where some of the worst violence occurred men, women and children slaughtered, and the bodies of hamas terrorists still lying in the streets the danger here constant the moment we heard the air raid siren, leaving our van to take shelter in a bunker and a desperate need at a hospital we visited. the long lines to donate blood and just in, the u.s. carrier group arriving in the region, and the warning to iran, did it have a role in the attacks? also back home, the breaking news. the new charges just announced against embattled congressman george santos. our special edition of "nightly news" begins now. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt, reporting tonight live from israel. >> good evening and welcome from israel, where hamas rockets once again flew overhead toward israel sirens sounding, sending many of us into shelters, and reminding that hamas is still pressing its deadly attack. pain of the terror assault being felt far beyond israel tonight. president biden confirming in addition to 14 americans dead, 20 or more are missing. tonight, i speak to americans here who are demanding the biden administration take responsibility for finding and securing the freedom of their loved ones tonight, here in the region, the death toll is rising to a thousand in israel, 900 in gaza. israel making good so far on its promise to lay siege to gaza, cutting off its access routes for many, basic necessities. early tonight, we heard the rumble of what we believe were further israeli air strikes on hamas positions. hamas in turn escalating its threats to kill its captives tonight, new escalations in this mideast war. israel intensifying its retaliation in gaza, targeting hamas, which is still firing rockets into israel, after it unleashed its massive terror attack. and this dramatic, newly revealed body cam video showing the fierce firefight israeli forces rushing to rescue soldiers in southern israel saturday, after the area was invaded by hamas. chilling images showing hamas terrorists killing drivers in their cars, and then dragging their bodies this disturbing video showing a terrified israeli concertgoer desperately hiding behind a vehicle as he is executed at point-blank range. israeli officials releasing this image of body bags, over 100 people killed. while tonight, israeli troops now amassing for a potential ground offensive inside gaza, with president biden vowing american support. >> let there be no doubt, the united states has israel's back >> and blasting the carnage unleashed by hamas. >> stomach-churning reports of babies being killed, entire families slain, women raped, assaulted, paraded as trophies. like every nation in the world, israel has the right to respond, indeed has a duty to respond, to these vicious attacks. >> still looming, the threat by hamas to start executing over 100 hostages on camera, including americans. >> we now know that american citizens are among those being held by hamas >> that's your mom >> yeah, that's my mom. >> but tonight, some families of americans held by hamas say the biden administration is not doing enough. nahar neta says he has only received one call from the u.s. embassy since his mother adrienne, a nurse born and raised in california, was presumed to have been abducted by hamas. >> i expect those people to act to bring to the relief of all hostages, my mom included >> telling us his siblings were on the phone with her when it happened >> my brother told me that they both heard hamas terrorists burst into the shelter in my mom's home, and that was when the conversation was disconnected >> notably, there were no shots heard >> there were no shots heard, yeah. >> so you take some hope in that >> of course, yeah i'm quite confident that if those animals didn't kill her on the first go, that she survived and she's kept hostage in gaza >> tonight, his whole family is stuck in a nightmare. >> i am confident, mom, i'm confident that you're holding on we're waiting for you. we love you. i know that you're holding on we're waiting for you at home. >> while din tessler, fearing for his childhood friend and coworker bar also held hostage by hamas tonight. >> you heard the bullets. you saw left and right and you see people go down and you just want to survive. >> they were both working security at that music festival in southern israel. helping rush concertgoers away as hamas gunmen massacred hundreds of people the two friends were separated. later, he saw this haunting video that's bar, being kidnapped by hamas and then you saw the video? >> yeah, and then i saw the video. >> that must have just been devastating >> yeah. he is not just a friend for me. he is a very good friend his family is like my second family, and i -- i love him like my brother the thing is, i'm here and he is there. it's killing me from the inside >> he says he hid in the woods for hours and was able to escape there is no question they were hunting people >> yeah. >> they meant to kill people >> yes they're looking for people to kill >> meanwhile, israelis are coping with the danger here, 24 hours a day from hamas rockets. with air raids sounding, we left our van, heading into a shelter. >> we rush into a shelter. we were driving down the street the sirens went off, and about a minute, minute and a half, we're beginning to hear impacts while inside gaza tonight, israel's bombardment is ongoing. the palestinian death toll rising from israeli retaliation strikes. entire buildings flattened. "my brother was killed," she says. "if we stay in our houses, we die if we go on the streets, we die. i can't handle more. back in israel, i visited a hospital this is what a country at war looks like. thousands have lined up in the central tel aviv hospital to donate blood for many, it's a recognition of a belief that more dark days lie ahead so many telling me israel is united in the face of terror >> yeah, the camaraderie between israeli people is unparalleled >> even a tourist from france it's pretty amazing that you're not from here you're french, and yet you came to give blood. >> yes, sure it's nothing they do so much to be sure we have a country where we can feel free >> and i met this israeli soldier, wounded by hamas gunmen after they poured into israel saturday and they're coming across the border? >> yeah, and they're running towards you. there were like 20 terrorists attack on us, on our tank. >> do you worry about your fellow soldiers who have been captured >> of course any civilian that got captured, my prayers are for them it's terrible. >> from someone who was there and says he is eager to rejoin the fight for his countrymen as soon as he is able israeli troops are still trying to secure towns near the border with gaza where hamas carried out their deadly terror attacks. a grim task that richard engel witnessed today. >> reporter: israeli troops are still trying to secure the country, four days after the worst terror attack in israel's history, and today, moved into the village of kfar aza on the border with gaza hamas massacred dozens of israeli civilians here the area is not yet secure this is the first time journalists have been allowed in israeli troops are still clearing this kibbutz. they fear there might still be hamas fighters hidden in some of these buildings. it's a slow and dangerous mission, as the soldiers go through every room, double and triple checking all the residents are gone, either evacuated, killed, or kidnapped. there are still bodies everywhere the israelis in body bags hamas gunmen were left rotting where they fell, next to the flags they brought to declare victory. and these were the homes the hamas militants were going through. you can see all the doors and windows are broken in. it was like each one suffered a home invasion and kidnapping as the troops kept searching, they discovered the remains of an elderly woman. they wrapped her in a plastic tarp, adding one more to the death toll this sergeant is a civil engineer, now on an open-ended combat mission. what is it like for you to see this? >> it's horrible actually, i live ten minutes from here. by mistake, i didn't do the weekend here. >> reporter: what do you think needs to happen now >> they'll need to, i don't know, change this reality we lived like this for years. >> reporter: kfar aza is only one israeli community where hamas went on a killing spree. today, we saw new images from the nearby village of be'eri, where more than 100 men, women, and children were executed hamas says it trained for over a year for all of this, and today, released new footage, which the group edited and blurred, of the militants streaming through holes in the border fence and flying over it and hamas isn't finished yet the militants today launched hundreds of rockets into israel. we took cover in a shelter. this is happening in israel every single day. israel's iron dome defense system intercepted nearly all of the rockets but a few did get through. israel has declared war on hamas, and these may only be the first days of it >> richard, all right, we're also getting late details on that phone call between president biden and prime minister netanyahu. what can you tell us >> reporter: so, israel put out a readout about the call, saying that prime minister netanyahu told president biden that hamas is worse than isis, that hamas beheaded israeli soldiers and executed dozens of children these are claims we have not independently verified he also said that what is required now is, quote, a prolonged campaign, which he said israel will win >> richard engel, thank you. in gaza, the death toll is rising as the israeli military fires back with air strikes. raf sanchez reports many civilians are among the dead in gaza >> reporter: tonight, the scale of devastation in gaza coming into full view. after four days of israeli retaliation air strikes, whole neighborhoods now lie in ruin. and smoke rising as boats burn in gaza city port. one missile falling into the sea israel's military says it has launched more than 2,300 strikes so far in response to the assault mounted by hamas terrorists tonight hamas leaders continue to fire rockets into israel and hold civilians hostage in gaza. but it's ordinary palestinians who live under hamas rule, but don't necessarily support the group, who often pay the heaviest price. digging through the rubble with bare hands. gaza's hospitals overwhelmed by the tide of injuries >> we evacuated from our houses >> reporter: jumanna shaheen is a young mother her daughter sophia turns 2 tomorrow >> i feel like guilty, because i can't even celebrate her birthday >> reporter: with gaza's borders still sealed, we were forced to talk over shaky internet when the bombs are falling, what do you tell your daughter >> big car, that's what i can reply to her. but she can recognize the sound. >> reporter: israel's defense minister has ordered a total siege of the strip, cutting off food, fuel, and electricity. leaving the border with egypt as gaza's only lifeline. but today, israeli strikes landing near the crossing point and with israel massing its forces for an expected ground invasion, it's likely to be palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire. now, israel is urging civilians in gaza to evacuate, but their options are very limited. the best most people can do is just get out of the neighborhoods israel is striking lester >> all right, raf sanchez tonight, thank you. this evening, a new denial by iran that it was involved in the terrorist attack on israel at the same time, iran's supreme leader praised those behind it andrea mitchell joins us andrea, the u.s. still quite concerned about iran's potential role. >> exactly, lester tonight, the aircraft carrier the "gerald r. ford" is in the eastern mediterranean to warn iran not to widen the war. national security adviser jake sullivan says they still don't have proof that iran was directly responsible. today, iran's supreme leader, the ayatollah khamenei, denied iran was behind the attack, claiming that those saying so are wrong, but he added, "we kiss the hands of those who planned the attack." and whether tehran ordered the attacks or not, most experts agree it's a distinction without a difference iran has armed and trained hamas for 30 years. and without iran, there would be no hamas. lester >> andrea mitchell, thank you. president biden did not mince his words today as he described the terrorist attacks. peter alexander is at the white house, and peter, this was a strong condemnation. >> lester, this was the most forceful we have seen president biden condemning hamas' attack, comparing their "unadulterated evil," in his words, to isis. the president says that the u.s. is now sending israel more ammunition and interceptors for its iron dome defense system a team of technical experts experienced in hostage recovery is also on its way tonight, there to advise the israelis, not to rescue americans being held we are told the president was direct in his call with prime minister netanyahu today, urging him to protect the lives of palestinian civilians, and tonight, we have learned the u.s. is discussing safe passage out of gaza, including for palestinian americans through its border with egypt by the way, while all of this was happening, the president was interviewed sunday and monday by the special counsel, lester, investigating his handling of thos classified documents >> all right, peter alexander tonight, thank you. in 60 seconds, the chaos in washington, as the house begins a process of selecting a new speaker, with aid to israel and much more hanging in the balance. please stay with us. back in the u.s., with chaos in congress preventing any further aid for israel from being approved, the house gop met today facing another potentially bruising battle for speaker garrett haake is at the capitol. garrett, where do we stand? >> well, lester, the process of picking a new speaker beginning tonight in earnest, with republicans meeting behind closed doors. lawmakers hearing pitches tonight from trump-backed judiciary chair jim jordan, and current house gop number two steve scalise, who survived a politically- motivated shooting in 2017, about how they would unite their badly fractured party. now, without a speaker, the house can't pass anything, not even a bipartisan resolution supporting israel, something that has the backing of nearly 400 lawmakers republicans are hoping for a floor vote this week on the speaker, a timetable that seems very much in question right now. lester >> garrett haake, thank you. up next, the new charges just announced against new york congressman george santos what he is now accused of having diabetes can raise a lot of questions. like my morning ride, will it help lower my glucose? with the freestyle libre 2 system, you can know where your glucose level is and where it's headed without fingersticks. know what activities work for you. manage your diabetes with more confidence and lower your a1c. ask your doctor about the freestyle libre 2 system. it's covered by medicare for those who qualify. visit freestylelibre.us/medicare to learn more. ♪♪ new fraud charges tonight against embattled congressman george santos. a new federal indictment accuses the new york republican of stealing the identities of campaign donors and using their credit cards to make contributions to his campaign worth tens of thousands of dollars, then transferring some of the money to his personal bank account. coming up, the staggering number of lives lost, americans among them some of their stories, next the tel aviv skyline this evening finally, the staggering toll here still growing as we learn more about the victims, including the americans among them here is kelly cobiella >> reporter: for the mansouri family, it's been the longest four days, holding onto each other and to every bit of hope. >> we are in hell right now. that's where we are. >> reporter: their two daughter, norel, 25, and roya, 22, both born in l.a., living in tel aviv, were at the music festival in the south of israel, where at least 260 people were killed >> it's either they're dead or were kidnapped. >> reporter: there has been no word since their parents giving dna, praying they're not among the unidentified dead. their friend noa was with them. >> they're just the most lovable people. they come in the room and they just make everybody happy. >> reporter: tamara and johnny lived on a kibbutz near gaza with their 6-year-old twin daughters and 4-year-old son >> the kids were always happy, always jumping, always laughing. >> reporter: when the attack began, they ran for shelter, texting friends in australia that they were safe. but hamas breached their bunker and murdered the whole family. >> to get killed in your house surrounded by your kids, it's just -- it's horrible. >> reporter: across the border in gaza, a family of six killed by an israeli air strike, according to defense for children international. four children and their parents now dead the youngest was just a year old hayim katsman was a dual american/israeli citizen, killed at the kibbutz he called home. >> it's very sad, because he was a person who wanted and was sympathetic to both sides >> reporter: his mom says he was a promising researcher, activist, and teacher, adding, "he is sorely missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. tonight, so many families in unimaginable pain. >> they're my babies they're my babies. they're my babies. >> reporter: kelly cobiella, nbc news, tel aviv >> this is all so tough. that's "nightly news" for this tuesday thank you for watching i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night on "nbc bay area news tonight," chilling stories of violence as the war between israel and hamas intensifies. an east bay congressman tells us he has spoken to families who have loved ones being held hostage. >> i'm horrified by what i have seen over the weekend, and i condemn the ter

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