Civilian crisis grows in Gaza, Israel as IDF ground invasion looms

THE UNITED NATIONS CHIEF – ANTONIO GUTERRES – IS WARNING THAT THE MIDDLE EAST IS “ON THE VERGE OF THE ABYSS” – AS THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR RAGES ON.

TWO MILLION PALESTINIAN GAZANS – HALF OF THEM CHILDREN – ARE ATTEMPTING TO FLEE THEIR WAR-TORN NEIGHBORHOODS – BUT HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.

LEADERS OF EGYPT AND JORDAN HAVE SAID – THEY WILL NOT ABSORB GAZA REFUGEES INTO THEIR COUNTRIES.

THE RAFAH BORDER CROSSING – FROM GAZA INTO EGYPT – IS CLOSED TO GAZANS SEEKING REFUGE FROM THE WAR.

GUTERRES SAYS GAZA IS RUNNING OUT OF WATER, ELECTRICITY AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES – AND GAZA HOSPITALS ARE ON THE BRINK OF A BREAKING POINT.

TRUCKS CARRYING BADLY NEEDED SUPPLIES – LIKE FOOD AND WATER – HAVE BEEN WAITING IN RAFAH FOR DAYS – HOPING MEDIATORS CAN BROKER A CEASEFIRE – SO THEY CAN ENTER GAZA AND DELIVER AID.

GUTERRES IS WARNING HAMAS TO RELEASE HOSTAGES “IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT CONDITIONS” AND FOR ISRAEL TO GRANT HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE CITIZENS OF GAZA.

MEANWHILE – DEADLY ATTACKS IN THE WEST BANK HAVE SURGED – AND NOW – THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT TERRITORY COULD ERUPT INTO ANOTHER WAR FRONT.

PALESTINIAN HEALTH AUTHORITIES SAY – MORE THAN 50 PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE WEST BANK AND EAST JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL SEEKS TO CRACK DOWN ON POTENTIAL ATTACKS IN THE AREA FOLLOWING HAMAS TERROR ATTACK FROM GAZA JUST OVER A WEEK AGO.

Over the weekend – ISRAELI SOLDIERS RAIDED THE WEST BANK AND TOOK DOZENS OF HAMAS TERROR SUSPECTS INTO CUSTODY.

360 HAVE BEEN APPREHENDED IN THE WEST BANK SINCE THE WAR STARTED – ACCORDING TO AN IDF SPOKESPERSON.

THE THREAT TO CIVILIANS HAS BEEN A CENTRAL CONCERN SINCE HAMAS first launched ATTACKS. IN FACT, REPORTS INDICATE THAT KILLING CIVILIANS WAS HAMAS’ GOAL FROM THE START.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTED – DOCUMENTS FOUND ON DEAD HAMAS MILITANTS AFTER THAT ATTACK SHOW – THEY WERE DIRECTED TO KILL AS MANY ISRAELIS AS POSSIBLE AND TAKE HOSTAGES TO GAZA TO WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

AS ISRAELI FORCES PREPARE FOR A GROUND INVASION OF GAZA – AMERICANS LEADERS ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO HELP BRING AMERICAN EVACUEES HOME.

FLORIDA GOVERNOR AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RON DESANTIS GREETED NEARLY 300 AMERICANS WHO ARRIVED ON PLANE FROM ISRAEL – SUNDAY NIGHT – AT TAMPA’S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

DESANTIS HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS TO GET AMERICANS HOME FROM THE WAR-TORN REGION.

LAST WEEK THE GOVERNOR SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AUTHORIZING FLORIDA’S DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT – TO DELIVER FLIGHTS TO ISRAEL – AND HELP DELIVER AID AND GET FLORIDIANS HOME – AFTER COMMERCIAL AIRLINES CANCELED FLIGHTS OUT OF ISRAEL AT THE START OF THE WAR.

ON MONDAY — THE U-S GOVERNMENT CHARTERED A NORWEGIAN CRUISE SHIP TO HELP GET AMERICANS FROM THE PORT OF HAIFA TO CYPRUS WHERE THEY WILL HAVE TO FIND THEIR OWN ACCOMODATIONS BACK TO THE STATES.

(0:52) REPORTER: “WILL YOU FEEL SAFER WHEN YOU’RE BACK IN AMERICA?”

COUPLE: “FOR SURE, YEAH FOR SURE. WE CANNOT WAIT. FOR SURE.”