Avi, thanks to both of you for your time on a difficult story, but where facts are important to get out there. I want to tell folks about whats come up reporting on how Hamas Taked One of the main targets in israel. Next, were going to be joined by a writer and historian about the rising brutality. If you feel things are getting worse in many parts of the world, two big wars were follow, there may be reasons for that and this writer says theres things that can be done. Thats next. T. [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. Welcome back to our coverage. Hamas terrorists launched new Missile Strikes at israeli cities today another town, israelis working through booby traps. Hamas operated for over 25 years. Theres nothing new about some of its methods to people in the renal or familiar with the history although as we heard from an expert tonight, the scale is certainly unprecedented. Some International Scholars also see a broader trend and problem here. One that may not just stay in any given region, as these certain states, as well as nonstate act force, are leading with terror and war crimes as a main and admitted part of their operations, something they even tout, and that goes beyond just the middle east, from hamas to putin to iran in the background to some other Rising Authorarian and barbaric threats. Hamas terrorists paid no attention to modern laws of war or norms of any kind. Writes pulitzer prizewinner Ann Appelbaum. Goal is to undo whatever remains of the rules base world order and put anarchy in its place. Arguing that they do not simply flout human rights, that they are main lining a new type of sustained attack. Or you could call it a terror war. That can actually operate in the long haul through its operations, through its potential sympathizers and support and through of course some of the rhetoric that it distributes, where people are saying well, yes, and and heres why thats somewhat understandable its to try to disassemble what has been an incremental but positive set of steps towards Human Rights Arc regime that was constructed in response specifically to the horrors of world war ii. It was that war and its atrocities and its holocaust, targeting many minorities, chiefly jews and other minority groups, that catalyzed groups to Reach Baselines on war. Rule against terror and torture, the creation of the eyeduations, the geneva conventions, rules against torture, the Declaration Of Human Rights as a party to the u. N. All those things i just listed off didnt come off the abstract. They came out of the horrors of world war ii, and everyone amidst terrible conflicts and wars, there are many countries who have largely said they follow those things so at least theyre on the side of appearing to want to follow them and often do follow them. That may be crumbling. Appelbaum brings up china, noting theres been reporting about how they detain leaders against their will, and militarized surveillance. Note the connections here as china, the geostrategic competitor is also one of the only countries left of any great power where Vladimir Putin can travel, because he faces a warrant for arrest on International War crimes for targeting ukrainian children. You heard of russias attacks and its form of war against civilians. Russia has carried out more war crimes like this, deliberately targeting civilians for no other reason than to make civilians pay. Ukrainians left dead in the streets. Authorities say civilians brutally murdered by the russians. She takes us to her brothers house, where she says she was raped by a russian soldier on august 26th. Ukraine says russia used this basement in the city of kherson as a torture chamber. There is supposed to be an International Order. It has worked at times. When you see countries of this power and magnitude and nonstate terror groups get this far, you see how some of this may actually be backsliding. Appelbaum in her new piece also says how there are cracks and fissures in the west. The west and u. S. Refused to enforce. She writes