Bonus make everyday a wedding cnn newsroom. Im Max Foster Im Christina Macfarlane hello, and a very warm welcome to our viewers joining us from the United States and all around the world. Im Christina Macfarlane. Its tuesday, september 10, 9 00 a. M. Here In London, 4 00 a. M. In philadelphia, where Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will meet facetoface for the first time later today. Today when the two take to the debate stage. And what has the potential to be an election defining moment. The democratic president ial nominee arrived in philadelphia on the eve of the debates after days of preparation for the highstakes showdown. Sources say the Harris Campaign has been preparing her for possible insults and namecalling from trump while Trumps Team is previewing Attack Lines and even claiming that harris has really been The One in charge of the country, not biden the debate will take place in the key Battleground State of pennsylvania, which the candidates are hoping to sway voters who are still undecided. Arson trump have both been talking about what they are back to come from the confrontation he plays through this really old and tired playbook, right . Where he theres no floor for him in terms of how long he will go. And we should be prepared for that. And he tends to fight for himself, not for the american people. And i think thats going to come out during the debate, how theyre waiting for the debate. You know . If i destroy her in the debate, theyll say trump suffered a You Milley Aiding Defeat today. No matter what well, cnns Jeff Zeleny has more now from philadelphia Donald Trump, and Kamala Harris have spent months talking about one another. If comrade Kamala Harris gets four more years, you will be living a full blown banana republic. If you got something to say on tuesday night, they will talk to one another in a duel seen around the world. But whats one of the most important audiences . Here in pennsylvania i dont know if ive really know until its time to actually vote. This will be trumps seventh debate more than any nominee in history. Harris and her team have studied all of the previous 63 with hillary clinton. The no, no. Its pretty clear free with Joe Biden, would you which offer lessons for both sides for harris, its a marquee moment to show americans she is ready to assume the presidency. A question very much on the minds of voters and pivotal Bucks County just outside philadelphia were signs of support for all sides are inescapable by nature. Im a republican, always voted republican not sure this year. Im going to go with trump regardless dont know enough about Kamala And Big Deals with the border a my hope is that theyre going to tell us what theyre going to do, not what the other person has done Wrong Pennsylvania is at the center of the president ial race with Harris Trump in their allies spending more than any other battleground 82 Million from republicans. As a fight to define the Vice President dominates the airwaves. Its a very different vision than Donald Trumps dangerously liberal. Kamala harris is no laughing Matter Harris has spent the last five days in pittsburgh preparing for the debate. Look, its time to turn the page on the divisiveness its time to bring our country together chart a new way forward. In a Weekend Rally in wisconsin, trump argued, he is the true candidate of change change. Kamala harris and the communist left have unleashed a brutal plague of bloodshed crime, chaos, misery, and death upon our land. And its only going to get worse that rhetoric raises the question of what Tone Trump intends to strike and whether it will be sexist, as he often was against clinton in 2016. She doesnt have the look she doesnt have the stamina or seize upon policies of the Biden Harris Administration as he did in june, we had the safest border in history. Now we have the worst border in history. Trump has been familiarizing himself with old harris debates to mr. Vice president. Im speaking im speaking if you dont mind letting me finish, we can then have a conversation. Okay. Please. Okay. Those stinging moments from a former prosecutor now trying to make the case that she can turn the page to the presidency when Harris And Trump come together on that debate stage, it will be the first meeting that theyve had. And that is because Donald Trump did not attend the inauguration in January 2020 wanting when harris, of course, was sworn in as Vice President , that is why they have never met before. But they certainly have been sparring at long distance and they will come together at close range on tuesday night. There is no question. This is the most important moment so far. In their brief president Ial Campaign Jeff Zeleny cnn, des little well joining. Me now from washington, discuss this is jacob jacob rubashkin. Rubashkin, Devotee Editor for inside elections, sheriff. Thank you so much for joining me we know that both candidates at this moment have been deep in their debate. Bunkers waiting for this moment for Donald Trump, of course course its going to be an opportunity to turn the page on what has been a very rough summer for he and his campaign, but for Kamala Harris, well, this is going to be the biggest moment of her political career. I guess ill open by just asking, what does each Candidate Need to do to win tonight . Well, good morning, christina. Both candidates have a big task in front of them at this debate in pennsylvania tonight, look for harris. This is a really pivotal moment in the campaign. She is still new to the campaign trail, really only taking over the reins of the Democratic Party a couple of weeks ago, she has to introduce her herself to a broad swath of the american people. She got that homecoming for democrats at the Democratic National Convention last month. But those were partisan affairs. The debate will be her first best and potentially last opportunity to speak to upwards of 60, 607,080 million voters who are undecided, who for more moderate, who are less partisan than the Dnc Audience and set the terms of that introduction for herself rather than letting trump define her instead. For the former president hes got to show that hes still up to the task he has had a rough couple of weeks since Joe Biden dropped out and Kamala Harris replaced him at the top of the ticket. Hes got to show that he can still control the narrative. This has been the longest stretch of the campaign, pretty much since he came down that escalator in 2015, where he has not been the center of attention. And thats an uncomfortable place for him. So look for him to try and seize the but botlike back tonight in pennsylvania much as we know, has been made of Kamala Harriss prosecutors skills. She is known as a tough questioner or has been in the senate. But we know, of Course Tonight that the mics will be closed for this debate, not open so how do you think Kamala Harris will deal with the the Fact Checking of Donald Trump in real time or even trying to rein him in, given the fact that she wont be able to retaliate in the moment. I think that Vice President harris will find a way to take it to trump to challenge him directly early. And often this was something we didnt see in that first debate june between trump and Joe Biden, President Biden was unable to prosecute any sort of case against trump, even when he was handed layups easy, easy opportunities to State Attack lines against trump to bring up issues like abortion. He just wasnt able to direct the attention in the way that i think a lot his party wanted him to do so. But by virtue of simply being 20 years younger, i think harris is going to have an easier time than biden did, despite the fact that those mics well be off when theyre not supposed to be speaking, but the other thing i think is that these debates can be very free flowing and regardless of whether the mics are off or not i think both candidates are not going to feel like they have to rein themselves in if they get frustrated, are they want to make their case to the american people and ultimately itll be up to the moderators to really decide whether It Devolves are not well, well, trumbull phil, he wont want to be reined in, but his team might feel otherwise desperate for him to stick to talking about policy and not veer into sort of rambling incoherent moments. Do you think hes going to be able to control that impulse to stick to the Policy Look as jeff said, this is now trump has done this for more than a Half Dozen times at a Half Dozen president ial debates over the course of three, a general elections. He did all those primary debates back in 2015 and 2016 as well. This is a familiar story. We always hear ahead of time that trumps handlers, his remain focused on the polic and steer away from the personal attacks and every debate for the first 15 or 20 minutes, maybe even half an hour, hes able to do that. He shows up, hes more subdued. He tries to hit his notes and eventually he is unable to resist the opportunity to go after his opponent when theyre standing there right in front of him. This is the first time that the two of them are going to meet. I think its going to be a very combustible Situation And Trump runs the risk of getting knocked off course especially because harris is most likely going to try to goad him into getting off course potentially even saying something that he wishes he didnt say. Hes going to be a fascinating contest, isnt it . And a pivotal moments in American Politics so, thank you so much for your thoughts for now, jacober. Hopefully well get them again after the rate has happened. Thanks a lot. Thanks be sure to tune in for our special coverage of the abc News President ial debates simulcast here On Cnn, it will air tonight at 9 00 p. M. Eastern time in the u. S. Thats 9 00 a. M. Wednesday in Hong Kong and two in the morning here In London turning now to gaza, where officials say at least 40 people are dead after an israeli airstrike on an area which was supposed to be a safe zone for displaced palestinians a desperate search for survivors is underway, but Gaza Civil Defense says crews are facing great difficulty in retrieving victims due to the lack of resources. Israel says it was striking hamas terrorists operating a Command Center embedded in the humanitarian zone and it took steps to prevent harm to civilians. But it gaza civil Defense Spokesperson says there was no Advance Warning of the Strike Hamas denies its fighters were present in were P Area for more, lets go to cnns Paula Hancocks is Tracking Developments and pull it is very difficult to verify israels claim that it took steps to prevent harm to civilians. But what more do we know about the circumstances of the attack and the rescue . Effort underway right now well, cristina, we understand that there is still a Search And Rescue operation by the Gaza Civil Defense. They have said that its it is very difficult because they dont have the heavy equipment necessary for this kind of operation. Its very sunday ground. We know that there were tents that were set up in that area. A humanitarian zone, it was called by the Israeli Military at where many thousands of palestinians had moved to after they were evacuated. From other areas. Now what were hearing from the ground, from the palestinian side is that there were some 200 tents believed to be in that particular area. And at least 20 of them have completely disappeared. Were hearing from gazas civil defense the eyewitnesses said they were around five strikes and three large craters have been left at that desperately trying to see if they can find any more survivors. We dont have any kind of breakdown on potential militants versus civilians. But what were hearing from the israeli side is that hamas had a Command And Control center, which was embedded in the midst of this humanitarian zone. Weve just had another statement from the military saying that three senior hamas operatives were killed in this operation, or at least they were The Ones being targeted, including the head of a massive aerial operations according to the Israeli Military, saying that they all had direct involvement in directing the October 7 attacks against israel. They also say that hamas has been embedding itself in the humanitarian zone and using civilians as human shields, something we have heard persistently from the israeli side. It isnt the first time that weve seen this kind of strike against hamas targets that israel say within a humanitarian zone. In fact, just in midjuly, there was a targeted attack against mohammed deif, who was a senior Military Commander who Israel Claims did die in that particular strike, but more than 90 palestinians also died. It is an area that is, it is filled with tents, cities unsanitary. There is limited Food Water humanitarian aid. It has been criticized by many humanitarian aid groups as not being suitable as an area for evacuees and for those displaced palestinians in gaza to be moved too. But once again, we see that some civilians within that area have also been lost. Their lives are been injured because of this strike. We understand at this point and these are figures coming from the Gaza Civil Defense, more than 40 killed, more than 60 injured. But of course, the Health Infrastructure in gaza is it has been decimated. So for those more than 60 injured, it is very difficult time at the moment as well. We have Cnn Photojournalist on the ground. We are waiting for more images and for more information as it comes. But from the israeli side they say that it was a necessary target, that it was three senior hamas operatives that they targeted. They did say that they took steps to mitigate civilian harm, including precise munitions and aerial Surveillance Christina all right. Paula hancocks, well of course, bring you those details as we get them with our Camera Person on the ground. But for now, paula, thanks very much. Joining me now from the humanitarian zone in Central Gaza is sam rose, senior Deputy Director of u. N. Affairs in the enclave as sam, thank you for joining us. Were. Just hearing from paula there about the damage that has been wrought by this this attack, 200 tense, 40 killed, 60 injured. What is your understanding at the moment of the situation in this camp, the al mawasi camp. And how many people have in fact been injured and killed . Absolutely. Thanks for having me on what were seeing. Were hearing the same devastating horrifying reports as you were seeing the fuzzy Edge Weve not been able to confirm it so with our own eyes, but we believe that, yet again this was another attack on an area that civilians have been ordered to evacuate to and where they would be he said absolutely horrifying incident based on what were seeing from the footage that is coming through and what were hearing from colleagues on the ground. And if you if you try and picture the area, these are the most crowded surroundings you could imagine theres barely room to walk inbetween sense that a crowded onto beaches, it was late at night. Colleagues heard what they believe were that were the strikes and and just absolutely devastating, no way whatsoever that the civilians in these areas were able to protect themselves from what yet, again, was a completely unannounced attack in an area that civilians have been ordered to evacuate to for their own safety . Absolutely devastating. Unfortunately, so as far as youre aware, there was no forewarning of this attack from your colleagues who are close to the area that that came under attack no, that were aware of. And i mean, it wouldnt be the first time that there hasnt been been a warning, Cant Confirm it absolutely. But no, certainly not not that were aware of. And this is as i say, just the latest in a series of incidents that are becoming so frequent, they become normal, but there anything but normal for the people in these areas, half the population of gaza is under 18. Some of the people in those camps were precisely the same children who were being vaccinated by that parents, just a couple of days ago, theyd go home and then all of a sudden hell breaks loose, yet again. Absolutely devastating. Whats happened . And as paula was saying this is not the first time a safe son has been hit. Its not the first time the Almawazi Camp has been hit how many more humanitarian socalled safe zones are there for people to evacuate to and how functional, how important was this particular camp that got hit . I mean, we should dispel ourselves of the notion of a Safety Zone as weve seen through this incident and previous incidents, nowhere is safe for anyone right now in gaza, there is about 85 of the Gaza Strip that is not currently subject to an evacuation in orders. So this is a small overcrowded parcel of land on theinfrastructure, very limited availability to provide services, protect people living in tents the plastic sheets that from what we what we can hear just disappeared beneath the ground. Either they were hit directly or those in the surrounding areas just got swallowed up by the by the Bomb Damage the pursuit of hamas commanders has been very deadly for palestinians, and i just wonder what you make of the claim here that hamas had an operational center in the middle or based in and around this humanitarian camp. Do you know that to be true . And what do you make of the kind of repetitive . If attacks to root out hamas leaders among humanitarian areas i mean, i obviously i Cant Confirm or deny this specific incident where we are humanitarian organization, we dont get involved. What i can say its perhaps three things. One is that there are rules of war rules around how wars are prosecuted in relation to Principles Distinction between civilian character of certain areas and military character of certain areas. And we call on both sides and all parties to the conflict to adhere to those principles. There are also principles of precaution and distinction. Proportionalit