Welcome to the lead. Im jake tapper. Live on a rooftop overlooking tel aviv, israel. Its just after 11 00 p. M. Here. Its been 16 days since the horrific Terrorist Attacks by hamas caught this country and, frankly, much of the world by complete surprise. Well start with breaking news. Hamas has released two more of the hostages it kidnapped from israel during the october 7th terrorist attack. Thats according to multiple sources who say the hostages are nurit cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz. The lifshitz family said in a statement the women were handed over to the red cross and will shortly return to israel. We happened to be at the time with Israeli Defense spokesperson Jonathan Con Reek Cass when the news came in. This is part of his reaction. They are differentiating, distinguishing between only israelis and double citizens or perhaps only foreigners which rings familiar for me as a jew and Third Generation holocaust survivor, rings familiar from other types in our history. Israel believes around 220 people, Kidnap Victims are still being held by hamas. The white house believes a handful of them are americans. An official told cnn that israel believes at least some of the american hostages are still alive. Sources say the u. S. Has been pushing israel to continue delaying its Ground Incursion into gaza to allow more time to get hostages out as well as allowing crucial humanitarian relief into gaza. I want to bring in cnns Alex Marquardt as well as cnns Jeremy Diamond who is in ashkelon, israel. Were hearing these two hostages are israeli citizens, although were Hearing Information that maybe one or both of them might be dual citizens. Im not quite sure. Its early yet. How did these negotiations unfold . Reporter it is early yet. There is a lot we have learned in the past few moments. This is the second release of hostages weve seen since friday. Judith and natalie haanan on friday. Now we have the release of 85yearold Yocheved Lifshitz and nurit cooper, 79 years old. The results of these intense negotiations that hamas is speaking with both qatar and egypt. Qatar certainly leading those efforts from our understanding. We got word not too long ago these two israeli women were being released by hamas. They were released into red cross custody. We understand from the lifshitz family statement, from Yocheved Lifshitzs daughter, that they were given to the red cross at the rafah crossing, thats the gaza Border Crossing with egypt, and that they will soon be back in israel and handed over to israeli officials. Yocheved lifshitzs daughter saying she cant put into words the relief shes feeling. She said her father is still among the more than 200 hostages still in hamas custody. So this is the same mechanism, the same model, if you will, that was used for the release of the raanan women on friday. They are still in israel, we understand. Theyre going to be debriefed by u. S. Officials so the u. S. Can green what they can in terms of intelligence, how they were held, how they were moved around. Jake, i should also note that one day after the release of the raanans on saturday, hamas said they were willing to release two more people, and at the time over the weekend the office of Prime Minister fooun called that false propaganda from hamas. I think there will be a lot of questions for the Prime Minister. We have to see what will happen now, jake. This is a slow trickle of these hostages releases when israel, the u. S. And all these other countries who have hostages are demanding they all get released immediately. Jake. Jeremy, what does this particular Hostage Release mean for israels potential plans for a Ground Invasion . I have heard it speculated that hamas is doing exactly what its doing so as to delay the Ground Invasion. Reporter well, theres no question that that is certainly one of the aims of hamas here. They have held these two women, for example, who are being released tonight for more than two weeks. Now they say theyre releasing them on humanitarian grounds. It appears clear that hamas has been repeatedly dangling the possibility of releasing additional hostages in order to try to get israel to delay and perhaps inevitably push off indefinitely push off, rather, a Ground Invasion. I think what appears clear is that even as the United States has been asking israel to delay its Ground Invasion in order to leave more time for the qatarled Mediation Efforts to try to get hostages released, israel may be willing to delay the invasion for a matter of days perhaps, but ultimately they will move forward with this Ground Invasion. Its clear when youre on the ground, as we were today, seeing the enormous mask of troops, tanks, armored personnel carriers, bulldozers all within just a few miles of the gaza border ready to go. Troops certainly prepared to go at a moments notice as soon as they get that command. And also, as you listen to israels top military officials, top political leaders as well, all of them really not mincing any words about what is coming next, making clear there will be a Ground Invasion, making clear that this will be a multilateral operation as the Defense Minister said tonight, from air, land and sea. It seems very difficult to imagine israel backing off from that position given the bellicose rhetoric weve heard from israels political and military leadership in recent days. Alex marquardt and Jeremy Dye Mond in ashkelon, thank you so much. Today in israel there was a renewed effort by israeli officials to not only dispel myths and rumors, but also be cleared about hamas brutalities against innocent civilians. Israeli Defense Forces gathered hundreds of International Journalists today to show them proof, to show them videos such as this one which the idf released today, proof positive, evidence of hamas brutality. The idf says this is proof of the brutality of hamas. They showed hamas gunmen shooting a driver on an israeli highway. Beyond this video they released today, they also showed another 40minutelong film from the go pro data on the bodies of dead Hamas Terrorists, 40 minutes. This was shown to cnn and other journalists, both last week and today. Were not going to show you these videos this 40 minutes. So graphic, so disgusting, so disturbing from the Point Of View of the terrorists. But you should know whats in them. Some of the images that the scombrurnlists who saw them witnessed, such as a father and his two young sons, maybe like 7 or 8, running for their lives into a shelter of some sort. A terrorist throws a grenade into the shelter. The dad is killed, the boys are wounded. Another shows a terrorist trying to behead a man with some sort of garden hoe. Another shows a truck full of terrorists throwing the corpse of a woman onto the road. Images of burned babies. I asked idf spokesman Jonathan Conricus why, why does israel feel the need to show this evidence, to show this proof to the world . People are looking away, and i think the world needs to know, needs to see and needs to understand what we feel and what israelis feel and what brought all of us into this horrible situation. If you dont know, if you arent aware of the horrible, atrocious murders, beheadings, mutilations, rapes, burning people alive, all these horrible things that we never thought we would witness as Israeli Military of our civilians. If people arent aware, they wont be able to understand where we are and wont be able to understand where this is going. I want to go now to cnns Clarissa Ward who is in cairo, egypt. Clarissa, youve been following a different story, the dire crisis in gaza, the dire need for food, for medicine, for water. Today another 20 aid trucks were able to enter the territory for egypt, but thats still not enough. Reporter no, jake. Its really a drop in the bucket. Youre talking about in the last few days some 60 trucks that have managed to get into gaza. Just to give you some perspective, before this war, three weeks ago, 455 trucks a day according to the u. N. In the last 16 days theres been no aid going in. On a normal level there would have been more than 7,000 trucks going in during a 16day period. Meanwhile, this is happening against the backdrop of relentless and punishing bombardment. The scenes in these hospitals is extraordinary, its disheartening. We spoke to one doctor who said two days left before they go from critical to dire. I want to warn our viewers that some of what youre about to see are distressing. Reporter youre entering the al schiff fa hospital. Doctors tell us this could be any minute of the last 16 days. It is a scene from hell. Many of the patients are young children. The reception area now a triage center. Everywhere you turn, another casualty. Every one of these people has been ordered by israels military to evacuate the hospital including the staff already outnumbered and overwhelmed. As the punishing bombardment continues, the wounded keep flooding in. Doctors say theres nowhere else for them to go and no safe way to transport them out. We have the mass casualties once or twice a day. Now we have every half an hour casualties. Were overloaded. Our intensive department and our departments are overloaded with the patients. Reporter dr. Marwan abusata warns the situation is about to get dramatically worse. The hospital, he says is just two days away of running out of fuel, needed to power the generators that are keeping the hospitals and its patients alive. If you do run out of fuel in two days, what will you do . What can you do . I think the International Community will be part of the process of killing our people, if they dont allow us to enter gaza, what to do what about the neonates, theyre small babies. We have more than 30 in our neonatal icu units. I think we are allowing them to be, not having fuel to run the generators in our hospital. Reporter just a trickle of aid has been allowed to cross into gaza, none of the fuel. Blocked by israel it says over concerns it will be taken by hamas. Hundreds of trucks are waiting along the egyptian side of the bor border. Diplomatic efforts to establish a continuous humanitarian corridor have failed, and there is no more time for debate. Reporter jake, dr. Abusada said of that aid, those 60some trucks that have come into gaza, none of them have made it to his hospital in the northern part of the enclave. That is the part that is supposed to be evacuated, that israelis have ordered to evacuate, for obvious reasons you saw in our story here. Its simply not possible to evacuate. Not clear when he will get his hands or when his hospital will get their hands on some of that aid. One other important point other than the fuel he underscored is water. There is a real crisis now with water. He said a lot of people are drinking brackish water. There are some 50,000 pregnant women in the gaza strip right now according to the u. N. Theyre seeing increased rates of Pre Eclampsia in those women because of drinking impure water. Really this crisis, no end in sight, jake. The stakes are so very high now. Clarissa ward in cairo, thank you very much. There is understandably a tremendous sense of outrage and unease here in israel, any sense of security has been tragically shattered. For others, the october 7th attacks, as grisly as they were have spurred a new sense of purpose and service. My sister killed. She go to run next to kibbutz, and shes not back. I just bury her last week. At the Tel Aviv Airport, what would be normal arrivals and departures are now 16 days after the horror of october 7th punctuated by the emotions of war. Some coming now to join the fight, and those leaving searching for escape. I dont have home anymore. I dont know where were going to live. Reporter elena barr just buried her sister naomi. She was killed while on a run. Elena survived the attack on her own kibbutz. Were lucky. Were alive. Were lucky. O after much more than two weeks of war and facing a much longer future of uncertainty, some families are looking to flee. We decided to wait for a while because we live here in ashkelon. Its a tough time to be here now, with kids especially. I have two boys. So having a chance to wait inside safe place for a while. So we decided to go. Some people are just arriving in israel from all over the world. Theyve been moved to come and help in any way they can. Im a volunteer. I brought 400 pounds worth of supplies for the soldiers. Well drop them off. Then ill volunteer in a hospital. Felt like i had to do something. I volunteered here before, and i just knew i had to come. Others are trying to return to normal, saying the last few weeks have been a reminder to celebrate life and love. My son is getting married here thursday night. Were forging ahead. Big joy. Jews are jugglers. Were juggling the pain and the sorrow with the joy. It seems like you have to do both at the same time. You have to juggle. Scenes from the Tel Aviv Airport today. Coming up later, the son of one of the founders of hamas who became an informant for israel under cover with hamas. He has a message for the u. S. And the world that youre going to want to hear. First, concerning u. S. Intelligence showing a possible ramp up of attacks on u. S. Forces. Well go to the pentagon next. Welcome back to the lead. Live in tel aviv, israel, on the heels of this war entering a new chapter, a new disturbing warning from the pentagon. Intelligence shows iranianbacked militias are ready to ramp up attacks against u. S. Forces in the middle east. I want to go to cnns are Wren Lieberman at the pentagon. Oren, this comes as two Attack Drones targeting a u. S. Forces base in syria were shot down today. What does this new intelligence tell us . Jake, the u. S. Has intelligence that iranianbacked militias in the middle east, that would be shiite groups in iraq and syria, are preparing for the possibility of escalating and ramping up attacks they have carried out, according to multiple u. S. Officials. This would be as iran looks to take advantage of the situation and the conflict in gaza between israel and hamas, also taking advantage of the antiisrael and antiu. S. Sentiment growing across the region. Iran backs these groups, funds these groups and arms these groups. The question now, how direct is the support . Officials say its not necessarily that iran is saying go, carry out these attacks. But according to officials, it appears that iran is encouraging them and doing nothing to stop them, a far more direct link than they believed iran had with the initial october 7th attack carried out by hamas. In that case they say iran was surprised by the attack. Here there is no surprise. Theres a much clearer link the u. S. Is seeing, and it comes with a number ot attacks against u. S. Forces in iraq and syria on the u. S. Positions there. A few days ago we a u. S. Destroyer intercepting a number of drones and missiles that the u. S. Says were intended for israel. That also part of iranianbacked groups trying to take advantage of the situation and attack u. S. Forces and the forces of israel across the region. Here is john kirby, spokesman for the National Security council about the links theyre seeing here and the growing threat. We know these groups are supported by the irgc and the regime. We know iran continues to support hamas and hezbollah, and we know that iran is closely monitoring these events, and in some cases, actively facilitating these attacks and spurring on others who may want to exploit the conflict with for their own good or that of iran. We know irans goal is to maintain some level of deniability here, but were not going to allow them to do that. Reporter in the Current Situation the u. S. Sees a significant threat across the middle east, noting that threat includes the possibility of attacks on u. S. Forces. This is something the u. S. Is watching very closely. In addition to all the steps its taken to beef up Force Protection including the addition of a patriot battery and battalion to the region as well as a fad defense system. The u. S. Taking these threats very seriously. Oren liebermann at the pentagon, thanks so much. How much say does the u. S. Have on israels plans for a Ground Invasion . My next guest knows very much how these negotiations play out. Stay with us. The power goes out and we still have wifi to do our homework. And thats a good thing . Great in my book who are you . No power . No problem. Introducing stormready wifi. Now you can stay reliably connected through Power Outages with unlimited cellular data and up to 4 hours of battery backup to keep you online. Only from xfinity. Home of the xfinity 10g network. Here s and all of our stuff where we want to go. But, our cars cant take us e with unpaid tolls. Vehicles with overdue, unpaid tolls may not be able to renew their registration until outstanding balances are paid. Payment assistance is available. Visit bayareafastrak. Org ase so go pay your unpaid tolls y and keep your wheels on the live in tel aviv. Were getting some brand new video of the two hostages who were just released by hamas. You can see, if you look, paramedics tending to nurit cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz. The lifshitz family put out a statement confirming that the two women were handed over to the red cross at the rafah crossing. Sources tell cnn that the u. S. Is trying to delay the Ground Incursion into gaza in hopes of getting even more hostages out and more aid into gaza. With me to discuss, former israeli ambassador to the United States michael oren. Mr. Ambassador, good to see you again. Do you think President Biden will be able to continue prevailing upon Prime Minister netanyahu to continue delaying the Ground Incursion for the reasons laid out, to let humanitarian aid in and allow more hostages out . I dont know that hes actually prevailing upon Benjamin Netanyahu to do this. The National Security council has denied it. The State Department has denied it. Lets say for arguments sake they are asking israel to delay a bit. Thats going to be one of many considerations for israel. The question of whether the troops are ready to go in, whether theyve gathered enough evidence and intelligence about enemy positions, about the location of the hostages, and finally, we want to get all of the palestinians citizens away from the combat zone. To have them in the middle of a crossfight is not going to be good for us either. Many other considerations. Keep in mind were at a total mobilization. We have 360,000 soldiers mobilized. These are the young women and men that are the backbone of our economy. Theyve left their families, their homes tel aviv is pitch quiet. Its empty, right . Theres only so long that you can keep people away and mobilized. Two weeks is a very long time. When do you think the Ground Incursion can begin . Let me also ask you, is it wise . Does it make sense . Ive heard a lot of smart people like General Petraeus and others, people Who Know Urban Combat who say taking some time and thinking strategically may not be the worst idea. Its not the worst idea if we have other clocks going. One of the clocks is how many days can you keep this 360,000 mobilized . How fast you can move that palestinian population out of the war zone. Other considerations. Its true. The end of the day theres no alternative but for israel to go in. Understand for us its existential. If hamas gets away with butchering, murdering, burning, raping 1400 israeli citizens, then this place becomes kind of uninhabitable. I dont know if anybody would raise their kids here. This would be the equivalent of losing 54,000 americans in two days. What would the United States do . Theres no way that we can restore our security, our deterrence power. Were in a tough neighborhood and begin to heal internally. A lot has been hurt internally with the state of israel, the people of israel. We cannot do that if hamas wins this round. A ceasefire means hamas wins. I didnt bring that up, a ceasefire. Let me ask you logistical questions. How many people in hamas do you hold responsible for what happened october 7th . Ive heard many people say hamas is not the Palestinian People. The Palestinian People did elect hamas in october in the elections of 2006, and then since then hamas has not allowed an election and theyve killed a lot of people that were their political opposition. In many ways the palestinians have been victims of hamas in many ways as well. Indeed. So how many would you hold responsible . Personally, about 150,000 actual members of hamas. Is that like the baath party. Some of the members of hamas, they have to be just to have a job to be trash kol lech task force. In the west bank you have mahmoud abbas, in the 18th year of his fouryear term. Why doesnt he stand for reelection . Because in every poll hamas destroys him. So hamas is very, very popular among the palestinian population. We have a conflict not just with a terrorist organization but a large segment of the Palestinian People. Having said that, im not a spokesperson for the government anymore. Im in favor of humanitarian aid and opening up that corridor for many reasons. First of all, it has to do with our character as a jewish and democratic state. The Israel Defense force will have more time and space to fight hamas if the International Community is not accusing us of being inhumane. Out in the israeli public theres a real sense that the palestinian population, a big segment of it, both in gaza, in the west bank, liked hamas, Applauded Hamas and applauded our people when they were being butchered. Theres been a lot of comparisons with a potential Ground Incursion with when the u. S. Was in iraq and the u. S. Fought in fallujah. That was a bloody, awful fight, and obviously gaza city is much bigger than fallujah and the iraqi fighters were gentlemen compared to hamas. Its even worse than that. I fought in gaza. Whats worse is that its a alleys and culdesacs, all boobytrapped, mined. The worse fighting is underneath, talking dozens and dozens of tunnels, and all of them are boobytrapped. We have forces that are trained to go under ground and fight. Thats why im saying is it wise to go in there that way as opposed to Special Forces and taking it longer but doing it more effectively . Im no military strategist. Again, number of clocks. One of the clocks is how long say youve got a million palestinians in southern gaza, out in the winter thats another clock by the way. Its clear tonight but it has been raining here. How long can that situation be sustained . I think sending in Special Forces to deal with a hamas force of 150,000 people which is proven to be militarily very well equipped is not the response. I think theres no alternative to israel sending in a significant force and taking on Hamas Full Force and doing it as cautiously as we can. Its going to be costly for us. The big debate here is whether we should deal with hezbollah first. It was a debate i had written in the Israeli Press about the possibility that we should maintain hamas. Theyre not going anywhere. Theyre trapped. We can continue hitting them from the ground, the air, every different way. But hezbollah as a force, as a threat is 15 times larger than hamas. They have 150,000 rockets. Many of these rockets are very accurate. They have a terrorist force Killing Syrians by the hundreds of thousands for ten years. They are vicious, vicious, vicious. Theres a fear and i think a very base fear that once israel is in gaza and bogged down, fighting gaza, the troops are tired, maybe running low on ammunition, thats when hezbollah will strike us. Thats almost a conventional wisdom here that hezbollah at a certain stage will not be able to stay out. The big question is who strikes first . Who gets the preemptive former ambassador for the u. S. Michael oren, thank you for being here. Thanks. A strike near a church after the Israeli Military tried to target a hamas command center. Stay with us. Residents of gaza say they feel nowhere is safe as the idf ramps up its aerial bombardment in the region going after hamas. Places of worship, refugee camps, schools, areas where innocent civilians are trying to stay safe are caught in the crosshairs because, as we know, hamas uses innocent civilians as human shields. They embed themselves within the populous. Cnns jim an Car Rach Cha Reports from lebanon. Some may find her report disturbing. Reporter this is a war on hamas, israel says, but it is the people of gaza who are paying the heaviest price. No place safe, no place spared. Danger rooms around every corner of this besieged land, every day, every minute spent in fear of when death may strike. Many now write their childrens names on their legs, so if theyre killed, their little ones are not just a number. Israel says it doesnt target civilians. Its hamas, they say, using them as human shields. They try to avoid civilian casualties, they say, but the numbers and pictures tell a different story in a place where it is the innocent who are the majority. Hospitals, schools, mosques have been bombed, and on Friday Gazans absorbing another horror, one that hit their tiny Christian Community, an air strike on the building on the compound of the orthodox church, one of the oldest churches in the world where hundreds sought refuge from the relentless bombardment, but this was so sanctuary, a scene of chaos at this house of worship. With no power they use their phones to light up the rubble and dig bodies and survivors out of the carnage. Daylight brought the painful scene of those searching for their loved ones, the inconsolable grief of those who found them. The gutwrenching grief of a father mourning his children and a grandmother, her little george. Translator with no prior warning they bombed civilians in the church. They killed my three children, killed my cousins. My whole cousins family was wiped. Reporter the Israeli Military says the air strike was targeting a hamas Control Center nearby. They say this was not the intention, but they call collateral damage. 17 christians, entire families including infants perished in this strike. 26yearold fiola was killed along with her husband and baby girl. Her sister yara, her husband and children also gone. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. We are here 2,000 years. Were not going to leave. Well stay here and continue our l life, as all the population in gaza city. Reporter so much grief, so much anger at the silence over their suffering and those who wont stop the bloodshed. This is a message to the world, and specifically this message is to biden, the president of the United States. He should know that christian a arabs, Christian Community in gaza is being targeted. No one is safe in gaza. Reporter shell shocked survivors, christians and muslims sat around the church this weekend. Theres seemingly nowhere left to run. Jake, the death toll in gaza is continuing to rise according to the palestinian house ministry. They say more than 5,000 people have been killed. They say the majority of them are women and children. More than 2,000 children. U. N. Experts who have unequivocally condemned hamas attack on israel, the atrocities committed against israeli civilians are warning that what is happening in gaza is a vie lalgs of International Law with the siege and israeli bombardment. They say this Military Operation is resulting in crimes against humanity, jake. Jomana car rad she, thank you so much. Were seeing more displays of antisemitism in the United States. That story is next. Welcome back to the lead live from tel aviv, israel. The department of Homeland Security in the United States is warning that the war between israel and hamas will likely increase antisemitic and antimuslim hate attacks inside the u. S. Thats according to abc news. Cnns Nick Watt Reports for us now. We are already seeing multiple disturbing incidents of antisemitism. [ Crowd Chanting ] reporter americans from many walks of Life Showing Support for the people of gaza. [ Crowd Chanting ] mean meanwhile its largely jews at the very few demonstrations for those who were tortured and slaughtered on the 7th and those still held by Hamas Terrorists inside gaza. Some jews who marched for black lives matter or the women of iran feel let down. Its really, really, really upsetting to see that people to see our people, to see people who we stand with not stand with us. Our humble ask is that people give a damn when we die. Thats Rob Buy Sharon brass in a viral it feels like a great sense of abandonment. People who weve been in the trenches with working for many years not only dont grieve when jews are massacred but actually celebrate. Its devastating. Reporter she is a regular critic of the Israeli Government and a peace advocate. People feel like theyre forced to have to choose between this or this when, in fact, we have to do is find the moral imagination to dream of a different kind of future in which all people can live in justice. Reporter brookhaven, georgia, antisemitic flyers were passed out overnight saturday. In san diego, Israeli Cultural Center closed indefinitely after being vandalized twice in three days. It seems that a lot of feelings of antisemitic hatred have been dormant mostly until now. Reporter in los angeles, a Jewish School says that after a game our Football Team experienced a variety of antisemitic language and gestures including the nazi salute mostly from the stands although a couple of the opposing players were involved, as well. Having that history still so alive in our spirit and in recent memory, it does alert us to the hints of those kinds of major social currents in our own time. [ Crowd Chanting ] reporter in skokie, illinois, sunday, a propalestinian Counterprotest Sprung up near an israeli solidarity rally. Someone pulled a gun, fired in the air. The governor is calling for calm in a state that has seen a rise in hate and real hurt for its jewish and arab citizens. Nick watt, cnn, los angeles. Our thanks to cnns nick watt for that report. Coming up, the son of a founder of hamas who became an informant for israel, bringing his message for the u. S. , for israel and for the world. Thats next. Announcer this is cnn breaking news. Welcome to the lead. Im jake tapper standing on a rooftop overlooking tel aviv. It is just after midnight here. It has been 16 days since the absolutely horrific Terrorist Attacks by hamas caught this country and, frankly, most of the world by surprise. Were going to start tonight with breaking news, the release of two more hostages who were held captive, kidnapped by hamas, video, new video shows nurit cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz right after they crossed the border into egypt this evening. They were met by paramedics and taken away in ambulances. They become the third and fourth hostages released by hamas after two americans were released on friday. Israel has also told the u. S. That they believe some of the american hostages still held by hamas are alive, but the fate of many others hostages remains unknown. Hamas kidnappe