We will make sure they have what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself and respond to this attack. Theres no justification for terrorism. Theres no excuse. Hamas does not stand for the palestinian peoples right to dignity and selfdetermination. Its stated purpose is annihilation on the murder of jewish people. President biden making it clear that the United States stands with israel, promising support following the hamas Terrorist Attacks. The president also confirmed that there are americans being held hostage by the terror group. Well get an update on what is being done to try and free them. And weve seen more explosions in gaza this morning as the conflict enters its fifth day. Well get a live report from israel in just a moment. Also ahead, National Security analyst for nbc news and msnbc clint watts with an overview of the war and what could happen next. Good morning and welcome to morning joe. It is wednesday, october 11th. Lets dive right in. Israel is ramping up its strikes against Hamas Terrorists. Warplanes hammered neighborhood after neighborhood along the gaza strip yesterday in retaliation to the atrocities the terror Group Launched over the weekend Killing Hundreds of israelis. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing to destroy the Terrorist Organization. Israel ordered a total Siege Of Gaza, stopping the entry of food, fuel, and medicine. The only remaining access from egypt was also shut down yesterday because of the nearby air strikes. Israel says it has regained chrome of the areas hamas hit over the weekend. The Israeli Military has summoned 360,000 reservists to join the fight. Roughly 4 of the countrys total population. Meanwhile, there are signs the war is escalating into neighboring countries. Yesterday there were exchanges of fire along the Israeli Borders of lebanon and syria and, willie, all the while we have up to 100, possibly more, hostages whose lives hang in the balance. And some of them american. All told, more than 2,000 people have died in what now is a war between israel and hamas. Israeli Defense Forces say 1,200 israelis have been killed since saturdays Ambush Attacks by hamas. Helps ministries in gaza and the west bank say more than 1,000 palestinians have died there. 14 americans are among the dead. President Biden Yesterday confirmed americans are being held hostage by hamas. Its not clear exactly how many were taken captive. At least 20 americans are missing. Between 100 and 150 people are being held captive. Hamas has threatened to excuse if israel bombs without warning. Families of the missing americans are sharing the little they do know and asking both the israeli and american governments to do more. I normally dont use my phone on the jewish sabbath, but it was an emergency and i needed to know where my son was. I turned my phone on at 8 23 in the morning. When i turned it on, there were two texts in a row at 8 11. The first one said, i love you. And, immediately at 8 11, it said, im sorry. And so i knew immediately wherever he was, it was a terrible situation. I took it to mean, i love you and im sorry because whatever is going to happen is going to cause you tremendous pain and worry. We know that he was injured in a gun battle. I mean, they were all civilians at a Music Festival, and they were fish in a barrel sitting in this bomb shelter. Terrorists came to the door. They were throwing grenades in, shooting machine guns. The mother of one of The Americans missing. Joining us now near the gaza border in israel, nbc news chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel. What does it look like today . Reporter well, it seems clear we are heading for a wider war, an announcement was made overnight by israels Defense Minister saying that israel will go into the gaza strip in a Ground Invasion. He said what is in gaza will be no more. That this offensive began from the air and that it will continue later on with forces on the ground. We are now preparing for a ground war here. What u. S. Officials are trying to do by sending warships to the mediterranean, by making statements like we heard from President Biden last night, is to prevent this war, a wider war, which is coming from spreading out and becoming a war across the middle east. Right now were seeing a softening campaign, a Media Campaign where israel is leading out the justification. It could be soon in the next few days or in a week will be a push with Ground Forces into gaza. Were getting horrifying reports yesterday as journalists were allowed into some of the areas that were terrorized, women, children, babies killed. What more can you tell us happened there . Reporter i went into this kibbutz youre talking about and later well be going into another, i believe. So that was the kibbutz where journalists were allowed to go in for the first time as israeli troops were still clearing it. They believed it was secure enough to enter but there was still gunfire in the area, incoming fire. The israeli troops going house to house looking for any potential hamas fighters. They found bodies on the ground wearing uniforms on the ground and many bodies. We went into homes of people who had suffered terrible Home Invasions where fighters stormed in the kibbutz, went house to house, kicking down doors, killing people in homes, ripping them out of their homes and taking them back to the gaza strip. The town looked frozen in time. Meals still on the table. Blood stains on the ground. You could see what happened in this kibbutz where dozens of israelis were killed, the Israeli Soldiers were collecting the remains, putting them in body bags and counting them and adding them to this growing death toll. And that is just one community and this happened in several where hamas went on a Killing Spree, massacring people and taking hostages back into gaza and the scale of these atros kis is only now coming to light as israeli is going back in and resecuring communities. I think that will remain the case as we go into phase two of this war which is a ground inracial. Will this Ground Invasion lead to a wider war with lebanon, potentially with other countries as well, iran, lebanon being the biggest potential causes of concern because both of them support hamas. The viciousness of the atrocities you witnessed yesterday in kibbutz we will see Hell Rain Down in israel. Richard engel, thank you so much. Lets go to National Security analyst for nbc news and msnbc, clint watts. What more do we have new this morning you can share with us about the way israel is responding here . Yesterday an interesting day. You really saw the Israeli Military kick into gear. Several things happened. One, you saw Richard Engel here near ashkelon where some attacks were coming in from gaza but the ire dome took out a lot of those rockets. In this area here this sderot, they believe theyve cleared most of it. There was a brief gun battle in ashkelon. They believe they have cleared the israeli side and cordoned off what is gaza. What is that Ground Invasion going to look like rich around was talking about and how will they do it . All of this area here, the buildup of troops looking at a much wider war, the second thing are the air strikes inside gaza city. Several mosques and a refugee camp area were hit yesterday. You are seeing strikes against naval targets out in the water and much more larger attacks, i think youll see, up and down the gaza strip as the day goes on. The humanitarian situation down here in this area youre starting to see lots of humanitarian issues arise as people start to flee from these cities trying to figure out what they can do. The egyptians have not opened to the south. Just like richard was talking about, everyone is wondering will this turn into a multifront or larger war . Should the israelis go into gaza, will this change . We did see some rockets fired and some israeli Missile Strikes in lebanon where hezbollah is stationed. Everyone is wanting to know will hezbollah jump into this fight . In the Golan Heights some rockets fell in from there. Note, for both militant organizations, militants in syria, militants in southern lebanon, command and control is not always a strength, theyre not always 100 aligned. Any of those small instances can trigger a bigger war. Will this expand out . What will the role be of countries like egypt and is iran linked or coordinating behind the scenes with these militant groups behind israel. Clint, i do have questions about the inevitability of a wider war and implications of the United States. A more basic on the ground question first, and that is as israel retaliates, what is the sense of where the hostages are . Is there any possibility that their lives, again, are in danger as they potentially could be caught in the crossfire . What are the negotiations we hear in terms of their location and potential return . Mika, most believe in the large, urban areas throughout here, mainly around gaza city but even down here in khan yunis, you might have hostages spread out. Are any of the hostages being killed and wounded during the air strikes . I dont think theres a good answer to that. Remember at the start of the show we were talking about the u. S. Military possibly coming in to help do Hostage Negotiation, understanding intelligence around it. Were going to see more International Cooperation but at this point i think it is a big unknown especially as things like electricity and power are cut to gaza. That means cell phones, other Electronic Devices, the last tether to potential hostages, may be going away as well. All right. Nbc news National Security analyst, clint watts. I know well be hearing from you again. We appreciate your insight. Secretary of state Antony Blinken will be traveling in a show of solidarity. The top u. S. Diplomat is expected to meet with senior israeli officials to discuss the situation on the ground and what Additional Resources the u. S. Can provide. He is scheduled to arrive in israel tomorrow. Blinken will then head to jordan to meet with senior officials there. Yesterday Secretary Blinken and Vice PresidentKamala Harris stood with President Biden as he offered unequivocal support for israel and warned against those who might view the situation as an opportunity. There are moments in this life, i mean this literally, the pure, unadulterated evil, is unleashed on this world. The people of israel lived through one such moment this weekend. The bloody hands of the Terrorist Organization hamas, a group whose stated purpose for being is to kill jews, an act of sheer evil, more than 1,000 slaughtered, slaughtered, in israel. Among them at least 14 american citizens killed. Parents butchered using their bodies to try to protect their children. Stomach churning reports of babies being killed, entire families slain. Young people massacred while attending a Music Festival to celebrate peace to celebrate peace. Today americans across the country are praying for all those families rimmed apart. A lot of us know how it feels. It leaves a black hole in your chest, feels like youre being sucked in, the anger, the pain, the sense of hopelessness. This is what they mean by human tragedy. An atrocity on an appalling scale. We will continue to stand united supporting the people of israel who are suffering unspeakable losses and opposing the hatred and violence of terrorism. The Department Of Defense has moved the striker to the mediterranean and bolstered our aircraft presence. We stand ready to move in additional assets as needed. Let me say again to any country, any organization, anyone thinking of taking advantage of the situation, i have one word dont dont. Our hearts may be broken but our resolve is clear. President biden sending an extremely strong message and many Big Questions including how did israeli or u. S. Intelligence miss the Warning Signs of these attacks . National security adviser Jake Sullivan was asked about that yesterday. Well play for you his response in 60 seconds. [bell ringing] and doug says, you can customize and save hundreds on Car Insurance with liberty mutual. he hits his mark center stage and is crushed by a baby grand piano. Are you replacing me . With this guy . Customize and save with liberty bibberty. He doesnt even have a mustache oh, look a bibu. [limu emu squawks. ] only pay for what you need. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. The Israeli Government has placed a high premium on its Intelligence Capacity as it relates to hamas, as it relates to the west bank, as it relates to hezbollah, and why it is that they did not have warning from this is not a question that i can answer from this podium. What u. S. Intelligence, anything that crosses your desk that would have suggested this was coming . We did not see anything that suggested an attack of this type was going to unfold any more than the israelis did. White house National Security adviser Jake Sullivan yesterday confirming the lapse in intelligence. So were going to bring in the host of Way Too Early, jonathan lemire, and former Chief Of Staff at the cia and Department Of Defense, jeremy bash, an nbc news National Security analyst. Jeremy, a lot of moving parts we want to get to with you including the implications for the United States in terms of a wider war. Obviously the very complicated situation of hostages being held right now, some of Them Americans, and what Tony Blinkens objectives will be as he heads there. But, also, how it is fair to ask in this moment, there are some questions that are completely inappropriate in this moment. Theres no context here. No one side versus the other. Pure evil, pure terrorism. Lets agree on that fact. But my question to you is, is it also impossible that as they came in on hang gliders, by air, by sea, by water, on their feet, this was practiced, coordinated, is it possible israel had no clue . Its possible, mika. Theres certainly some warnings at a high level. I think israel lacked the tactical warning how this attack would unfold. A new warning suggests the Hamas Terrorists did two things very effectively, first, they conducted a disinformation campaign. They were talking on their phones to each other basically saying, oh, this is just an exercise or we feel deterred. Were going to stay on the sidelines. They transmitted, allegedly, secretly to each other, although israel was listening, and took the message, oh, hamas is not going to attack. The other thing was use technology, use drones to take out several of the watch towers, the sensors along the gaza border and that blinded israeli forces. There was a Force Posture Breakdown if they were concentrated at one base and were not able to quickly respond because they were not responding or actively working on social media real time from the battle front. There was a multiplicity of breakdowns, a perfect storm. Not unlike our 9 11, a breakdown in intelligence, a breakdown of analytics, of aviation security. I think this will be analyzed for many weeks to come. So geo strategic question for you, does this Security Breakdown along with the deep divisions going on and distractions, some would argue, in netanyahus government, does it impact how the United States approaches this . Are there going to be requirements for transparency for, i dont know, netanyahu to get it together for the United States to really be able to be a partner in dealing with this evil . I think the president of the United States delivered one of the most impactful speeches by a world leader ever. It was extraordinary in its moral clarity. There was not a message of engaging in restraint. And that the United States is going to have skin in the game. Were going to put forces into the region including that Carrier Strike group that was referenced by the president precisely to deter iran from using its surrogates and proxy, u