with christmas eventually cancelled in bethlehem, we ll get a live report from that region coming up. former president donald trump releasing a new ad in states where primaries are set to begin in weeks. could he be worrying about his opponent s gaining ground? plus, 2023 was a year of weather extremes. record heat across the country, with phoenix sweltering for 31 days with temperatures over 100 degrees. and from blue ivy to barbie, some of the moments that blew up on social media this year. all that coming up. we begin with the escalation in the israel-hamas war. right now, the israelis are fighting on multiple fronts. first in gaza, where idf forces are taking casualties as ground and air operations killed dozens of palestinians, including civilians caught in the cross fire. israeli troops are also taking fire to the north in fresh exchanges with hezbollah forces while iran-backed militants in yemen ramp up attacks on u.s. military and commercial ships, all signs
The heinous Terror Attack in israel that killed more than 1,400 people. The crisis that continues to threaten the innocent lives of hundreds of hostages and endanger the entire civilian population of gaza. In a spiraling humanitarian calamity. In the next hour President Joe Biden will depart for israel for what could be one of the most important trips of his presidency. His visit is of course a show of support for an ally grieving the murder of more jewish lives than at any time since the holocaust. But also bracing for a deadly and dangerous point in this conflict with hamas. It is also a high wire diplomatic endeavor with nothing less than the possibility of a major regional conflict breaking out looming over every fraught development and every development in the last few hours has been that, fraught. Its also added fuel to a volatile situation. There are reports of a Deadly Strike on a hospital in gaza. Now, the hospital was filled, of course, with the wounded and with palestinians
Israelhamas war. This morning, the Jewish Sabbath also known as chabot, in hebrew. It is a day meant for us, but there is no rest. Today marks one week since the brutal Surprise Attack and massacre in israel, led by the terrorist group, hamas. The death toll is still rising. According to the Israeli Defense forces, at least 1300 people were killed, and 3300 wounded in israel, the Palestinian Ministry of Health Reports more than 2215 have been killed in gaza, and 8714 wounded. Now, at any moment, the Israeli Military could be beginning e Ground Invasion in Northern Gaza. As palestinians scramble to evacuate after receiving just 24 hours notice. They Israels Defense Forces also referred to as the idf, will allow movement on to gaza streets for residents to head south, until 9 am eastern. Were going to begin our live rich coverage with nbc news correspondent kelly, who is reporting on the ground in jerusalem. Kelly, good to see you this morning. Its been about 24 hours since israel ordere
Of Jewish Community leaders. We will bring it to you live when they get underway. And communities in Southern Israel seems to be under relentless fire. Nbc news caught this barrage of rockets in ashkelon, near total darkness, as the sole power plant there has run out of fuel. Israel has been amazing soldiers near the border. The scenes comes out of gaza strip, will be, quote, different to understand and cope with. Ahead, a more devastating stages of wart, Benjamin Netanyahu and benny gantz, have announced an Emergency Government to put it on a wartime footing, even as the recallis are coming to grips with the heinous nature and scope of the Terror Attacks heres what one soldier tells nbc news. I never saw in my life. Its something that we used to imagine as or grandfather and grandfather who grew up in other places. Complicating israels war efforts, the harrowing Hostage Situation. At least 150 men, women, children have been kidnapped by hamas. Hamas is threatening to execute them one
Radicalization. A figure with maximum street cred with extremists. Stokes fear based on racial stereotypes, accuses marginalized populations of being terrorists and then throws in more rhetorical bombs and thats where we findous today. Unchartered territory pap clear escalation in the specificity and repetition of Donald Trumps violent rhetoric in recent days. Donald trump has called for the countrys top Military Official to be executed. Donald trump targeted a court clerk with a baseless smear that throwed a gag order. Hes repeatedly gone after the prosecutors who charged him with 9 1 felony accounts in total and now attacks on White Supremacist rhetoric. On this program we try our hardest not to ever amplify his most dangerous comments but were going to play them for you here today right now, because we believe you should hear the comments from the man himself. Nobody has any idea where these people are coming from and we know they come from prisons, come from mental institutions ins