Show, breaking developments in the Israel Hamas War and 14 new trucks carrying humanitarian aid have entered gaza today. Its nowhere near enough is intensifies the bombardment in the head of a Ground Invasion. Congresswoman alexandria ocasiocortez joins me live. I will ask her about the u. S. Response to the war and her call for a ceasefire. The incredible gop dysfunction here at home in congress. Two former Trump Lawyers flip on the ex president who might be the next Georgia Codefendant to fall. Welcome to the, show im mehdi hassan. Joe biden has been a lifelong supporter of israel. He met with legendary israeli Prime Minister in his very first year as a senator this week on wednesday he went to israel to hug israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu to offer the and still reeling from a Violent Hamas attack that killed more than 1400 israelis. And then on thursday evening back in the oval office, the president addressed the American Public on the subject of u. S. Support for israel and for the latest war in gaza. In israel, we have to make sure that they have what they need to protect the people today and always. The Security Package im sending to congress and asking congress is an unprecedented could commitment to security that will sharpen israels qualitative edge which we committed to. The qualitative edge. For me the line that stood out on thursday came not from the oval office speech, it came from one of the top officials. The Senior Member of the Security Cabinet of netanyahu speaking to reporters. Hostages and civilian casualties will be secondary to destroying hamas. Even if it takes a year. Hold on, saving the hostages a secondary to destroying hamas . Shouldnt that be the main mission there is still around 200 people held by hamas according to the Israeli Military despite the freeing of two american hostages on friday. And avoiding civilian casualties is also secondary to destroying hamas . It isnt making sure civilians as and get unnecessarily killed and conflict a key part of International Humanitarian law . So, tonight with an Israeli Ground invasion of a gaza still looming, is this the kind of or a yearlong war, perhaps, according to israels own top minister that the Biden Administration is really signed up for . Is this what the American Public has signed up for . Listen to what other israeli officials are saying out loud enough shame. You have gallanted the Defense Minister reacted to hamass Surprise Attack in the south of the country on October The 7th by ordering a complete siege on the gaza strip. No electricity, no food, no fuel. He added that we are fighting human animals. We are acting accordingly. Israel cast the Energy Minister said no Electrical Switch will be turned on in gaza. No water pump will be open. No fuel truck will enter into the abductees are returned home. It is the National Security as long as hamas does not release the hostages in the hands, hundreds of tons of explosives from the air force, and not an ounce of humanitarian aid. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said, about the bombing of gaza, the emphasis is on damage. Not on accuracy. Is the Biden Administration okay with all of this . Is the u. S. Public on board with backing this kind of war and bombing and siege of civilians . Even the president of israel, isaac herzog, moderate, quote unquote, suggested this week that the innocent population of gaza, 2. 3 Million People, half of them children, wasnt so innocent. They couldve risen up they couldve fought against hamas. Thats the kind of dangerous rhetoric that leads to collective punishment, which is illegal under international law. Thats the kind of rhetoric that leads to thousands of palestinians, including, kids killed in gaza over the past two weeks. Tens of thousands displaced from their homes, which have been turned to rubbl right, now and gaza the humanitarian situation is so dire that the Associated Press rertthis weekend, surgeons and gaza citys overcrowded hospitals are having to use vinegar instead of antiseptic, sewing needles assessor tickle. And so having to trap wrap burn victims in close because theyve run out of bandages. The Biden Administration would, of course, argue that is working to ensure that israel abide by the laws of war. Also made efforts to get humanitarian aid into gaza. From announcing 100 Million Dollars in u. S. Aid for the occupied west bank in gaza, to pushing for an opening of egypt s rafah crossing, with gaza, and getting 20 trucks of aid through on saturday and 14 trucks today. Come on, 34 trucks of aid in total for over 2 million hungry, ill, wounded, displaced people . Well i didnt get that much coverage in the u. S. Media this, week on wednesday, while biden was in an israel, the u. N. Security Council Voted on a resolution to condemn violence against all civilian. Civilian. Civilian. Civilian. Civilian. Civilian. Civilian. Civilian. Civilian. Israeli and palestinian. Calling for humanitarian pauses to the fighting in order to get enough aid into gaza. The only country to vote against it, to veto it, yes, the United States. The Biden Administration. Saying it was too early for such a resolution. This despite the fact that according to a poll from the Progressive Group data for progress, 66 of likely voters including 56 of Republican Voters say they want the Biden Administration to call for a ceasefire in gaza, and a deescalation of the violence. The Wall Street Journal pulled out today, finds a majority of americans think the u. S. Has a responsibility to support israel, but also to push for negotiations to end the conflicts. The choice for joe biden is between an American Public that, yes, it supports israel, but also wants an end, not an escalation, to the fighting. And an Israeli Government under Benjamin Netanyahu, wants to destroy hamas at all costs, even if hostages are lost the process. Even as Palestinian Civilians continue to be killed in big numbers. In fact, the Israeli Government is expanding its air campaign to the occupied west bank which isnt run by hamas, earlier today the which they claimed was controlled by hamas militants. Two people died. Look, joe biden seems to have made his choice. He is back in israel. Its a choice that the president came to office promising an end to endless wars may come to regret as innocent bodies on both sides continue to pile up. In a moment i will speak to an Israeli Voice at a jury slim and a palestinian voice out of gaza. Joining me now, hala gorani tonight. Correspondent live from tel aviv. Hala, ahead of this impending Israeli Ground invasion, how close are we, perhaps, to a wider regional war as well . First, the impending invasion. We are learning from the palace and paris and also the apartment of the Prime Minister that Emmanuel Macron will be the latest european leader to visit israel to meet with the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. There was speculation that because the idf, the eyes really military had announced they would deepen and intensify the strikes in gaza. A ground advance it was eminent. At least for the next few days that will not happen. By the, way the dutch Prime Minister is also coming tomorrow, monday, as far as the regionalization of this, for i think it is so far not likely to happen anytime soon. There doesnt seem to be an appetite from hezbollah to join in this fight. The iranians so far, the words coming from them with the Minister Warning the u. S. And israel not to escalate things. The Prime Minister of israel visited the north of the country and essentially said that hezbollah would regret it if they enter the fray. If it does happen, it will be an entirely different war than the one that happened in 2006. By the, way it left hezbollah morales on top of things after the war ended. Hezbollah is a much bigger militia than hamas. They have estimated 100,000 missiles. They are battle hardened. They are fighters, they have been fighting in syria on the side of over a decade this is not the kind of war that the israelis confronted in 2006. Opening a second front there is going to be an entirely different proposition than just concentrating their efforts on gaza. , thank you for reporting, please do stay safe. Now, lets go to democratic congresswoman alexandria ocasiocortez, recently met with Family Members of hostages being held by hamas and has been calling for a ceasefire. Congresswoman, thank you for coming on the. Show is it fair for me to summarize your position, the position of your fellow progressives, that you are calling for hamas to release the hostages and for israel the u. S. To agree to a ceasefire . Correct, correct, thats absolutely correct. What would you say to the israelis who say they suffered horrific terrorist attack, over 1400 people, killed many in gruesome, ways children, killed abducted, so they say they are fighting a war selfdefense. A war that any other country including the u. S. Would fight if they were in the same position. What is your reaction to that line of argument . I think one of the things thats important to recognize about this situation is the asymmetry of what is going on as well as the collective punishment of what is happening to the Palestinian People at this moment. Hamas is absolutely engaged in horrific attacks. Every single day there are more details that are released about what occurred on october 7th that shocked the human consciousness. And shocks our conscience, our collective conscience, however we do know as well that war crimes do not constitute and are not an appropriate response for other roar crimes. Hamas is austin taking, they are Hostage Taking of, children of the disabled, elderly, civilians, they are a war crime. When we are talking about the blockading of water, food, electricity, to a population of 2. 2 million palestinians. We are talking about dropping what we are seeing from Human Rights Watch. Reports and confirmation, from organizations like amnesty international, Human Rights Watch. The dropping and deployment of white phosphorus, also a war crime. It is an acceptable to think that 1700 palestinian children alone, their deaths will somehow make up or justify the violence of what we saw on october 7th. Here in congress, every single year, we pass a defense budget. Every single year, we hear about the precision, the sophistication, the technological capacities to meet targets with such precise strikes. Yet, what we are seeing unfold in gaza is an indiscriminate bombing campaign. We are seeing the dropping of white phosphorus, indiscriminate weapon, we are seeing civilian centers being bombed, we are seeing churches. We are seeing thousands upon thousands of people being killed by the strike. It occurs to me, a question we all must ask ourselves, what price of innocent lives is acceptable in terms of targeting hamas . Are we even receiving . We are receiving daily counts every day about the number of innocent people that are dying. We are not seeing reports on how effective this has actually been in terms of dismantling hamas. I think its very important for us to raise that point. I think its important for us to understand that this is part of a larger intergenerational cycle of violence. So, you mentioned work. War crimes. Human rights watch did this week said hamas should be investigated for committing war crimes in southern israel, as you said. Israel is being Human Rights Watch and Amnesty Internatna just to be clear your view is that both sides are committing war crimes. 95 of our colleagues in Congress Wont even call for a ceasefire, let alone accused israel of war crimes. I dont see how anyone can look at Reputable International organizations, confirming the carrying a deployment of white phosphorus, by the Israeli Government, these really military. And say that theres no question here. In fact, josh paul, the state Department Official that resigned publicly this week, pointed specifically to this issue. That the leahy lies, laws, require United States to assess if a government is committing war crimes or engaged in gross violations of human rights. That must be considered in a weapons transfer or military aid assistance. And from an individual whose role directly involved the assessment and the deployment of these weapons in consideration of leahy, he himself is saying that u. S. Laws is, in his view, being violated. That must be an absolute consideration, because we are talking about the role of democracy. In fighting for democracy. The whole case for democracy. It lies upon and rests upon civil society, rule of law and the protection of human and civil rights. And we must make our case more so in wartime than almost any other time. To make the distinguish meant of what makes this different. Congresswoman, your critics would say that its all well and good calling for a ceasefire. That doesnt deal with the problem of hamas, doesnt protect israeli civilians from future hamas attacks. I wonder for example what is your response to senator schumer, majority leader schumer, who suggested in remarks, that punchbowl published on friday, that those of you progressives in the house who are calling for a ceasefire, or suggesting israel is attacking hospitals, or basically taking, he said, hamass position. You know, i have Great Respect for senator schumer. We enjoy a very strong working relationship. This is an, area of however, of disagreement. I would say that, if we want to see the how this is going, we can just look back at the many different cycles of violence in response. I do not believe that is, is absolutely not a defense of hamas. In order to criticize this current approach. This indiscriminate violent approach. 1700 children are dead. And when i think about the political aims of violence, the material aims of violence often involve the destruction of human life. In much of the horror that weve seen. Many of the political aims of violence is to further radicalize and entrench both parties into for the violence. And when we see people radicalized to dehumanize the palestinian population as a result of hamas, this is part of the goal of that political violence, and when we see the dehumanization of israeli families, as a result of this, this is part of the political aim. And we have to be able to get ourselves to break the cycle, because hamas and terrorism congresswoman, you would accept a ceasefire that would leave hamas in place . You would accept that the cost of saving civilian lives in gaza . I think, in the immediate sense, we have to have a pause. And what is going. And as you mentioned, only 14 trucks have made it through and humanitarian aid. We are talking about a full blockade of water for a population of 2. 2 Million People. 1. 1 Million People in Northern Gaza. In were supposed to think that 14 trucks is going to somehow, in any way, in any way, address what is happening in terms of the starvation, the, famine the thirst that is happening . We are now at a state where there is risk of cholera and other types of waterborne disease. I mean, what, 14 trucks of . What bottled water . On that note about about having to them, i cant open notice, you mentioned dehumanization, all almost all of at least 18 House Democrats who called for a ceasefire in gaza, or people of color. How much of the congressional indifference to palestinian life in gaza, the refusal in d. C. To acknowledge sometimes the humanity and innocence, not to mention the suffering of all ordinary gazans, how much of that is driven by the fact that theyre arabs . Or the muslims . They dont look like us . Do you think. I mean, i will say that i have long found the ignoring and sidelining of palestinians in u. S. House of representatives, the humanity of palestinian populations in the five years that ive been in congress, quite shocking. This is not something that is new to many of us. I have engaged alongside many of my colleagues, from betty mccollums bill on the detention, Conditioning Aid in making sure that its not g