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IDF Says It Struck More Than 450 Targets Over Past Day; Crowd Storms Russia Airport After Arrival of Flight from Tel Aviv; U.S. Marine Rapid Response Force Moves Toward Eastern Mediterranean Sea; Trump Holds Iowa Rally One Day After Pence Drops Out; Romney Unloads on Fellow Republicans in New Book; Video Suggests Israeli Troops Advanced Two Miles into Gaza; Iranian President: Israel Has Crossed the Red Lines in Gaza; Israeli Military: 239 Hostages Believed Held in Gaza. Aired 7-8p ET

Aired October 29, 2023 - 19:00   ET

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

[19:00:10]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. My colleague Wolf Blitzer is live for us in Tel Aviv, Israel.

We begin this hour with a reminder of the international tension stoked by what's happening in Israel and Gaza. We're now seeing this remarkable video from the southern Russian Republic of Dagestan. Russian authorities say a crowd some waving Palestinian flags forced their way into an airport after a flight from Tel Aviv landed earlier today. Russian state media says the crowd was protesting the Israel- Hamas war.

In Gaza City right now, an aid organization says nearby Israeli airstrikes have caused extensive damage to the second largest hospital there. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society says that's endangering the lives of patients. 12,000 displaced citizens are also sheltering there.

Gunfire and explosions echo across much of Gaza as Israel's ground offensive advances. Israeli troops appear to have advanced over two miles into Gaza, according to a CNN analysis and video published by an Israeli media outlet. Meanwhile rockets continue to be fired from Gaza into Israel.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Amidst all of this, Iran's president said today that Israel's offensive on Gaza has, quote, "crossed the red line." His words, crossed the red line. This is not the first warning from an Iranian official of the potential for a much broader conflict. Earlier today, President Biden spoke with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Their phone conversation comes amid a stark warning from the U.S. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan.

He says there is an elevated risk, his words, elevated risk of this conflict expanding across the region and, quote, "The risk is real."

I want to bring in CNN's Nic Robertson right now. He's joining us once again from Sderot in Israel not far from Gaza.

Nic, this time last night you were surrounded by the sound of explosions. It was so worrying. What are you seeing tonight?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, Wolf, about two minutes ago the sirens went off incoming missiles here. So rockets fired from Gaza in towards Sderot. We didn't hear any intercepts. We didn't hear any impacts. That was the second such siren in about three hours. So there are still rockets being fired out of Gaza today on this location and other parts of Israel as well.

Fighter jets in the sky above me. We're still hearing detonations coming from inside of Gaza this evening in the past few hours. It's not as heavy as last night. Not the tank fire, not the artillery fire. We are still hearing some Apache gunships and we've seen those through the day, but the tempo is down. We also know that the IDF has managed to get two miles into the northern end of Gaza, and for the location, we believe where they planted a flag, raised a flag over a building, it was right on the coast there in the northern end of the Gaza Strip.

So it appears as if they've avoided areas of dense civilian population, and of course, this is a very important message from President Biden to Prime Minister Netanyahu today to avoid civilian casualties and we are hearing calls from more and more U.N. agencies, one that looks after humanitarian relief and refugees inside Gaza, saying that a fabric of society is breaking down. Their warehouse overrun yesterday. And food looted from it.

The agency for children, Save the Children, is saying that they want an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. So the military operation slightly reduced in scale, it seems, but still under way and growing international pressure on Israel to allow a humanitarian pause, to allow some sort of ceasefire, Wolf, but no indication at all that that is about to happen.

BLITZER: And as we've been reporting, Nic, and you understand this very well, you've been to Dagestan, we're also seeing these multiple videos of very angry crowds over there storming an airport in Dagestan, in this Russian republic, after the arrival of a flight from Tel Aviv. Tell us a little bit more about that and as I said I know you've been there.

ROBERTSON: Yes. It's deeply worrying for anyone from Israel or for that matter, for the Jewish community around the world because this is just -- it appears to be yet another place where anti-Israeli, anti- Jewish sentiment is being expressed. What surprises me specifically about this incident today is how in a Russian republic that has a high security presence or the last time I was in Makhachkala airport in Dagestan which is where this happened was following the Boston marathon bombing in 2013, and that was because the bomber's family had come from there.

[19:05:21]

And there was, we discovered, you know, an undercurrent of radical Islamist behavior amongst a small element of the population and a high Russian security presence in that area. So in an area where there is a high and strong Russian security prevalence, how could the airport itself today be stormed? It comes at a time today shortly after Israel's Foreign Ministry here called in the Russian ambassador to ask him why Russia has not unequivocally condemned Hamas' brutal attack on the 7th of October.

And to that point as well, Foreign Ministry officials in Moscow just a couple of days ago meeting with senior Hamas officials. So this sort of apparent security lapse in Makhachkala airport in Dagestan, allowing this flight from Tel Aviv, arriving, to be stormed by crowds, the timing raises questions. We don't have the answers, and of course most of all just deeply worrying and disturbing for Israelis -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Very disturbing. And it's interesting because in my conversation with Israelis here in Tel Aviv over the past, what, hour or two since we got word of this angry mob attacking this Israeli plane that landed in Dagestan, Israelis are complaining that it's not just anti-Israel statements that were being hurled at the Israelis who were on this plane, but it was antisemitic statements as well and they're concerned about leaving the country right now and going to various places where there's not only increased anti-Israeli feeling but the antisemitic feelings as well, and I assume you've been hearing stuff along those lines where you are here in Israel.

ROBERTSON: Absolutely, Wolf. People are very concerned. They're concerned not just about their security here, but also worried about the reaction around the world that has not come out so strongly and condemned the actions of Hamas on the -- on the 7th of October and the implications of what that means, not just, you know, anti-Jewish, anti the state of Israel, but antisemitic.

And it's deeply troubling, deeply worrying for Jewish communities all across the world. We can look at capitals in Europe where attacks on the Jewish community have gone up and the communities forced them to take steps to protect their own security at levels that are just -- would be unfathomable for the rest of the community. So absolutely, it is very, very deeply felt and it's so many people here do talk about -- Wolf.

BLITZER: It certainly is very disturbing indeed. And Nic Robertson in Sderot, stay safe over there as I tell you every day. We'll get back to you soon.

Jim, you picking up our coverage.

ACOSTA: Thanks, Wolf.

Tonight another U.S. military ship heading towards the coast of Israel. Pentagon officials tell CNN they are repositioning a Marine rapid response force in the Mediterranean to be closer to the conflict. The move comes amid fears that the Israel-Hamas war can wide to include other countries.

CNN's Oren Lieberman is reporting from the Pentagon for us.

Oren, what are you learning? OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Jim, we've been watching

very closely the USS Baton and the 26 Marine Expeditionary Unit. A Marine rapid response force that has a number of mission essential tasks including special operations and crucially a noncombatant evacuation known in military lingo as a NEO.

Over the course of the past several weeks it's been in the Middle East it was initially making its way toward Israel but it was supposed to be off the southern coast in the Red Sea. According to two U.S. officials that plan has now changed. It is still in the Red Sea, but now on its way north. It will go through the Suez Canal and into the Eastern Med putting it very close to Israel and Jordan.

This as there is already a carrier strike group there. The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower which was initially heading for the Eastern Med will be there for a bit but will then make its way down into the waters of the Middle East. In fact that is where the USS Baton and the Marine rapid response force are coming from.

Now why is this significant other than it is an overwhelming show of force and a message meant to deter Iran and Iranian proxies from getting involved in this? Well, John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, early last week on Tuesday said it would be irresponsible and imprudent if the U.S. didn't plan for contingencies. Among those are possible evacuation of Israel and Lebanon if the situation deteriorates, and that's obviously a crucial if.

We have seen some back and forth across the Israel-Lebanon border, but not a massive escalation there.

[19:10:04]

But there is still a very real concern about that. Jake Sullivan, the National Security adviser, said the risk is real when asked about a regional conflict. The U.S. is trying to separate the conflicts in Gaza from other parts of the Middle East, but it has been unable to do that certainly in the eyes of Iran and Iranian proxies, crucially Hezbollah in Lebanon.

So the Marine response force with the USS Baton making its way to the Eastern Med would give the U.S. an option, a crucial asset and capability if it gets to the point where the U.S. need to serious consider a NEO, a noncombatant evacuation. Now it's important to note that that order hasn't been given, but late last week the State Department, the embassy in Beirut said it is advisable for U.S. citizens in Beirut to leave now, to leave before the crisis begins.

So the U.S. very clearly looking at the possibility that the conflict in Gaza escalates into a wider regional conflict with a particular focus on Israel's border with Lebanon, the possibility that a second front opens up and that Israel and Hezbollah are in open war. In that case, the capability, one of the crucial capabilities if the U.S. decides it needs to order a NEO, a noncombatant evacuation order, would be that Marine rapid response forces, the USS Baton along with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the MEU, making its way to the Eastern Med.

ACOSTA: Oren Liebermann, at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

Let's discuss further with retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, the former commanding general for Europe and the Seventh Army.

General Hertling, what do you make of what Oren Liebermann was just talking about, this rapid response force getting closer to this situation? I mean, obviously, it could happen. I mean, where they may need to intervene and evacuate Americans. What do you think?

LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, exactly, Jim, and what I tell you as commander of U.S. Army Europe back in 2013, we worked with the Marine Expeditionary Units in the area at the time. It was a different MEU, but this one, the 26th MEU, Marine Expeditionary Unit, special operations capable. It is not a special operations unit but it can work with special operations forces, are trained to conduct NEO operations. And in fact back in my day about 10 years ago, we actually planned a NEO operation in Beirut out of Lebanon. It didn't happen, but certainly it could today, given the increase of tensions in the area.

What I'd suggest is that rapid response force, that Marine MEU, is capable of doing all sorts of things. Contributing to the execution of a NEO is one of the most important things they do, but what I'd say, Jim, is when I was there, and this was a long time ago, there were 100,000 and more American citizens inside of Lebanon, and we were planning for the noncombatant evacuation of all of them at the time. Luckily we didn't have to do it.

This is a very tough mission. The MEU will contribute to that. It has about 2200 Marines on board, the Baton, that amphibious ship that would contribute to this. So, yes, this is an important factor of having a contingency operation ready to perform operations in Beirut and in Lebanon.

ACOSTA: Right. Better to have it there and not needed, than to need it and not have it there.

HERTLING: Right.

ACOSTA: And we're also getting -- I want to ask you about this, General Hertling. We're also getting chaotic -- this really kind of crazy new video that's come in from Dagestan, the Russian Republic of Dagestan. I'm sure you've seen this video of Russian officials say a crowd protesting the Israel-Hamas war forced their way into the airport after a flight from Israel landed, and just all hell breaks loose. What do you think about what's going on here? This has got to be very worrisome.

HERTLING: It is worrisome, Jim. But you have to set the understanding and the context. Dagestan is a Soviet or a Russian republic, and about 80 percent of the population there are Islamic -- you know, their background is in Islam. So they are very concerned about Jews coming into the area. The reaction is unbelievably antisemitic, but you can understand this and I'd point to the fact that Russia and Iran have been coordinating many of their actions.

So when you see a republic within the Russian sphere, Dagestan, it's connected to Georgia and Azerbaijan in the area, with about 80 percent of their population being Muslims, and would not support any Jewish immigrants to the area. So you're going to see these kind of actions in those kind of areas and in other areas, but it's extremely troubling as we see Jews trying to get out of Israel, trying to escape kind of the consequences of what's happening from Hamas.

But you also have to understand that the members or the population of Dagestan is very supportive of the Iranian Revolution and the fact that they are supporting what's going on by Hamas and Hezbollah inside of Israel itself.

[19:15:14]

All of this ties together with an understanding of what Russia is connected or how Russia is connected to what's going on in the area.

ACOSTA: Well, apparently, in some of the language in that video is just wildly antisemitic. So we're obviously going to keep our eyes on all of this and report anything new out of this as it develops.

General Hertling, as always, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

HERTLING: Pleasure, Jim. Thank you.

ACOSTA: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Just about two and a half months to the Iowa caucuses, and Donald Trump remains at the top of the GOP field. The long-shot candidate Chris Christie insists it won't stay that way.

[19:20:06]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Donald Trump is not going to be able to beat Joe Biden from a courtroom in Washington, D.C. while he's fighting his indictment on the January 6th case. And let me tell you that indictment got much tougher for him to beat when his own chief of staff has now accepted immunity and will testify against him about the lies he told.

This is going to be a big problem for our party and we need to cut it off at the pass, get rid of Donald Trump, and move on to honest, strong leadership that will tell the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And CNN's Jeff Zeleny joins us now from Sioux City, Iowa, where the former president spoke just a short time ago.

Jeff, what can you tell us? JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim,

former President Donald Trump did not talk about Chris Christie, but he did talk about those indictments and of course not in the same way that Chris Christie referenced them.

This has become a central theme of the Trump campaign trying to use those indictments as a rallying cry. And in fact to his base, to his supporters in the Orpheum Theater here, they rallied to his cause. The question is, will others outside of his base?

But the former president also made no mention of Mike Pence, of course who got out of the race yesterday. There was no mention of the former president's former vice president, but what he did say, Jim, perhaps coining a new phrase, taking a play off the old drain the swamp, he said it's time to build the swamp. He also wrapped in some election denialism in there as well.

Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know they cheat, you know that, right? And you know how you beat cheaters? You have to swamp them. You have to swamp them. Not drain the swamp. In this case, you have to build a swamp, OK, we'll build one. But you have to swamp them and we will. I think we're going to -- we're seeing numbers that we've never seen before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So, of course, the question is building that swamp, but the Iowa caucuses in 78 days opened the Republican nominating contest.

Jim, as you said, he does have a commanding lead here in Iowa. The question is the general election argument. Of course, Chris Christie and others are making the argument that Trump can't win the general election. That is very much an open question, of course all polling nearly a year out before election day is, in fact, very close should Trump become the nominee.

But, Jim, interestingly, one thing was clear, even though yesterday the former president called on Mike Pence to endorse him, again making no mention of him here today. But, Jim, you just get the sense as the temperature starts to drop and the winner is taking hold here, the field is consolidating again 78 days before those Iowa caucuses -- Jim.

ACOSTA: Yes. I think the former president might need to work on his materials. Build the swamp does not exactly roll off the tongue. I don't even understand what that means. But we'll see. It is getting closer to the Iowa caucuses. He's got some time to work on those lines.

Jeff Zeleny, thanks a lot. Appreciate it.

As Republicans head into 2024, divisions within the GOP are alienating some of its longtime members. Case in point, one of those is Senator Mitt Romney. The 2012 Republican presidential candidate turned pariah who has been lambasted by many within his party for his anti-Trump stance, but now he's firing back. "Romney: A Reckoning" is a new biography based on dozens of interviews.

The 76-year-old senator offering the closest and rawest look yet at his views on the GOP and its author, "Atlantic" staff writer McKay Coppins who spent a lot of time with Mitt Romney, joins me now.

McKay, great to see you as always. I guess I want to talk about the book and Mitt Romney and so on, but what Chris Christie is saying about the field narrowing down, that's wishful thinking, obviously, on his part after Mike Pence dropped out this weekend. It's still very much Trump's race at this point.

MCKAY COPPINS, AUTHOR, "ROMNEY: A RECKONING": We haven't seen any evidence yet that even as people are dropping out that, you know, the rest of the primary voters are consolidating behind a single candidate and that's the real problem. You would have to see significant consolidation for Trump to have a serious challenger. And that hasn't happened.

ACOSTA: Yes, you'd have to have almost all of them drop out except for one.

COPPINS: Right.

ACOSTA: And they're not going to do that at this point.

Let's talk about the book. Mitt Romney has been critical of some of his fellow Republicans, who have also run for president, and he says Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has no warmth at all, he looks like he's got a toothache. He said Senator Ted Cruz is frightening, scary and a demagogue. He even blasted former Texas governor Rick Perry saying Republicans have to have someone who can complete a sentence.

I do remember this acid wit that Mitt Romney had when I covered him back in 2012. I didn't know it was this acidic, but is he having second thoughts about even being a Republican?

COPPINS: You know, it's interesting. When I started interviewing him for the book, he had been rocked by January 6th then he was kind of taking stock of what his party had become. By the last interview I think back earlier this year, we did this for two years, he was openly talking to me about leaving the party and starting a third party. He frankly admits now that he doesn't see a home for himself in the GOP and he's tried to steer it away from Trumpism but he's found that it's almost impossible.

[19:25:02]

ACOSTA: And he's also been notorious obviously for his criticism of Trump over the years but there was a time when it seemed like he was willing to embrace Trump. I was a few tables away when Romney dined with Trump, President-elect Trump, at the Jean-Georges Restaurant in New York back in 2016. It seems that Romney was willing to make a bargain with Trump to become secretary of State I think is what it was, being floated at the time. I remember back in the 2012 campaign when Trump endorsed Mitt Romney.

So is Romney being a little hypocritical here, do you think? I mean, didn't he embrace some of these extreme elements of the party at times, the Trumpist element of the party?

COPPINS: This is one of the themes of our conversations over those two years, and it comes up again and again in the book. He thinks a lot about the compromises he's made throughout his political career. That dinner that you're talking about, I'll just tease that. In the book I report what Trump said about you --

(LAUGHTER)

ACOSTA: Oh, great.

COPPINS: -- during that dinner. But, you know, you can read to find out. But you know Romney --

ACOSTA: Gee, thanks.

COPPINS: Romney admits that, you know, there have been times where he's been motivated primarily by ambition, political ambition, and that's led him at times to cross certain ethical lines. As for that secretary of State job, you know, he told me that he thought that it was important to have adults in the room in the administration at that time. That was a common thing you would hear right after the 2016 election. But he also says I'm glad I didn't end up with that job because I would not have lasted very long.

ACOSTA: Well, yes, because there were plenty of adults in the room with Donald Trump during the administration, and they could not control him.

COPPINS: That's exactly right.

ACOSTA: He refused to have any constraints put on him. And is there a part in the book that you think that's been overlooked about Mitt Romney? I mean, what I remember about Mitt Romney in the 2012 campaign is that he's actually a pretty decent guy. And I guess that does come across his colleagues feel that way, but what about Romney now? Is he bitter? Is he walking away from this feeling defeated? What does he do now?

COPPINS: Yes. Well, it's interesting. I think that since some of those quotes you read at the top have come out and people -- you know, people have focused on this idea that he's consumed with resentment or he's angry.

ACOSTA: Yes.

COPPINS: You know, I think it's actually more that he's heartbroken by what his party has become. He's dedicated so much of his adult life to promoting the Republican Party, which he thought stood for democracy and free markets and, you know, individual responsibility and family values. And now he's seen so many of his fellow Republicans rally around a man who he feels just manifestly does not embody any of those qualities.

And you know, I think that the decency you mentioned does come through, really at this point in Romney's life, and I think the reason he cooperated with me is that he's not thinking about the next election cycle anymore. He's not thinking about his political future. He's thinking about his legacy and what he's leaving behind for his kids and grandkids, and I think that the message he wants to send is that it's important to follow your conscience, not think about whether you can stay in power. And that's what the book is really about.

ACOSTA: Fascinating. All right, well, McKay Coppins, we're all going to read the book. Everyone else is reading the book. So we're going to read it as well.

McKay, thanks very much. Great reporting as always. We appreciate the time.

All right, coming up next, we'll take you back to Israel as a U.S. Marine rapid response force is now moving toward the region amid fears that the conflict could spread. More when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:37:32]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Tonight, the situation here in the Middle East is heating up dramatically.

Joining us now, Israel's current ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog. He's also a retired brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces.

Ambassador, I know you have a lot going on. Thanks so much for being here. First of all, what are you hearing about how this more intense phase of Israel's ground operations in Gaza, how this more intense phase is going now?

MICHAEL HERZOG, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE US: So as you know, we've been intensifying our operations against Hamas inside Gaza. For the past 48 hours, we are applying more and more pressure on them. We understand that they started that this war, we have to end it in a way that they cannot threaten us any longer.

I believe that we are operating very carefully, in a moderate -- in a modular way, and applying more and more pressure on them, and I think we expect to see the results in the coming days.

BLITZER: Earlier today, a man you know, well, President Biden's National Security adviser, Jake Sullivan warned there is an elevated risk of this conflict between Israel and Hamas expanding to include other countries in the region.

So where is all this moving? Where do you think? HERZOG: We are aware of the risk and we are watching very closely

what's happening on our northern border and other actors like Iran and Iranian proxies. Iran allowed these proxies or guided these proxies to attack Israel and some US targets. We have sent very strong deterrent messages to them as well as the US, and I think these messages sank in.

What we see along the Israel-Lebanese border is daily exchanges of blows on a local level, and we hope it remains there. If they decide to expand, they are playing with fire.

BLITZER: Earlier today, Iran's president said Israel had "crossed the red lines." As you know, Hamas and Hezbollah are both backed by Iran. President Biden has warned Iran not to get involved. He says "don't" when he asked about what they should be doing, he says "don't," don't even think about it.

Could this war expand very dramatically, do you believe all of a sudden?

[19:35:07]

HERZOG: I believe that Iran could be deterred? We're not talking about an 800-pound gorilla that cannot be deterred. Let me remind you and all the viewers that we have been at a mini war with Iran and Syria for the last decade. They have tried to build a formidable military facing Israel from Syria, and we targeted them militarily. And we did not escalate to war because we deterred them. So I think they could be deterred and everybody should realize that.

BLITZER: It was announced earlier that the Pentagon has just deployed what's called a Marine Rapid Response Force of up to 2,000 US Marines, and they've been deployed off the coast of Israel not far from where I am right now. According to US officials, all of this is developing very, very quickly. Do you think that's enough to keep this -- all of this contained, to keep Iran and its proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas and others from joining this war?

HERZOG: As I understand it, the US is beefing up its deployment in the region, and that I believe sends a very strong deterrent message to Iran. I think they are listening and I think this could very be very helpful in deterring Iran, Hezbollah, and the other Iranian proxies.

BLITZER: Are the US and Israel on the same page right now, when it comes to Iran?

HERZOG: I would say yes. We have very close consultations. We have a daily dialogue on all the issues including Iran and Hezbollah. We compare notes, we compare intel. I think we see eye to eye on the issue of Iran.

BLITZER: In Gaza right now, some of the relief agencies are saying that the humanitarian crisis there is worsening by the hour. Today, the main UN agency in Gaza said thousands of people broke into some of its warehouses stealing food and critical supplies. What if anything, can and will Israel do to try to ease the suffering of the civilians inside Gaza?

HERZOG: We are in the process of ramping up humanitarian supplies into Gaza. I think, in the next day or two, you will see up to a hundred trucks a day with humanitarian supplies going into Gaza and we have providing in very close coordination with UN agencies and the United States government additional humanitarian solutions to the problems on the ground.

We are in touch with all UN agencies, we make sure that whatever needs we know about and we are in touch, by the way with the director of hospitals in Gaza, we have a daily assessment of situation with all UN agencies carried out by COGA (ph). We know where the problems are, and we work very hard to address them. We think this is our duty, it is also our interest.

BLITZER: Amidst all of this, as if that were not enough, we are getting some very disturbing new video coming in from the Russian Republic of Dagestan, Mr. Ambassador.

Russian officials say a very angry crowd protesting the Israel-Hamas war forced their way into an airport there after a flight from Israel landed. Have you heard about this? And what is your reaction?

HERZOG: Yes, I did hear about this unfortunate incidents and my reaction is that what we're seeing right now is not only war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, it's deeper than that. It means that we are at war with extreme Islamists across the globe who target you, who target Israelis, and also target the West. Everybody has to understand that. It is not just a narrow geopolitical conflict, it is deeper than that. It's a clash of civilizations.

BLITZER: Very disturbing and angry statements that were being hurled at the Israeli plane, at the Israelis in Dagestan. Very, very disturbing statements indeed.

Ambassador Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, thanks so much for joining us.

HERZOG: Thank you very much, Wolf.

BLITZER: Israel says Hamas is holding 239 hostages in Gaza. Up next, a man whose sister is among them. We'll discuss when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:44:00]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: And you're looking at live pictures right now of Gaza. It's 1:43 AM, relatively quiet right now. We'll see if it stays that way. But in the meantime, the United Nations Relief Agency says thousands have broken into warehouses in Gaza taking basic survival items, this, as many are desperate for food and water.

CNN's Melissa Bell has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A catastrophic failing according to

the president of the International Red Cross that is how he was speaking about the situation for civilians inside the Gaza Strip even as desperate efforts are made to try and get more aid trucks in.

So far, the Palestinian Red Crescent says there had been 94 trucks that have managed to get through, an extra 10 went through on Sunday. That is a tiny proportion of what they should be getting through.

We've also been hearing and seeing from inside the Gaza strip those images of people desperately trying to get their hands on UN supplies inside UN warehouses of wheat, flour, hygiene supplies, giving you an indication of three weeks after the tightening of the siege and the bombardments of the Gaza Strip, not to mention over the last couple of days, the ground operation that has now gotten underway just how desperate the situation is now for the civilians trapped inside.

[19:45:24]

Terrible images coming overnight as well from a refugee camp inside Gaza where overnight bombing saw the destruction of a mosque where many Gazans from the north of the Strip had been seeking refuge over the course of the last three days, 13 dead, many injured and a dire situation with Antonio Guterres warning on Saturday from Doha that the clock is ticking and that history will judge us.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Cairo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Coming up next, we'll talk to a man whose sister is among the hostages still being held in Gaza.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[19:50:13]

BLITZER: Hamas officials now say they are ready for what they call a full prisoner swap. That would include according to Hamas, all of the 239 Israeli and other foreign hostages, including Americans being held in Gaza by Hamas in exchange for the thousands of Palestinian prisoners being held in Israel.

Earlier today, a cousin of one of the Israeli hostages spoke at a rally in Washington, DC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOAZ ATZILI, COUSIN OF ISRAELI HOSTAGE: Hamas will not release them out of the good of their heart, it will take a price. But 229 human beings' life are worth any price.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: Joining us now is Lion Yanai, his sister was taken hostage

after the brutal attack on that Nova Music Festival in south Israel not far from Gaza.

Thanks so much Lion for joining us. How were you and your family, first of all doing, especially as Israel is expanding its ground operations into Gaza?

LION YANAI, HIS SISTER, MORAN STELLA YANAI, TAKEN HOSTAGE BY HAMAS: Well, we are waiting of for Moran for 23 days now and we are scared about this information, but we're scared from the beginning as well anyway. So just another thing, you know, we are being worried for this long time.

BLITZER: Would you support Lion, the so called deal that Hamas is calling for where all the Israeli hostages and foreign hostages in Gaza would be released in exchange for the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israel?

YANAI: Yes, we ask -- we demand from the Israel government to do whatever they can to release the hostages and kidnapped as soon as possible and as quick -- as quickly as possible and to do whatever they can to do that as quickly as possible. So from this point of view, yes, I would address them to do that.

BLITZER: Do you think the other families would also support this kind of a deal?

YANAI: Yes, there's a lot of families, a lot of them are worried and all of them demand the government to do whatever they can as soon as possible. And we all demanding it very clearly. And yes.

BLITZER: What are you hearing from the Israeli government, Lion, about the status of these negotiations that are going on, supposedly behind-the-scenes?

YANAI: Nothing. Nothing much. We have only hints that these talks are happening, and bring social support and that's it, we don't get much information about it.

BLITZER: Before I let you go, Lion, I want you to tell us something that we should know about your sister, Moran, who is being held by Hamas in Gaza.

YANAI: Moran is a beautiful person, a person who loves life, love peace, love music, love everyone and loves to help people, love animals. She was working at the SQ. She's a truly beautiful person, a positive person.

I would say Moran, be strong. Continue to be positive. Think about all the acts we are going to give you here when you come back. And I want y4ou to know that we're doing everything we can to bring you back home as soon as possible. And I would suggest to the whole international community to come, please come help us free those hostages.

Please understand this is a global issue that is happening in this world, and we know, we must be united about it and not allow this to happen again, not in Israel and not everywhere in the world and please take action --

BLITZER: Well, we are all hoping and praying that she will be reunited -- that she will be reunited with her family and with you.

YANAI: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: And we wish you of course a sweet reunion, and hope it happens soon. Lion Yanai, thank you very much for joining us. Good luck.

YANAI: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: And to our viewers. Thanks very much for joining me here. I'm in Tel Aviv. I'll be back on the air tomorrow here on CNN covering all the breaking news from Israel.

My special coverage will begin at 1:00 PM Eastern tomorrow. We'll continue later, of course, in "The Situation Room" live from Tel Aviv, 6:00 PM Eastern.

And we'll have much more news straight ahead, including news that a US Marine Rapid Response Force is now moving toward the region, not far from where we are in Tel Aviv amid fears that this conflict could spread dramatically.

Much more when we come back.

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[19:59:19]

ACOSTA: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. My colleague, Jim Sciutto is joining us live from Northern Israel. Good evening to all of you.

We begin this hour with the human suffering on both sides of the conflict in Israel and Gaza. Israel's military now says the number of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza is up to 239 people ; and in Gaza, humanitarian crisis deepens.

The United Nations says thousands of people have broken into its warehouses taking food and basic supplies. A short time ago, a senior US official confirmed that the US pressured Israel to restore phone and internet service, potentially, life-saving communications.

And as rockets are fired from Gaza and Israel, Israel's ground offensive inside Gaza marches on. Israeli troops appear to have advanced over two miles into Gaza. According to a CNN analysis of a video published by an Israeli media outlet.

[20:00:18]