hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the united states and all around the world. just ahead on "cnn newsroom" -- >> israeli forces say they have seized key areas in northern gaza. >> our operation that was launched in the early hours of this morning in the area of al-shifa hospital. >> the house has voted on a plan to avoid a government shutdown on friday. >> this was a very important first step to get us to the next stage so we can change how washington works. >> president biden, xi jinping will be meadeeting in san francisco. >> we're not trying to decouple from china, what we're trying to do is change the relationship for the better. live from london, this is "cnn newsroom" with max foster and bianca nobilo. >> it is wednesday, november 15, 9:00 a.m. in london, 11:00 a.m. in gaza where there is an ongoing operation at the largest moment. so far we're hearing the israeli army has found no sign of hostages that israel said might have been held at al-shifa, but troops are still searching. a local journalist says that there are also interrogation operations inside the buildings, there is violent gunfire and the israeli army is calling on young men to come up with their hands up and surrender. officials have accused hamas of hiding a command center below the hospital that they deny. the health center says this is a new crime against humanity. the hospital has no power or supplies and is no longer opera operational. and clare, they always claimed the issue was beneath the hospital. >> to get to whatever is beneath, you have to go through the hospital. they have said that, idf, they are work at a specified position. it is a sprawling complex. but the account we've just had from a palestinian reporter suggests that they might be in more than one location, soldiers are in buildings and departments conducting search and interrogations trying to bring out young men, trying to distinguish obviously hamas from civilians. now, the idf given the pressure they are under do more particularly from the u.s. to protect civilians to specify, to emphasize that they are doing their very best, they called in medical teams, rarearabic speak and they say they did warn the hospital they were coming. >> when approaching the hospital, we indeed informed the administrators to keep away from the windows, to make sure that the patients and civilians inside the complex keep away from the windows and take cover because we intend on conducting our military operation in order to differentiate and distinguish between civilians and the terrorists. >> so that is what they are trying to do. they say hamas has sized on it even blaming the u.s. saying u.s. had given a green light to commit more massacres against civilians. according to u.s. irneveryone i they believe hamas it at the hospital. of course hamas is denying it. and of course this is not empty, this hospital. there are thousands of civilians, the estimate from hamas control health authorities earlier this week was 7,000 displaced people and 1500 medical staff. monday we heard about 700 patients were still there including some of the most vulnerable. so this will be a major test, a major point in this conflict and test of israel's commitment do more to protect civilians. >> clare, thank you. let's bring in our u.n. special capital. thank you for joining us. there is a huge amount of debate and concern about this incursion into the hospital. what do you understand the rules of international law to be around that? because hospitals are protected, aren't they, but if the israelis can argue that it is being used for military reasons, they would have a case, wouldn't they, for going in. >> max, let me put things in context before i answer your question. more than 11,000 people have been killed. 4,000 of them are children. there has been no care and no attention and no precaution to prevent civilian loss. i'm sorry. the context is horrific. more hor horrific. to your question. hospitals are civilian objects protected under humanitarian law. when there is ed that needs to be provided that hospital is being used for military purposes, in that case the hospital loses its civilian status. its protected status. and at the same time, the nurses, the doctors, the 700 patients, the 7,000 civilians who have sought shelter in this hospital have to be protected. this is not happening. the level of terror among civilian population in gaza is unspeakable. it is incredible that the international community has not called for a ceasefire now. israel is not capable to protect civilians. this is clear. the rest is just enabling this massacre of civilians in gaza. >> a local journalist telling us that israeli troops are also conducting interrogation operations inside the building, so you assume that they are speaking to medical staff and patients. is that appropriate do you think? >> do we realize that these people have been bombed every second without respite for 37 plus days and are incredibly exhausted? i can't even imagine what an interrogation can be. look, there is the need, urgent, to have a massive multilateral international intervention to stop israel from what it is doing. this is not self-defense. self-defense under international law can't be invoked against a population kept under belligerent occupation and under the extreme circumstances that the people in gaza have been forced to leave and operate in. i mean, this is beyond what words can describe. >> the israelis saying -- providing incubators for the babies that we've been reporting on. also trying to find a way to give them passage out of the hospital. they seem to be, you know -- what do you make of that and their efforts to protect the civilians that obviously you and everyone else are so concerned about? >> look, there is only one way to protect the civilians. it is to end the occupation, to end the killing that is being perpetrated under the fog of war. we need a ceasefire. this is the only thing that is going to protect civilians. i've said it from the very first hours of this military operation which is not the first one, i mean this is the sixth war that israel wages against the people in gaza, the besieged people in gaza. there is no way that israel is going to protect civilians. and again, i mean, you are talking -- you are asking me about babies taken into incubators. i don't have this operation. but babies have already died because they were taken out of incubators because there was no fuel. there has been no essential supplies allowed into gaza while gaza was being bombed. this is a crime because preventing essential supplies, preventing humanitarian aid from entering a conflict zone is a crime. >> francesca, appreciate your time today. thank you for joining us. the white house says president biden is ready to sign a funding bill approved by the house if it passes the senate. house lawmakers passed the build tuesday to keep the government running and avoid a shutdown. melanie zanona has more from washington. >> reporter: the house has voted on a plan to avoid a government shutdown on friday, but speaker mike johnson had to rely on democratic votes to do it. in the end the vote breakdown was 209 democrats and 107 republicans voted for this plan to keep the government open. and that was far more democratic support than republican support. almost an identical vote tally to the one that got former speaker kevin mccarthy booted from the speakership. so now this bill will head to the senate where we're expecting it to easily pass before the friday deadline. but one of the big questions looming over the house vote is whether or not speaker mike johnson was going to suffer the same fate as kevin mccarthy who also put a stopgap spending bill on the floor that did not include spending cuts and that also relied heavily on democratic support to get it passed. but the conservatives that we've been talking to say their ability to give mike johnson a pass here, that has caused some of mccar thkcarthy's allies to them with hypocrisy. >> we trust what he is doing. he met with us last night. he in his opinion had no other choice. got a three vote, two vote majority. >> let's be clear, kevin mccarthy was not thrown out because of the stopgap funding measure, that was the excuse people used, there were people fixing for a fight. >> i mean,ly pock lyhypocrisy washington is nothing new. >> so johnson managed to avoid a right wing rebellion at least for now, but there are signs of challenges do because the new speaker promised that this will be the last stopgap spending bill that he puts on the floor. so all eyes are on the next government funding deadlines early next year. melanie zanona, cnn, capitol hill. and tensions flared among some republican lawmakers on capitol hill on tuesday as a senator says he doesn't regret challenging a witness at a hearing to a fist fight. and in the house one member accused former house speaker kevin mccarthy of elbowing him in the back. sunlen serfaty reports from capitol hill. >> sit down. look at you. you're a united states senator. act like it. sit down, please. >> reporter: breakdown in decorum today on capitol hill. >> i want to expose this thug to who he is. >> you don't point at me, that is disrespectful. >> i don't care about respecting you at all. >> reporter: the senator bringing a congressional hearing to a halt standing up and challenging the witness to a fist fight. >> this is a time, this is a place you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. >> that is fine, perfect. >> want do it now? >> i'd love doto do it now. >> stand your butt up then. >> reporter: and the senator read tweets that the teamsters president sean o'brien wrote being critical of the senator. >> what a clown, a fraud. always has been, always will be. quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. you know where to find me, anytime, anyplace. >> reporter: leading to numerous attempts by the chairman of the committee to break up the altercation that ensued. >> hold it. senator, i have the mike. you have questions on economic issue, go for it. we're not here to talk about physical abuse. >> reporter: after mullins said he didn't regret it. >> i didn't start it. i have no beef with the guy. >> reporter: and in the house congressman burchett says kevin mccarthy elbowed him in the back. >> it was a clean shot to the kidneys and there was kevin. >> reporter: mccarthy denied it saying they were in a narrow hallway. burchett saying it was intentional. >> 4235 congressman, i was one f eight that voted against him. in that hallway, there is plenty of room. he chose do what he did. >> reporter: elsewhere on capitol hill -- >> that is bullshit -- >> reporter: tensions also boiling over at an oversight hearing. >> the american public has the same questions. why should they believe you? there is a different -- >> reporter: devolving into name calling between chairman and the freshman. >> you look like a smirk here. >> and one historian says the tension is a result of the party's dysfunction and unraveling of its structure and traditional unity. that listen. >> what we're seeing is ref reflective of the state of affairs in congress in the republican party and the state of the nation. by that i mean if you think about what pololitical parties typically can do, one of the things that they can do in one way or another is enforce discipline of some kind, party discipline, take measures in line, keeping them from perhaps punching each other or maybe shoving them in a hallway or throwing out names in a hearing, and another thing that political parties typically can do is they have an agenda or a mission or a policy that draws them together and united them and enables them to w work together. and again, tamps down some of the kind of behavior that we saw today. so part of what went through my mind as a historian, when we're looking at the impact of a party that is not a functional party and without all of the things that party does, all of the control that it can enforce, we're seeing all of this sort of flying off at all sides as to uncontrolled behavior in congress. >> new economic data shows inflation continues to cool in the u.s. and that news sent the markets soaring on tuesday. the dow jumped almost 500 points. nasdaq and s&p 500 had their best days since april. the gains on wall street came after the consumer price index fell to 3.2% in october after rising the previous two months. investors are hopeful that the federal reserve can now avoid more interest rate hikes while continuing to bring consumer prices down. california's governor says the closed portion of the major freeway in los angeles which was ravaged by a massive fire over the weekend will be repaired and reopened in three to five weeks. investigators believe the fire was set intentionally and are working to determine who is responsible. more than 300,000 drivers use this particular stretch of interstate 10 every day and the closure means that traffic nightmare for commuters in those living in the area. china's president now in california ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with joe biden. just their second sitdown in three years. we'll have a preview. and plus with less than a year to go until the 2024 election, the u.s. president facing an uphill battle with a key group that helped put him into office. we'll hear from young voters with t their thougughts on theh fofor the whitite house. president biden says he is looking to improve ties with china. china's leader arrived in san francisco tuesday ahead of his meeting with mr. biden in the bay area where they are attending the asia pacific cooperation forum, xi's first visit to the u.s. in more than six years. president biden says that he wants to get the two countries communicating more regularly after months of tension. the u.s. has been working to restore military communications with china after beijing cut off contact following a visit to taiwan by nancy pelosi. kristie lu stout is joining us from hong kong. we won't get a big communique or anything out of this, but in large part isn't it about body language and making sure the two don't increase tensions and just calm things down a bit? >> absolutely. it is about just their presence, about that you have leader to leader engagement taking place soon, but in these two powers. and the meeting is a clear sign that both biden and xi want to manage this complicated relationship. u.s. president biden and xi jinping will soon be meeting on the sidelines of the apec summit in the san francisco bay area. xi arrived tuesday and greeted on the tarmac at the airport in san francisco by the california state governor and also by the treasury secretary janet yellen as well as china's ambassador to the united states. ahead of the summit, both china and the u.s. announced an agreement to tackle global warming by ramping up renewables. and that was a positive note of collaboration to tee up the big leadership meeting. and today we just heard from china's ministry of foreign affairs, a spokesperson said that the key to improving relations is working together with, quote, mutual respect. on tuesday we heard from u.s. president biden, he said that he is looking to normalize communication. he also said that the u.s. doesn't want to decouple from china, it wants to improve the economic relationship, but he also added that china's economy, quote, has real problems. xi is expected to wine and dine with u.s. business execs in the bay area on wednesday evening. a top agenda item for biden and xi is restoring military communication at the highest level which was cut off after former house speaker nancy pelosi visited taiwan last year. the u.s. is also seeking action on fentanyl. fentanyl precursor chemicals have been traced to companies in china. and tensions have flared over the chinese spy balloon, fentanyl, taiwan, the south china sea as well as economic issues like trade, like access to sensitive technology. now, when they meet, global issues will also loom large including israel-hamas, ukraine and north korea. back to you. >> kristie lu stout, thank you. now to ukraine where the chief of staff for the country's president said ukrainian troops have made a key advancement in the southern kherson region securing a foothold on the eastern bank of the toddnipro river. first time a senior official have acknowledged that ukrainian troops have sustained a presence there. russia withdrew its forces from the west side a year ago. but until now, the counteroffensive has only made incremental gains. still to coume, thousands marchd to show solidarity with israels. what they are saying. and plus the fulton county district attorney giving new details about how long the state's election subversion case against donald trump could last. welcome back. let me bring you up-to-date with our top stories this hour. the u.s. house passes a stopgap measure to avoid a government shutdown and now the bill moves to the senate. but a recent string of altercations on capitol hill underscores how high tensions remain amongst members of congress. and israel's military says its operation at al-shifa hospital is ongoing. the army has not yet found any indication that hostages are inside the hospital. meanwhile in israel, calls are growing louder to secure the release of hundreds of hostages taken by hamas during the october 7 attacks. [ chanting ] >> hundreds of families of those being held captive kicked off a five day march in tel aviv demanding the government to do more to bring their loved ones home. they plan to march to benjamin netanyahu's residence in jerusalem. and this was the scene in washington as a large crowd of people descended on the national mall to show solidarity with israel. brian todd was there and has this report. >> we stand! >> reporter: a show of support drawing tens of thousands including lawmakers from both parties. >> survival of the state of israel and her people unites us together. >> reporter: a rally to support israel at a time of war. >> we support israel's fight to rid itself of the terror threat and restore safety and security to its people. >> reporter: and to push for the release of hostages held by hamas. the mother of a hostage pressing for action. >> why is the world accepting that 240 human beings from almost 30 countries have been stolen and buried alive? >> reporter: she has seven family members kidnapped, including a 3-year-old niece. >> i don't know if anyone is holding her hand, keeping her warm. we don't know anything. >> reporter: she came here from israel worried the public's attention is focusing elsewhere. >> people are talking about ceasefire, a pause, but they aren't talking about the hostages. >> reporter: and it also focused on anti-semitic amid a spike on college campuses and elsewhere. >> college and university presidents, if you remain weak and silent, you are complicit. >> reporter: political graffiti against israel was found at the rally site tuesday morning. >> what scares me now is the anti-semitic i'sm i'm seeing in u.s. seeing it that in the open is terrifying so also good to be here with people in solidarity. >> reporter: at the rally calls for action against hate. >> like our ancestors who for 3,000 years looked hate straight in the eyes, we too will prevail. >> reporter: tight security in d.c. with road blocks and checkpoints, with rallies to support israel dueling with rallies to support palestinians in a battle to win over public opinion. >> i support everybody's right to protest. i just wish that people would come at it from a perspective of peace and co-existence. >> reporter: several we spoke to said they hope there was an understanding that rally in support of israel was not a rally against palestinians. one of the speakers, who is related to six hostages being held by hamas, told the crowd that the simp