Were live in jerusalem right now at the end of a sixth day of intense rocket fire directed at israel from hamascontrolled gaza, as well as militants and their supplies. Israeli Officials Say three people are dead, 68 people have been wounded. Officials put the gaza death toll at 104 with 860 people wounded. All the while world diplomats constantly are looking for some way to broker a ceasefire. In a little bit, youre going to hear my conversation with one of top negotiators attempting to achieve a ceasefire, the former british Prime Minister, tony blair. Hes here in jerusalem. I spoke with him today. Youre going to hear the interview. Thats coming up later. Well also hear from our cnn correspondents across israel as well as in gaza right now. Earlier in the day, i went to orbkalon where i saw what was going on firsthand on the israeli side of the border. As soon as we got there, the sirens actually started going on. You could see people running towards shelters. I started running after Israeli Soldiers demanded that all of us our cnn crew, myself, we get to a shelter. Usually they have about 30 seconds once the sirens go off before there actually is a rocket or missile that reaches the ground. In this particular case, when we were running, we got to a shelter. It was packed with soldiers, with civilians. And then we finally heard that thud. In this particular case, that iron dome, the israeli antimissile defense shield, which has been financed at least in some measure by the United States, it worked. And the incoming rokts and missiles were destroyed in the air. Later we walked outside and saw that plume of smoke showing those missiles, the rockets had been destroyed. Earlier in the day at that same school where we had been the iron dome didnt work successfully. And that rocket hit the ground. There was some damage there. No casualties on that particular road. We spent some quality time watching what was going on. And it was a significant situation. On both sides of the border, people are living and dying. There is intense, intense pain in gaza as well as in israel. Joining us now on the phone is a chief palestinian negotiator. Hes joining us from the west bank. Thanks very much for joining us. I know youre watching very closely whats going on. Is there you sense that the parties are any closer to a ceasefire . Well, i hope so. I think theres an interest for all parties to have a ceasefire. Actually we were monday in cairo and they agreed on a ceasefire, and the Israeli Government surprised us. And then i hope this will be an eyeopener for mr. Netanyahu. I hope that he will get one lesson. The lesson is that security will only be achieved through peace, through the twostep solution. Security will not be achieved through bombing and wars and warmongering. We need to reach this conclusion and we need now to support everything offered by the egyptians in order to get a comprehensive ceasefire. Thats what were working on. Hes fully engaged with all palestinian actions, including hamas, and is fully on board to achieve a blanket comprehensive ceasefire because thats what will help all concerned, palestinians, israelis, and americans. I know one of the issues the israelis are demanding in the Israeli Cabinet, im told is meeting right now, even as we speak, the socalled International Security cabinet, the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the things they want to make sure is that even if theres a ceasefire, the shelling into israel, some of these rockets and missiles dont resume two weeks from now or four weeks from now or whatever. How do you ensure that once theres a ceasefire, it holds . Well, i think, wolf, number one is we have to focus now in achieving a ceasefire. The egyptians are on board. The europeans are on board. The americans are on board. The turks aren board. Everyone is on board. Now, if israel commits to have a ceasefire, comprehensive, not to attack, then there will be guarantees from all parties involved in this. But i think we have a fire now. We have a fire, the first thing we should do is bring the children outside the building, extinguish the fire. And once we extinguish the fire, we can look at it the day after. At this moment, i think every possible effort should be exerted in order to reach a comprehensive ceasefire. It was said today that hamas is willing to engage in a full comprehensive ceasefire. The egyptians are i think theres a good chance to achieve this and all demands from all parties, everybody who has demands i know that the former british Prime Minister, tony blair, met with president mahmoud abbas, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, today. I spoke with tony blair later. Heres the question. Its a fundamental question. Does hamas control all of gaza because theres some speculation that theres Islamic Jihad even more radical groups that wouldnt necessarily honor a ceasefire. I spoke to to the little jihad tomorrow, theyre saying that ban kimoon is in touch with president morsi. Gaza is the most densely populated area. More than 750 wounded. If the Israeli Government is thinking about a land invasion, that will mean human disaster. And that will not ensure anybodys security. We all know that this will just push the whole region, not only us and the israelis, the whole region, in the back of conflict, bloodshed and violence and extremism. The most important thing is that israel commits to stop the attack. And everybody in gaza will be committed because egypt is brokering this. The egyptians can do that. And theyre the only ones who can do that, actually. What is your assessment of the u. S. Role in all of this . Do you believe the president , president obama, is doing enough to try to achieve a ceasefire . Im sure he is. Im sure hes engaged with the egyptians and the turks, with the europeans, engaged with us. But the key here is i think the egyptians i spoke to some of their officials this afternoon, they are exerting every possible effort there is in order to reach a comprehensive ceasefire. I think they can achieve it. Provide the guarantees for all sides. Is the Palestinian Authority what im hearing, i think the answer is yes. But you tell me. Is the Palestinian Authority youre associated with the president , mahmoud abbas, on the same page right now with hamas in gaza . Look, today, we are not the authority. We are all palestinians, wolf. It is our people. We know we want to reach peace. Thats our ticket to security and peace. Unfortunately, we have been unable for 20 years to achieve this goal. Today what we need to focus on is to reach a ceasefire, what we need to focus on is to stop this. Failure should not be an option. And i think we can do it tonight. The egyptians are determined and they can do it and they can deliver. Lets focus on one thing now to have a ceasefire. Saeb, lets hope there will be peace negotiations soon. Saeb, thanks very much for joining us. Thank you. Saeb, the Palestinian Peace negotiator. On both sides of the border, people are living and dying among the explosions. Arwa dame season is in gaza. Tell our viewers what youve seen today. Reporter throughout the day, we were seeing on different occasions rockets being fired from here towards israel. There were also a number of air strikes and other attacks that did take place. Theres a building behind me thats about 15 stories tall. We saw it being hit by three missiles. It would seem that the target was the head of the media office of the military wing of Islamic Jihad. He was killed, were later told, by palestinian sources. Another man also killed in that attack as well. Seemingly he died of a heart attack. He was a christian. Also in that attack, two children were wounded, wolf. And we do keep seeing, again, the civilians bearing the brunt of this conflict. A lot of women and children have, of course, been killed, been wounded as well. So far on this side of the border, more than 100 people have been killed. And right now, the streets are completely deserted, as they have been from the moment that darkness fell. People are just too afraid to go outside. And theres the constant buzz of drones overhead. Just a short while ago, we also heard another explosion, wolf. Is there any season that from your vantage point, arwa, in gaza, speaking to People Associated with hamas, that were any closer to a ceasefire . Reporter they say that negotiations are under way. They do have a list of demands that they do want to see materialized. And obviously at the top of that list is an end to the violence and having the siege on gaza to be lifted. It was hard to fathom a scenario where that would actually happen. And that is, of course, the great crux of this conflict, is that both sides are so polarized, so hardened in their demands. Its hard to see which side is going to budge first. When it comes to the population, a lot of them do say on the one hand, especially when you speak to people at funerals on the sites after these attacks have taken place, they say that they do want revenge. But at the same time when you speak to them in the market, in their homes, where people are really huddling together, trying to stay safe, they say that they really want peace. For decades, people here in gaza have been going through this ongoing cycle of violence, of fear, living a life that has really very little dignity to it. Many of them say that they feel as if they live in a massive prison. And all they really want to see is an end to all of this, a longlasting agreement that would result in them and their children being able to have the semblance of a normal life, wolf . And finally, do they say that as a result of a ceasefire they will flatly stop shelling israel will stop sending rockets, missiles into israel and wont allow additional weapons to start coming in or are they leaving that open . Reporter well, thats another of the sticking points, of course, the israelis are wanting to set up something of a buffer zone inside gaza. They do want to see the weapons stop coming in. They do not want to create a scenario where hamas is going to somehow be able to regain the capability to rearm itself or even further arm itself at this stage. But, again, as we have heard every single time the conflict between these two populations escalates to the point where its at, there are pledges, there are statements that are made. And then invariably one side violates the ceasefire. And every single time, each side continues to blame the other. Thats why it is so critical to have the sort of solution in place that can longlasting. But thats something that both of these sides, the International Community has struggled to make a reality, again, for decades now. Decades indeed. Arwa, well check back with you. Arwa damon is in gaza for us. Anderson cooper is in gaza as well. So is ben wedeman. Were standing by. The Israeli Cabinet is meeting, considering a ceasefire proposal. As soon as that Cabinet Meeting breaks up here in jerusalem, well have the latest on what the decision is. Were also about to get the Israeli Militarys response to the civilian deaths in gaza. Latest efforts to stop the rocket attacks coming into israel from gaza. Ill be joined by a spokeswoman from the israeli army. Thats coming up next. Meet the fivepassenger ford cmax hybrid. Cmax says ha. Cmax says wheeee. Which is what you get, dont you see . 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How serious is the possibility of a Ground Invasion by the idf, Israel Defense force, into gaza . Currently a ground operation is still an option, although we havent decided to go with this option. The forces are ready outside of gaza and should the order be given, we are ready to go inside. And you would go in with tanks, armored personnel carriers, heavy weaponry in a densely populated area like gaza . Various types of units. We are very familiar with the type of the densely Populated Areas with the urban warfare. Weve been busy developing different kinds of methods of precise munitions in order to stay away and refrain from targeting civilians, of course. And you dont think you could achieve your military objectives through air power or sea power . You think ultimately you might have to go in on the ground . Lets look at today. Today, 160 rockets were launched from gaza into israel. That was not a quiet day. And although the arsenal of the rockets is going down and has suffered a very severe blow, still were still getting rockets. Therefore, the goal of the operation is still to continue and defend the people of israel and also to target those terror organizations. The Israeli Cabinet is meeting right now, supposedly considering a ceasefire proposal thats come via the egyptians. What can you tell us about that . Nothing right now. We are waiting for the orders from the political echelon. But the operation is still continuing, as far as we are concerned. For example, we targeted a couple of hours ago a stadium. It was an open soccer stadium. But also one that hosted launchers, launchers of ojer 5 underground these are the ones that threaten tel aviv and jerusalem. But i was under the impression almost all of them had been destroyed already . Its true. But still they have some rockets of this type. We see that they have difficulties to launch them nowadays and therefore they still use the grads, which was approximately 40 kilometers. What is your estimate . How many more of these missiles and rockets do they have in gaza . They probably have thousands, even more. Thousands . There are 400 smuggling tunnels between gaza and the egyptian rafa. And these tunnels conveyed all sorts of munition, 24 7. The money for using those tunnels go to hamas. In addition, gaza has become the back yard of many african countries the past two years. The smuggling routes in the deserts are very convenient and theres no limit to the types of rockets that can enter gaza. This could go on for a long time, if it was a Ground Invasion. Israel occupied gaza once before, did not have necessarily a wonderful experience. This could be a disaster if you go back in there. Nobodys looking for occupation. Were looking to practice the basic right that israel has like any other country in the world. We want to have a rocketfree country. We want to have 3 million israelis, which is approximately 50 of the population, sleep quietly in their own beds rather than in shelters. We in the United States, whenever theres a military operation because there have been some bad experiences, when troops go in, they want to know what the exit strategy is. What would be israels exit strategy from gaza if you send in tens of thousands of Ground Forces . Well, when we organize such an operation, we usually have an assessment a few times a day. Then we plan our next steps. Its going to be hard for me to predict an end result. Of course, our hope is the rockets fire will stop, the terror organizations will lose a large portion of their arsenal. But this is currently the situation. Now, i cannot predict for but if israel withdraws quickly, they could rebuild that arsenal, hamas, pretty quickly f you go in, clean it out and then leave, whats to stop them from doing it all over again . We all prefer diplomacy than military action. And hopefully the diplomatic moves that are happening now maybe will change something. Are there rockets coming into israel from sinai, egypt, as well . Currently no. There have been a few. There have been a few incidents lately in which some groups maybe in the sinai desert tried to target israeli targets. They were remote. But still were concerned about this phenomenon. What about egypts israels relationship with egypt right now . Theres still a formal relationship but i take it its not that good. Well, egypt is not our enemy. Gaza and hamas inside gaza is our enemy. We tend to keep the peace treaty with egypt and respect that peace treaty. What about syria . There have been some incidents of fire coming into the israeli part of the