1,700 people injured. The Israeli Government estimates over 1,000 israelis have been killed in the confct and more than 2,700 others have been injured. Andgazas Health Ministry estimates that 900 palestinians have been killed in gaza with more than 4,500 injured. Those numbers are sure to grow as hamas continues to fire rockets into israel, and israel continues to bomb the gaza strip where more than 2 million civilians live without the freedom to move beyond its borders. Today nbc news Richard Engel got a look at some of the israeli communities where residents have been evacuated. Reporter israeli troops are still trying to secure the country four days after the worst Terror Attack in israels history. And today moved into a village on the border with gaza. There are still bodies everywhere. The israelis in body bags, hamas gunman were left rotting where they fell, next to the flags they brought to declare victory. Right now Israeli Defense forces say theyre amassing more than 360,000 Reserve Troops as they prepare for a possible Ground Invasion of gaza. Complicating that is the fact that israeli authoritiesel curr least 150 people hostage. And hamas has threatened to execute one israeli hostage each time israel bombs gaza without warning and promising an isisstyle broadcast of the execution. Now, it is almost impossible to imagine the fear and the suffering those hostages are currently facing. By now many of you have seen the terrifying images of israeli Concert Goers running for their lives on saturday as armed hamas militants began firing on the crowd of civilians and taking hostages. People were ripped from their homes, some of them brutally murdered, others dragged into cars to be taken as captives. The u. S. Government confirmed today that 14 american citizens have lost their lives so far. National security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters the number of americans believed to be missing as a result of this war is 20 or more. Today the families of americans believed to be hostages held a Press Conference to urge the u. S. And Israeli Governments to take swift action and bring their Family Members home. One of the Americans Still messing is Hersch Goldberg poland who witnesses say was loaded into a hamas vehicle missing one arm and wearing an improvised tourniquet. Other americans met even more tragic fates. He moved to israel to find more peace between israelis and palestinians. He was one of 14 americans killed by hamas. The last 24 hours have been filled with desperate pleas from the Family Members of potential hostages, families that are hoping and praying that their loved ones are still alive. If anyone can hear me, if my daughter hears me, im begging you, please be strong and know that we are looking and we will not stop until we will find you no matter what. Get back our family, get back our loved ones. This should be the top priority, nothing else. Dozens of my friends, my neighbors were killed. To my son, hes an arms length away in gaza, evidently, but couldnt be farther from me and our family right now. Tomorrow Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken will fly to israel where hes expected to meet with senior Israeli Security officials and discuss what resources the u. S. Can provide. His visit comes as an american Aircraft Carrier the Uss Gerald Ford has just arrived in the region to deter further attacks. Today President Biden addressed the nation condemning the Terrorist Attack of hamas and making clear the u. S. Would remain a steadfast ally to israel. This is terrorism. This is an act of sheer evil. More than 0 civilians slaughtered slaughtered in israel. Among them at least 14 american citizens killed. Parents butchered using their bodies to try to protect their children. So in this moment, we must be crystal clear, we stand with israel. We stand with izrlt. Joining me now is john kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security counsel, also a retired rear admiral for the u. S. Navy. Let me get right to it. I know its a busy day, and we appreciate your time. Can you tell us a bit about whats happening behind the scenes to determine the status of these american hostages . Were working very, very hard, alex, to do exactly that. The first step in doing that is of course hearing from the families themselves. They have been a very important source of information as they try to find the whereabouts of their loved ones. Number two, second big step is keeping that communication open with our israeli counter parts. Because theyre on the ground, got better intelligence than we do. They have a better sense of the hostage situation, so weve been obviously talking hour by hour with our israeli counter parts to try to get more information. And then, three, we have made it clear to the israelis were willing to provide our own Hostage Recovery Expertise and advice and counsel from federal law enforcement, the u. S. Military, and even the u. S. Intelligence community if that would be helpful. So were in active communicationswise the israelis, also about providing some advice counsel, expertise we have inhouse. I know President Biden was clear today in his remarks from the white house the u. S. Would stand shoulder to shoulder israel, but he did issue a sort of im not going to call it a warning but there was a sort of caveat what he said. Id love to play the sound back to get your thoughts how we should interpret it. We also discussed how democracies like israel and the United States are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law. Terrorists purposely target civilians and kill them. We uphold the laws of war the law of war it matters. Theres a difference. What was that a cautionary note sounded to the israelis, the idea that terrorists purposely target civilians and kill them, we uphold the laws of war the law of war. It matters, theres a difference. Does the Biden Administration worry the Israeli Government may be violating the rules of war . Primarily the president was making clear the difference and the distinction between what hamas is doing, the deliberate indiscriminate butchering of innocent civilians in israel, now more than 1,000 of them literally murdered in the streets, in their homes, at a Music Festival as compared to what israel needs to do to defend its citizens. So, look, i want to be very clear. We dont want to see one more single innocent civilian life taken or injured here, one more family affected by violence. An innocent civilian should never be subject to war, but hamas is placing these palestinians in gaza in greater risk and jeopardy because they are staffing themselves in headquarters and hospitals and schools and residential buildings. We know the israelis are conducting aggressive operations. We understand the need to do that, but the president was making the case that like the United States, israel is a democracy. Israel does respect the law of war. Israel does respect life and tries to operate in that in that way. But, again, were going to be obviously staying closely aligned, closely lashed up with israel as they move forward in making sure they have what they need to defend themselves. Yeah, i was just noting i mean the president was very clear what he thought of hamas terrorism and slaughter of innocents. It was just the specific mention that democracies like the u. S. And israel are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law. But let me ask you about the military assistance the u. S. Navy may be prepared to send over the israel. Can you talk more about that . And are there any concerns the fact the iranians may be behind these attacks ultimately and this could sort of end up being a proxy war between the u. S. And iran . No one wants to see this war this conflict escalate. And thats why those naval forces were pushed into the eastern mediterranean, a varcapable strike group of course. A lot of capability onboard those ships. And its a clear message of deterrence to any other actor whether its a terrorist group, organization, or another nation state that thinks that nows the opportunity to take advantage of whats going on in israel. These are anybody with ennimty towards israel, this is not the time to do that. Thats when message the president was sending when he ordered the Carrier Strike group into the eastern med. We dont want to see this conflict escalate. We have, by the way, significant National Security interests in the region themselves. We want to make sure we can protect and defend those security interests. Thats what this move was all about. Admiral john kirby, really appreciate the time and thoughts and clarifications tonight. Thanks so much. Yes, maam. Joining me now on set, bobby gauche, and susan glasser. Thanks for joining me tonight, folks. Let me first get your thoughts on how the u. S. Calibrates its response here, susan. Number one, there are americans that are being held over there. Its a shocking shocking acts of brutality on the part of hamas. The israeli retaliation has been swift and it has been severe. It sounded like the president was a little bit concerned about israeli targeting of civilian infrastructure. I wonder what you thought the sort of primary calculations are for the Biden Administration right now . Yeah, no, absolutely. First of all, youre hearing i think a genuine message of outrage by President Biden today. I was struck by that that. In some ways it was among the angriest i heard him as the president. He was horrified. I think he just had his phone call with Prime Minister netanyahu before he came out and spoke. The stories and the details that were getting of the atrocities on the ground there, you know, we wouldnt be human not to relate to the horror of whats unfolding. And by the way, we may hear even worst things in the coming days. These have been active in effect crime scenes and war zones still since saturday. Number one, i think genuine outrage, genuinely wanting to say we stand shoulder to shoulder with israel. I think thats an Important Message from the president. Theres so many questions. What does it mean theres going to be an offensive operation now in gaza . So its very hard to answer the question of what the Biden Administration approach to it is because we dont know what the israeli approach to the conflict is. And of course, you know, this is a nightmarish situation in gaza where its almost impossible to imagine the israelis even if they were determined to that they could separate civilians and the targets of hamas. Lets talk about that, bobby, the sort of Difcult Calibration that Prime Minister netanyahu must make between this presumed Ground Invasion and the 150 maybe plus hostages that are being held in locations unknown. Where do you think his sort of interests lie primarily at this point if he has to make a decision . Well, its an impossible decision to make. Youre asking someone to choose between getting justice for those already killed. I cant think of any time with this many hostages held with the direct threat if you come in, we will execute these people. This is completely unprecedented. And you can imagine as these images that susan refers to comes up, you can imagine the sense of urgency, the sense of anger, the sense of range. The idf soldiers would not be human if they didnt feel a sort of compilation to revenge the fallen. This is the context in which bidens statement pointed out, you know, indirectly advising restraint. I think thats the context. Weve sent an Aircraft Carrier. That is to restrain anybody else from getting into the fray. Sooner or later bidens also going to have to restrain netanyahu from overplaying his hand. Friends dont let friends commit war crimes. Thats part of it. Ive got to ask how and why what the strategy for hamas is. Because in the words of one analyst in The New Yorker actually today this is Suicide Mission for hamas as an entity. How does hamas even begin to survive something as brutal and horrific like this as a legitimate sort of organization, if you will . First of all, to answer its not a legitimate organization. Lets just say that. Theres been on the list of Terrorist Organizations in the United States since the late clinton area. This is just barbarism. It is murder. It is theres no possibility of hamas being a legitimate organization. I think thats very important to say because there seems tuesday be a lot of confusion on that point. What was the strategy behind it . It does seem as though they decided to take an unacceptable status quo and blow it up, that they were not looking for any way to get back across that bridge. So theyve blown up the bridge behind them. I do think it seems aimed certainly at provoking exactly the kind of outrage that is now occurring in israel, in the region, and here in the United States. Well, but also destroying gaza. I mean thats the other part of the calculation. Youre blowing up the bridge with your people still on it to some degree, right . These people are hostages in many respects as well. I ran into a senior official the other day who pointed that out to me. He said, look, you have to understand even within gaza if there was a legitimate way of taking public opinion, its very likely hamas is not supported by a majority of the population. They have been victimized by these people claiming to be leading them. Not only is this not anywhere near a democracy in terms of what has hamas done to the people of gaza under its rule. This is an intolerant theocratic state in which youre not allowed freedom of speech. Any dissent has been brutally punished inside gaza. These people are also at the mercy. They didnt take a vote and decide to undertake this attack on israel. Bobby, your thoughts on sort of the calculation, and we will talk about irans involvement in this as well because that factors into how hamas began to do this. But the sort of strategy is no strategy, it seems. Hamas is consistent with what theyve done in the past, which is theyre perfectly happy to see ordinary Innocent Gazan citizens being slaughtered. Thats why they put themselves in and amidst those civilians as john kirby just said. They dont mind sacrificing their people for their idea of a cause. From their narrow perspective they think, well, we and landed a blow, thats victory enough. We surprised and shocked the israelis and thats victory enough. We inflicted the single largest number of casualties on the state of israel on any single day in its entire history. If you look at the world through that very twisted lens that hamas has, all of these things amount to a victory. And if in exchange for this Victory Thousands tens of the thousands of gazans of died, thats a price theyre ilwithing to pay. And put into motion an untold number of amount of casualties. Please stick around, my friends, because i want to talk to you both about the growing concern the warfare between israel and hamas Will Escalate into a larger regional conflict. Well have more on that coming up next. Conflict well have more on that coming up next. We planned well for retirement, but i wish we had more cash. You think those two have any idea . That they can sell their Life Insurance policy for cash . So theyre basically sitting on a goldmine . I dont think they have a clue. Thats crazy well, not everyone knows coventrys helped thousands of people sell their policies for cash. Even term policies. I cant believe theyre just sitting up there sitting on all this cash. If you own a Life Insurance policy of 100,000 or more, you can sell all or part of it to coventry. Even a term policy. For cash, or a combination of cash and coverage, with no future premiums. Someone needs to tell them, that theyre sitting on a goldmine, and you have no idea hey, guys youre sitting on a goldmine come on, guys do you hear that . I dont hear anything anymore. Find out if youre sitting on a goldmine. Call Coventry Direct today at the number on your screen, or visit coventrydirect. Com. The complex situation on the ground in the aftermath of hamas attack on israel and israels retaliation is sparking concerns about wider conflict in the region. Israeli defense forces, the idf, says it detected a number of rockets fired from syria into israeli territory, a first since this conflict began. In return the idf fired mortar shells. On israels border with lebanon the militant Group Hezbollah today claimed credit for a Missile Attack on an israeli tank in the Third Straight day of violence there. In israels southwest, egypt is resisting calls to open its border with the gaza strip for fear of an onslaught of refugees. And looming over all of this is iran, which reportedly planned,