united states, and around the world. we continue our breaking news coverage of israel at war, i'm john boys. >> the death from israel continues to surge, more than 1200 mostly sense of aliens killed, close to 1000 killed. mostly civilians in gaza. according to the palestinian health ministry. israeli airstrikes on gaza have been unrelenting. according to the idf, and there is no timeline to point when those airstrikes will and hamas fight another barrage of missiles at the southern israeli city of on tuesday with civilians also died in exchange of gunfire with israeli forces. israel preparing for the next round of retaliation calling up more than 300,000 reservists in evacuating civilians from area close to the gaza border, entire cities and communities have been evacuated to safety. israel's defense minister went to the area where tanks and troops amassing, said the offensive against hamas may have started from the air but it would also come from the ground. meantime, israel says rocket launch from syria in the north into territory fell in open areas. israel is also adding tens of thousands of troops to its northern border with limit on. in washington, president joe biden confirmed at least 14 americans were killed in the hamas attacks. the white house says 20 or more americans remain unaccounted for. >> this is an act of sheer evil. more than 1000 civilians slaughtered, stomach turning reports of babies being killed. entire families slain. young people massacred -- these blood serena brings to mind the worst, rampacious of ices. this is terrorism. >> the aircraft carrier uss -- has arrived in the eastern mediterranean, and the first plane to bring u.s. anomie nation has landed in israel. each passing day brings another heuristic a vamp of the wrist talladega of the massive tax. israel reporting 100 bodies in a kibbutz near gaza. >> in another nearby village his report contains graphic content >> the drive into kava is chilling evidence of hamas is butchery everywhere this israel defense force general shot at what he >> found a song about let the death camp in europe, he brings the press >> he did the same inviting about 50 journalists you will see it's a big massacre >> a big disaster. >> have you ever seen anything like this in your? career is all >> known never. >> less than a mile from gaza, seven hamas fighters stormed in here early saturday, some even flying. >> they're telling us this is one of the paragliders that flew in today. you can see the engine here, the propellers here the fuel tanker up here, in the frame of it at the front. >> the idf in control now, after a two-day battle. how mass lie where they fell. only now, the extremes of their barbarity becoming apparent. 700 plus civilians lived here. how many were killed still unclear. how they died brutally apparent. some decapitated they say. >> babies in the front of their parents, they kill parents, and we found babies between the dogs in the family that were killed before them. cut the head of the people. >> each body bag. silent sentinels to the intelligence failure that allowed coppa asthma and others communities near gaza to be overrun and motivation for troops to we wait to switch ourselves from the defenses. we defend our people. >> when you say you're going to attack, will he be going into cause a itself? >> i look to the next. >> you take care of the next hundred yards? >> and then i look forward. >> forward, to a possible showdown with hamas. how and when, still to be determined. nick robinson cnn kfar aza israel >> journalist elie captain is joining us there live. elliott, what do you know about the death toll of the rocky file which continues where we are with the israeli, i guess the amassing on the border for a counteroffensive. put it all together with the lettuce from you tonight? >> john, what we've heard of course from the defense minister, the gloves are off. more than 450 targets that israel is hit in the last 24 hours, and courting to the idf, the death toll according to the broadcaster in israel is at least 1200. to put it in context, that is above half the number of fatalities that israel suffered in the yom kippur war 50 years ago in the gaza strip, since israel launched air strikes in response to hamas attack, more than 900 palestinians have been killed. the death toll is rising of course, as we are seeing in nick robinson's report just there, the sheer horror, and brutality of this attack is becoming clearer by the day with, yo of gallant confirming that some of the victims from hamas's tack were beheaded, talking about women children, toddlers, being brutally butchered by hamas, in the words of idf, in an i.s.i.s. way of action. everyone is now expecting some kind of ground invasion to take place, israel will know that hamas is not only expecting them to go in on the ground, but probably wanting them is to go on in the ground. they will no doubt have booby trapped meaty buildings, they will improvised explosive device. the very real risk that more israelis, israeli soldiers of course in this case, as opposed to the 100 to 150 people already being held by hamas, the real risk that soldiers could be captive, captured, as well as real risk of there being killed as well. we know that from u.s., from president biden that again with another conversation with prime minister netanyahu expressing the u.s. is unwavering support for israel right now. also using the same terms describing hummus as i stress like in the way it is gone a back its attack. calling on the international community to rally around israel, as well for all countries to condemn hamas's attack on israel. the u.s. also putting its money where its mouth is, we know secretary of state antony blinken is on his way to israel, we know that an aircraft carrier has been moved to the east in meta tearing, with the u.s. is already started supplying israel with additional ammunition. more interceptors for that i am don't rocket defense system which of course has been shooting down some of these thousands, or many of these thousands of rockets that have been fired by hamas from the gaza strip, into israel since the early hours of saturday morning. ? john >> elliott in london thank you for the update. >> these really defense million older total siege of gaza with nothing going and are coming. out u.s. is negotiating with israel to allow safe passage for civilians. julie >> this is something we have been discussing with our counterparts in israel and in egypt. without getting into the specifics of safe passage for civilians and so forth, i say it's something the u.s. government is seized within supporting how we do that operationally. >> gathered at the refer border on the, border there with egypt. that crossing point was hit by a's railey airstrike on tuesday. with hundreds who are dead more than 4000 have been wounded in gaza, according to the pistol ian hut ministry. >> these are some of the major strikes would be carried out by the israeli defense for in gaza, as aircraft struck more than 70 targets overnight, palestinian officials say dozens of buildings, residential homes, schools, medical institutions, have all been flattened. including down parts of gaza. cnn's ben leader minh has more >> the gaza city neighborhood once known as its residents would retrieve what they can't, which isn't much. >> israel continues to pound the strip, targeting it says, hamas infrastructure. residents in shock are asking why? >> i got married this year, says this man, what did i do? what have we done? he destroyed an entire neighborhood, he says he never fired a rocket. >> in this one of the most densely populated patches of land on earth, bombs crashing into crowded neighborhoods, rarely differentiated be fighter in civilian. , the death toll rises by the hour. well gazis hospitals are underwhelmed with the wounded, including infants. >> around 40% of the population of gaza is under the age of 15 according to the cia. >> the information ministry and gaza reports that nearly 170 ability of been destroyed, and more than 12,000 residences davin. tens of thousands of fled their homes, seeking refuge and u.n. schools converted into shelters. enough of an in this bakery is shut down, many of the shelves empty. life here was already difficult, and now the future looks bleaker than ever. >> gaza will take five years to raise its head after that says this woman. after five years there will be two or three more wars, it's a catastrophe. >> and that's all this, somewhere in gaza, only hamas knows where, are more than 100 israeli captives fates unknown. >> tuesday afternoon, israel struck gaza's only port, used principally by fishermen. >> well at the same time, hummus unleashed a massive body of rockets -- >> the abyss approaches. ben wedeman cnn, jerusalem. >> with us now from tel aviv's lieutenant colonel jonathan -- spokesman for the israeli defense forces. >> thank you for being with us. >> thank you for having. me >> what's the latest information you have with an exchange of gunfire between israeli soldiers and hamas fighters, in the south, one occasion around a kibbutz, not far from gaza. another in a dust drill in the city of ashkelon, not far from gaza. what do you know about that for? among >> the situation is that there is active. fighting in southern israel, how's must terrorists have been attempting in succeeded in a few instances, to get into israel and attack trying to attack israeli forces, and civilians. the difference between saturday morning and now is that now, all of a sudden israel is saturated with lots of security forces, and these hamas attempts have been met with a ready response, the terrace have been killed, and we are able to slowly restore order, however, we addressed southern israel as an active combat area, where we still proceed with caution, until we are 100% sure, that indeed, all of the terrorists are in fact either dead or taken into custody. >> just to confirm, these are hamas militants who've crossed over from gaza, into israel recently, as opposed to say militants have been laying though, out of sight, since the weekend attack? attack, this is likely, and i caution my words here, it's unconfirmed, it's likely the attack in was ashkelon relayed to a tere border in the air, using a glider, or -- . becky a parachute with an engine behind. that's how they were able to get in, and it is likely the terrorist that were apprehended or killed near kibbutz, where a group of terrorists that you had laid low and waited for an opportunity, or felt that time is running out, and tried to launch an attack. that is probably the situation, even though the details are still to be investigated, and confirmed. >> thank you for that update. they >> are both cross border attacks continuing in the north, is there any indication that these attacks for example, by and hezbollah another iranian backed tara, groups as well of terror groups in the north, are they opportunistic? or are they coordinated? together with hamas? do we know that at this point? >> yes, the situation is that we are fighting on three fronts. gaza front me being the primary one, but a very significant front that could become extremely dangerous is the lebanese front. hezbollah is position there. we have had a few attacks and attempted attacks, anti tank ranges, that was successfully thwarted, and exchange of rocket fire, currently the situation there is tense. but with no fighting, and we are deployed along that border, with additional troops. lots of infantry, artillery, special forces, intel and air for capabilities are organized in that area. we are preparing ourselves, and sending a strong message, of us being prepared, to the enemies on the other side. which you very correctly pointed out, yet another. the biggest iranian proxies that we have. the third an active area of fighting is the golan heights, during the night rockets were fired from syria at israel, luckily no injuries were sustained. we do not know who fired the rockets, it could be syrian armed forces, it could be any of the different iranian proxies that our president, present in syria, and welcomed by syrian regime. or it could be hezbollah that our students station in syria, re-retaliate with fire. and we have currently monitoring the situation. >> all in all, three open fronts, and a tense situation with us focusing mostly on what's going on in the south, and of course, delivering significant blows to hamas via the air. >> with regards to the airstrikes, we think of a, is there a timeline, on how much longer these airstrikes, and they are tailoring fire will continue, some reports of already have 2000 hamas targets have been hit and gaza, is there an idea how many more there are to go? >> there are many more to go, because the gaza strip is full of hamas infrastructure, it is our intention, to strike all of that infrastructure, please remember, the aim of our operations is to achieve a situation where we have been able to take away from hamas all of its military capabilities, at the end of this war we wish to see a situation where hamas won't be able to threaten, or kill a single israeli. >> very quickly, reports from gaza from the stilling, that these rallies are dropping like phosphorus and civilian areas, which is illegal under international law, which response to that? >> i am not aware of any such news of plus first and i can assure you that we are committed to the international law a conflict that is how we act, that is how we will continue to act. despite the atrocities that we are facing. >> colonel thank you for your time sir very much appreciate it. >> thank you. >> now from afghanistan which is been jilted by another powerful quake in the northwest, according to the u.s. geological survey, is the quake was a 6.3 magnitude, the epicenter located near -- province the quake made have been close to the surface raise and fears of casualties in widespread destruction. the area was shaken over the weekend by another powerful quake which led 2000 people dead. more updates on the latest situation from afghanistan as soon as we get them. >> it seems like israeli's strikes are only the beginning, with ground forces masses on the gaza border, growing expectations of a land defensive in the coming days, more on that in a moment as we head to break. images from rome, the arch of tightest next to the coliseum, lit up with israel's colors and the star of david, in a show of solidarity. israel defense minister saying israel battling hamas will be without restraint, gunfire between idf and hamas militants have been reported in a dozen different locations and dozen places in southern israel. israel defencemen are told troops they will hamas will regret this moment. saying gaza will never return to what it. is >> later on we will also come from the ground, we can control the area sin city to, and we are on the offensive. it would only intensify. >> at least four russian citizens were among those killed by among us in israel, russian president vladimir putin has chosen not to condemn amounts. instead, putin turned his criticism toward the united states. cnn's fred pleitgen has our report and warning some of the images are disturbing. >> [speaking in a non-english language] after hundreds of israelis were slaughtered by hamas near gaza, from nations come condolences flowed in from around the world but not from russian leader vladimir putin. now in his first comments, instead of empathy, putin blasting the u.s.. >> translator: this is a clear example of the failure of the united states failure in the middle east. to try to monopolize any settlement between the israelis and palestinians. >> kremlin controlled tv following suit, mocking both america and israel for allegedly being caught off guard by hamas's attack. >> translator: while side in its famous counter intelligence as well as u.s. and its cia slept through hamas's invasion. it's the biggest israeli failure and security since 1973. >> russia has long been allied with israel's staunchest adversaries and hamas's most important backers. bombing syrian rebels in support of pro iranian fighters on the side of syrian president bashir assad during the syrian civil war. but russia also maintained strong ties and security arrangements with israel. putin meeting israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu on many occasions. >> we in no way underestimate the importance of measures that would ensure very strong security of the state of israel. >> but since putin launched his full scale war against ukraine, tehran has become a key ally of israel at israel's expense fostering military and economic ties with iran while tehran supporters eruption army with scores of drones that the russians used to hit ukrainian cities and infrastructure even though tehran denies it. ukraine's president volodymyr zelenskyy says moscow's allegiance in the middle east has shifted towards tehran. >> translator: we see how russian propaganda are floating. we witnessed how moscow's iranian allies openly lend support to those who attacked israel. >> and the kremlinl denied volodymyr zelenskyy's allegations that the russians are trying to inflame the situation between the palestinians in the israel. over the chief rabbi of moscow of course fled rabbi moscow look two weeks after the full-on vision of ukraine, said that the lack of show of support from russia for sir israel is on a sign of deterring deteriorating relations between the two countries. fred pleitgen cnn kyiv. >> they're on the same page u.s. president joe biden echoing this really prime minister, describing hamas is being barbaric as ice. very latest from the white and toast when we come back. you're probably not easily persuaded to switch mobile providers for your business. but what if we told you it's possible that comcast business mobile can save you up to 75% a year on your wireless bill versus the big three carriers? it's true. plus, when you buy your first line of mobile, you get a second line free. there are no term contracts or line activation fees. and you can bring your own device. oh, and all on the most reliable 5g mobile network nationwide. wireless that works for you. it's not just possible. it's happening. welcome back to our viewers here in the united states and in the world. i'm john vause at the cnn center. 30 peanuts past the hour, u.s. president joe biden spoke with a prime on tuesday of israel both in unison outraged of the hamas. attacks u.s. military has arrived cnn's kayla has more now from the. white house >> an incredible violence, that israel is claimed more than 1000 lives biden saying that at least 14 americans that in his words, were not just killed, but slaughtered, in there are an untold number of american hostages there. here is the president. >> israel has the right to respond and indeed has a duty to respond to these vicious attacks democracy like israel in the united states are stronger and when we act according to the rule of law. terrorists, purposely target civilians and kill them. we uphold the laws of war, the law of war, and matters there is a difference. any organization, anyone thinking of taking advantage the situation, i one word, don't. don't. >> as the white house works to pull out all stops and providing assistance to israel reopening ammunition and interceptors for israel's iron dome, and pledging a new package of aid to be discussed with congress upon its return, the white house is also very focused on keeping the war from widening in the region. to that in the u.s. is dispatched a carry strikeforce, to the region. and is also deploying military planes with some of this aid that will be landing in israel, senior administration official while other could be deployed as a show of force to other hostile parties in the region, the white house wants to see what effect those assets have first, secretary of state anthony blinken, will be visiting the region later this week, jens another show of force from the administration as they try to prove that this administration is all in behind israel, even though they said there is no intentional putting american boots on the ground. kayla toshiba, cnn with the white house. >> is a staff writer to the based in tel aviv, he's also author of rise and kill first, the secret history of israel's targeted assassination. ronan thank you for being with us. >> thank you. >> this really have made it clear this military operation is just beginning i want you to listen to mark -- he's a scene near adviser to israeli prime minister periods. >> they started the war, we will finish it, and will have to finish it on our terms. we cannot lose this we have to win, and we have to have decisive, if israeli victory nothing short of that. >> what does this decisive israeli victory look like? they can flatten gaza, that doesn't mean they can destroy hamas. >> this is defense establishment all understand they cannot destroy hamas, it is very social, military, tara test movement, but the israeli leadership that beyond the sense of retaliation, beyond the sense of doing justice with those murders, butchers, beyond dealing with their leaders. israel needs to have a clear victory because if it doesn't, then other jihadists will be doing the same, and so, it's going to be, israel should i do something very different. all the different other with hamas, moralis and in the same place that it started, meaning, or doing something else would be, to have a decisive victim,. so the regime of hamas, not the movement, but disassemble the regime, capture kill the leaders, i assume, israel would not want to ruin gaza, and handed over to the arab, the united nations. there is going to be a lot of aggression, in order to make this clear, -- >> in terms of where this conflict is actually heading, how much will be done by what hezbollah has decides to do in the war, is israel is facing another significant front in the north, how does that change security salsa in the south and dealing with gaza? >> so first of all, with all due respect to houma's strength, and their ability to execute this horrifying operation. israel is much stronger, understands that, in israel is sending clear messages to of hezbollah two kinds, that israel will not but second, everything even the smallest firing will israel react forcefully in order to try to prevent the escalation. if another front is open for israel, then a course israeli army, another defense establish looked whose words were cope to. because one of the reason israel is losing so much force in the south, as to show the secretary general hezbollah, to show him what would happen to beirut in case. not just what happened in case of the north, but also trying to do something in the south to prevent the north from happening. >> there have been a number across border tax, hezbollah has initiated fire rockets and there has been a response from israel. any indication it's opportunistic? or is it being coordinated with hamas in any way? >> that is a question, that's having in debate between different intelligence agencies between countries also the new york times, my colleague in my are getting contradictive reporting from different entities involved. iran, and iranian hezbollah's sources claim that they are coordinated, israel is trying to play this down and say most of what hamas is doing is hummus initiative, and it is not coordinated, maybe the general framework, helping with -- it's clear that the members of the so-called, axis of resistance. are now much better coordinated, and the headquarters, headquarters outside of israel and palestine both hamas. in the recent few months relocated from damascus where they felt less safe from israeli bomb, to the -- where that head bore quarters of hezbollah is located. taking shelter over there. when you have all those together, with iranian representative, you can just imagine coordination is accelerated. >> want to listen more from the white house, on the americans who are now missing and maybe held hostage in gaza. listen to this. >> we do not know about their condition and we can not confirm a precise number of american citizens, we believe there is 20 or more, who at this point are missing. i want to underscore and stress that does not mean necessarily there are 20 or more american hostage justice, those are the number currently unaccounted for. >> given the involvement of u.s. citizens in this conflict, some of them being likely being held hostage in gaza, we don't know how many. does this mean any kind of rescue effort is that entirely an israeli operation, does the u.s. have in quite, are they directly involved. how will this play out? >> i think that we can see from all comments coming from president biden, secretary of state national security adviser, they are in full support of israel, it seems very much coordinated with israeli leaders and commanders. the decision on the p o w, or hostage will be taken by israel. i think regrettably, at this time when israel has a first already to win the war, as we said before. decisive victory. the issue of the p.o.w.'s, the hostage is, are gonna be a lower priority. so israel report to the u.s., israel has one goal, if they are right politically that goal isn't some kind of contradiction to risking the lives of hostages, israel will have a decision, a hard decision to make. at the end, will strive to win, and give less emphasis to the issue of the lives, or rescue the hostages because the other alternative, not finding hamas now, surrender, to their demands. we'll according to these really, we'll just invite more and more of those acts. israel wants to put a stop, to this war. >> you put that in very delicate terms, best i've heard anyone say so far. thank you for that. >> thank you so much. >> we'll take a short bike, when we come back, unimaginable english, from the hostages being held by hamas, now pleading for help to save their lives. coming up to 45 minutes past, hour welcome back. white house officials say they are inactive conversations with israel to try and bring american hostages home. cnn's becky anderson spoke with the relatives of some of the hostages who are pleading their governments to do whatever they can. some of the details and becky's report are -- some of the images are disturbing. >> a massacre as it unfolded. video of armed fighters rampaging through the -- in southern israel close to the gaza border. towards the and, for bodies lying lifeless on the ground. and more. this video showing some of the bodies being removed. the -- home to 66-year-old -- last seen saturday morning. adrian, a, nurse now missing presumed captured by hamas. distraught, her son who grew up flew from his home in california as soon as he heard the news, along with the relatives of three other missing americans he's pleading for the u.s. and israel to do everything possible to get their loved ones released. >> the israeli government has to bring hostages. i also want to speak about the responsibility that the u.s. administration, president biden and the secretary of state blinken has for the lives of every u.s. citizen that is out there. >> for these families, the frustration is palpable. as fighting intensifies, top of an imminent ground incursion into gaza. the fate of the hostages, a terrifying prospect in another -- more carnage. this was home to 35-year-old -- now missing presumed captured by hamas militants. his father jonathan, also pleading for action from the u.s. administration, as he tries to come to terms with what has happened, and what happens next. >> my children and grandchildren who -- young family and another young family, experienced a -- for the better part of 20 hours. they are young children, and young men and women who cannot me anything other than traumatized by what they witnessed. my job know is to try and put the pieces back together. >> for families experiencing a living -- unable to process how this happened, and how it will end. >> it is our hope that it is a bit ridiculous at this stage to say that the optimistic scenario here is that -- is held hostage in gaza, and not dead on the street of -- >> becky anderson, cnn, tel aviv. >> coming up here on cnn, a logistical nightmare getting foreign nationals out of israel and nearly all flights canceled. some countries are airlifting their nationals to safety. >> with missile fire continuing to come from gaza -- airlines continue to cancel flights into tel aviv airport. so many left stranded, to governments around the world have begun their own evacuation flights. 135 mexican nationals were airlifted out on tuesday evening, is they get military flights scheduled for dozens more who requested to leave his on its way. german korea lufthansa will operate several specialized from israel at the request of the german government, that is on thursday and friday. air france is -- evacuation flight thursday. most palestinians are unable to leave gaza as israeli airstrikes continue. they can leave their, homes but after that they simply have nowhere else to go. cnn's salma abdelaziz has the very latest, and once again a warning, her report contains a concerning a graphic images. >> parts of gaza turned into ruins as israel continues to pound other coastal stretch. my whole building, it is all gone, the man behind this camera says. with countless civilians caught in the crosshairs, and under siege. israel says it is targeting terrorist sites where -- emanated from as it has to obliterate a masters military capabilities no matter the cost. but that cost inside this densely populated on clay will be steep, a place all too familiar with suffering bracing for even more. this mother among the tens of thousands in gaza forced to flee their homes. why is this our fault? what did my children do? there is no electricity, internet, food, or water. why she says. now i am on the street. tell me where should i go. and in what are only the first days of israel's military operation, hundred already dead here. this morgue overwhelmed with bodies. among the killed, two dozen journalist struck down while doing their jobs palestinians say in this graphic video, friends cry over the body of -- still wearing his -- flap jacket. on the other side of the gaza wall, the war simonsen flicked it here and becoming clear. more than 100 bodies were rishi from this one small is really community of -- days after the assault. >> then we thought we saw everything, but it came yesterday when we went into -- and we saw the -- what was done to the families. >> most of these neighborhoods now ghost towns, as hamas rockets continue to rain down soldiers going door-to-door to find military -- both dead and alive. >> it is not over yet. we did not know -- the last engagement with enemy or terrorist here -- -- this is not a war it is a terror attack. >> and because it has yet to bear israel's full firepower. prime minister netanyahu has vowed a response unlike anything ever seen before. but for, now it is a waiting game. a matter of when, not if. some abdelaziz, cnn, london. >> if you would like information about how to help humanitarian efforts in israel and gaza, please go to cnn.com/impact. we have a list of vetted organizations currently responding to this crisis on both sides. you're watching cnn newsroom. i'm john vause, we will be back with more news after a short break. see you in a moment.