Thank you for staying with our special coverage of the israelhamas war. Im Andrea MitchellIn Washington. Secretary of state Anthony Blick ken is in israel after shutting to saudi arabia and egypt over the weekend and giving strong pushback to israels siege of gaza, denying aid and need to minimize the casualties. Gaza residents facing a difficult choice, whether to flee devastated areas for humanitarian corridors that are still not open or stay and risk being caught in the crossfire. President Biden Canceling a planned trip to colorado to keep the focus on the developments from israel and weighing an invitation from Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu to visit israel at some point. Were following the other big Breaking NewsIn Washington. District court judge Tanya Chutkan has issued a narrow gag order on former President Trump and other defendants, prohibiting all parties from targeting Prosecutor Jack Smith and court staff. Nbcs raf sanchez is near with israelgaza border. Nbcs matt bradley in lebanon. And chief bureau chief ali arouzi in iran. Matt, new comments from a top israeli official on the initial attacks. Reporter andrea, thats right. Let me say in the last couple moments weve heard the booms overhead of israels iron dome interceptors missiles, a fresh barrage, and not clear if any of the rockets got through. Its a sign that despite that absolutely punishing campaign of air strikes that israelas been mounting, they maintain the ability to fire rockets. Earlier some of those rockets were fired toward jerusalem. Members of the knesset with forced to run from the parliamentary chambers into shelter which shows you they have not been able to slem the flow of rocket fire from gaza. Andrea, in terms of what you asked about, we are hearing for the first time from israels Intelligence Community about the failure to stop the october 7th attacks here. Ronan bar director of the shin bath has p out a statement acknowledging that his agency failed to generate a warning that would give the israeli public enough time to react to this hamas attack. He says he takes responsibility for that failure. Theres a lot of speculation in israel that he m offer his resignation on the other side of thewar. That hasnt been confirmed yet. He said there will be time for an investigation but right now israel is fighting. He also says, andrea, that ten agents from his shin bet Domestic Security Agency were killed satst in fighting in the south of israel which must be, if not the worst day in the agencys history in terms of its own casualties, certainly one of them. The death toll here in israel has finally, after climbing for nearly a week, more than a week, has leveled out around 1,4000. It continues to climb inside gaza. The Palestinian HealthMinistry Says some 2,800 people have been killed by israeli strikes. A toll we expect to rise much, much higher if israel moves ahead with a ground offensive inside gaza. We should be clear we dont know how many of those 2,800 people that were killed were civilians and how many were militants. The images from gaza are harrowing as this israeli air campaign continues. Looking toward the northern border where matt bradley is, a lot of concern among israeli officials about whats happening there, about exchanges of fire between hezbollah and israel. Finally, andrea, the Israeli Military tonight saying it has informed 199 families they have a loved one being held hostage inside of gaza which is higher than the roughly 150 or so that we were hearing earlier in the week. Andrea. Which is indeed terrible news. Matt bradley, thank you. There are also gaza residents seeking safety in the north. There are concerns among israeli officials about hezbollah. Matt bradley, weigh in here. Reporter weve been hearing from, as raf mentioned, theres a lot of concern and there should be about whats going on in the border behind me. There has been titfortat fighting similar Mark Zuckerberg for the past week. It would take just one errant shot or some kind of mistaken episode or deliberate provocation in order to make this whole situation boil over. Weve been hearing from both hezbollah, the dominant military force in Southern Lebanon and the Israeli Defense force about these titfortat fights going on including artillery, Rocket Firement some of them have been intercepted, and shooting that has been going across that border which has always been a sensitive and provocative place, but now more than ever. Andrea, if you zoom out, youll see there is behind the scenes this is the tip of the iceberg. There are Foreign Minister from the United States where the Secretary Of StateAnthony Blick ken and the Foreign Minister of iran who have been dancing around each other throughout the entire region, trying to shore up their positions, trying to at least ostensibly ensure some peace as israel prepares to invade the gaza strip where raf is. Theyve also been warning each other explicitly not to expand this war. But weve been hearing from especially from the Iranian Foreign minister that this could be expanded, that the iranians will not sit back as the israelis go in and try to dismember hamas, one of their Major Client Groups. Their other Major Client Group within lebanon is hezbollah. Theyre the dominant force here. If they are to enter the war thats what everybody is worried about they could bring weapons capabilities, training and political power to bear that would dwarf that of hamas. Weve been speaking with officials of hezbollah. Theyve been bellicose, ready for a night. This is the language you always hear from any group thats about to go into battle or being threatened. At the same time we can believe them. We know they have these capabilities. Unlike hamas they have directed missiles but give them a much stronger heads up, much stronger power to shoot over that border, and they have much more experience. They have veterans fighting for the better part of the last decade in Neighboring Syria against Islamist Sunni groups. That means theyre well prepared. Theyre well organized. In many ways they resemble much more a formal National Military than they do a militant group. Israel is right to be worried about this, and thats why theyve been moving a lot of their Military Assets up to the northern border with israel. Theyve been evacuating about a 200mile Buffer Zone South Of The Border with lebanon and getting prepared for the worse is it. If diplomacy fails, thats when the worst might come. Andrea. Matt bradley, that certainly tees up ali arouzi. Hamas leaders have been meeting with irans Foreign Minister in qatar. Iran is signaling they might escalate. Could please meetings also mean they are trying to figure out a way to not get engaged, theyre heeding the american warnings which are backed up by one Carrier Group and another one on the way . Reporter andrea, i think its a bit of both. Theres a lot of Sabre Rattling going on from iranian officials, a lot of warnings to the israelis that, if they do go into gaza, that will expand the theater of war. They also say theyre trying to deescalate, to stop this from expanding. The diplomatic language coming from iranian officials is much less than the threatening language. As matt mentioned, irans Foreign Minister was on a Whistle Stop Tour on whats known the access of resistance by iran. Irans proxies in the region they placed around israel for an eventual fight with the israelis, that the iranians always say. He met with Islamic Jihad secretary, met with the political head of the bureau of hamas in beirut. They had a Press Conference together, and he kept stressing irans position how fatal it could be to the israelis. During that meeting he met with the head of hezbollah, hasan nasrallah. He said he would discuss the ongoing operation and their unwavering support for hezbollah. I think this is the really important thing, that iran is really shoring up its access of resistance in the area should this war expand further. Theyre warning they will get involved, if not directly, through their proxies. Ali arouzi from tehran, thank you. Weve got a note in the traveling pool, the camera pool and producers and Print Reporters who are with Secretary Of State blinken in israel right now. They are in the cure yeah, the equivalent of the pentagon, the military headquarters. They are told to shelter in place. They had been out in the motorcade. Theyre now in the stairwell inside that complex where Secretary Blinken is meeting with the Israeli National security cabinet. Well bring you there obviously has been some sirening going off. Joining us the former israeli ambassador to the United States, michael oren. Ambassador, this is a crisis unlike any that you and i have ever seen and weve seen a few. Weve seen many over the years in gaza, as well as in lebanon. Tell me your interpretation of blinken extending his trip of diplomacy, getting pushback from el sisi in egypt, from mbs in saudi arabia, pushback about the humanitarian situation in gaza. The water was supposed to start. They dont have fuel to pump the water. People are becoming dehydrated. Theres a hospital crisis. We spoke to doctors without border. The rafah gate isnt opened yet. Egypt is being blamed for that. Everyone is blaming everyone else. What can israel do in response to despite we know that President Biden and Secretary Blinken are reiterating the strong support of the u. S. Weve spoken about that. They believe this humanitarian crisis, the siege has to be adjusted. Well, welcome to our neighborhood. I had the misfortune when i was in government, andrea, to be in charge of the gaza situation for about a year and a half. I wouldnt wish this on anybody. Everything i learned in the classroom is completely irrelevant. Everything we know about civilized behavior, decency, throw it out the window. Youre dealing with hamas, an organization that uses childrens to build their tunnels. Hundreds of them died. They dont care. Hamas has dug up all the water pipes to use for rockets. I was in charge of trying to improve the water in gaza. It was almost impossible because everything we brought in was used for military purposes. There was one crossing called vineyard of peace. Every day israel was prepared to bring in 1200 truck loads of food, message, there was no shortage of any basic commodities. The blockade was only about Military Supplies and dual use items, like an Irrigation Pipe that could be used to make a rocket. With the outbreak of this war, hamas blew up the vineyard of Peace Crossing and killed all the israelis there. We couldnt bring food and water across that crossing even if we wanted to. Our trucks would be under fire. Go get a truck driver to go and do that. The egyptians are extremely sensitive about any palestinians coming through the Rafah Crossing and resetting inside. That has been the position since they were ousted from gaza in june 1967. Back in 1979 you may remember, andrea that they tried to give it back to the egyptians and anwar sadat said no, no, im not taking that. Egyptians are hesitant to even bringing humanitarian aid across the border. Egypt has been Fighting Isis for years and losing thousands of civilians there. Its that kind of sensitive, sensitive situation. Im not a spokesperson for the government. I hope we can find better solution for relieving the immediate humanitarian needs of the population that has moved out of the Fighting Areas now. I hope we can find a solution for that. That feeling is not shared by all israelis. Theres a lot who feel that the population of gaza supported hamas, voted for hamas and so theres not a tremendous amount of sympathy there. I feel we should do this. Does the jewish state, the Democratic State . Also because the president and the Secretary Of State want it to help them with people maybe back In Washington who may object to the very bold efforts of support for israel they have made. They have been truly extraordinary. And then finally just moving hundreds of thousands of palestinians out of the way of combat which, in fact, is the less humanitarian. The option is not moving about. Hamas has boobytrapped mines and every alley in the street. Gaza has built thousands of miles of bunkers under that. Theyll be fighting not just in the street but under the streets. Hamas has headquarters under hospitals, under schools. I was a paratrooper once and fought in gaza. I will tell you that is the Ultimate Nightmare for anyone fighting in gaza. Ultimate nightmare. There are no Good Solutions here. What i learned was everything i know, throw it out and try somehow i dont know anybody that wants to do this try to enter this reality. It is a very dark and very painful, agonizing reality. Ambassador michael oren, youve got it all covered. Thank you very much. Your perspective is so prnt important. Appreciate it. Coming up, the growing humanitarian crisis. Well take a closer look at whats happening in gaza as the u. S. And other countries are pushing for food, water and medicine to be let in before its too late. Ill speak to an official from the International Red cross when were back in just 60 seconds. Stay with us. This is Andrea Mitchell reports, my special coverage on msnbc. Andrea mitchell reports, my special coverage on msnbc. But as you get older, it naturally begins to change, causing a lack of sharpness, or even trouble with recall. Thankfully, the breakthrough in prevagen helps your brain and actually improves memory. The secret is an ingredient originally discovered. In jellyfish. In clinical trials, prevagen has been shown to improve shortterm memory. Prevagen. At stores everywhere without a prescription. Desperate efforts are under way to try to secure the release of the 199 now 199 hostages held by hamas. Middle east director of the International Communities organization helped secure the release of captured soldier gilad shalit. Hes in talks with hamas directly since saturday about these hostages. He has spoken to Nbc Nightly NewsAnchor Less Store Holt today about the efforts to free those captives. What is the lowhanging fruit in terms of a deal that could be made . This is what ive been putting forth since sunday or monday. There are 43 palestinian women in prison, 190 minors to the best of my knowledge all from the west bank, to the best of my knowledge, none have murdered israelis. That es the lowhanging fruit for them to claim something in exchange for women, children, elderly and sick. Thats the humanitarian part of this. We could add civilians in general. I know hamas treats All The Young Men as soldiers whether theyre soldiers or not. What is the potential bad news for families of hostages . Is there a possibility a deal doesnt get done . Theres a very big possibility a deal doesnt get done, a Ground Operation begins and israel is dependent on Commando Raids and Special Forces to try to find them. The hope that some of the captors will leave their posts. The other thing is we dont know who is alive. There are people who were wounded and dragged off. The infants need baby food. There are people with medical needs. We just dont know what their conditions are. Watch more of lesters exclusive interview tonight on Nbc Nightly News. The International Committee of the red cross says it is speaking directly with senior hamas officials in the hopes of getting access to the hostages in gaza. Joining me now is the Global Media Team director of the International Committee of the red cross. Jason, talk to us about the discussion when it comes to the hostages, what are you requesting specifically . As i understand international law, you were supposed to have access the International Red cross is supposed to have access to hostages, and theyre supposed to h