Finding the suspect in a Hate Crime Attack on a jewish woman. Also tonight, jim jordan losing his second ballot for speaker getting fewer votes. What is the path forward for republicans . And after 18 years, the stunning confession in the Natalee Holloway case. The prime suspect, Joran Van Der Sloot, admitting he killed her on the beach in aruba. How and why he says he did it and what he did with her body. Our oneonone with natalees mother after she finally learned her daughters fate. 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. Today President Biden was here in israel standing with its people in the face of tragedy while across the arab world, anger raged. Protests from the mideast to europe, some aimed at the u. S. , over the deadly explosion at a Gaza Hospital that Palestinian HealthAuthorities Say killed hundreds and claimed israel is the culprit. President biden, however, coming to israels defense saying he was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion before declaring, it appears as though it was done by the other team, blaming the explosion on a failed Rocket Launch by Terror Group Islamic jihad. Israel offering what it says is evidence it was not responsible, but pictures of children in gaza being rescued from the rubble of air strikes only hardening positions as the american president sought to calm tensions over the october 7th attacks here and divert a humanitarian disaster in gaza, but the diplomatic grounds shifting beneath the president s feet as he traveled here from washington to a war zone overnight as arab leaders were dropping out of a planned Summit Meeting on the crisis heres where we start tonight. 24 hours after that deadly Hospital Explosion that sparked anger across the arab world, President Biden in israel today blaming a misfired palestinian rocket, not an israeli missile, for the deaths i was outraged and saddened by the enormous loss of life yesterday in the hospital in gaza based on the information we have seen today, it appears the result of an errant rocket fired by a Terrorist Group in gaza reporter two senior u. S. Officials telling nbc news the u. S. Has an independent assessment that it was a rocket fired by the palestinian militant group, islamic jihad, that hit the hospital. Islamic jihad has denied responsibility. The idf saying, evidence at the site shows it was not an israeli missile, which would have left a large crater. No structural damage, the walls stay intact, no craters these are the things that shows it was not aerial munition that hit the parking lot. Reporter and they say they have intercepts in which Palestinian Militants acknowledge it was not an israeli missile while hamas says the idf warned people to evacuate the area around the hospital before the explosion and that damage is consistent with an israeli strike the carnage at the hospital loomed over this critical visit. The president touching down in israel greeting the prime minister. This hug on the Tarmac A Trip aimed at showing solidarity with one of americas closest allies. I want the people of israel, the people of the world, to know where the United States stands. Thank you for standing with israel today, tomorrow, and always reporter after the massive Hamas Terror Attack On Israel the Terrorist Group hamas has slaughtered, as has been pointed out, over 1,300 people, and it is not hyperbole to suggest slaughtered, slaughtered, and including 31 americans. Reporter the president hearing the horrors of that day from israeli First Responders children, little babies, they were taken away from their parents, murdered in front of their parents. Can i hug you reporter and meeting families of hostages held by Hamas Terrorists inside gaza including americans. President biden facing pressure to bring them home mr. Biden making this highstakes trip in the middle of a dangerous war zone with hamas still firing rockets the president s meetings were in Central Tel Aviv thats about 45 miles from here near the front lines of gaza. Even now you can hear the distant boom of explosions less than two hours after he left, Air Raid Sirens sounding in the heart of tel aviv meanwhile, inside gaza, the humanitarian crisis, entire neighborhoods flattened by israeli retaliation strikes. Tonight, after a request from mr. Biden, israel says it will end its gaza siege and allow badly needed food, water, and medicine in across the egypt border, but not across israeli borders until hamas frees the hostages the president with this message tonight about the people of gaza hamas does not represent all the Palestinian People and has brought them only suffering. Reporter and late today, announcing egypts president will allow 20 trucks of aid into gaza. What he would do is open the gate. Reporter a planned summit with arab leaders in jordan was scrapped after the Hospital Explosion and the announcement that Palestinian Leader abbas would not attend was there important work, though, that didnt get done, the fact this summit didnt take place . A lot of important work i mean, we all did the only item on the agenda right now is to stop this madness and stop the killing that civilians are paying the utmost price. Reporter tonight i spoke with jordans foreign minister, ayman safadi as you know, President Biden, the u. S. , they take the position that this was not an israeli strike, but the result of other Palestinian Militants. Do you believe that to be the case . Sir, nobody is buying that narrative in this part of the world. In reality, the israeli army is not very credible in this part of the world as well the only way that people would entertain a different narrative is if there is an independent International Inquiry into the tragedy that has happened with impeccable evidence that it was not israel and join us tomorrow night for complete coverage as President Biden speaks to the American People about the crisis here at 8 00 p. M. Eastern time all day the explosion of the Gaza Hospital sparked rage and protests in the arab and muslim world. Chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel has more on that reporter this is the explosion that has shaken the middle east. New video shows that deadly explosion at a hospital in gaza city that reportedly killed hundreds and sparked protests from iran, to yemen, to lebanon, where demonstrators directed their anger against the United States, israels main backer Security Forces in beirut used Water Cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds outside the u. S. Embassy. The United States pulled out of its wars in the middle east but now could be heading back into one. In the west bank, palestinians today dragged out the barricades and slung rocks at Israeli Soldiers there werent many, mostly teenagers israeli troops kept their distance, but when the stone throwers got too close, the soldiers opened fire sending medical crews rushing in, and heres one more injured being taken away israelis are picking them off with what appears to be Rubber Bullets at this stage. No one was seriously injured here today, but a new generation of palestinians is taking to the streets. While israel and hamas are blaming each other for the Hospital Explosion, a new Palestinian Uprising could be starting. Today our crew filmed at the Gaza Hospital site and saw families collecting what they could from the debris amid charred cars and backpacks and bags on the ground disaster, disaster. Impact on children, on women. Reporter suddenly there were lights in the sky, and when we looked up, a missile fell, this man says i covered my face while friends close to me were killed. This place was a safe haven for women and children who fled israeli shelling near the hospital, this doctor says. Children were torn to pieces. Other hospitals in gaza already running low on supplies are now struggling to keep up these wounded all have needed Intensive Care facilities and ventilators. Water was running out before i left, and the electricity now has started to run out. The generators were running out of these reporter iran, which backs both hamas and hezbollah, is working to fan the rage even further. Irans president calling on muslim nations to isolate israel, impose an oil embargo, and bring revenge. And, richard, the size of those crowds youre seeing does Say Something about the impact of this Hospital Explosion reporter it may. There were not millions of people on the streets across the arab world, but i can tell you, lester, there are real and growing concerns here that this is heading toward a regional war, lester all right, Richard Engel, thank you. In the u. S. , authorities tell nbc news the war has opened the door to extremists looking to incite violence with one official warning of a heightened Threat Environment. Lets get more now from maggie vespa. Reporter tonight, authorities in the u. S. Ramping up security amid warnings about potential violence mounting nationwide over the israel hamas war in new york, the nypd Ordering Officers indefinitely to be uniformed and ready to deploy american officials and private analysts telling nbc news extremists are flooding social media with calls for attacks on jewish communities and other targets in the u. S. And europe with groups linked to al qaeda and american neonazis seeking to exploit the war according to intelligence memos obtained by nbc news a Homeland Security official telling nbc news, dhs is monitoring a heightened Threat Environment in the u. S. , the fbi also on high alert we stay laser focused on mitigating those threats. Reporter tonight the nypds Hate Crimes Unit asking for the publics help finding this man, who they say punched a woman in a Subway Station saturday telling her he did it, quote, because you are jewish this as protests continue across the country. In washington, d. C. , dozens were arrested at the capitol during a rally of Jewish Americans calling for a ceasefire [ Crowd Chanting ] and in Suburban Chicago last night, more than 1,500 people packed a vigil for a palestinian american boy. He was a child, a child filled with love and not any hate. Reporter prosecutors think 6yearold Wadea Al Fayoume was stabbed dozens of times by his familys landlord, who they say was angry about the hamas attacks. Joseph czuba faces murder and Hate Crime Charges in illinois and has not yet entered a plea a child taken and a country on edge as war wages on a world away. Maggie vespa, nbc news, chicago. Lets turn to washington now where republicans failed again to elect a house speaker. Their nominee jim jordan losing the second ballot with fewer votes this time around, and conservative hardliners signaling hes staying in the race and floating a third possible vote at noon tomorrow. The chaos paralyzing congress, just as President Biden says he will ask for an unprecedented aid package for israel, ukraine, and more. In 60 seconds, the stunning confession all these years later, what Joran Van Der Sloot finally admitted in court today about the murder of Natalee Holloway right after this its taken nearly two decades, but today we finally learned what happened to Natalee Holloway. The prime suspect finally confessing to killing her as part of a plea deal. Sam brock spoke oneonone with natalees mother and has her powerful reaction reporter for 18 years, the Holloway Family searched for answers as to how their daughter died. Today, indescribable relief layered with pain that will never go away. Its over Joran Van Der Sloot is no longer the suspect in my daughters murder he is the killer reporter the man long suspected in Natalee Holloways death pleaded guilty to wire fraud and extortion of natalees mother as part of his plea deal, also confessing to natalees brutal murder according to a transcript of his confession, van der sloot said he killed the 18yearold alabama teen with a cinder block after she rejected his sexual advances on the beach and then pushed her body out to sea. Were you stunned by the depravity, both of what he did to your daughter, but also the behavior that you mentioned after the fact, right after he committed murder exactly how could he have murdered her and then he goes home and checks soccer scores, gets on a porn site and gets up, takes a shower and goes to School Reporter for years van der sloot led investigators and Family Members on a fruitless chase. I mean, thats a killer that is a person with no conscience, no remorse, no guilt. Reporter Beth In A Powerful Victim Impact Statement confronting him, you are a killer, and i want you to remember that every time that jail cell door slams. The plea deal puts van der sloot behind bars for 20 years the confession brings closure. And i think the not knowing is worse you know, the knowing is shocking. You brace yourself. You take the hit, but the not knowing is the neverending nightmare, and thats worse. And thats the boat that you were in yeah. For almost 20 years of your life. Yeah. Reporter tonight at least part of that nightmare is over. Sam brock, nbc news, birmingham coming up, our look inside israels notsosecret weapon, the iron dome. How is it holding up as hamas fires rockets into this country. For israel, the key to defending the country against air attacks is something called the iron dome system, which kicks in most, but not all the time tom llamas got a look at how it works. Tom, how much of a difference has it made in this war . Reporter lester, these units are on 24 hours a day, so the Israeli Military had very strict rules as we approached and were able to shoot footage of this advanced weaponry its a multibillion dollar defense system, and israel calls it a life saver as we just saw in gaza, the danger of a single rocket, it can kill hundreds. Much of the fighting in this war has been in the skies overhead day and night where israel has a massive advantage, but hamas has launched thousands of rockets some say israels iron dome is the worlds best defense against missiles we were given access to see it up close thats one of the batteries that makes up this system this technology was developed by israel, and the way it works is that when a rocket is fired from gaza, that battery right there launches another missile that crashes midair making sure the people in this country stay safe. The system is a combination of a radar unit monitoring the skies and the direction of the incoming missile a Control Center determining if that rocket will strike a population center, and a battery able to launch dozens of missiles that can destroy an enemy Rocket Launched from up to 43 miles away. The last about ten days hamas has launched over 6,500 rockets. 6,500 over 6,500 rockets in 10 days we would have thousands of casualties, unbelievable destruction, injuries, and we would be living in a very different reality. Reporter hamas cant match israels firepower, but Training Videos published online show they are stocked with rockets, and in 2020 this video shows them digging up pipes to convert them into projectiles. Israel says the iron dome is 90 effective, but during the attacks on october 7th, hamas overwhelmed the system most of the time the iron dome works, but there are rare occasions when rockets fired from gaza are so many, that a few get through like here in ashkelon where a rocket hit this building with people inside this couple was home when the rocket hit. What has the Rocket Barrage been like . They say the missiles come like rain, and they wouldnt be here without the iron dome. T