Thats a United Nations staff member describing the conditions inside gaza as israel prepares for a potential fullscale Ground Invasion in the wake of the Terror Attack by hamas. Well have a live report from israel straight ahead. Plus well bring you an update on the Biden Administrations efforts to prevent further escalation in the region with top officials on the ground this morning in both israel and jordan. And also ahead, more republican led chaos on capitol hill. The partys nominee for House Speaker just dropped out of the race. Good morning and welcome to way too early on this friday, october 13th. Im jonathan lemire. Thank you for starting your day with us. We begin this morning with the fast moving developments in the latest out of the war between israel and hamas. Israels military has ordered a large scale evacuation of the entire northern half of gaza within the next 24 hours. That region is home to just over 1 Million People and accounts for about half of the overall territorys population. The order instructs those in the north to move to south gaza, but the United Nations is warning that such a move would be impossible without, quote, devastating humanitarian consequences. The u. N. Has asked for the order to be rescinded to avoid transforming, and they put it this way, whats already a tragedy into a calamitous situation. Hamas has told palestinians not to comply with israeli demands, calling it psychological warfare. The Evacuation Order comes ahead of a potential Ground Invasion of gaza, which has not yet been ordered by israels government. Its military continued to pound on the gaza strip thursday and into these first hours of friday as the war nears the oneweek mark. Meanwhile, at that moment the death toll continues to rise. Israel continued to strike buildings on the gaza strip, and for a fifth day in an effort to target hamas. Conditions have worsened in gaza throughout the week, and the u. N. Estimates hundreds of thousands of people have already been displaced. So far the total death toll in the conflict has risen past 2,800 people including over 1,300 israelis and over 1,500 palestinians. During a Press Briefing yesterday White House Strategic Communications coordinator john kirby confirmed at least 27 u. S. Citizens have been killed in the conflict and that another 14 americans are still unaccounted for. In my latest reporting the Biden Administration has for now ruled out putting boots on the ground to try to free those american hostages, deferring to the israelis, and its also a nod to just how exceedingly complicated the situations are there in gaza. They dont know where the hostages are. They dont believe theyre together. They believe theyre hidden amongst civilians. Joining us now live from jerusalem is nbc news correspondent Kelly Cobiella. Kelly, great to see you this morning. Do we have kelly there . We dont have kellys shot at the moment. Well come back for her in just a moment. She is in israel. Things are moving quickly there. We can tell you this, top officials with the Biden Administration are traveling throughout the middle east and gulf region today to discuss developments in the war between israel and hamas. Secretary of state Antony Blinken arrived in jordan late thursday where he was set to have talks with the judean king and a palestinian leader. Later the Secretary Of State will head to qatar to meet with the qatari Prime Minister and other officials to discuss ways to deescalate the conflict, protect civilians, and secure the safe release of hostages. Meanwhile, defense secretary lloyd austin will be in israel today, one day after the Secretary Of State was there. Austin is expected to meet with Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu and israeli officials including their defense minister. The pentagon has already made Major Military moves to support israel following the attack including deploying an Aircraft Carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean as a deterrent. The dod is also working on sending munitions and iron Air Dome Defense Interceptors to tel aviv. All right, we think we have Kelly Cobiella now live from jerusalem. Good to see you. We just mentioned the israelis have issued an Evacuation Order for half of gaza. What are you hearing in terms of whether people are leaving . Is there any chance that israel will listen to the u. N. And rescind that . Reporter jonathan, i think thats unlikely. Its clear israel is preparing for a Ground Invasion although the government hasnt ordered one yet. The military is amassing at the border. Theyve said many times now that they are preparing to go in. And this order i think is going to stand. The problem is where do the people of gaza go . 1. 1 Million People, half the population of the gaza strip, remember the largest hospital in the gaza strip is actually in gaza city, shifa hospital, that is where people have been taking refuge. The injured has been brought there. Theres a large number of staff and aid workers there, doctors, rescuers, and on top of that you have the problem of just infrastructure, a lot of infrastructure has been damaged in the bombardment over the past six days. Roads are out. Buildings are pancaked. Theres debris everywhere. So its just the sheer, you know, logistical problem of moving people south. 1. 1 Million People, not a small number. So its really a difficult situation there in gaza, and the clock is ticking. That order came out about 6 00, 7 00 in the morning our time locally. So about six hours ago now. Meantime, here in jerusalem, hamas has called for a day of rage. Theyre calling on palestinians to come here to the old city to protest. They want people in the west bank to rise up, to clash with police. Its already a very tense situation here. Last night as we were arriving, a Palestinian Gunman Opened Fire on a Police Station not far from here with some sort of modified machine gun. He was followed by police and he was actually shot and killed. Two Police Officers injured in that incident. So it shows just how volatile the situation is here. 2,500 Police Officers have been deployed in this area, security forces, people under the age of 50 told theyre not going into those gates to pray at mosque in the old city. Theyre being kept out to maintain some sense of calm here in jerusalem. Nbc news correspondent Kelly Cobiella reporting live for us from jerusalem. Well have more reporting from israel later this morning. Joining us now National Security and military reporter for politico, paul mcclerry. Paul, good to see you this morning. We just mentioned Secretary Of Defense austin was in the region today. He has said the u. S. Will not place any conditions on the aid it sends to israel. Of course things are complicated right now because theres no working house of representatives. Give us the latest here what the pentagon is trying to get there, but are there concerns about there are major israeli needs they wont be able to meet . Yeah, austin and u. S. Officials have said theres no issue with Resupplying Israelis with guided munitions and other Precision Munitions they might need, but our limits to the u. S. Stockpile weve been helping ukraine over the past year and a half, but those arent really the same sort of munitions, but there are limited u. S. Stockpiles. Theyre large, but this looks like this will be goingoon for some time. There are some concerns, and with congress not in session theres no budget, theres a budget deal that only brings the u. S. To November 17th for the continuing resolution. So theres worry on capitol hill and in washington that this deal wont get done early enough on capitol hill, and therell be some issues with supplying ukraine and israel, and having a Working Budget for the pentagon as well. So, paul, lets talk about what an invasion of gaza would look like. We dont know its coming, but israel certainly seemingly preparing for one. I have new reporting this morning about how the u. S. For now is being very deferential to israel. Theyre not going to try to send their own forces there to free american hostages or israeli hostages. But what do you think an invasion would look like . What would the Israeli Military do in such a dense, you know, tightly packed region like gaza . Yeah, this is the hardest Military Operation to undertake. The israelivise done it before in gaza. Its messy, its bloody, its dirty. Theres civilians everywhere. Its narrow streets and Tunnels Hamas has dug. Look at fulucia in 2004 and its very confusing and everything is packed on top of you. There are snipers on the rooftops, there could be buildings booby trapped. As i said hamas has dug tunnels throughout the city so they could pop up here and there. So this would be a hard, hard fight for the israelis and still they dont know whats underground and theres civilians everywhere. As you said 2. 2 Million People, so this would not be something you go in and flatten streets, because you cant. You have to go house to house, doortodoor, room to Room Fighting where and when you can. Of course after the operation the question will be what comes next in gaza as well. National security and military reporter for politico, thank you for your reporting this morning. We really appreciate it. Still ahead here on way too early, well turn to some of the other days top headlines and go through the new charge against democratic senator Bob Numens Dez and his wife as the new jersey democrat still refuses to resign after his bribery indictment. Plus Union Auto Workers are taking an aggressive new action in their strike against detroits big three. Well also bring you more from israel and the chaos in the Republican House of representatives as well as a check on weather and sports. Well be right back. A check on weather and sports. Well be right back. Remember the things you loved doing. Before your asthma got in the way . Get back to the things you love. With fasenra. Fasenra is an addon treatment for eosinophilic asthma. Having too many eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, can cause inflammation and asthma symptoms. Fasenra is designed to target and remove eosinophils and helps prevent Asthma Attacks. Fasenra is 1 dose every 8 weeks. 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Good thing gertrude found delsym. Now whats going around is 12hour cough relief. And the giggles. The family that takes delsym together, feels better together. Welcome back. As we turn to some of the mornings other top headlines. Federal prosecutors added a stunning new Criminal Charge against senator bob menendez and his wife. This new superseding indictment now accuses the couple as well as a third defendant of conspiring to have the senator act as an agent of egypt while he served as the Senate ForeignRelations Committee from 2018 to 2022. He provided information and took steps that secretly aided the government of egypt. In a Statement Menendez a new jersey democrat dismissed the allegations writing this, the governments latest charge flies in the face of my long record of standing up for Human Rights And Democracy In Egypt and ngg lead country including the president on these issues. Filing new charges upon new charge does not make the allegations true. The fts havent changed, only a new charge. I again ask people who know me and my record to give me the chance to present my defense and show my innocence. Menendez and his wife pleaded not guilty last month to corruption charges alleging that they used his influence to pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes including gold bars. The senator continues to reject calls to step down from congress. More and more lawmakers have said he should go. Other news now. The United Auto Workers union is raising the stakes against detroits big three auto makers. In a surprise move last night, 8,700 members left their jobs at fords kentucky truck plant in louisville, the largest and most profitable ford plant on the planet. The plant on its own generates about 16 of fords revenue. Uaw president shawn fain said in a statement the union has waited long enough. Ford said yesterday it could not improve its Contract Offer without hurting its business and its ability to invest in electric vehicles. The latest strike came nearly four weeks after the union began its walkouts against general motors, ford, and stellantis. Elsewhere on the labor front, negotiations have been suspended between the studios and the Union Representing thousands of actors who are still on strike in hollywood over a disagreement on how performers should be compensated over streaming programs. The studios pulled the plug on negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild saying the sides, quote, remain too divided. The guild reportedly proposed streaming services pay actors on a per subscriber basis, which studios said was an overreach. The two sides are also reportedly still disagreeing about the use of Artificial Intelligence with the guild saying studios are not offering enough protections. So the writers are back, actors still out, could be for a while. Still ahead well turn to sports. Were down to the final four in the Major League Baseball playoffs after yet another upset of a top seed. Plus, The Big Story in the nfl this morning, yeah, its taylor swift again. Thats all straight ahead. Taylor swift again thats all straight ahead. Oh, no bye, bye cough. Later Chest Congestion. Hello 12 hours of relief. 12 hours . hmmm, ok. Not coughing at yoga. Antiquing not coughing . Not coughing at the movies . hashtag still not coughing . aaah. Oww mucinex dm gives you 12 hours of relief from Chest Congestion and any type of cough, day or night. Its not cough season. Its always comeback season. Looking for a Bladder Leak Pad that keeps you dry . When im at work, i need to feel secured. What im looking for in a pad is, super thin, super absorbent. All of the things that youre looking for in a pad, that is always discreet. This is thin. My pad is thick. Lets put it to the test. 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