Top Story with Tom Llamas - Thursday, October 12, 2023

Episode Date: October 13, 2023

Tonight's Top Story has the latest breaking news, political headlines, news from overseas and the best NBC News reporting from across the country and around the world.

Tonight, Top Story is live once again from Israel, now on the brink of a full-scale land invasion. Gaza bombarded with a barrage of missiles for a six straight day as Israeli tanks, artillery, and troops stand ready near the border, poised to launch a ground offensive at any moment. The death toll from this brutal war climbing to an unthinkable 2,800 people. The tributes tonight for the lives lost, including at least 27 Americans. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on the ground in Tel Aviv pledging the full support of the United States. What he's saying tonight about fears this war could explode into a broader regional conflict. Scenes of chaos and total devastation inside Gaza, more than 300,000 people losing their homes with nowhere else to go. Hospitals overflowing with wounded patients.

now on the brink of running out of fuel and losing power. Tonight, we'll talk to a surgeon inside that war zone. The obstacles they're battling with countless lives at stake. New details emerging about the horrific terror attack that unfolded at a music festival in southern Israel. Hamas gunmen ambushing concert goers early Saturday morning. Tonight, R. Raph Sanchez reports from the scene of that shocking massacre. Plus, the new body camera footage showing the dramatic moments Israeli forces

moved in to take down Hamas terrorists and free hostages near the border. Back in the staged tensions running high at college campuses across the country, students and faculty voicing support for Israel clashing with those standing up for Palestinians, the emotional debates now playing out in public, and the people of Israel showing up for the lone soldiers, fighters who came from outside of the country to serve in the military here. The Israeli civilians now answering the call, showing up to honor those soldiers when their loved ones can't. Top story starts right now.

Good evening. I'm Ellison Barber in for Tom, reporting tonight on this special edition of Top Story from Tel Aviv. With Israel on the brink of a land invasion of Gaza, the death toll from this brutal and bloody war is still climbing by the hour. More than 2,800 people killed, including 27 Americans. And tonight, Israel launching relentless aerial attacks as they vowed to eliminate the Hamas terrorist behind this weekend's deadly attacks. Palestinians ducking for cover as explosions level high-rise buildings. More than 300,000 people now displaced inside that region with no end in sight. Across the border, a buildup of troops on the ground and Israeli tanks firing into Gaza, even more. more tanks rolling by us as we were reporting just miles from the Gaza border earlier today.

With a land invasion, all but certain, the only question tonight, when will it begin? In a show of support, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on the ground here in Tel Aviv, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the United States will always be by Israel's side. And tonight, for the first time, we are seeing some of the most horrific examples of the atrocities committed against the people of Israel. A warning tonight. Some of the images you are about to see and the details you are about to hear are incredibly graphic. Tonight, as rocket fire dominates the sky over the Gaza border, Israeli troops appear to be mobilizing on the ground. In the outskirts of Ashkelon in southern Israel, we saw a series of

tanks with armed Israeli soldiers on the move. Israeli tanks are moving in from across that way to hear back to the wood. But this is the third one, we don't know what direction they're going into this has been a constant of three forward in the last five, ten minutes here, just moving that dead for all of them full of Israeli troops, that is back in that direction. Israel's government vowing an all-out urban warfare in the Gaza Strip as the scope of Hamas is, unimaginable brutality from Saturday's attack comes into the public eye. After conflicting reports, Israel's office of the Prime Minister releasing some horrific images that we want to warn you about and that we're choosing to blur, showing burned and mutilated Israeli infants. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visiting the embattled region today and seeing those images firsthand. We did see

photographs, videos that the Israeli government shared with us. It's hard to find the right words. It's beyond what anyone would ever want to imagine. And on the ground at a donation center in Tel Aviv, Blinken welcomed by crowds chanting USA. And met with survivors to hear their stories of horror. We were saved by miracle, but there are Friends, that we love that we're in. Thank you for being here. It's really important. Blinken also meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,

who just joined forces with opposition leaders to create a unity government, an effort of solidarity in the face of so much uncertainty. The message that I bring to Israel is this. You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself, But as long as America exists, you will never ever have to. The strong show of U.S. support coming as the death toll of Americans in the region rises to 27, including Dr. Hayim Katzman, who is described by his friends and colleagues as a pacifist, his brother telling our Seattle affiliate about the moment he found out Hamas raided Hayim's kibbutz and killed him. They found them, and they led his neighbor who was a woman, so they let her go, but they shot him right away.

The accelerating conflict killing at least 1,300 Israelis and wounding thousands more, according to Israeli public media. And the Gaza Ministry of Health says in Gaza and the West Bank, the death toll now more than 1,500. Stories of devastating loss as the brutal war between Hamas and Israel seems to enter a new phase. The Gaza Strip stretching just 140 square miles has been bombarded with Israeli airstrikes. The area and its 2 million residents now preparing for invasion and dealing with a worsening humanitarian crisis. Our Richard Engle is on the Israel-Gaza border tonight. There's an air war in Gaza tonight, with Hamas firing barrages of rockets toward Israel, to little effect.

Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system launching tiny projectiles at supersonic speed, intercepting and destroying nearly all of them. Israel's airstrikes are not being stopped. They're slamming into Gaza. There are no air defenses. The United Nations is sounding the alarm of a growing humanitarian crisis. Human rights groups are calling for civilians to be allowed to leave and for aid to enter the 139 square mile territory that's home to 2 million Palestinians, 40 percent of them under 15. Israel says it will keep attacking Gaza until Hamas is destroyed.

The Israeli military says it only targets Hamas. But what about the children? Medical officials say more than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed and 6,000 wounded. And those numbers could grow quickly. Israel's military is amassing tanks and troops along the border with Gaza. It's chief of staff saying, now it is time for war, and that the head of Hamas and all those who operate under him deserve to die. 22-year-old Palistia al-Aqad lives in Gaza.

The media is barely covering any news because of the situation. There is no electricity. There is no connection. Like Israelis are literally bombing everywhere, nowhere is safe. These words life in Gaza, right now, they don't make any sense to any Gaza living in here. Because we don't know what does the word life mean. We're expecting death at any minute. We're expecting that the whole Gaza Strip will be erased at any minute.

The Gaza Strip is bordered by Israel, the Mediterranean Sea, and Egypt. All exits are closed and blocked. Refugees are not streaming out. This isn't Ukraine. No one is taking in the people of Gaza. We couldn't handle this amount of injuries, and it's just heartbreaking. Dr. Sarah Al-Sakhaq is a Palestinian surgeon based in Gaza. She says she's working 24-hour shifts, and when she can, is posting to social media to show conditions there.

No one can leave Gaza. into Gaza. There is no crossing borders, nothing left for anyone to do. It's a huge, big cage that we are trapped inside, and someone from outside is just keeping bombing, nonstop bombing, and there is nowhere else to go. Israel says it had no choice but to attack, to disarm and deter Hamas. After more than 1,500 gunmen stormed into Israel, Butchered entire families, desecrated their bodies, killed at least 1,300 Jews, and took hostages, including children and the elderly. Israel's reprisal is underway tonight. It is massive, intensifying, and could trigger a regional war.

And Richard Engle joins me now from the border between Israel and Gaza. Richard, there have been airstrikes where you are tonight. What can you tell us? What are you seeing on the ground? Well, those airstrikes are continuing, and they are quite intense. They come in waves every few minutes now, and it is not just the airstrikes. We're here, drones in the sky, we've heard jets flying overhead, we've heard some small arms fire, and Israel has fortified this area.

It has brought in troops. It is brought in tanks. It is ready for a ground invasion. That ground invasion could come at any time. The Israeli military says, it is ready. is just awaiting the orders. We also know, Ellison, that there are, according to the State Department, between around 500, 600 American citizens, Palestinian Americans, who are still in Gaza, and that negotiations are underway between the United States, Israel, and Egypt to

evacuate them. And based on what we are seeing here and hearing here, those people are in imminent danger. Richard, can you talk to us, and as we're watching these explorations? behind you if you were your team does need to move please interrupt us and and do what you need to do but could you explain to viewers why the World Health Organization is saying the health system in Gaza is at a breaking point well thank you for saying that but where we are is not in a particularly dangerous place the dangerous place right now is inside Gaza that is where they the bombing is taking place what would be

dangerous here is if something were to come out of Gaza and fly into Israel. They have been firing some rockets, but not very many, and Israel has air defense systems. In terms of the medical conditions in Gaza, the reason it's so dire is one, the hospitals are being overwhelmed. We're talking about 6,000 wounded, 1,500 killed just in the last several days, a death toll that's expected to rise. And the region is cut off.

It's been cut off. The Gaza's trip has been cut off. been cut off from water, electricity, nothing coming in or out. So that means they have to deplete whatever supplies they have just to treat these wounded as they're being overwhelmed by casualties. That is why international organizations are talking about opening a potential or asking to open a humanitarian corridor, why the United Nations says that the conditions inside Gaza are increasingly dire.

Ingle, as always, thank you for your amazing reporting, and thank you for your time tonight. We appreciate it. With the death toll rising on both sides of the border and the possibility of a ground offensive only growing, I want to bring in IDF spokesman, Major Ben Wallhouse. Major Wallhouse, thank you so much for joining us tonight. We know from reporting from our colleagues, Richard Engel, and others, that the border with Egypt is closed right now. That means there is effectively no way out of Gaza for the more than 2 million people that

live there. Let's start with that. Is it possible to establish some sort of humanitarian corridor for civilians either coordinating with Egypt for passage into their country or some sort of exit into Israeli territory? Thank you for having me. Well, let's just remember how this all started. This started on Saturday with our thousands of terrorists pouring across our border, massacring Israeli civilians, babies in their bed, entire families, almost entire communities wiped out. So we didn't start this war. Hamas started this war, and they've brought it upon ourselves. One of the first things that Hamas did is attack the Erez crossing,

the main crossing with Israel in the north of the Gaza Strip. They attacked it, they blew it up, they killed almost everyone inside and abducted others. So this is a situation of Hamas's making. Would Israel be willing to work with Egypt to create some sort of passage on the border that they have into their country? Would Israel support that? I cannot comment on diplomatic relations, but I can say that we do take feasible precautions to try and mitigate harm to the civilian population. But Hamas' war is a war on civilians.

It started with a massacre of Israeli citizens. They abducted tens of Israelis and took them back into Gaza. And at the same time, they're waging war on their own civilians. I mean, they're hiding under their bunkers. Where are the bunkers of the civilian population? They're using electricity to support their military operations. They're not using electricity to support their families. You also have to come to Hamas and ask them, what are they doing to protect their civilian population?

Fifteen years, Hamas has controlled Gaza, and what have they got to show for it? They've dug up our water lines. They've used their electricity to support the terror. So they are responsible for their population. And while we take feasible precautions, we have to remember that they started this war, and we have to finish it. We have no choice. Let's talk about what we are seeing in terms of troop movement, as well as weaponry and Israel's posture at this. this point, as we were out near the Gaza border today. And yesterday, we saw a number of Israeli military tanks, troops making their way towards the Gaza border. We understand that you

cannot broadcast your military strategy. And I'm not asking you to do that here. But could you tell us what people should expect to see in the coming days? Is it fair when people say a ground assault into Gaza is imminent? Well, I think we've made our intention very clear. Our intention is to make sure that these things will never repeat themselves, these atrocities, these absolute massacre of civilians, and we'll do whatever's needed to do that. So we've caught up 300,000 reserve forces. Many of them are amassed around the Gaza border. Some of them are up south, up north, making sure that Chisbolad will not repeat what Hamas has tried

to do, and whatever is needed to make sure we get our mission done of making sure that Hamas will not have capabilities to do this again. We'll do it. Major, what will victory ultimately look like here from Israel's perspective and looking into other areas in the region, do you think we could see Hezbollah and other groups join Hamas's fight? Well, we've said openly that this is going to be a protracted fight. It's not going to be over quickly because we have a big mission ahead of us.

Hamas has turned Gaza Strip into a terrorist stronghold. It's turned hospitals, mosques, residential homes, into bases for military officers. operations. It hides its weapons inside these civilian objects, and we have to root them out. We have to make sure that they will never have the intent nor the desire to carry out these actions again. Major Wallhouse, thank you so much for your time tonight. We really appreciate it. Turning now to a closer look at the surprise attack launched by Hamas Saturday as the war rages on. New body camera video from Israeli forces show fighters freeing hostages.

during Hamas' attack on Saturday. And tonight, we are getting a first look at the site of that music festival where more than 250 people were massacred by Hamas terrorists. NBC's Raf Sanchez has more. The sun was rising, but the music played on. Three and a half thousand young people at the Supernova music festival dancing into the early hours.

At first, moments of confusion. And then sheer terror. Heavly armed Hamas gunmen closing in from all sides. Some joining a desperate stampede across the fields. Others hiding and praying for rescue. I saw a group of girls in the car. I'm just so afraid to get out. And I realized that if they're going to stay there, they're going to get killed.

So just take them and scream at them just run so fast. because I understand that if the people that get free, they're going to die. More than 260 people killed in a massacre that went on for hours. Others kidnapped and dragged into Gaza. Today, we walked the ghostly site ourselves. This was a place of music, a place of joy, a place of dancing, and now there is just a deathly, deathly silence here. People had been making art.

they were expressing themselves, and many of the people here are likely to have lost their lives. We walked among the ransacked suitcases, personal documents, and an empty bar still lined with half-finished bottles. The silence briefly shattered. Israeli troops are running to the other side of the festival. We've heard gunfire. It seems like somebody has come in. This Palestinian man carrying a knife, according to the Israeli military, had somehow entered the grounds. He was quickly detained.

With the site so vast, Israeli authorities struggled to collect all the bodies. Oria Ricardo's family waiting four agonizing days before she was confirmed dead. And for the Israeli military, the festival site today echoes with painful questions. There are so many families across Israel asking, where was the army?

Why didn't they stop this? What do you tell those families? I tell them it's the responsibility of the army. It's the responsibility of the army for the intelligence. It's our responsibility to guard the people of Israel. We failed on Saturday. This is our responsibility. But now we're fighting.

Fighting to make sure what happened here never happens again. And Raf joins us now from Ashad Israel. Raf, that reporting is gutting. But let me start with some of the news that we're hearing tonight. We are hearing reports of a shoot. in Jerusalem. What can you tell us there? Alison, Israeli police say a terrorist arms with a submachine gun shot and wounded two officers in Jerusalem before being killed. There's no indication that this person was one of the

Hamas terrorists from Gaza. It's much more likely that this was somebody from East Jerusalem, a so-called lone wolf. But this is raising fears that the violence in Gaza could spread to Jerusalem and could spread to the occupied West Bank. And obviously, all eyes are on Gaza, but it has been a violent couple of days in the occupied West Bank as well. At least 30 Palestinians are dead. Most of them killed in confrontations with Israeli troops,

but some of them killed by Israeli settlers, according to the Palestinian Authority. What we have not seen are large-scale gun battles between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli troops in the West Bank, at least not yet. Awesome. Raf, you are one of the few reporters who has been to multiple sites where the terror attack on Saturday unfolded. Could you just tell us a little bit about what has stood out to you as you have witnessed some of these atrocities?

Yeah, that's right. We've had the kind of grim distinction of having been to three of these different border sites where these Hamas terrorists swept through in the early hours of Saturday morning. The horror is very concentrated. You go to some of these kibbutzim. These are not big places. The houses themselves are physically small. You step through doors that have often been blown out. There is blood everywhere.

There's bullet holes everywhere. You can only imagine what happened in these small spaces. And then in a weird way, Alison, the other end of the spectrum is very disturbing. Some of these houses are frozen in time. You walk in and the breakfast table is set and there is milk on the counter and it looks like the people who lived there might have just stepped out for a minute, you know, to go get a coffee or something. And instead, these families are dead or some of their members are kidnapped and they're in Gaza. And a lot of these people are never, ever coming back to these houses. Elsa.

Ralph Sanchez and Ashad Israel. Thank you. We appreciate your reporting. Next, we move to the Israel-Lebanon. border where Israeli tanks and troops have gathered in the north, shelling between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist group in Lebanon, continued sporadically since Saturday. For the latest, I want to bring in NBC News, foreign correspondent Matt Bradley, who joins us now from near the border, entire Lebanon.

Matt, we saw Iran's foreign minister land in Beirut today. What more can you tell us about that trip? Well, we don't know much. He said that he was, you know, he gave a little press conference at the end. airport and then he said he was going to give another press conference tomorrow from the iran embassy this comes right after we have information and well this is public information that the israelis had shelled the airports in syria of damascus and aleppo now this is interesting because well it's not entirely clear why they did this but it would seem to be probably that it's because they were

trying to keep weapons or other material from flying in from iran into syria where they might be able to supply Hezbollah. That is an Iranian back group that's based here in southern Lebanon where I am now. And in fact, they've been involved in some cross-border fighting over here into Israel, over this ridge. You can see what the lights lit up over there. And the last couple of days, we've seen four Hezbollah fighters killed and four Israeli soldiers on the other side of the border. So all of this pales in comparison to the violence that we're seeing in Israel in the Gaza Strip. But in many ways, it carries more potential horror. Because if has is to involve itself in the war. If this fighting is to escalate, if Iran, whose foreign

minister just arrived in Beirut, as I mentioned, were to prevail upon Hezbollah and push them into war, then we would open up a new front, bring in a new country, a new, more powerful militant group, and that would be bad news for everybody on either side of this border. Matt, the sources, the people on the ground that you are speaking to, are they telling you that they believe Hezbollah will enter this war? No. They're saying they don't know, and they're saying that the opinion, or the decision is up to one man, Hassan Nasrallah.

He is the revered leader of Hezbollah. If he decides to enter the war, then he will have a very ready, bloodied experience, organized and highly equipped army that is ready to go into war with him. And that is exactly what it is. Hezbollah bears more resemblance to a national army than it does to a military. group like Hamas, the likes of which you saw that were very undisciplined. I mean, they were very effective in that fight on Saturday, that appalling invasion of Israel. But they have been experienced Hezbollah in fighting in Syria for the better part of the last decade, which is why

they are so well prepared to fight against Israel. Now, Israel has a formidable army. It's just called up more than 300,000 reserves, many of which are going, lining up on this border right behind me in preparation for Hezbollah offensive. But if this has happened, again, this would be a disaster on both sides, because Lebanon is still reeling from a four-year-long economic crisis, a crashed currency, and other disasters still reeling from its last war with Israel back in 2006. Alison? Matt Bradley and Tyre Lebanon. Thank you. We appreciate it.

As that threat of a broader regional conflict bruise beyond Israel's borders, I want to bring an MSNBC columnist Naira Haik, who previously served as a senior director at the White House and senior advisor at the State Department, and NBC News military analyst Colonel Jack Jacobs. He's a retired U.S. Army colonel who fought in the Vietnam War and received the Medal of Honor. Nayara, let me start with you. We just heard from Matt about Hezbollah and Israel. On Sunday, Hamas called for a general mobilization in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority oversees parts of the occupied West Bank. Do you think that we could see this expand beyond Gaza, or do you think some of these groups

are going to say, no, we're going to sit this out? Well, we certainly know that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas have been at odds with each other for quite some time, and that the Palestinian Authority, though corrupt in its own way, has been largely trying to work and coordinate with the Israeli defense forces and military, which has earned them the ire of many Palestinians for working with Israelis. on navigating between West Bank and getting into Israel proper. The broader concern that a reporter mentioned about Hezbollah and other forces joining the fight, Hamas has been sustained by forces outside of Israel, other nation states, Iran, Hezbollah.

We're also now hearing reports. I have friends who have been called up to go fight and support what's going on in the north. So clearly, Israel is concerned about protecting itself on multiple parties. of the border. Colonel Jacobs, when you look at this situation and you see what we're seeing on the northern border and hearing this chatter elsewhere, do you think that this is going to be a much broader conflict than just a fight between the IDF and Hamas? Well, there's always the danger that it would turn into a two-front war or given what might

happen in the West Bank, a three-front war. But a fight in the north would be very much different than trying to destroy Hamas in Gaza. In Gaza, it's all built up terrain, extremely difficult to fight there. The terrain, the rubble, all is better for the defense than for the offense. Difficult to use tanks in that area. But eventually, if Israel wants to, it will prevail. It will have to root Hamas out. street by street, house by house, and a lot of them are in underground shelters.

In the north, very much different. It's open terrain. Tanks can be used to great advantage. And in the end, airstrikes would probably make it extremely difficult for Hezbollah. Even though Hezbollah is a far more formidable force, it will be fighting in terrain. That will be much easier for the IDF to defeat. NBC nightly news anchor Lester Holt, he asked U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken about Iran's role in all of this. Let's listen to what he said, and then we can talk right after.

When it comes to this specific attack, in this moment, we don't have direct evidence that Iran was involved in the attack, either in planning it or carrying it out. But that could change. And as I said, there's a much longer complicity between Iran and Hamas that. The world knows. Colonel Jacobs, what do you make of that? Well, there are two things that come immediately to mind. If we didn't think Iran was involved, then we wouldn't stop the payment of the $6 billion that's sitting in Oman.

But the second thing is, there's absolutely no doubt among people I talk to, who've looked at this very, very closely, that Iran has been involved in training and supplying Hamas in order to conduct these massacres. So I think from the standpoint of Washington, Washington's view is that Iran's fingerprints are all over this. And I think that Washington is going to do whatever it can to ensure that Iran understands what the possibilities of. if it continues to be involved in this conflict, Ellison. Hi, Eric, can we talk a little bit more about something that you mentioned, sort of this relationship between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, right?

Because Israeli forces left Gaza, inside of Gaza, at least, in 2005. There was an election in 2006. Hamas won. Then there was fighting, right? Between Fata, the party that currently heads the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Hamas sees power entirely in 2000. Can you explain to our viewers some of the dynamics here? Why has Hamas been favored by Palestinians in Gaza over more moderate groups? Why does Hamas have so much support?

I'm so glad you asked this question because it goes to the idea that there's not just two sides. There are many sides to this argument of what to do about the two-state solution, right? And clearly, for the last several years, the United States has not been moving towards a diplomatic solution. and neither has any of the Arab states. And it's largely been since 2007 having Gaza separated off and West Bank separated off where the Palestinians in the West Bank, their political representation,

their democratic representation, have been working in cooperation to figure out what are the rules of the road and what should and should not happen and taking cases up to different authorities when one side feels like they're a violation. Hamas, shortly after an election, which they promised a Palestinian liberation turned into an autocratic regime. They have full

control over the two million Palestinians living there, Netanyahu being in charge, effectively said, I'm going to block this area off. Good luck to all of you. You figure it out. And then you have a situation in which over more than a decade, people are living in poverty. They're effectively under the control of a terrorist regime. And so now they have to figure out how are they going to go about their daily survival? Now that area is under bombardment and is going to be feeling the consequences

of Hamas's attack on Israel proper. Looking at Egypt, looking at other countries, Secretary of Blinken mentioned this too. The White House is having these conversations. Is there a way to make sure that civilians are not the target of what is going to be a deadly assault and response by the IDF. Naira Huck and Colonel Jack Jacobs.

Thank you both. We appreciate your time and your insight tonight. Still ahead tonight on this special edition of Top Story, our continuing coverage of the war raging between Israel and Hamas and its global implications. Back in the U.S., tense moments at college campuses across the country, the dueling protest playing out as supporters of both Israeli and Palestinian people speak out. And the poignant moments tonight as mourners come together to honor the lives of the lost lone soldiers, people leaving their homes to fight for Israel and the civilians coming to pay

their respects when their loved ones can't. Stay with us. We're back now from Tel Aviv. The Israel-Hamas War dividing campuses across the country in the United States, that is, students supporting Israelis and Palestinians making themselves heard through words and actions, but tensions are rising. Valerie Castro has that report. The Israel-Hamas war stoking protests across the U.S. at various college campuses. In the northeast, a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Brooklyn College. And at Columbia University, massive crisis.

crowds as supporters of both Israel and Palestinians held competing protests. In the nation's capital, American University students gathering in solidarity with Israel. The horror has reached an unimaginable level. While supporters of Palestinians made their presence known. No one for real. It's scary. I mean, I walked up here with my flag on and I instantly took it off because, you know, people are telling you to be careful. At UNC Chapel Hill, tensions boiling between supporters of

of the two sides. Arizona State University students for justice in Palestine, holding a rally today outside the student union, one day after the school's Halal Jewish organization held a vigil in support of Israel. The school acknowledging the distress and concern caused by the week's events in a statement. But some Jewish students say it doesn't go far enough.

There was no real statement saying what happened was wrong, which I think is stressing out a lot of the Jewish students. A war of words also playing out in statements from student groups and university's leadership. The University of Florida president issuing a viral statement saying in part, quote, there is no defense for terrorism. This shouldn't be hard. The NYU law student bar association president possibly out of a campus title and future job offer at a law firm for writing Israel bears full responsibility for Hamas's attack in a weekly bulletin, leaving some of the school's Jewish community on edge. I've honestly been avoiding campus. I didn't go to class this afternoon.

The Student Bar Association voting to start the president's removal process as a result, and NYU condemning the terrorist attack on Israel in a statement. At Harvard, it's Palestinian solidarity groups initially releasing a joint statement holding the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all the unfolding violence. At the end of the day, this is a group that seeks the destruction of the Jewish race, and it's not the right time to be issuing a pro-Palestinian statement. Backlash quickly ensued, a professor posting a photo of a truck driving around campus showing photos, which he redacted, of some of the students who signed the statement. Some groups formally apologizing and retracting their signatures, while over 4,000 members of the Harvard community signed a counterstatement. There's a lot of tension, a lot of people

have missed class. Harvard's president condemning the terrorist atrocities perpetuated by Hamas, emphasizing that the student body does not speak for Harvard University. I feel like Harvard very visibly and loudly stood by Israel, but I don't hear the same frustration for the blood that's been shed for Palestinians. Students across the country, wondering whose voices will be loudest. Valerie Castro joins us now from our studios in New York. Valerie, with so many demonstrations around the country, Are there concerns that things could become violent?

We know a former Hamas leader has called for Friday to be a global day of anger. Is the NYPD doing anything to prepare for that possibility in New York? Well, Alison, we should say for the most part, the protests and rallies, though they have been tense, they have remained relatively peaceful or at least without any major violence. But an NYPD spokesperson tells NBC, New York, that all officers will be in uniform tomorrow around the city and there will be added patrols in key areas, including schools and houses of worship as a precaution. New York Governor Kathy Hochel spoke just within the last few hours at a press conference. They were discussing plans to ensure the safety and security of New Yorkers.

She had some very strong words. Take a listen. I want all New Yorkers to feel confident going to a synagogue, going to school, walking to the streets of New York and throughout our state over the next few days. and those who seek to use Hamas's just violence as justification for violence of their own we have no tolerance for your hate I condemn violence of every kind in New York

and I want to be clear when I say every kind that's exactly what I mean the governor also went on to condemn any hate directed towards Palestinian New Yorkers saying quote a community that is cherished and respected in our state it's important to note the NYPD says it has not received any new specific or credible threats.

Similar security measures are being taken in other large cities around the country, including around the D.C. area. Ellison? All right, Valerie Castro, thank you. When we come back, the other major news we are following back home tonight. The House of Representatives still operating without a speaker. Steve Scalise nominated to take the job, but some holdouts hanging up, holding up, rather, his approval. We'll have the latest from Capitol Hill next.

Welcome back. We will continue to cover the latest from here in Israel in just a few minutes, but now we want to turn to a major headline back at home. On Capitol Hill, chaos continues in the scramble to elect a House speaker. For more on this House Speaker standoff, Allie the Tats, joins us now from Capitol Hill. Ellison, movement in real time up here on Capitol Hill, just as that last meeting of the day for House Republicans began,

closed doors, members only, phones left at the door. We've found out that the majority leader who was seeking the speakership, Congressman Steve Scalise, has dropped his bid. He says he'll still remain in leadership in the current majority leader position that he has, but he will no longer further his bid for the top spot leading this conference. and leading this Congress, it really does put lawmakers back to the drawing board, not clear who their nominees for Speaker are now going to be. Several names now starting to bubble to the top, including that of Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan. He was the only other

official candidate who was contesting this position with Scalise. He lost a behind-closed-door internal balloting round earlier this week, but now he may be one of those other names that we see the conference considering, as it once again, tries to chart a path forward to finding a speaker amid a very tumultuous time, both here in Washington, with a government shutdown looming at the end of November, or in the middle of November, rather, and of course the ongoing situation in Israel, which you are covering, all of this lending urgency, but not making it any easier for Republicans to find their next leader, as this, again, Steve Scalise drops his bid,

and they have to start from scratch again. Alison. All right, Ali Vitale on Capitol Hill. Thank you, my friend. We appreciate it. When we come back, the politics of war. President Trump criticized for attacking Israel's Prime Minister and appearing to praise Hezbollah, the rebuke from his Republican rival, Ronda Sanchez, tonight, and what it all might mean for the critical 2024 election. Stay with us. We're back live from Tel Aviv and turning now to the politics of this war playing out in the U.S. right now.

President Donald Trump is going on the attack, criticizing Israel's prime minister and appearing to praise Hezbollah and another terror group fighting with Israeli forces in the north. Dasha Burns has the fiery response from one of his top 24 Republican rivals. Well, thank you very much. Wow. Tonight, former President Trump once again at the center of a political firestorm. The 2024 GOP primary frontrunner igniting controversy by blasting Israel. Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, as his country reels from Hamas's unprecedented attack. I'll never forget that B.B. Netanyahu let us down. That was a very terrible thing.

The comments are reference to the U.S. operation to kill Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, which Trump says Israel backed out of. The former president expressed support for Israel and pledged to stand with them if he's reelected, but criticized the country's intelligence operation for failing to anticipate the attack. talk about the intelligence or you talk about some of the things that went wrong over the last week. They've got to straighten it out because they're fighting potentially a very big force. During his speech to supporters in Florida, Trump seeming to praise Hezbollah, an Islamist military group and a U.S. designated terror organization. And then two nights ago, I read all of

Biden's security people. Can you imagine national defense people? And they said, gee, I hope Hezbollah doesn't attack from the north. Because that's the most vulnerable spot. I said, wait a minute. You know, Hezbo is very smart. They're all very smart. One of Trump's 2024 rivals, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, firing back with his toughest criticism yet of the frontrunner. Writing on X, it is absurd that anyone, much less someone running for president, would choose now to attack our friend and ally, Israel, much less praise Hezbollah terrorists as very smart. As president, I will stand with Israel and treat terrorists like the scum that they are. We spoke with DeSantis today after he filed for

the ballot in New Hampshire, where the nation's first Republican primary will be held in just three months. Former President Trump was critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday. What do you make of those comments? And having yourself been to Israel and met with Netanyahu, what do you make of his leadership, especially in this moment of crisis? Now is not the time to be attacking our ally. Prime Minister Netanyahu is somebody that I've become friends with. You may have a personal vendetta or beef with him, but is that really the time to be out there doing that? and to be attacking the Israeli defense minister. I don't think so.

A White House spokesman also rebuking Trump's remarks, calling them dangerous and unhinged. The Trump campaign firing back, saying in a statement, President Trump was clearly pointing out how incompetent Biden and his administration were by telegraphing to the terrorists an area that is susceptible to an attack.

Smart does not equal good. It just proves Biden is stupid. Allison, shortly after filing for candidacy here at the New Hampshire State Capitol, Florida Governor Rhonda Santis announced an executive order to rescue Floridians in Israel. The order says that there are Floridians in the country who are unable to return to the state, and this order would enable the Florida Division of Emergency Management to transport those folks home and to transport necessary supplies to Israel. Ellison.

Joshua Burns, thank you. Coming up next, the lone soldiers of Israel and the crowds, showing up to pay their respects. Stay with us. We'll be right back. We're back with the morning of Israel's lone soldiers, hundreds of strangers coming together in the middle of the war to honor those who left their home countries and then died defending Israel.

NBC's Josh Letterman has their story. At Israel's National Cemetery, strangers are answering the solemn call. I am about to enter the Mount Herzl. military cemetery, about four hours ago, I saw a tweet where somebody was asking people to come to the funeral of a lone soldier. Hundreds showing up to more in the death of Israel's lone soldiers. A lone soldier is somebody who came from outside Israel, immigrated to Israel,

and joined the army, but they came by themselves without their family. Soldiers like 20-year-old Natanel Yang, a private from the United Kingdom. He had such a deep connection to the country. His family remembering a young man who grew up wanting to help others. Nat said from the age of 10 or 11, I want to serve in the idea of I want to defend Israel. Young's family put out a call, asking the public to attend his service. Similar scenes playing out across Jerusalem. Like at this service for French paratrooper Binyamin Leve,

Israeli media reporting his parents in France weren't able to attend, but hundreds of others honoring his memory. And this funeral for Sergeant Elie Ganassia, whose military tour was set to end in just three weeks. His father, remembering his courage and strength. He died happy and living his dream. But even in these solemn moments of mourning and prayer, reminders of war's looming presence. And I pray for all I'm missing. Netanelle Young's funeral interrupted by this air raid siren.

The large crowd forced to duck and cover. Before we got rudely interrupted. After the all-clear, the family resuming his ceremony. But I would just like to say thank you to everyone for coming. All the messages you have sent. We'll read all of them. Netanel's family grateful for the solidarity from strangers in his adopted home. And the nation he signed up to serve.

An air raid siren in the middle of a funeral. for a soldier. Josh Letterman joins us now to discuss more about this looming ground war here between Israel and Hamas. Josh, things can change so quickly here. We were getting all of the different updates in the beginning of the show, but this is war and things do change very quickly. We saw Richard Engel at the top of the hour standing near the border of Gaza, seeing those lights, the booms behind him as Gaza was being bombarded. Is that still happening right now? It is, Alison. Over the last few hours, according to the Israeli military, their fighter jets have targeted five homes within the Gaza Strip that they say were used by Hamas operatives. And the military says they also targeted a situation room used by Hamas to track the Israeli government's movements, but you still get the sense that we were in the calm before the storm on the verge of that more major ground incursion.

Ellison. Josh, thank you. And thank you at home so much for watching Top Story for Tom Yamis. I'm Ellison Barber in Israel. Stay right there. More news now is on the way.