Our coverage continues with wolf blitzer. Happening now, Breaking News. Israel warns its punishing air strikes on gaza are just the beginning of its response to the unprecedented Surprise Attack by hamas. The death tolls on both Side S Climbing as the war is entering its fourth day. At least 11 americans are among those killed in this Terror Attack on israel and President Biden says some u. S. Citizens are likely being held hostage as hamas is now threatening to execute civilians it captures. All of this happening as the u. S. Congress is paralyzed by the fight to select a permanent speaker of the house after mccarthys ouster. Republican lawmakers are meeting behind closed doors this hour as the crisis in israel is escalating pressure on them to end their infighting. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. Im wolf blitzer. Youre in the situation room. This is cnn Breaking News. Lets get to the deadly attacks on both sides of the israel gaza border as Israeli F
you know, when you have a cancer, you know you re going to die. at least to die, better than that, you know. reporter: every day, desperate families are trying to get out. the military has set up a check point where they wait, just half a mile from the airport. after more than 14 hours in the steamy heat, a lucky few are chosen to go. leaving behind the battered remains of irma s wrath. most have no idea when they will be able to return. clarissa ward, cnn, on the french side of st. martin. clarissa ward reporting. thank you. still ahead on cnn newsroom, the palestinian group hamas is paving the way for possible reconciliation. plus, world leaders come together in new york for the
there, it s just that we do not anticipate a direct landfall across that region, sway bwhich bit of a silver lining. stay with us. i want to talk about the recovery in st. martin. the island still struggling a week after mushing irma roared through as a category five hurricane, and this map gives perspective. the north of the island administered by france, the south by the netherlands. the residents are in desperate need of help. our cla rissa ward takes a look at how people are coping on the french side of the island. reporter: from above, you can see the true scale of irma s violent force. roofs ripped off. trees battered bare. down on the trashed clogged streets, locals work to rebuild their lives with little more than their bare hands. time here has stood still since