Obtaining documents with detailed plans to target schools, and were now learning terrorists breached the border fence some 30 times, in some cases blasting holes with explosives, and the stories of survivors ive met did you feel you were in constant danger yes, we experienced missiles going over our heads. The chilling video she shared of her dash to safety as rockets streaked overhead. Back in the u. S. , cities on high alert after a former hamas leader called for protests on a worldwide day of rage. And chaos in congress the house gop picking a new candidate for speaker after the last nominee abruptly dropped out. Announcer this is nbc nightly news with lester holt reporting tonight live from israel. Good evening, everyone, from tel aviv where it is well after midnight, and an ominous deadline for over a million residents of Northern Gaza to evacuate the territory has expired against the objections of the u. N. , which warned the evacuation of so many people at one time would risk a humanitarian disaster. Israel telling gazans they had just 24 hours to evacuate the northern portion of the gaza strip, a move that is widely seen as an opening step in a massive Ground Operation against dug in hamas militants israel dropping leaflets into gaza warning residents of the deadline. Hamas urging people to stay. At least 70 Palestinian Civilians reportedly killed, however, by israeli air strikes as they fled in convoys. While inside israel, mourners forced to hug the ground when Air Raid Sirens sounded during a funeral in a few moments youll meet a group of americans who have staged their own evacuation from the danger zone inside southern israel, sharing with me the harrowing video of what caused them to flee the line of fire. Richard engel is in israel close to the gaza border and starts us off tonight. Richard, what are you seeing reporter a lot of military activity, lester there are drones overhead right now the air strikes are continuing, and the people of gaza city, which is completely blacked out behind me, are bracing for a Ground Assault that could come at any moment bombs are raining down on gaza tonight. The Israeli Military saying some forces have already entered gaza to gather intelligence to recover hostages ahead of an anticipated fullscale ground invasion, one that will be a challenge for israeli troops as hamas fighters use an underground network of tunnels to their advantage. Israel gave 1. 1 million palestinians in Northern Gaza 24 hours to head south to save their lives. Some heeded the order fleeing in vehicles, on foot, and horse drawn carts, but most have not left according to our contacts inside gaza many gazans are already refugees from previous wars, and theyre determined not to be made refugees again, and they have nowhere to go. This woman, a 22yearold dental student, is keeping a video journal. Every time i close my eye, i either hear a bomb or see a light or hear a noise or hear a scream or hear a neighbor evacuating, so im, like, should i evacuate now, or should i just wait for my death in my own house . Its really confusing. This is my bed i have moved it several times this night trying to find the safest room to be with my family reporter medical workers say they arent leaving, but they cant abandon the wounded already flooding in. Our local camera crew visited this hospital in gaza city and found it in a state of collapse with all the beds full, patients are treated on the floor sheets used for stretchers. Israel says its only targeting hamas, but there were wounded children everywhere. In some cases, even those trying to flee are attacked medical officials told us, most of these victims, 200 of them, were injured by israeli air strikes as they were trying to escape gaza city in a convoy and that 70 were killed. We were heading to the south, and they bombed us. God will punish them for this, says this man. The gaza strip is 139 square miles bordered by israel, the mediterranean sea, and egypt. Israel told gazans to move south of the wadi gaza valley. All of gazas borders are shut aid workers say a humanitarian corridor must be opened to at least allow in food, water, and medicine to southern gaza. Everybody from gaza is moving towards where we are 1 million people, no food, no water we have got to treat them, but my thought is, all these people in the hospital cannot be evacuated where is humanity . Where is peoples hearts in the world . Reporter the u. S. Is working to contain this war, but its already spreading to the west bank where more than 40 palestinians have been killed in violent clashes, and in lebanon where the deputy chief of hezbollah, a militant group that supports hamas, said it would act when the time is right. An israeli strike in lebanon near the border with israel today hit a group of foreign journalists killing a reuters videographer and injuring six others. As the situation in gaza deteriorates, israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before cameras today to say, this is only the beginning, that israel is striking at its enemies with unprecedented might and will eradicate hamas. Richard, the scenes out of gaza are absolutely harrowing, but one of the most notable things is what we are not seeing. Tell me about that reporter so, people in gaza city have told me that they are not seeing any hamas fighters on the streets. They have all gone underground to their positions getting ready for a fight, lester all right, Richard Engel starting us off, thanks. The families of the 14 Americans Still unaccounted for remain plunged in uncertainty. Today President Biden had strong, new words of support for them along with the top u. S. Officials here in the region as anticipation of an imminent ground war in gaza mounts, tonight the u. S. Reaffirming its commitment to israel. Secretary of defense lloyd austin, the latest top official, to travel there. The United States will make sure that israel has what it needs to defend itself reporter meeting with arab leaders in qatar, Secretary Of State Antony Blinken urging israel to avoid as many civilian casualties as possible we continue to discuss with israel the importance of taking every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians. Reporter while back home, President Biden spoke virtually today with families of the 14 americans who remain unaccounted for. Its gutwrenching. I assured them my personal commitment to do Everything Possible, Everything Possible to return every missing american to their families. Reporter abby called that conversation very emotional. I first met her on monday anxiously awaiting word on five Family Members after hamas gunmen attacked their home and right now all we care is that they come home safely. Reporter now she says the Israeli Government has confirmed two of them are hostages, carmella dan, and her 13yearold granddaughter, noya. My Immediate Reaction was, i dont know how to react, and my later reaction is continued optimism and hope, because it means theyre alive. Reporter she says noya has special needs. From what i understand, during the hamas attack on the house, she didnt know what was going on, which is even more terrifying in a sense, because she needs special attention and special care, and i am positive that shes not getting it. Reporter a team of u. S. Officials is in israel to help with efforts to free the hostages i feel reassured by the actions of the u. S. Government. Did you get any inkling from Secretary Blinken yesterday about how far the u. S. Will go to secure the release . The only thing that i feel like i should say is that every option is on the table. Reporter for other families, immense relief, tearful reunions as loved ones return from israel and the First State Department charter flights evacuating americans taking off today, but for those who remain, life may never be the same. At a school north of tel aviv in herzliya, we found beds crammed into every corner. Its where i met a tightknit group of americans who converted to judaism and moved to israel years ago. They fled their homes in ashkelon after the area was pounded by Rocket Attacks missiles are striking around where you lived. Yes reporter nakia brown captured the bombardment in chilling video she shared with me did you feel you were in constant danger . Yes, we experienced missiles going over our heads. At this moment my friend sees missiles in the sky, and then we hear the alarm, and we run traumatizing oh, my goodness traumatizing. No shelter we were trying to find a shelter. I see a shelter here we duck inside, so you can hear the bombs come on bomb shelter bomb shelter come on. Come on. Theres a bomb shelter. Reporter this is the kind of indiscriminate damage and danger nakia and the rest of the group have fled from this was their neighborhood in ashkelon, and right here at this building, a neighbor lost his life in a Missile Attack they say herzliya has welcomed them with open arms. Here their children can draw, blow bubbles, act like kids again. Do the kids seem to be doing better now as soon as they got here, everybody smiles, running back and forth playing with toys yeah. Being here just to see smiles on their faces again is a beautiful thing. A lot to process from these survivors tonight nbc news has exclusive new reporting about just how extensive hamas planning was from schools targeted to the number of places breached raf sanchez with breaking details and concerns over israels readiness. Reporter tonight, chilling new details on how Hamas Terrorists deliberately targeted israeli schools and Youth Centers in their hunt for hostages. Documents recovered from the bodies of hamas fighters and obtained by nbc news from an israeli official show how the group drew up detailed plans to storm specific schools and task special units to deal with the hostages the documents contradict hamas claims that the group does not target children, and theyre part of an emerging picture of the scale and sophistication of the attack raising new questions about the failure of Israeli Forces to stop it. The Israeli Military tells nbc news that the Gaza Border Fence was breached approximately 30 times, a higher number than previously reported and which helps explain how hundreds of terrorists were able to enter israel we located some of the most severe breaches including this one near kibbutz beeri where terrorists used high explosives to blast their way through, then storming inside the Rural Community leaving a trail of death behind. The Israeli Military says that in this house, the Israeli Residents had barricaded themselves into a safe room the Hamas Terrorists werent able to get them, so they set the whole house on fire. Hamas Ground Forces were supported from above by explosive carrying drones. At this spot near kfar aza, a drone dropping a bomb on a Machine Gun Tower Overlooking the border new images also show what two Security Analysts believe is an antiaircraft missile. Its not clear if it was fired, but it indicates the terrorists arrived ready to defend themselves against israeli helicopters. We dont know why israeli Monitoring Systems failed to detect hundreds of hamas fighters approaching the border fence. Critics say Israeli Intelligence missed Early Warning signs including hamas fighters building an open air village to practice their tactics. Well, it was a collapse of all systems, but the first one is the intelligence system. Reporter and painful questions over the slow response of israeli troops once the attack was under way. Its not the success of hamas its more the failure of the israeli defense. Reporter this man was a senior israeli officer stationed along the gaza border. Whats the single thing that shocks you the most that none of them was in full gear in israel for decades theres a drill that Before The Dawn rise, this is the most important and sensitive time that the enemy can attack reporter we asked the Israeli Militarys top spokesman. What went wrong here was this an Intelligence Failure . Was it a failure of the units on the border what went wrong . This is this is a plan that was being planned, a massive scale plan why we didnt know we will find out what we didnt know, why we didnt know, but now were not into that. Our mindset, our mindset now is in the other side of the border. Reporter a military with a difficult fight ahead and difficult questions to answer. Raf sanchez, nbc news, ashdod in 60 seconds, America On High alert on a day of protests, anger, and tension right after this this escalating war was on the minds of so Many Americans at home today playing out in protests, raw emotions, and heightened security around the country Blayne Alexander now with that story. [ Crowd Chanting ] reporter from the shadow of the u. S. Capitol to the nations heartland. [ Crowd Chanting free, free palestine ] reporter tonight from coast to coast thousands are spilling into the streets in emotional protests over the israel hamas war. I stand in solidarity with all my palestinian friends and all my friends who want an end to occupation and a lasting peace. Reporter in new york where all officers have been ordered in uniform and on duty, more than a thousand people packed into times square where officials are watching from the ground and above all of it comes on the day declared by a former hamas leader as a global day of anger, but in new york, we found Peaceful Protesters showing up to voice their own perspective. I think that because the people die, like, for what . For the land they must have it. They have to sit down and to talk. Thats been difficult for you. Yeah. S a t to wrestle with yeah, i mean, i am israeli, but im also human. Like, i dont want anybody to be suffering. Nobody deserves to die. No children deserves to die, not on the israeli side, not on the palestinian side its really horrible reporter tonight police remain on high alert. Law enforcement officials tell nbc news, they are monitoring a lot of chatter on social media, both domestic and global, but stress there are no specific Credible Threats at jewish schools and places of worship across the country, a steady stream of added security as synagogues prepare to observe the first sabbath since last weeks attack, and the sabbath begins at sundown now, tonight despite that heavy security, many jewish leaders are vowing to keep their doors open and urging their members to come out and worship. Lester Blayne Alexander tonight, thank you. Ahead for us, republicans have another nominee for speaker after Steve Scalises stunning dropout. Can the party unify . Next at the end of another chaotic week at the u. S. Capitol, republicans nominated jim jordan to be the next House Speaker late today after Steve Scalise abandoned his bid. Ryan nobles is following this minute by minute. Ryan, where do things stand . Reporter lester, right now the House Speakers race probably wont b voted on until early next week. The republicans new nominee, jim jordan, still needs to build support to guarantee that he can have 217 votes when this goes to a vote on the full house floor. Now, jordan did win an internal party vote today but by a slim margin to austin scott, a littleknown congressman from georgia. A second ballot, though, revealed that more than 50 republicans are not comfortable supporting jordan on the house floor, and he can only afford to lose four republican votes if he wants to be the next speaker. Now, jordans supporters remain optimistic that he can win over his skeptical colleagues now, without a speaker, no legislation can move through the congress. That includes the potential of a hefty aid package to support israel in its war against hamas, something the white house has forecasted could come very soon Lester Ryan Nobles tonight, thank you. Coming up, sabbath by candlelight as families across the region mourn jerusalems western wall is normally full of life on a friday. Kelly cobiella now on the jewish holy day here in israel with the country at war reporter today in jerusalem, the faithful largely stayed away. The western wall, usually crowded before the sabbath, almost empty. This mom of seven says she prayed for those killed and missing the heart cant contain this incredible sorrow, she says every time i look at my own baby, i cry i remember whats been done to the babies may god hear our prayers. This family marking their first sabbath without their 19yearold daughter roni at the table. Her grandmother cant stop crying. As a mother, its like a living hell for me, because i cant help her reporter roni vanished saturday morning. Kidnapped, her parents say, from her safe room in the south. The last text came at 9 27 in the morning, im okay, mom. Dont worry. Her mom writing, okay, Sweetheart Look after yourself. I miss her. I miss her so hard i have a hole in my heart. Reporter friday night around this family table is usually a feast filled with food and laughter, not tonight. The humble meal stays mostly untouched we cant sleep. We cant eat i have no air. I cant breathe. I actually cant breathe. Reporter Tonight Hundreds Of Empty Chairs around Family Tables in this heartbroken country and somber, quiet prayer for better days to come. Kelly cobiella, nbc news, jerusalem. Thats nightly news. Tune in to extended coverage this weekend and to Meet The Press for a Special Edition with Kristen Welker thank you for watching im lester holt. Please take care of yourself and each other. Good night next on nbc bay area news tonight, a Journey In And Out of israel during this war with hamas. Woke up the next morning to a nightmare, i guess i should put it. We are talking to a bay area congressman who just returned to u. S. Soil. His conve