South. But right now that crossing appears to be closed in both directions for people and humanitarian aid. Also happening, the Israeli Security cabinet will hold a meeting with Prime Minister netanyahu, and in just a few hours from now, as the world braces for what is believed to be an upcoming israeli invasion of gaza. Plus, Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken is back in tel aviv today to meet with israeli leaders just as we learned that families of 199 hostages have been notified their loved ones were abducted. In just a few minutes well speak with a family of 85yearold yafa adar and her grandson, taken during saturdays horrific terrorist attack. The desperate pleas from that family and dozens of others to get their loved ones back safely. And we begin this hour with the very latest on whats happening on the ground in the middle east. For that we turn to nbc news chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel who joins us from the israelgaza border. Richard, its just at sunset, and continuing attacks on gaza are under way. Israels bound to expand its assault by air, sea and land. What could that potentially look like . Reporter well, even though the air strikes are continuing, and right now there are drones overhead, there have been air strikes continuing into gaza city all day, there does seem to be a bit of a pause, even though it doesnt look like it, even though it doesnt sound like it, the attack by land hasnt happened yet. Were not seeing the same kind of urgency in the statements from the israeli officials, were not seeing israeli troops moving into that final position. Instead, what were seeing are more strikes, according to People Inside gaza. The strikes are becoming slightly more targeted. They are still targeting apartment buildings. They are still targeting roads. Still targeting almost anything. But according to people that ive been speaking to, the strikes seem to be focusing now on a single apartment in a building, or a particular building and not touching the other buildings, on the first days of this campaign the israelis were carrying out much more what looked like carpet bombing, knocking down rows of buildings one after another. So, something is under way. The reason why they havent gone in is obviously a Military Secret that the israelis are keeping to themselves. But we are in a diplomatic phase. There are evacuations that took place today of israelis from haifa and Israeli Americans from haifa, attempts to get Palestinian Americans and other palestinians who have foreign passports out of the gaza strip. Those efforts, so far, have not been successful in gaza, and we were speaking a short time ago with People Inside inside the Gaza Strip Waiting at that rafah border, and theyre incredibly frustrated. Theyre frustrated that theyre stuck there. Theyre watching Israeli Americans get taken off in a cruise ship and they say what about us . Why are we still inside . Obviously, the logistics are very different pulling a cruise ship up into a sovereign country and leaving from a port that is normally used for large ships is very different than trying to coordinate getting people out of a war zone that is under attack with fourway diplomacy between the united states, egypt, hamas, and israel. So, theyre not exactly comparable situations, but the people in gaza waiting at that at that crossing point feel that they are being ignored, feel that they are getting that the israelis are getting preferential treatment. And, of course, we know that there are other foreign nationals also waiting to try to escape gaza, including up to potentially 600 americans. Weve heard from the Secretary Of State, and the State Department in the last 24 hours, where it seemed like there have been multiple efforts and a big push and an expectation that that Border Crossing between gaza and egypt would be opened. It was supposed to happen this weekend, it didnt. Last night it was going to happen. This morning we were told. It hasnt. Do we know why not . What is going on there . Reporter so, its just starting to rain here, so hopefully our lights and cameras will hold up. But that Border Crossing, ive crossed it myself. Ive been down there quite a few times over the years, this is not an egate. It doesnt work well under normal circumstances. It is incredibly slow. You have to have all of your paperwork. And now you have to you have to balance all the competing interests. The egyptians want that Border Crossing open so that they can let people in, but also so that they can move supplies in because moving supplies in to gaza takes some pressure off of egypt, which is being criticized right now, All Over The World, but in egypt, and in the arab world in particular because they look like theyre not helping the palestinian people. So they want to send aid in. Hamas is busy fighting, so whatever coordination they had on their side is either not reliable or not there. The israelis want to keep that area sealed off and the americans are putting pressure to get the people out and to get it out right away and the United Nations is operating because the United Nations has responsibility for large sections of the palestinian population inside gaza. So, i think its most likely a logistical problem at this stage, that is not a satisfying answer, of course, for the people who are waiting, who have been called time and time again to cross that border, and who are waiting there, and anxious to leave, and frustrated, and standing in the heat with very little supplies. Some water has been pumped in. They got some into rafah and the surrounding areas last night and they are trying to conserve it out of concern that they dont know when more Water Supplies could come in. Well, thank you so much for that reporting, and helping us understand the challenges that are part of this situation. We really appreciate it. Richard engel, and with us now to continue our conversation from israel is avi mayer, the editor in chief of the jerusalem posts. You were just visiting one of the communities hardest hit by the october 7th attacks, i understand. What did you see . Reporter im actually here on a roadside stop, i spent the day at kibbutz beeri one of the civilian communities targeted in the massacre just last weekend and the sights that are extremely harrowing. This is an environment thats generally were idyllic, very quiet, lots of greenery and lawns. There are homes that have been completely shattered, that are have been blackened by Hamas Terrorists who set them on fire in order to murder the families inside. We saw one home in which the terrorists barricaded themselves. And so the idf had to come in and demolish the structure and when they pulled the rubble apart they found the bodies of eight small children who had been tied to one another and shot. They also found the bodies of a couple who were embracing when they died. It was an extremely difficult thing. Ive never seen anything like this before. I think what will stick with me is actually just the smell, the smell of death was everywhere. Id never encountered that before and i dont think it will ever leave me. It never does leave you at all, avi, its one of those things that just you will forever, forever remember. And its important to never forget. Avi, im just wondering, and theres been so much talk of gaza being sealed, that nothing can get in, and nothing can get out. We saw raf sanchezs report on the thousands of ak47s, claymore mines, rpgs that hamas fighters had when they went in to perpetrate that massacre a week ago. And now were seeing that irans foreign ministry, talking today that hamas has potentially the possibility to release the 199 hostages if israel stops its air strikes on the gaza strip, even though hamas has not Ck A Knowledged making such an offer. Is iran now the Hostage Negotiator par excellence . Reporter we know that iran has had a role in this all along. The Wall Street Journal reported just the other day that hezbollah officials confirmed that not only was iran a part of planning this massacre, but it actually gave it a green light just a few weeks before. Iran is a patriot of hamass just as it is a patron of hezbollah. They couldnt do anything they do without it. They certainly couldnt have the military capabilities they have without iran. The notion of iran playing a constructive role here is pretty preposterous. Iran plays a pernicious role in this region and around the world. The notion they can somehow play a positive role is absolutely ridiculous. We dont know based on that reporting from the Wall Street Journal we have not confirmed that and the u. S. Has not confirmed direct involvement by iran with hamas attack, but if we could just stick with the Hostage Situation for a minute, avi, there are now nearly 200 families in anguish. Theyve been told their loved ones are being held by hamas. Today the number was 199 families have been notified. That number is up from 155 just yesterday, and i think a lot of us are wondering, why are those numbers jumping . And what does this mean for the expected Ground Invasion that the Hostage Component of this . Reporter its a great question. You know, the situation in israel is one of tremendous chaos. There are so many people whose fates are currently unknown, and as additional bodies are found the numbers shift. And so there are quite a few people whose bodies may be lying in a field somewhere and just have not yet been found or they may, in fact, be in gaza, being held hostage by hamas. We just dont know. Thats why the numbers keep shifting. Thats why theyre constantly being updated and they probably will be for several days, perhaps even several weeks to come. As for the role that that plays in the possibility of a ground assault, its obviously extremely complex. We expect that hamas will use these hostages as Human Shields, just as they used their own civilians as Human Shields in order to protect their leader, protect their military installation. Thats something that the israeli and american leaders are keenly aware of, and theyre still coordinating on very closely. We of course hope the hos tangs can be brought back safely but it will be a very difficult task indeed. Avi mayer, thanks for being with us this morning, really appreciate it. Thank you. Up next, its the video seen around the world, an 85yearold israeli woman looking defiant as she was kidnapped by hamas ten days ago. Well talk to her granddaughter whose cousin was also taken. Plus, we will go live to the white house for an update on what prompted President Biden to reschedule todays trip to colorado. Were back in just 60 seconds with more of our special coverage of the israelhamas war. You founded your Kayak Company because you love the ocean not spreadsheets. You need to hire. I need indeed. Indeed you do. Indeed instant match instantly delivers quality candidates matching your job description. Visit indeed. Com hire if theres pain when you try to poo and going sometimes feels like you pushed through a pineapple or two colace is the brand you need to soften stools, were all agreed 2 should be easy to do trust colace to soften stools with no stimulants for comfortable relief. Welcome back, just this morning the Israeli Government says its now identified and been in contact with the families of now being held inside gaza, and among the missing is 85yearold yafah adar. A video obtained by reuters shows adar being driven into gaza after hamas gunmen invaded israeli villages, shes in a golf cart looking on defiantly while bystanders cheer, her family says they recognized her instantly and her relatives say its important that people see this video. Also, among the nearly 200 people abducted, yafahs eldest grandson, tamir. Joining us now is adva adar, the granddaughter of yafah and tamirs cousin. Thank you for being with us this morning, how are you and your family doing today . Were hanging on, really trying to do the best that we can to bring them back home, to talk to whoever is willing to listen and to hear these horrible things that happened to us and to our country, hoping that the International Pressure will somehow help us bring them back home. Im wondering, adva, because the Israeli Government says its been in touch with families of 199 hostages, is your family one of them . What have you heard, if anything, from the Israeli Government and what do you know about where your Family Members are, and the condition they may be in . Yes, they got in touch with us. We got a formal notification that they are kidnapped, but we have no information. We dont know where they are. We do know they are somewhere in gaza. The only information we have comes from the video that shows my grandmother kidnapped, of her with four terrorists around her in the golf cart, and then we found some picture with her and some terrorists in a car. But thats all the information weve got, and we are very, very worried for her health condition, my grandmother is ill, and shes taking medication on daily basis, and we dont know if shes survived so far. And we dont know how long can she continue surviving without the medications . Were very, very worried for her condition, and every day that this going, that is passing, were getting more worried for her. Yeah, shes 85 years old. Adva, tell us a little bit more about her, what spirit she shows in that brief video there. Tell us about her, and also about your cousin tamir. My grandmother is a very special person, she was one of the people that helped build this country. She raised all of us here, believing that we have the right, you know, to live in this country and that we should live in peace with our neighbors. She had no thought that these neighbors will kidnap her from her bed and, you know, a lot of people are asking about this video and are asking about the look in her eyes there because it seems like shes smiling. And its hard for people to understand why, and they asked if she has alzheimers or dementia. And my grandmother is sharpminded. She gets the situation, but, you know, shes looking in the eyes and shes saying you can kidnap me but you wont humiliate me, and you wont see me hurt. She sits there and looks in their eyes and, you know, hoping they will see shes a person, and that thats the kind of person my grandmother was, and she had a lot of best friends, and her look gives us a lot of strength. And i know that a lot of people are affected by it, and it gives optimism to a lot of people. And thats really her. Thats profound, and what a strong woman, youre right, and so courageous. Yeah. And just the message she sends through her Body Language and that sense of resolve that she has and her composure. Is there anything, adva, that you think the government or anyone could be doing more to help you, your family, and this situation . I want to believe that, yes, the authorities are doing their best in order to bring them back home. I do think that all the International Pressure that can pressure somehow the arab countries to make hamas bring them back home, we need all the pressure that the world could give. And it comes from the people all around, and it comes from the leaderships in the all around the world. So i ask whoever see my grandmother face and whoever see hears her story, please help us, please help us pressure hamas to bring them all back home. Theres no reason for an 85 years old woman to be kidnapped in gaza, and every day, every hour that is passing is an hour we dont know if she survives. So, please, pressure whoever its her back home. Yeah, and adva, never, never lose hope. You know, in those moments of her silence on that video, it couldnt be any louder, her extraordinary statements, and you just repeated them. You will never humiliate me, you cant take away my pride. She said that so loud in her silence. Thank you. Adva, never, ever lose hope. Thank you, we need to bring her back home. Yeah. Thank you, adva, for being with us, well be right back with special coverage of the israelhamas war. Dad, whats with your toenail . Oh, that. . Im not sure. Its a nail fungus infection. Thats gross its nothing, really. Its contagious. You can even spread it to other people. Mom, come here dont worry about it. Itll go away on its own no, it wont go away on its own. Its an infection. You need a prescription. 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