People have been killed in israel, in addition to 3500 wounded. In gaza, weldon and 9200 injured. And according to the state department, 29 americans have also been killed while 15 remain with missing. Now, israel promises a new phase of the war is coming. Hours ago, Prime Minister netanyahu met with his Emergency Cabinet and vowed to demolish hamas. The Israeli Defense forces said yesterday it is preparing to strike from air, sea, and land. Israeli troops and tanks have been amassing on the border with gaza for days. More than 360,000 Military Reservists have been mobilized, which for context, is more than the total number of u. S. Forces in the reserves. The big question, or one of the big questions, is when. Is it hours, or days, or longer before the Ground Offensive begins . We learned more about the strategy overnight, with three senior Israeli Military officials telling the New York Times that Tens Of Thousands of soldiers have been ordered to capture of gaza city, and destroy the enclaves currently there. In addition, the times reports that Tens Of Thousands of hamas gunman are thought to have entrenched themselves and hundreds of miles of underground tunnels and bunkers beneath gaza city. Israels Ground Offensive is further complicated by the fact that there are also about 150 hostages currently held by hamas in gaza. While israel has agreed to Prisoner Swaps in the past, the head of Israels National Security council appeared to take that option off the table. Saying, israel will not hold negotiations with an enemy that we have vowed to wipe from the face of the earth. That means a Military Operation might be the only option for bringing them home. And then theres the question of the impact on the more than 2 Million People living in gaza. Ahead of what it will likely be a brutal bloody Ground Offensive. Israel has ordered more than 1 Million People to leave their homes and evacuate to the south. U. N. Warns that this could be a humanitarian catastrophe. Earlier today, National Security adviser Jake Sullivan said that hes been informed by his israeli counterpart that theyve turned the water pipes back on in southern gaza. But there is no power, no food, fuel and medical supplies are running out, the head of gazas largest hospital says that it is becoming a mass shelter, with 35,000 people seeking refuge inside. And the population that can leave face and nearly impossible choice. Scramble to flee to the south, which leaves many with no guarantee of safety or survival, or stay in their homes and risked death. This morning, we learned the u. S. Embassy in israel is offering americans living in israel evacuation on a ship to cyprus tomorrow morning. But for the up to 600 americans in gaza, the Border Crossing between egypt and israel remains closed, despite being told yesterday an agreement had been reached to let them through. The remaining questions about what leverage the United States has to get that border open. Secretary of state Antony Blinken is in cairo today, and is working to get egypt to open the crossing so civilians can leave. This is all a part of a worldwide trip for blinken across the middle east, as u. N. Officials seek humanitarian assistance for refugees and do everything in their power to contain this conflict. Because even as we all watched from the beginning of a Ground Offensive, that is far from the. And in many ways, it could be just the beginning of this conflict. Irans Foreign Minister said if the Operation Into Gaza continues, iran cannot remain a spectator. To that and, the pentagon ordered a second Carrier Strike group and fighter jets to the region. Not to join the fighting, but you sent the message of deterrence to iran and its proxies in the region, like the terrorist Group Hezbollah in lebanon, where weve seen scrimmage is over the border. A major objective for Secretary Blinken, as he speaks with leaders across the region in the coming days, is to contain this conflict. And to make sure the violence between israel and gaza doesnt spread wider. Joining me now is National Security adviser Jake Sullivan. Jake, thank you for taking the time this afternoon. I know how busy and heartbreaking the last week has been in the white house. I just want to start with a timeline here. Were still in bracing for a full scale Ground Offensive, were waiting for updates from the israelis. What is your expectation in the white house right now . Is it hours, days, could it be further away from the . First, thanks for having me on. To your question, ill let the Israeli Defense forces, the idf make any announcements or statements they want to make with respect to the next phase of their Military Operation. Characterize it from here, but we are of course in daily, hourly contact with our israeli counterparts to learn more. But its not my place to show that publicly. Theres still more than 150 hostages held by hamas, some of them americans. How concerned are you about their safety, once a Ground Offensive launches . We are concerned. Were concerned about their safety, even now, because theyre in the hands of brutal and vicious terrorists. And we are doing everything in our power to secure the release of the american hostages, of all the hostages present. And biden has sent Hostage Experts to coordinate with the israeli counterparts on recovery efforts. Were working through third countries on potential avenues for their release, and i need to be cautious about how much more i say in that regard, because we are pursuing a number of different pathways. But youll understand that we need to keep those discreet, in hopes that we, actually can achieve the safe release of americans and others, but the president has no higher priority than to make this happen. Theres only these even when there is not updates being given. Your counterpart, your israeli counterpart, did say this week that there will be no negotiations over hostages. I know Secretary Blinken is out talking to countries that talk to hamas. If israel says the channel is closed, could there still be a negotiation, and diplomatic path . Like i said, i have to be cautious about how i discuss our conversations, both with israel and with third countries with respect to avenues to secure the release of hostages. And im not going to characterize israels position or how it will proceed. I will only say this. We are leaving no stone unturned in trying to figure out a way to get the americans and all of the other hostages back safely. Were not going to rest until we have taken every conceivable effort to make that happen. And if we have anything further to update you on, we will of course do so. In the meantime, were going to keep our heads down and keep working at it. The president spoke with Prime Minister netanyahu yesterday, hes obviously been in very regular contact with him. There were reports this morning in the New York Times that israel has a specific plan to take gaza city, and destroy hamas leaders. What is your understanding of what the ultimate goal or end goal is, as theyre moving forward with this Ground Offensive . Their goal is a safe and secure democratic and Jewish State Of Israel that is not subject to constant, brutal, vicious Terror Attack from the south or the north, or the west, or anywhere else. More immediately, it is to try to eliminate the Terrorist Infrastructure of hamas, and to take out the leaders of hamas so that they no longer represent a threat to israel or to the jewish people. Now, there are that more immediate operational objectives that go into the Military Planning for how to get there. But fundamentally, the goal is to illuminate the threat that hamas poses to the state of israel. And they are undertaking a Military Campaign to make that happen. Hamas, of course, would not exist without iran. Do you think that they can be defeated, militarily, by a militarily offensive into gaza . Youre right. Iran, as we have said from the beginning, is complicit in these attacks, because for years it has funded, trained, supported hamas and has, as recently as yesterday, gone out publicly, having met with hamas leaders and praised what they have done. This horrific, barbaric set of attacks that went after women and children and babies. And this is absolutely unconscionable for any nation to take a stand on behalf of this kind of slaughter. We believe that israel can be successful in dealing with something being blown to hamas. Theyre working on that as we speak, and were supporting that. Because israel has not only a right to defend itself, but a duty to defend itself against this kind of terrorism. As you know, the United Nations has said, and other Health Organizations have said that the evacuation that israel has count four from Northern Gaza is basically impossible. It would pose a significant humanitarian risk. The other issue, of course, as you know very well, is the fear of people there. Many of whom are refugees themselves, they wont be able to return. Are there any assurances the United States has asked for, from israel, that will be able to return to Northern Gaza after the offensive . Well, we are in daily, indeed as i said before, hourly contact with the israelis, with the United Nations, with the egyptians, with the jordanians, in ensuring that there are some and when they go there, that they have access to the basic needs they have. A food, of water, of medicine, of shelter. Were going to keep working actively, aggressively on that. Secretary blinken has been in the region, he was in egypt today working on this issue, as well as consulting on a range of other matters to. When it comes to the question of people actually leaving gaza, as opposed to going to safe places in gaza, we have an active conversation happening with regional partners, we have an active conversation happening with the israelis. Were not at the point yet for seeking particular assurances of one kind or the other. What i will say is that ultimately, we need safe places for people to go, and then of course civilians in gaza deserve the right to return to their homes. So, thats not a question for us. But the conversation is still in the stage of working out where a safe area can be established, and how we can ensure that that safe area is fully stocked with the humanitarian supplies. Secretary blinken, he is in egypt at this point. Yesterday we saw reports that the Rafah Crossing was not open, even though there was an expectation that it would be. Is their leverage, such as military aid or assistance that the United States would be willing to use in order to get that crossing open . The u. S. Is going to work around the clock until american citizens who live in gaza are able to leave gaza, or able to get safe passage out through that Border Crossing, from gaza into egypt. And i dont think weve reached the point where we have to make threats of the kind i think you are implying. We are going to continue to work it, and we have a collaborative conversation going with the israelis and with the egyptians, and now its a matter of just being able to execute a game plan to actually move the american citizens across that border. There has been the president has repeated many times, as a view, as of other National Security officials that the u. S. Is going to offer any support israel needs, in terms of assistance, military equipment, i know youve sent troops on the ground. Is it possible that u. S. Forces could be involved in training in any capacity . Or is that something that remains on the table, as a possibility. Well, the Ground Offensive and the aerial campaign and the other steps that the israelis have been discussing, both publicly and privately, that involves israeli forces, not american forces. And we dont expect that to change as they continue to go after the hamas Terrorist Infrastructure. And the United States, the form of support that we are providing, is to get them the capabilities they need, including ammunition, as well as interceptors for their iron dome systems, so that they can continue to protect their cities against hamas rocket attacks falling down on civilian areas. So that is where our support is focused at this time. I cant speak to every conceivable, hypothetical, but i will say that the israeli operation being contemplated is just that. An operation being conducted by israeli forces, not by american forces. Before i let you go, i want to ask you. Weve seen photos and video of President Biden speaking to the families of american hostages and gaza. Ive been in the room for emotional conversations hes had, youve been in the room for money. Just on a personal level, what was that like, being in the room for that . It was hard to sit and listen to people who are enduring the most unimaginable pain, the pain of not knowing where their loved ones. What is happening to them. And it was just an absolutely gut wrenching, Heart Wrenching experience. One that has been difficult for me to tell other people about. And President Biden, he spent more than an hour and a half on the call with those families, listening to them, comforting them, sharing his own stories. And honestly, it was one of the most remarkable displays ive seen of his leadership, his compassion at a moment of just absolute torture for these families. And it drove home for me that this isnt about policy or strategy. This is about people, and this conflict, this brutal Terrorist Attack that we saw, it ultimately comes down to the people that whose lives that it has shattered, and were going to do everything we can to ensure this kind of thing cannot happen again. Jake sullivan, thank you for your service. Thank you for your heart, as you work on all of these challenging issues, and thank you for being with us this afternoon. Up next, ill speak with Lieutenant Colonel from the Israeli Defense forces about their plans for launching a Ground Offensive in gaza, while they try to gather intelligence on hostages. Were just Getting Started in this hour of breaking News Coverage, and well be right back. sean i wish for the amazing new iphone 15 pro jason sean do you mean this one the one with titanium . Switch to verizon, you can trade in any iphone, and get the new iphone 15 pro on them. vo its your last chance to trade in any iphone for a new iphone 15 pro on us. Only on verizon. Febreze hi. I keep my home fresh with febreze fade defy plug. And i use this. Febreze has a microchip to digitally control how much scent is released so it doesnt fade. Ooh. Does mine have a microchip . Oh. Febreze smells firstday fresh for 50 days. That is a shockingly long time. Febreze also has a refill reminder light. It even reminds you to refill it . So i never miss a day of freshness. 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Joining me now is Idf Spokesperson