Responding. Thats cnn. Com impact. Our coverage continues now with wolf blitzer in the situation room. I will see you tomorrow, again, live from tel aviv. Happening now, Breaking News, new video of two israeli hostages just released by hamas. Stand by for the latest on their condition as more than 200 other civilians remain in captivity and in danger right now. Also tonight, new scenes of far reaching destruction in gaza. Israel wrapping up its air war against hamas as sources say the u. S. Is urging the israelis to hold off on a Ground Invasion so more hostages can get out, and more desperately needed aid can get in. And here in washington, House Republicans are about to meet Behind Closed Doors to hear from nine members now vowing to be the next speaker. Gop lawmakers back to square one as the speaker fight drags on and the house enters a third week of paralysis. Welcome to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. Im wolf blitzer. Youre in the situation room. Announcer this is cnn Breaking News. And lets get right to the Breaking News on the release of two israeli hostages and how it figures into this war against hamas. Cnn journalists are working the story in the region as well as here in washington. First, lets go to cnns erin burnett, joining us live from tel aviv right now. Erin, what are we learning about these freed hostages . Reporter wolf, we know there are two more hostages released tonight, that gives Family Reason to celebrate. Nurit cooper, 79 years old, shes a teacher. She has been released along with Yocheved Lifshitz who is 85 years old, a photographer, and actually she was one of the founders of the kibbutz where both women were abducted from nir oz. Ambulances were seen arriving from rafah, from gaza, from the Rafah Crossing Into Egypt soon after the Hostage Release had been negotiated and obviously theres speculation that perhaps these two women could be inside them. Theyre being taken to medical facilities to be evaluated and their families will be waiting for them there. The Israeli Government interestingly, wolf, is specifically thanking the red cross for this as well as egypt. Egypt is the main facilitator. You will remember for the american hostages on friday that the facilitator was qatar. In this case, Thanking Egypt and the red cross and specifically thanking the idf and Israeli Security forces as well. Which is something just to take into consideration, the implication obviously that there is a direct israeli involvement in these negotiations. Interesting, erin. Despite the release of these two hostages, israel as all of us know has been focused on preparing for a pretty significant Ground Invasion, right . Reporter yeah, so the other statement out of Prime Minister netanyahus team today is our only consideration is the security of the state of israel. Really these are just the only aircraft we see here, wolf, now tend to be military helicopters. Thats what youre hearing right now. Obviously you did have the defense minister of israel making comments to troops, going to visit them because obviously they have been ready to go, expecting to get the green light to go, there has been delay after delay, again saying there has been an assault in the air, ground and sea, and it will come soon. Do your work, get ready, we will need you, and of course this comes as israel stepped up their assault. More than 300 strikes over last night. Strikes continue now. They say they have killed the hamas commander of the Rocket Launching Unit as well as five hamas aerial array commanders, they call them. Some of them were directly involved in the attacks of october 7th. They said they have killed five of those hamas commanders since the war began 17 days ago. Erin burnett reporting from us, and well get more reporting from erin on out front at the top of the next hour. The u. S. Has been urging israel to delay a potential Ground Invasion of gaza in part to allow more time for efforts to free americans and other captives. Youve done some significant reporting, alex, how does this Hostage Release influence the administrations thinking right now . Reporter well, it certainly reinforces their thinking and encourages the fact that they have been pushing for this delay into thinking that more time before israels Ground Invasion into gaza could allow for not just more hostages to come out but more aid to go in, which is what we have seen over the course of the past few days. And, wolf, that attitude by the administration is being reinforced. Were told by a u. S. Official to our colleague mj lee that the Israeli Military has told the Biden Administration there are still american hostages who are alive among those 200 plus hostages still in gaza. So that is certainly a encouragement for the Biden Administration. Meanwhile, wolf, we have been told that as a result of this hope that more hostages can get released that the u. S. Has been encouraging israel to not go in. Israel, however, says that they are ready to go, and they are, excuse me, they are the u. S. Doesnt want to be seen as telling israel what to do. So there are Big Questions now about what happens next. Hamas is certainly being pressed to release bigger groups of hostages. But even if israel delays, they are certainly not going to wait forever. So this invasion could be coming very soon, wolf. What happens when these hostages are released, alex . And what sort of information potentially could they provide . Reporter well, they could provide all kinds of intelligence about the conditions they were living under under gaza. We understand that judith and Natali Haanan who were released on friday, they are still in israel, speaking with u. S. Officials who will be asking all kinds of questions about their time in custody, their treatment, where they were. We can imagine that the israeli officials will be asking them the same things as well as to these two women who have just been released today. That is certainly going to inform what israel knows about how hamas is keeping these hostages, and of course as they prepare for this Ground Invasion, that intelligence could prove to be absolutely critical because we understand that these hostages are spread out all across the gaza strip, being kept underground in tunnels and in bunkers, and certainly the israelis and the americans want to know as much as they can before this Ground Invasion is launched, wolf. Good point, alex marquardt, thank you very much. Now to the humanitarian crisis in gaza. More aid trucks made it through the rafah Border Crossing from egypt into gaza today, even as israel has been ramping up its air war against hamas. Cnns Clarissa Ward is joining us live from cairo. People in gaza are waiting for aid to trickle in as bombs fall and conditions grow more dire. Update our viewers. Reporter thats right, wolf. The situation was critical. Now the word you use is exactly apt, it is dire. Today we saw another convoy of just over 30 trucks going in. That brings the total to just over 60 trucks in the last three days. But to give some perspective to our viewers, in a normal, 16day period, there would have been 7,000, more than 7,000 trucks of aid that would have gone into gaza, and thats in a normal 16day period, which doesnt take into account the punishing bombardment you heard from erin earlier, more than 300 strikes yesterday. Some hamas commanders were killed in those strikes, but also hundreds of civilians, wolf, and the images that were seeing coming out of gaza hospitals are just horrendous at the moment. One of the most crucial things that they need desperately, of course, is fuel. Israel has cut off the electricity in gaza. Therefore, all of these hospitals are reliant on generator, and generators, at the moment are powered by fuel. But fuel cant get into gaza for the moment because this is one of the real sticking points in all of these efforts and all of these diplomatic talks to tray to facilitate the continued flow of humanitarian aid. Fuel is the tough one. The irsraelis are concerned tha hamas will end up taking the fuel and using. They dont want to see that happen, but without fuel, its not just even about generators, its about desalination. We spoke to a doctor who talked about people drinking brackish water at the moment. Thats leading to a huge uptick in preeclampsia in pregnant women in gaza. Youre having all kinds of knock on effects and still no sign really that there is going to be a continuous, sustained, humanitarian corridor and that crucially fuel will be able to get into gaza anytime soon. Wolf. Clarissa, i know you had a chance to speak to a doctor at the largest hospital in gaza city about how desperate the situation is there on the ground. Tell us about that. Reporter thats right, wolf. So we spoke to dr. Dr. Marwan abusada, the chief surgeon at the el shifa hospital, they have been told to evacuate. He told us they have 5,000 patients at the moment, 700 beds and 5,000 patients. They have thousands of displaced People Living and around the hospital premises. He says that to evacuate is simply not an option for these people. Many are severely wounded or they cant move, and he talked again about the crucial importance of getting that fuel. He said there are just two days left before they will run out of fuel entirely, and there will be really catastrophic consequences. Take a listen. If you do run out of fuel in two days, what will you do . I mean, what can you do . I think the International Community will be part of the process of killing of our people, if they dont act on israel to allow to get the fuel into gaza, what to do for the people who are in the icu and mechanical ventilators, what about the neonatal, they are small babies. We have more than 130 in our ic units, what to do with them. I think we are allowing them to die in peace. We dont have the fuel to run our generators in the hospital. Reporter so you heard that there, wolf, he says that he has more than 130 babies in the knee o neonatal unit. They are all dependent on the ventilators, incubators, that will only be powered if they get fuel. We have spoken to Egyptian Government sources who say this is a source of real frustration, that they cant come up with some mechanism and agreement on this issue. Clarissa ward reporting from cairo, egypt, thank you very much. Joining us from tel aviv, the Israel Defense forces spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel, thank you so much for joining us. Let me get to this very sensitive issue. What can you tell us about the condition of the two israeli hostages released today by hamas. Hi, thank you for having me again. The condition is that they are now being examined by doctors, by israeli doctors. I still do not know the exact condition. I have heard unconfirmed reports about the medical state of one of them, but still unconfirmed and unofficial. And as soon as we will have more information about the state of these two elderly israeli women that were taken and now released, we will update. Yeah, Yocheved Lifshitz, 85 years old, and nur it cooper, 75 years old. You see pictures of them. Cnn has learned that u. S. Officials are urging israel to delay its Ground Invasion of gaza to try to release more hostages and facilitate more aid to come into Southern Gaza from egypt. How much is israel weighing that advice based on what you know . I will answer that, wolf. I just want to Say Something about the story that was aired before from cairo. You know, there is fuel in gaza. Hamas has fuel. Hamas has quite a lot of fuel. About a thousand liters, if not more than that. And they can decide where to use that fuel. And i find it strikingly absent from the discussion, from many discussions, what is hamas doing with the resources that it has. Its only about israel and egypt and u. N. , and international organizations. What about hamas . Why arent the questions posed to hamas . Why dont you use some of the fuel that you have stockpiled and hoarded in advance of this situation and use it for the civilians. If i understand what youre saying, Lieutenant Colonel, youre saying hamas has fuel but theyre not making it available to the hospitals. Is that what youre saying . Exactly. And they are using these poor civilians, which are not our enemy, and not our target. Theyre using them cynically, just in order to milk every drop of international pity and legitimacy for their horrific activities. And theyre using their own civilians to do it. Hamas has fuel, and hamas should use the fuel not to fight against israel but really to care about the civilians that they are responsible for. Important point indeed. Lets get back to this other very sensitive issue. As you know, multiple sources, multiple sources have told cnn that u. S. Officials have asked israel to delay its Ground Invasion, especially after they were told more american hostages are alive. No u. S. Officials denying our reporting. Is israel considering delaying its Ground Operation of gaza . So what i can say is that the level of coordination is intimate minute by minute. We share intelligence, we share we share the location and condition of our troops, and capabilities, the assessment of the enemy. We look at this war that has been forced upon us, both through a local lens and then of course a regional and international lens. I am not concerned by a day or two of Delaying Operations because we use that in order to prepare ourselves even better. As we speak now, the Ground Forces are ready and prepared, and once they will be ordered by the cabinet to do so, they will launch ahead and bring the fight to hamas and Start Hunting Hamas in the tunnels. Are you at all concerned, Lieutenant Colonel that as more hostages are being released and the situation in gaza deteriorates, The Public Image of israel could deteriorate if it goes into gaza with a large number of troops on the ground . I am concerned by the fact that many people are people, organizations, officials, et cetera, for somehow maybe have a shortterm memory and forget how this started. On the first day of the war, a few hours after the massacre of october 7th became apparent, i tweeted, before i even got back into uniform, remember how this started, and i say that again today. Remember how it started. It didnt start with israel launching an attack. It didnt start with us butchering civilians. It started with them doing that. And, yes, there is a risk of the new cycle being hijacked by images out of gaza, and sad, i admit, there are sad stories coming out of gaza, but they are not israels making. They are the making of hamas. And we will fight on the ground. We will fight in the air, and we will fight in the realm of immedmedia and information to see it that truth gets out, and people, who for some reason do not want to see reality as we see it from here will be reminded of how they started and what we are trying to do. We are not fighting the civilians. We are not targeting them. We are targeting hamas, and it is them that we are going to defeat. One hospital in gaza now says theyre consuming 9,000 liters a day, so clearly more fuel is desperately needed. I just wanted to point that out. You want to react to that, Lieutenant Colonel . I agree that more fuel is needed. First and foremost, everybody in the north should evacuate. Thats the first order. And it should have been done long ago, and theres been ample time, more than a week. A week and three days since we issued the first warning urging civilians to go south. So people who care about it should have facilitated with ambulances and whatever equipment available should have gotten it done by now, and second thing, yes, reprioritize your assets, hamas. You have fuel, give it to the civilians, and dont hoard it, in order to run your hqs underground and facilitate Rocket Launch to israel and care for the families only of the select hamas officials. Provide for the palestinians in gaza. Lieutenant colonel, jonathan, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you for having me. Just ahead, another live report in the region on the new Hostage Release as fears of a wider middle east war are escalating. And up next, ill ask the key white house official john kirby about the hamas strategy on hostages and whether its helping to delay an israeli Ground Invasion on hamas in gaza. Were back with Breaking News on the two israeli hostages just released today by hamas. Theyre reportedly in stable condition after arriving in egypt. Joining us now is john kirby, the National SecurityCouncil Coordinator for strategic communications. John, thanks so much for joining us. Why do you think hamas is, again, releasing this time just two more of these 200 plus hostages they currently have . What do they hope or expect to get in exchange . Its difficult to know, really, what the motivation on their side is to do this now in piecemeal fashion. Two on friday, and now two today. Obviously were glad that two more people are safe and going to be back with their families soon. Thats really important. But i cant get inside their head and what theyre thinking. As you heard President Biden say as recently as today, they just need to release all of them. Theres no reason to be holding anybody. Short of that, were going to keep working with our partners in the region to try to get the rest of them out, particularly the handful of americans we know theyre holding. Cnn has learned the u. S. Has intelligence right now that iranianbacked Militia Groups are planning to further Ramp Up Attacks against American Forces in the middle east. What is the Biden Administration prepared to do to combat this . Well, without speaking to specific intelligence, this is something we have been watching very closely. Today we were very clear publicly that we know irans backing these groups. We know that theyre giving them the means, the resources, the training, the encouragement, and direct contacts with the irgc, the revolutionary guard to conduct these attacks on our troops. We will do what we have to do to protect our forces and our facilities in the region. That will continue, and weve sent a strong signal to iran through the additional military capabilities that were putting in the region that we have National Security interests writ large across that region, and were going to protect and defend them as well. Is a u. S. War against iran possible . I think what we want to see more than anything, wolf, is no widening of this conflict, no deepening of it. And we continue to send a strong message to actors in the region, including iran that if youre thinking about jumping in here, youre thinking about deepening and widening and escalating, dont do it. We will take our National Security interests very very seriously in the region, and weve added to the military capabilities to make sure that we can do that. I want to play something that President Biden said earlier today about the war thats ongoing between israel and hamas. And i want to play it for you and for our viewers. Listen to this. Should have a cease fire, not a cease fire, we should have a Hostage Release and then we can talk. What did the president mean by saying, and then we can talk. Is a cease fire, john, on the table if hamas releases all the hostages . I think the message was pretty clear to hamas, release all the hostages, that needs to be the first move here. They got to release all the hostages. Were not talking about a cease fire. Right now. In fact, we dont believe that this is the time for a cease fire. Israel has a right to defend themselves. They still have work to do to go after hamas leadership. Were going to keep supporting them. Were giving them more security assistance. Your previous guests talked about sort of their operational picture. Ill let them speak for that. Our focus is on making sure they have what they need to carry on this fight. John kirby at the white house, thank you very much for that update. Yes, sir. Coming up, well go back to jerusalem with a live update on the two hostages just released by hamas, and youll also hear directly from a Palestinian American whos trapped in gaza right now with his family. Stay with us, youre in the situation room. Two newly freed israeli hostages are heading towards reunions with some of their loved ones after their release by hamas within the past few hours. But their husbands remain captive still in gaza tonight. Cnns sara sidner is in jerusalem with more details. Sarah, what are we learning about these two women and their release. These two ladies are from the nir oz kibbutz, released 16 days after hamas snatched them away from their homes. Their names are nurit cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz. They were released and handed over to, by the way, the red cross at the rafah border, the crossing between gaza and egypt, and they are expected to be brought back to israel, according to the family of ms. Lifshitz. They are so happy to hear that their mother has been returned but their whole bodies are focused on all of the other hostages who are stuck there in gaza. According to the nir oz kibbutz, a huge number of people from that kibbutz were either kidnapped, killed, or are still missing. They say that lifshitz was one of the founders of the kibbutz. She worked as a photographer, and she was a teacher, and shes been a peace and Human Rights Activist throughout her entire life. Cooper, for her part, moved to the nir oz kibbutz in its very early years, and she has been a teacher for Early Childhood education. We are seeing these women in this situation where their husbands are still stuck there as hostages. It has to be a terrifying moment for them, but they are released. That makes four of the 222 people that israel said was captured, kidnapped and is now a hostage in gaza at this point in time, wolf. Were so pleased that Yocheved Lifshitz and nurit cooper are now freed from being hostages. Thank you very much for that report. The Palestinian Health ministry in gaza controlled by hamas says hundreds of people were killed after intensified israeli air strikes across gaza overnight, including 182 children. Residents say there is no safe place from israeli bombardment inside gaza, including the compound of one of the oldest churches in the world. Cnns Jomana Karadsheh has the story. Warning to our viewers, there is graphic video in her report. 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 israels wrath. Danger looms 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, thats 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 absorbs another horror, one that hit their tiny Christian Community. An air strike on a building at 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 no sanctuary, a scene of chaos at this house of worship with no power, they used their phones to light up the rubble and dig bodies and survivors out of the carnage. Daylight brought the painful scenes of those searching through shrouded bodies for their loved ones, the inconsolable grief of those who found them. The Gut Wrenching grief of a father mourning his children and a grandmother, her live george. With no prior warning, they bombed civilians this the church, they killed my three children, they killed my cousins. My whole cousins family was wiped. Reporter the Israeli Military said the air strike was targeting hamas command and control center nearby. They said this was not the intention. When they call collateral damage. 17 christians, entire families, including infants perished in this strike. 26yearold viola 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, and we are not going to live. Well stay here. Well continue our life as all the population in gaza. 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 the christian arabs, Christian Community in gaza are being targeted. No one is safe here in gaza. Everyone in danger. Reporter shell shocked survivors, both christians and muslims sat around the church this weekend. Theres seemingly nowhere left to run. And, wolf, more than two weeks since the start of israels Military Operation in gaza. The air strikes appear to be intensifying according to residents and the death toll is continuing to rise by the day according to the Palestinian Health ministry. More than 5,000 people have been killed so far. They say the majority of them are women and children. More than 2,000 children killed in a war that is only just beginning. People are terrified. They are trapped in gaza. And they are bracing themselves for what is yet to come, wolf. So heartbreaking, indeed, thank you so much for that report. For more on the ongoing crisis in gaza right now, im joined by abdul, he, his wife and 1yearold son are american citizens from massachusetts who were Visiting Relsatives in gaz. They have tried unsuccessfully to get to egypt through that ra rafah Border Crossing which remains closed for evacuations. Thank you so much for joining me. Southern gaza, where you are right now, faced one of the deadliest and intense days of bombardment since this war began. How did that skt a you and your family . Is there anywhere at all where you believe you could be safe . Yeah, thanks, wolf. No, we dont think theres any place that we consider safe, quite honestly. We left Northern Gaza Strip specifically looking for safety following the idf instruction, and since we have been in anticipation that we would be evacuated by the state department. Weve only seen air strikes increasing both in intensity and frequency in the last couple of days, and specifically, last night, and tonight. There was an air strike just a few moments ago before we got on air that was pretty loud, close by, and its become the normal here. And we can smell basically gun powder, black degree, black powder, we see that every morning when we wake up, on our phones, on the floors, and we certainly can cough it out in the morning. And that has had an impact on us, specifically my son has been increasingly becoming more attached to us. He wakes up having nightmares at night, and one of us either raf or myself has to be with him constantly during the night, otherwise he would panic, basically, and think really the fact that he has been shaken awake from sleep multiple times because of course the air strikes. When you and i spoke the other day, you told me your son has been struggling, you have been struggling to find some milk for your 1yearold little boy. How is that coming along now . Its unfortunately not improving. Today we opened up the last box of milk for him. I was on a supply run yesterday. My brother and i tried to find different types of supplies. We dont have power, so we tried to look for nonperishable items, and his milk is nowhere to be found in the stores. We tried at least six or seven different stores. Were on the last box. We have been trying. We taking longer than we expected to get out of gaza. We have been trying to wean him off milk the last few days, just in preparation for this day. With the air strikes nearby, and a stressful situation that our family, weve been unsuccessful at weaning him off milk. That is his comfort zone. We dont know what were going to do tomorrow when we wake up and we run out of that last box, other than try to attempt to find more in some of the nearby stores. Otherwise well have to deal with it, and there has been also other struggles with Drinking Water as well. Both for him as well as for the grownups that were sheltering with. Good luck to you and your family, thank you very much for joining us. Thank you, wolf. All right. Just ahead, well go live to capitol hill where nine House Republicans are making the case tonight to be the next speaker of the house. Will the closed door meeting lead to any consensus after weeks of infighting . welcome to big tobaccos fantasyland. A new, healthier World Without cigarettes. As long as you dont count the 6 trillion sold worldwide every year. And vaping wont lead to smoking, if you ignore the research that says otherwise. In big tobaccos fantasyland, the deadliest industry is your friend. Are trying again to settle on a nominee to be the next speaker of the house, with a crowded new field of candidates vying for the job. The chamber without a permanent speaker now for nearly three weeks. Cnns Melanie Zanona is up on capitol hill for us. Theres a closeddoor meeting going on of gop lawmakers right now. Melanie, tell us whats happening right now, and whether any of these potential candidates seem likely to survive a full house vote if they get that far . Reporter well, wolf, that is the conundrum that republicans have been dealing with for weeks now, and they are really starting at square one, given that they are 20 days in to this chaos, and they are just tonight having a new candidate forum. Moments from now, they will kickoff a forum where all of these candidates are going to make their pitch, and they will gather once again Behind Closed Doors tomorrow where they will have another secret ballot election. Today is about hearing from all the different candidates and so far there are nine different republicans who have jumped into the race. That includes tom emmer, a member of leadership, the House Majority whip, ran the nrcc for several cycles. But he has to tamp down perceptions that hes not close enough to former president donald trump. And then theres byron donalds, a member of the freedom caucus, well liked among conservatives but hes a Sophomore Member so there is skepticism about whether hes ready to step into this job. Theres kevin hern, head of the republican study committee, another very large conservative caucus in the house, but al awl of these members are going to have to work it get 217 votes on the house floor if they become the nominee, and right now, theres an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion, but some members say that is going to drive them to try to unify hopefully by this week. Lets take a listen. He largest folks, at least, recognizing that we have to get someone across the goal line, and i do think theres an appetite for a compromise candidate at this point. I think theres, maybe its not my guy that got into the speakership, but filling the position is a priority. I have nothing against the other people. It used to be only kevin. Kevin is now endorsed publicly now, and so, you know f he comes back on the ballot, ill still be with kevin, but hes not going to be on the ballot, so i need to, you know, back the nominee. Reporter so that last member there was someone who was only backing Kevin Mccarthy before, now signaling that he would be willing to back another candidate, so potentially a sign that republicans are finally ready to unify, but well have to wait and see, wolf, and meanwhile, all of these Critical Issues like government funding, aid for israel, aid for ukraine, all hanging in the balance. Cant pass legislation without a speaker. Melanie zanona, thank you very much. An american reservist in the idf was killed during a Missile Attack from nearby lebanon. Well have a live report from his hometown just outside of washington, d. C. Pers time to win is running out in our prize packed kick off the savings Monopoly Game hurry in to play for your chance at over 25 million in prizes and money saving offers like this, and this, or even this. Plus, you still have a shot at up to 100,000 in guaranteed prize money. Stop in while you can still win and shop your Favorite Brands sporting the kick off the Savings Monopoly Tag for unlimited bonus game tickets at lucky a dual u. S. Israeli citizen serving in the Defense Forces was killed in a Missile Attack near the lebanon border. Brian todd is joining us now live from this young mans hometown of rockville, maryland, where hes being remembered. What are they saying about him, brian . Reporter well, wolf, theyre saying that it was an emotional and patriotic pull that drew him back. Tonight this community at the charles east jewish smith day school is mourning the loss of omer balva who was killed on friday. We have new information tonight on the experiences of balva and others who have been drawn back to the region to serve. 22yearold omer balva was always drawn to israel, according to his friends. They say balva who grew up in rockville, maryland, chose to serve in the Israel Defense forces right out of high school instead of going to college right away. Balva, a dual u. S. israeli citizen, was on vacation in the u. S. When hamas attacked israel on october 7th. After being called up as a reservist, he packed and hurried back to israel. Within a few days, he was dead, killed last friday by an antitank missile along israels northern border with lebanon. It is really devastating for our community. He was a lovely kid. Hes the kind of kid who comes into a room and when he smiles, everyone notices it. It lights up the entire room. Reporter this rabbi is head of the charles east Smith Jewish Day School where omer balva graduated in 2019. He was passionate about his commitment to israel. I know that inside he felt like he needed to be there, that he needed to defend the state of israel. Its obvious to me why he would choose to go even though he knew it was going to be dangerous. Reporter friends say he was a selfless person who was proud of his service. He really is the best. Hes the sweetest kid in the world. Reporter balva is not the only american serving in israels military, even as thousands of americans have been rushing to evacuate from israel, some are traveling in the opposite direction, called up as reservists, or even just volunteering. Todays the day. Reporter matthew vende, a former paratrooper. I can finally go over there and focus on what i need to do, whatever thats going to be. Reporter others volunteering as aid workers or medics. I am a licensed in nurse and i have the capability to come and help. Reporter 27yearold kinerite is headed to israel with the help of an Organization Called bulletproof israel. This is doing my part, and this is my values in who i am as a person and who i am as a nurse. Reporter but for every Young Volunteer or reservist, there are parents like the mildwarfs of North Carolina whose daughter is serving in the idf. Supportive but anxious. We worry a lot and we cry a lot. And we recognize that right now in israel, no one is safe, and thats tough for us to process. Reporter as for omer balva, he is survived by his parents, three siblings and a longtime girlfriend who he had planned to marry. His funeral took place yesterday at a Military Cemetery in israel. About 3,000 people came to pay their respects. Brian todd reporting, thank you very much. Well take a quick break. Well be right back. A palestinian journalis working with French National public radio was culled by an israeli Missile Strike in gaza city. The Committee To Protect Journalists says hes one of at least 23 journalists who have been killed in the war between israel and hamas. Eight others are reported injured, and three are missing. For information about how you n