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Egypt Not Allowing U.S. Nationals to Enter from Gaza; Interview with IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner; CNN Investigates Deadly Weapons Arsenal Used by Hamas; Gazans Brace for Potential Large-Scale Israeli Ground Invasion. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired October 14, 2023 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[11:00:35]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington with CNN's breaking news coverage of Israel at war.

One week after the Hamas terror attack that triggered this horrible conflict, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just posted video of his visit with troops positioned near the Gaza border telling them and I'm quoting him now, "The next stage is coming."

There's growing anticipation of a potential ground war as Israeli forces keep pounding targets inside Gaza from the air. And this comes amid new setbacks for efforts to try to evacuate civilians including Americans.

Egyptian authorities reportedly are not allowing U.S. and other foreign nationals to enter the country from Gaza. The United States has expressed hope that crossing might be open to Americans today.

Tens of thousands of Gazans have fled their homes over the past 24 hours after Israel urged more than a million civilians in the northern part of Gaza to move south. A new window given by Israelis for safe passage expired, by the way, just a short while ago.

This humanitarian crisis in Gaza growing worse by the hour. The United Nations warning of the life and death stakes with more than 1,300 buildings flattened, water running out, and the reported death toll in Gaza rising above 2,000.

At least one overwhelmed hospital in Gaza now using ice cream trucks as morgues. All of this as Israel is defending against new attacks on multiple fronts now.

A CNN team in south Lebanon reports outgoing rocket fire and extended shelling from Lebanon into Israel. Hezbollah confirming, by the way, that it did attack Israeli positions today from Lebanon.

Our correspondents are in the region following all the breaking news. CNN's Ben Wedeman is standing by for us in south Lebanon. But first, let's go to Rafael Romo in Jerusalem.

Rafael, a very significant new development with this report that Egypt is now not allowing American citizens to enter the country from Gaza. From that southern area of Gaza, the Rafah entry spot into the Sinai, into Egypt. Give us the latest.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is very significant, indeed, Wolf because that is a connection point from that part of Gaza into Egypt. And what happened over the last few hours is that after hearing that the U.S. State Department has said that Palestinian-Americans with American passports, there was going to be an opportunity for them to cross into Egypt, many people flocked to that location. They went there. And not only Americans, but also many other foreigners who are trying desperately to get out of Gaza.

What happened was that there was a movement earlier this morning on the part of the Egyptian authorities. They brought concrete slabs into the Rafah border crossing to stop those people from crossing into Egyptian territory.

There is a Palestinian border official who told CNN that he saw how the concrete slabs were being placed there and he said hundreds of Palestinians with foreign passports flocked to the crossing. He also said that the gates were closed and that no one was being let through.

What's happening here is that apparently, Egyptian officials are trying to make sure, get assurances that humanitarian aid is going to be allowed to cross into Gaza before they allow the foreigners to go into their territory.

On the other side of Gaza, Wolf, in the north, a humanitarian crisis continues to get even worse because there's 1.1 million people that have been told by the Israeli military that they needed to evacuate the area. There was a six-hour window. That window is now over.

But there's a question as to whether these people got the message. Whether they heard what the Israeli military was telling them because as you can imagine, after many days of airstrikes, the problem is that Internet and electricity, there's been constant blackouts and many people probably didn't even hear that.

[11:05:00]

ROMO: And the question remains, Wolf, how do you move 1.1 million people from the north in Gaza into the south and we're talking about families with children. Many of these people have not had water and food for many days. The roads are impassable because of the bombings.

And let me tell you, we ourselves have to go to a shelter last night in Tel Aviv after we heard very loud explosions and this is significant because it tells us that even after seven days of bombing Gaza by the Israeli military, Hamas still has the capability of launching rocket attacks into Israel.

So a very complicated situation here on the ground, Wolf.

BLITZER: Yes. Horrible situation by all accounts. Stand by, Rafael. We're going to get back to you.

I want to go to Ben Wedeman in southern Lebanon right now. Ben, I understand you and your team heard extended artillery and rocket fire not long ago. Tell us about that.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, that started about 3:15 local time and lasted approximately two hours and only gradually petered off.

Now, according to Hezbollah statement they put out, they targeted five positions in the Shebaa Farms area -- that's an area -- disputed area between Lebanon and Israel, originally part of Syria.

The Israelis -- the Israelis say that 30 mortars were fired into Israel and that Israel responded with artillery fire and during this change between the two sides, the Israelis say that they saw individuals trying to infiltrate into Israeli-controlled territory and that they were hit in an air strike. So that kind of summarizes the events of the afternoon here.

Certainly since we've gotten here, it's the most prolonged and violent exchange of fire between the two sides. But it's significant that Hezbollah seems to have chosen the Shebaa Farms area because as far as Hezbollah is concerned, that's actually Lebanese territory.

So for Hezbollah, they're attacking Israeli forces in occupied Lebanese territory. Not actual what is considered Israel proper itself. It may be a fine point but it may suggest that Hezbollah isn't quite ready to engage in a full-scale war with Israel at the moment, Wolf.

BLITZER: Keywords, "at the moment".

Ben, tell us also about the funeral today for a Reuters journalist who was killed in the region -- a very sad development, indeed.

WEDEMAN: This is Issam Abdallah, he's a friend of mine. I've known him for many years. We worked together in Syria, Iraq, and also here in Lebanon. He was killed yesterday afternoon while he and another fairly significant group of journalists were in an area called Al Mazhab (ph) on the border with Israel.

This group included AFP, Reuters, and the Jazeera as well. Now they were filming this exchange of fire between the two sides when they were hit by two guided rockets.

They were all wearing press gear. They were very much out in the open so they weren't hiding or acting in a suspicious manner. It appears that Reuters has concluded that indeed they were struck by Israeli fire. An Israeli spokesman said they were aware of the incident but have yet to provide any more in the way of details, Wolf.

BLITZER: Very sad development indeed. Our deepest condolences to his family.

Ben, you know 0Gaza well. You've spent a lot of time in Gaza. The challenges right now are very significant with what's going on. The evacuation efforts and the humanitarian crisis that's clearly unfolding. Give us your thoughts.

WEDEMAN: Yes. This idea that you can evacuate 1.1 million people out of northern Gaza within a 24-hour span is really, I think the U.N. has said, it's impossible. And certainly given that it's an active war zone, there's a shortage of fuel, that many of the roads are damaged by the Israeli bombardment.

Plus the fact there's a come pleas complete siege on Gaza. So no food, no water, no electricity. It's going to be very difficult for somebody to go that relatively short distance if you have a car and it's a nice, open highway, but it's not.

[11:09:54]

WEDEMAN: And therefore, it's -- people have gone, although it appears that some of those who have taken advantage of what were supposed to be safe corridors have been struck by Israeli aircraft.

But just getting through there -- and I've seen on social media, some people saying oh, you can walk. It's just a few miles. But just imagine you might have old people, little children. They may be thirsty, they may be hungry. It's very difficult just to ask an entire population of a very large city -- 1.1 million people -- to simply go somewhere else.

And where do they go? Is there food there? Is there shelter there? Is there water there? Is it even safe where they're going?

Much of Gaza is being targeted, not just the northern part of this strip and therefore, no, this is not something that somebody would like to contemplate if they actually had to do it, Wolf.

BLITZER: Ben Wedeman, thank you very much. You'll be with us throughout the day as well, and Rafael Romo in Jerusalem as well. Guys, thank you.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is growing more and more dire. We'll take a closer look at the efforts to try to get tens of thousands of people to safety.

That's coming up next as our special CNN coverage of Israel at war continues.

[11:11:11]

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BLITZER: The IDF safe passage deadline has now run out. Thousands of Gazans are fleeing to the south. The United Nations calling the situation a matter of life and death.

Hospitals are so overwhelmed they're now using ice cream trucks as morgues.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz is following the story for us from London. Salma, what do we know right now? What's the latest?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that six-hour deadline has expired, Wolf. And so there are countless civilian, hundreds of thousands of them, that are absolutely caught in the cross fires of this conflict.

The Israeli military as you know says that it has set up the safe passage but the United Nations simply did not acknowledge these as humanitarian corridors. In fact, the U.N. called this a violation of the rules of war. Said that it defied the basic laws of humanity and said it was impossible.

And if you break it down, you can see why. 1.1 million people, able- bodied or not, were supposed to move southwards as quickly as they can under siege and under bombardment.

And I do have some footage to show you, Wolf, of one of those designated roads, one of those designated routes. I have to warn our viewers this is extremely graphic social media material but we do want to show it to you.

It showed Fala Hardin (ph) Street, again this is a street that leads south. And what you are looking at is utter chaos and carnage on that road. Bodies strewn in the streets. Cars on fire. People essentially killed right by their belongings.

The Palestinian health ministry says that these are people, these are families who were struck by shelling as they fled, as they ran for their lives.

Palestinian officials saying that dozens of people, dozens of evacuees have been killed or wounded in the last 48 hours. The Israeli military said it is looking into these allegations. But it begins to give you a sense of just how dangerous it is to find refuge, to find safety.

And then you have to ask of course when they get south, what is there? Well, humanitarian organizations, the U.N. has already said, simply cannot set up an entire infrastructure for 1 million people in a matter of just hours.

And those areas in the south like (INAUDIBLE), they have also been bombarded. They are also places of ruin and carnage in the last few days. And then, of course, you know that the border is closed there along Rafah crossing, very little will in Cairo to open it at this time.

So you're looking at potentially what Prime Minister Netanyahu has already said is the beginning of this conflict. The very start of this conflict. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli troops prepared potentially for a ground incursion and all of these families absolutely trapped in the middle.

BLITZER: All right. Salma, thank you very much. Salma Abdelaziz reporting for us.

And to our viewers, stay with us. Our special live coverage will continue right after a quick break.

[11:18:22]

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BLITZER: The IDF safe passage deadline as it was called has now run out. Thousands of Gazans are trying to flee from the northern part of Gaza to the south.

Here with us now IDF Lieutenant Colonel, Peter Lerner. He's a spokesperson for the IDF. Lieutenant Colonel, thanks very much for joining us.

The IDF's so-called movement advisory for Gaza residents looking to evacuate has now expired. So what does that mean for the tens of thousands still hoping to get out? Is there still a path for them to leave safely?

LT. COL. PETER LERNER, SPOKESPERSON, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: Absolutely. The whole idea is that people will vacate the north of the Gaza Strip so that we can continue our strike, our efforts to destruct and destroy Hamas' operational capabilities, its leadership from (INAUDIBLE) Sinwar, the master mind of the massacre all the way down to the terrorist that breached the barrier into Israel.

So yes, we are calling on everybody in the north of the Gaza Strip to evacuate. And to go down south beyond the Gaza Wadi in order to enable us to differentiate between Palestinians not involved and the Hamas terrorist organization.

BLITZER: Lieutenant colonel, we're just getting pictures coming in right now of the Prime Minister Netanyahu visiting troops, Israeli troops, right near the Gaza border. How imminent is the expected Israel ground incursion into Gaza?

LERNER: The IDF has recruited some 300,000 reservists. We are gathering and mounting our forces on the border are in order to be prepared for the direction if that is indeed given to the IDF in order to mobilize. So we have to be prepared and we are preparing our forces so that we have the knowledge, know-how, and operational plans to destroy Hamas and prevent them from ever, ever being able to wield that sword of death over our civilians ever again.

[11:24:45]

BLITZER: When you say destroy Hamas, I've been told, Lieutenant Colonel, that the Israeli objective in moving thousands, tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of troops into Gaza would be to capture or kill the Hamas leadership and to destroy or capture all the Hamas weaponry that potentially could be used against Israel. Are those the two main objectives?

LERNER: Our mission is very clear. Hamas can never be able to hold or govern the Gaza Strip as a staging ground for massacres against Israel. We will destroy its terrorist infrastructure. We will take out its

leaders and we will utilize all of the tools and weapons that we have in order to restore security to the state of Israel.

They cannot be permitted ever again to come into our houses and butcher our babies. They can never be permitted to launch rocket attacks at Israel.

You know, Wolf, we destroyed yesterday some drones that they put on the rooftops of houses with explosives that they intended on launching them from those rooftops. They don't care who's in the house. They don't care at all. They utilize the urban arena in order to launch their attacks and we are currently operating to destroy all of those capabilities so that they can never be a threat to Israel again.

BLITZER: So much of those Hamas capabilities are right in the middle of heavily-populated Palestinian areas in Gaza. So how do you achieve those objectives without killing a lot of Palestinians -- men, women, and children?

LERNER: That's precisely the reason we're telling people now to leave. We need to be able to differentiate and part of the reason that we're calling on them is because Hamas has embedded itself so deeply within Gaza and Gaza City specifically. You know, it has become the fortress of terror. And that is what they're doing.

We will strike them. That is why people need to move. That is why when we see that people are actually listening to us and not listening to Hamas, it means that people understand that we are serious this time and we have -- we do mean business.

The terrorist organization, Hamas, has -- they have failed miserably the people of Gaza. And we refuse to be held hostage by them and so should the people of Gaza. So we're happy to see them moving south and vacating the area up north. And we hope that we will be able to differentiate this way between those that are involved and those that are not.

WHITFIELD: The other breaking news we're following right now, Lieutenant Colonel, our CNN team saw heavy artillery and outgoing rocket fire in southern Lebanon as Hezbollah says it attacked Israeli positions. What can you tell us about the status? The situation in southern Lebanon in the northern part of Israel?

LERNER: I can confirm that about 45 minutes ago, we did have an exchange. We had some mortar rounds fired at Israel from southern Lebanon. We are responding to that as we rightfully should and we have lots of forces on the ground prepared for any eventually.

We're on high alert and we're taking all the necessary precautions to be prepared for a front on Lebanon. And I would take advantage to tell Hezbollah, look very closely at what's happening to Hamas in Gaza. They need to operate very cautiously and I would warn them from stepping over that line.

BLITZER: So what I hear you saying, Lieutenant Colonel, is there -- potentially in the next few days, could be a two-front war. A war in the south against Hamas and Gaza, and a war in the north against Hezbollah in south Lebanon. Is that what I'm hearing?

LERNER: I certainly hope not. But as we say in the military, hope is not a method and that is why we have recruited some 300,000 reservists. Many of them are located now on the frontier with Gaza but many of them are also now prepared on the frontier and on the border with Lebanon in the north.

So we need to be prepared for that but we don't want that to happen and I would, as I said. Recommend that Hezbollah do not take that step towards us.

BLITZER: As far as the humanitarian situation in Gaza that's now unfolding, Lieutenant Colonel, the U.S. government says it has worked with both Israel and Egypt to try to open that Rafah crossing in the southern part of Gaza where American citizens who want to escape Gaza.

But we're getting reports that some Palestinian Americans have been waiting hours and hours for the gates there to be open. And Egyptian media now says that Egyptian officials are not allowing these American citizens out of Gaza.

What is your understanding of what is happening there?

LERNER: Wolf, we are the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces. We are conducting our strikes against Hamas. Let's leave the diplomacy for the diplomats and the defense for the defense forces.

We are striking Hamas. We are attacking them. We are pursuing their leaders and in order to restore safety and security to the state of Israel.

[11:29:54]

BLITZER: One quick question. We're out of time, Lieutenant Colonel before I let you go. Precisely what does Israel see as Iran's role in Lebanon with Hezbollah and in Gaza with Hamas?

LERNER: Iran is obviously in the background of everything happening here. The situation where Hamas has been feeding off of Iran's funds for many, many years. They are responsible for helping them build their arsenal and facilitating in training so the special forces, Nukhba force, the Hamas' commander units are based on Iranian training so yes, there is a deep connection.

And in Hezbollah, it goes without saying that Hezbollah is a proxy. A fourth (ph) division of Shiite terrorists on our border and there's a deep connection there. And of course, Hezbollah are armed to the teeth by Iran and that's something that is of extreme concern so Iran is definitely in the background of all of what's happening.

BLITZER: So if Iran is involved in these war operations, according to you, against Israel, is it in the cards that Israel will take direct military action against various targets inside Iran? LERNER: So I don't know what to say that they're specifically involved

in what's happening over the last week. I can't confirm that they had anything specifically to do with the massacre in the communities just one week ago where 1,200 people were butchered. But we need to look on and follow the situation and follow where it's going and who it's come from.

So I wouldn't go that far to put ourselves in a position but we are prepared. And the IDF has all of the tools and mechanisms in order to be prepared for any eventuality.

BLITZER: Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, thank you so much for joining us.

LERNER: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Still to come, the Hamas arsenal. What do they have and where the weapons came from. We have new information. We'll be right back.

[11:31:55]

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BLITZER: Now to a CNN special investigation looking into the deadly weapons arsenal used by Hamas terrorists during the surprise attacks on Israel.

CNN Pentagon correspondent Oren Liebermann takes a closer look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: An entire arsenal on display. Weapons fashioned in Hamas' home-grown facilities but no less deadly.

CNN analyzed dozens of photos and videos of Hamas militants during a surprise assault to identify the weapons used to kill at least 1,200 people in Israel.

MAJ. MIKE LYONS, U.S. ARMY (RET.): The most important characteristic of the military equipment they have is that it's easily interchangeable, it's reliable, dependable and you can get parts for it.

LIEBERMANN: Many like this soviet-built 50 caliber machine gun appear to be Russian or Chinese firearms -- relics from previous wars, that made their way in the hands of Hamas. Ubiquitous among many of the photos and videos, the Avtomat Kalashnikova, the AK-47, the preferred weapon for militant groups capable of spewing automatic fire with horrific results.

The assault rifles along with the grenades carried by Hamas militants made them deadly when they reached in towns and villages near Gaza.

LYONS: All they're trying to do is provide the shock effect, provide dependability, their weapons has to work. And so they're very rudimentary, but based on their training, based on how they operate them, they are successful with them.

LIEBERMANN: Hamas' main weapon has long been their supply of rockets -- short range to long range. The terror attack on Saturday morning began with a barrage of rocket fire. Smoke (INAUDIBLE) imminent attack, thousands of rockets overwhelmed Israel's Iron Dome Air Defense System, a tactic Hamas has refined over the years.

LYONS: That's the capability for the enemy, for Hamas to fire them up against potentially commercial aircraft. And that I think is one of the major issues of these terrorist groups if they have those kinds of weapons in their hands.

LIEBERMANN: Hamas used paragliders to cross the Gaza border. The recreational vehicles are barely maneuverable and easy to target in the air. But in the chaos of the moment, the plan worked.

Some of the weapons and equipment were decidedly more low tech. Israel built a complex underground barrier to stop tunnels from crossing the border but Hamas used a bulldozer to tear down the aboveground fence.

LYONS: They are just looking to create chaos with the kind of equipment they have and the equipment has got to be reliable.

LIEBERMANN: The weapons we just looked at are only what we've seen so far in the attack that came out of Gaza. But we know Hamas has other weapons. We have seen them use anti-tank or anti-armor (ph) missiles in the past and it's weapons like that that make an Israeli ground incursion such a difficult proposition.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Oren Liebermann, reporting for us. Oren, thank you.

We're joined now by Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling. He's a CNN military analyst. The former commanding general for the U.S. Army Europe and the Seventh Army.

General, thanks so much for joining us. First of all, what's your reaction to the type of weapons and tactics Hamas was using in their surprise terror attack against Israel?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Couple of things, Wolf. First of all, they've had several years to build up these weapons caches. We have seen repeatedly that Hamas and Hezbollah for that matter have gradually increased their capability with different types of rockets.

We're seeing some of the rockets come out of Gaza right now that used to be able to hit Ashkelon which is about 20 kilometers north of the Gaza Strip now can reach Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, which are much further away.

[11:39:41]

HERTLING: We're talking about anti-tank guided missile systems that are going to be very prevalent, I believe, on this battlefield. Some of the weapons we saw in the film just now not only the AK 47 but the heavy-duty machine gun are things that we haven't seen Hamas have before. The heavy machine guns, and what I suggest is even though the narrator there Major Lyons said that the rockets being shot out of Gaza could shoot down aircraft, that's not quite true.

Those are ground to ground rockets. But there are indicators and intelligence that said that Hamas has also got air defense systems. Shoulder fired SA 6s, SA 9s. So they have expanded their capability with sniper, machine guns, air defense, anti-tank guided missiles, longer range rockets.

And as we saw on the attack last Saturday, they even incorporated a mini air force and the paragliders as well as a mobile counter attack with a lot of motorcycles that have been trained in tandem.

So what we're seeing is not only an improvement in weapons ability, but also the improvement of training. One of the things I'd note, Wolf, in watching some of the films is in the past, terrorist groups normally have what American army calls prey and spray techniques with their AK 47. They don't point. They just pull the trigger and get as many rounds off as possible.

What we saw last Saturday was armed fire. In other words, they were pointing at a target, they were precise in their hit and they also had some of the things that western militaries have like actions on contact. The ability to set up an ambush.

So these are things that are as a result of training as opposed to just groups coming together.

BLITZER: Where do you think Hamas got all these more sophisticated weapons?

HERTLING: Well, certainly we've talked a lot about the Iranian influence and even the Russian influence, Wolf. But as you know, being on battlefields all over the world as you have been, the arms market is ubiquitous with the kinds of things that they're now using. It's open air in some of the markets and souks around the world. You know, it's relatively easy.

But in cases of like terrorist groups that are supported by nation states like Iran, like Russia, even like China at times, we're seeing the transfer of those weapons through smuggling operations and the kinds of things like the underground tunnels that have been expanded in Hamas make it relatively easy to move weapon systems around.

So it's from nation states, it has to be and it's from the arms markets.

BLITZER: General Hertling, how soon do you expect that Israel could actually begin its massive ground incursion into Gaza? All of us are bracing for that to be fairly soon, but how concerned should those forces be about Hamas resistance using these new weapons they have? The anti-tank, the anti armor missiles for example or some other unexpected weapons? HERTLING: Well, to your first question, I believe that the IDF ground

assault into Gaza will occur within the next several days, Wolf. The Israeli spokesman that you talked to was commenting on the fact when you have as many reservists as they've called up, it takes a while to get them in place, get their units orders out, have different practices and rehearsals.

So it takes a long time when you're dealing with that many reservists. But when you're talking about the actual fight inside of Gaza, we've had indicators of that from 2014 when the Israeli Defense Forces conducted "Operation: Protective Edge". You were in the area at the time. You saw how challenging that was.

That was with 70,000 Iraqi -- excuse me, Israeli forces. Now there's over 100,000 as you've reported. So it's going to be much more difficult. Hamas is much more capable than they were ten years ago. They've had a lot time to practice. They now have massive numbers of human shields, not only the Palestinian population, but also the hostages they've taken.

This is going to be a difficult, difficult operation for the Israeli Defense Forces but it's also going to result, unfortunately, in a lot of casualties and deaths. Many more than we saw in 2014.

BLITZER: And just to be precise. The Israeli military has mobilized between 300,000 and 400,000 reservists called up for active military duty. Many of them are along the border with Gaza now, others along the border with Lebanon right now, others in Syria and the West Bank. So this is a massive military mobilization that the IDF has begun.

General Hertling, thanks as usual for joining us.

HERTLING: Pleasure, Wolf. Thank you.

BLITZER: Just ahead, Hezbollah says it attacked Israeli positions in disputed territory. Could this conflict escalate into a larger, regional conflict? We'll discuss that. That's coming up right ahead.

[11:44:43]

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BLITZER: We're following some new breaking news from the U.S. State Department on U.S. citizens, and there are plenty of them, trying to cross from jazz to Gaza to Egypt at the southern Rafah crossing.

CNN State Department reporter Jenny Hansler is joining us. She's here in Washington. What are you learning, Jennifer?

JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: Well Wolf, we're now hearing from the State Department that they are informing those Palestinian Americans in Gaza that if they feel it is safe to do so, they should start making their way closer to that Rafah crossing, which is the only way out of Gaza right now.

They are advising these people that there may be little notice when that crossing does open and it may not be open for very long.

[11:49:47]

HANSLER: Now, we still don't have a lot of clarity about what actually happened at the crossing today. However, we heard from Americans who had gathered there. They waited for hours with the hopes that they would be able to get out today and they were not ultimately able to do so.

Egyptian local media reported that Cairo would not open that crossing unless humanitarian aid was allowed in to Gaza. We heard from one U.S. official who also pointed to the fact that Hamas does control part of this access. They do control the other side of the border.

So there are still a lot of questions and lot of confusion about what is actually going on, when these 500 to 600 Americans who are in Gaza -- now not all of them are going to seek to leave, but a lot of them are trying to get to safety in Egypt and we still do not really know when they'll be able to get there, Wolf.

BLITZER: We'll follow it closely together with you. Jennifer Hansler, thank you very much.

I'm joined now by Middle East analyst, the former CBS News correspondent and the author of the very important book, "Spies against Armageddon" Dan Raviv, a good friend.

Dan, thanks so much for joining us.

You know this area well. You've reported from Israel. You've reported from here in Washington, throughout the Middle East. How imminently could an Israeli ground incursion begin and just how complicated of an undertaking would that be for Israel?

DAN RAVIV, MIDDLE EAST ANALYST: Realistically it could happen at any time. There are certainly signs that as you heard from your military analyst for CNN that it's not easy. Usually the standing armed forces of Israel constitute 170,000 men and women. So they've tripled their usable army. That's a lot of organizing.

Some of it is up north. Some of it is keeping an eye on the West Bank. But a lot of it right now is focused on Gaza. The absolute implication that Israel intends to go in on the ground, something Israel did not want to do for years, knowing it would be bloody on both sides, very difficult for Israel Defense Forces, IDF soldiers and of course, awful for Gaza civilians.

Israel didn't want to do it, but feels that the massacres that happened a week ago make this necessary, Wolf.

BLITZER: And what about in the north, the potential for a second front developing with Hezbollah that has thousands of rockets and missiles aimed at Israel in south Lebanon?

RAVIV: That would be terrible. In the year 2006, there was a brief war in which Hezbollah was able to rain many -- hundreds of missiles down on Israel. Israel at that time didn't even have the Iron Dome missile defense system. Now Israel does, but that system could be overwhelmed.

I think that's why we saw President Biden move the USS Gerald Ford and that entire battle group very close to the Lebanon/Israel/Gaza coastline. There's the implication here that the U.S. might even shell Hezbollah if they were to do that, were to attack northern Israel. And both the U.S. and Israel feel that that would be Iran giving the order. So we're watching with great nervousness.

BLITZER: Yes. That movement of that U.S. aircraft carrier battle group, the Gerald Ford, to the eastern Mediterranean is significant. Do you think it's really realistic to think that U.S. fighter planes, missiles, troops could actually be directly involved in this war in the Middle East?

RAVIV: Yes, I do. And you've probably noticed Wolf, that the Pentagon hasn't been talking about why the fleet is there. President Biden says it's to show support for Israel and to warn off anyone who might want to get involved and widen the war.

Now to me, what that means is, yes. Yes, The U.S. Navy using its missiles, its aircraft, its long-range guns might hit Hezbollah. That frankly has to be the U.S. threat to try to keep Hezbollah and its Iranian financiers out of this war from opening another front.

BLITZER: Yes. We keep hearing from U.S. officials, from President Biden on down to the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken that if other groups or countries get directly involved in this war against Israel, they have one word of advice for them. "Don't".

We keep hearing that from the top U.S. leadership. If they do get involved, we'll see what the U.S. does. Potentially it could open a whole new front not just for Israel but for the U.S. as well.

You and I have covered this region a long time. Have you ever seen anything develop along these lines since a week ago when these Hamas terrorists launched their strike against Israeli communities?

RAVIV: Well, in some ways Wolf, it's reminiscent of the Yom Kippur War exactly 50 years ago this month when Israel was taken by surprise by Egypt and Syria. But Egypt and Syria were attacking way away from Israeli civilians.

The Egyptian attack was on the Sinai on Israeli troops there. The Syrian attack was on the Golan Heights which Israel had captured in 1967. And so Israeli civilians were not endangered and were not massacred. That's why Israel's level of anger is very high.

[11:54:51]

RAVIV: But there's also the almost unspoken truth that within Israel people want answers. What was the intelligence failure a week ago? With my writing partner Yossi Melman, we have -- we have revealed that Israeli sources tell us there were indications. On Friday night, eight days ago, some unusual activity near the fence,

near the border fence and there were very high-level discussions and even Israel's military chief of staff on a holiday Friday night decided not to move extra troops, not to add patrols because they didn't want to cause any alarm to local civilians on a holiday.

It was really the wrong call. And the commission of inquiry that inevitably -- that inevitably will be empaneled in Israel is sure to look at everybody and everything and I don't see how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can escape the blame.

BLITZER: Yes. I've spoken to several sources in Israel and friends who have said the same thing. This is the worst intelligence blunder in Israel's history.

We will see what this commission of inquiry concludes in the weeks and months ahead.

Dan Raviv, thank you so much for joining us.

RAVIV: Sure thing, Wolf.

BLITZER: And our special live coverage of the conflict between Israel and Hamas will continue.

Next hour, by the way, I'll be speaking with former Israel Prime Minister and opposition leader Yair Lapid.

We'll be right back.

[11:56:45]

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