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hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us all around the world. i'm max foster with our continuing coverage of israel at war. the gaza based militant group hamas has released two more people it abducted, identified as israeli citizens, nurit cooper and yocheved lifshitz. they were handed over at the border crossing into egypt. they were taken to a medical center in israel where they were reunited with their families. >> translator: we received the first abductees a few minutes ago. we were very emotional. their medical condition is okay. they are talking. we immediately brought them to their family members. it was a very, very emotional meeting. we'll let them rest with the family. after that, we'll conduct a

comprehensive physical examination. they will stay with us tonight and tomorrow we'll know exactly, but right now for them and for the family members, it is a very, very emotional situation and we're happy that they are here with us. >> both women were among the more than 200 people captured in hamas in the deadly rampage october 7. israel has been responding to that attack by bombarding gaza almost nonstop. there have been strikes on more than 400 sites on the past day and israeli defense minister has indicated that a ground incursion may be coming. in a video he urged troops to be ready. >> translator: preparing for our operation, it will come soon. we are preparing thoroughly for the next step. multilateral operation in the air, ground and sea. do your work, get ready, we will need you. >> however a top u.s. official wouldn't say publicly if the biden administration has urged

israel to delay the expected ground incursion into gaza. >> israeli defense forces need to decide for themselves how they will conduct operations. we're not in the bit business dictating terms to them and certainly not in the business of previewing any future operations one way or the other. >> elliott gotkine is here with us now. let's start with the one piece of good news we've had in recent times and that is the release of two hostages. many more still stuck including their will hhusbands. >> yes, these two elderly women were released thanks to the negotiations. netanyahu didn't thank the qataris, perhaps because they host some of the political leadership of hamas which carried out this terrorist attack. and so those two hostages are now free. before this way released, still

222 people that hamas had kidnapped and holding hostage in the gaza strip. obviously there is hope now that four women have been released, and that more will be released in the coming hours in the coming days. but of course we don't know. and i suppose this of course is one reason why we're seeing a delay to the much expected ground envision from israel because of those hostages. even before they were released, if and when they go in on the grounds, that will be a complicating factor in the battle. >> are we seeing a moment of disunity between israel and america on this? because as we suggested, america seems to be pushing for a delay to the ground incursion and israel seems to be pushing ahead with it. >> it hasn't happened yet, so that would seem to indicate that israel perhaps is paying attention to the united states as much as the u.s. and israel deny that, you know, these kind

of decisions that it is being influenced by the white house or by the administration there. but certainly israel has a number of things that -- i wouldn't call it a discordance with the united states, but we've mentioned the hostages and the possibility of a northern front opening with hezbollah and increased strikes going on, increased skirmishes between militants of hezbollah backed by iran in the north. israel doesn't want a northern front to be opened. but as we heard with president herzog saying that if hezbollah will drag us in to war, lebanon will pay the price. and against that backdrop you have the rising number of civilian casualties in the gaza strip, a deteriorating humanitarian situation and as macron said to herzog, we stand with you, but he doesn't want israel to be alone. in other words, that as the

humanitarian situation deteriorates in the gaza strip, he doesn't want israel to come under too much pressure or condemnation from the international community. >> elliott, thank you. more now on those two israeli women released. according to the head nurse at the hospital where the women are being examined, both are in okay condition it seems. she says as soon as they arrived at the hospital, they had an emotional reunion with their families. here is what the family of yocheved lifshitz had to say about her release. >> i've seen a picture of her in a bed, in a hospital bed. she is waving her hand. i know that she is well enough to speak. and well enough to walk. i think that she walked across the border. so my mom's story is an amazing story. my heart is with my father and the other 218 people railroad so

that are still held hostage. this is a great sign that other things can happen. >> so much joy and light and happiness from one side and so much sadness and still this roller coaster. we don't go out of it. and now my grandmother is back, but still now i'm more afraid about my grandfather, that he is still there and still no men being released. >> both women will get a complete physical examination by doctors before being discharged in the coming days. the families are hopeful this means more hostages will be released very soon. joining me now is associates professor of international security and conflict resolution with the political science department of the university college london. thank you so much for joining us. >> gay and lesbian. >> good morning. >> and this is good news but their husbands are still in

captivity and so are many others. what do you think the message is from hamas delivering them back to israel? >> i think it is an extremely difficult message from hamas. as we've seen with the propaganda that they issued with the release from it, it is a message of still trying to project some level of control of the situation. still trying to project power within the situation. it is couched in terms of humanitarian sort of -- a nod to humanitarianism. can't be to gotten 220 civilians being held, still babies in there and children. and a true humanitarian gesture would be releasing those without concession. so definitely more of a tactic

than a genuine measure. >> in terms of the negotiation, these things are all done, you know, behind closed doors of course between diplomats and hamas. but just explain the relationship as it played out here. you have the political leadership of hamas and qatar, and then the egyptians that seem to have a stronger relationship with the military side and obviously americans were involveds as well. >> absolutely. and this is slightly complicated. previously negotiations have been done directly and there are questions as to whether it should be more direct, having that kind of tri-lateral negotiations can get messy. as elliott pointed out, thanks was quite given directly to the egyptian government, egyptian obviously with the border they share with gaza is definitely an

interested party in trying to resolve this as soon as possible to try to avoid it spilling into its borders. and it is maintaining that relationship. the u.s./guitarity relationship particularly with the way -- as they have mediated particularly in negotiating the deal with the u.s. and iran still is carrying the role and particularly with that political leadership sitting there, there still emerges the question given the potential for fragmentation on the ground as to where these hostages are being held. as to the extent that command and control is in-tabt between the leadership of hamas and qatar and the people on the ground. >> when you look back on the history of these events, what will they be considering? if they are prioritizing releasing the hostages, logic

would dictate that if they went in on the ground hostages would be lost. so how do they weigh out that military aggression with diplomacy in getting the best result? >> in this case it is extraordinarily difficult. in previous hostage situations, we tend to have had clarity on exactly where the position of the hostages are and the position of where hostage takers are. so you have to -- when you think it out, munich 1972, and in 1976, you had that kind of control over the area to know exactly what you were dealing with. here you are right we're dealing with a people that can be hidden particularly within tunnels, quite spread across a densely populated area and always a calculus with these kind of events is the need to minimize risk to force, so minimize risk to the rescuers, as well as the risk to the mission.

and in particular to the hostages. so that is the extent that we've seen some limited incursions. yesterday there was one where an israeli soldier was killed in trying to sort of test the ground forces, the aerial bombardment will be trying to break down the infrastructure so if they go down that route that they have cleared the way to make the mission a success. >> what about the tension that seems to be developing between israel and the u.s. if you look at the messaging. u.s. really hoping it seems that israel will hold off on this ground incursion, but the israeli military certainly saying that they are ready to go in. are you concerned that that tension may grow and might isolate israel? >> i think that there is still sufficient backing. i think u.s. will be and has

stood by from the beginning that this was an attack on a territory that there is a right to defend, that there is -- the hamas regime needs to be dismantled within gaza for there to be any hope of the two state solution really continuing. this is not a choice any more in the same way that this is not a choice to be in this position. we've heard reports that the u.s. has sent strategic advisers to look at how the u.s. are going to -- how israel is going to be doing this. we know the u.s. has force in place. i think u.s. is concerned to avoid as much spillover as possible and to make sure that as was noted before that israel is going to go in and can do so in a way that can avoid minimal

damage to the humanitarian crisis that is growing and that it can be done in a way that achieves its objectives as quickly and smoothly as possible. >> and we appreciate your analysis today. thank you for joining us. at least 20 trucks brought much needed food and other supplies, aid supplies, into gaza on monday and ovenot nearls much to meet the needs of the millions. here is what is u.n. spokesperson had to say. >> i think as others have said, it is a drop in the bucket. i think the number of trucks that usually went into gaza every day was about 450 or so and now we're seeing 20 or 30 and we're not seeing any fuel. which is a great concern. >> and doctors and aid groups are warning that all the chaos is taking a toll on the overwhelmed hospitals. palestinian authority ministry of health says hospitals are

nearing collapse and operating at more than 150% of their capacity. a doctor tells cnn they desperately need fuel for vital machinery keeping patients alive including infants such as these. clarissa ward has more on the deteriorating conditions at hospitals in gaza and the story contains graphic video. >> reporter: you are entering the hospital in gaza city. this is just one minute and one day. but doctors tell us that it could be any minute of the last 16 days. it is a scene from hell. many of the patients are young children. the reception area now a triage center. everywhere you turn, another casualty. every one of these people has been ordered by israel's military to evacuate the hospital including the staff

already outnumbered and overwhelmed. and as the punishing bombardment continues, the wounded keep flooding in. doctors say there is in where else for them to go. no safe way to transport them out. >> we used to have mass casualties once or twice a day but now every half an hour there are casualties. our medicine department and o.t. department and we're overloaded with patients. >> reporter: and this doctor warns that the situation is about to get dramatically worse. the hospital he says is just two days away from running out of fuel needed to power the generators that are keeping the hospital and its patients alive. if you do run out of fuel in two days, what will you do? i mean, what can you do? >> i think the international

community will be a part of the process of killing of our people. if they don't act, if they don't get fuel into gaza, what do for the people who are in the icu. what about neonatal. there are small babies. we have more than 130 in our neonatal icu units. what to do with them? i think we are allowing them to die. we don't have fuel to run the generators in the hospital. >> reporter: just a trickle of aid has been allowed to cross into gaza. and none of it fuel. blocked by israel, concerns that it would be taken by hamas. hundreds of trucks are waiting along the egyptian side of the border. but diplomatic efforts to establish a continuous humanitarian corridor have failed. and there is no more time for debate. still ahead, u.s.

intelligence is warning that iran is about to exploit the backlash in the region against american support for israel. why it says u.s. forces in iraq and syria could be targeted. plus cnn visits a kibbutz ravaged by hamas. we'll have reaction from a man seeing his home for the first time after losing most of his family to the attacks.

president macron has arrived in tel aviv to show solidarity with israel. earlier he met with victims from the hamas attack. and a source says that he will discuss a two state solution with israeli officials including benjamin netanyahu. and likely that he will meet with mahmoud abbas as well. the dutch prime minister also visited the region with talks with leaders. he urged netanyahu to show restraint when using force in gaza and spoke about the cycle of violence unleashed by hamas. pentagon is bracing for increase in attacks on u.s. forces across the middle east. u.s. intelligence agencies think

iran is eager to exploit the backlash in the region against american support for israel. as oren lieberman reports, u.s. forces in iraq and syria have already come under fire. >> reporter: u.s. has intelligence that iranian backed militias in the middle east are looking to take advantage of the opportunity and the situation there to escalate and ramp up attacks on u.s. forces in the middle east as iran tries to take advantage of growing anti-israel and anti-u.s. sentiment as a result of the ongoing war between israel and hamas in gaza. we have seen a series of several drone and rocket attacks against u.s. forces in the middle east, but this would be an escalation of that. also certainly worth noting that we've seen the iranian backed houthis in yemen using land attack missiles and drones supposed to reach israel before it was intercepted by a u.s. destroyer. worth noting the distinction

between this involvement here versus iranian involvement with the hamas terror attack in israel on october 7. u.s. officials say that there is no indication of direct iranian involvement or knowledge or green light for the attack on october 7 in israel. even though iran does broadly provide funding, backing and training to hamas. this is different than that. here there is a much clearer link between rachb and the actions of iranian proxies. encouragement, funding, training, and a general sense of backing of these iranian backed proxies attacking the u.s. forces even if there is not a specific green light. it is because of this growing threat that the pentagon authorized the deployment of a thaad defense system as a means of providing more air defense and pentagon has also put more soldiers and troops on prepare to deployed ones because of the situation in the region. this is on top of the forces that were already ordered there

which is a carrier strike group in the eastern med and another on the way to the middle east and amphibious group already in the middle east. so you see the u.s. preparing for the possibility of a serious and severe escalation as the biden administration and senior officials here warn others includ including iran and its proxies not to get involved. oren lieberman, cnn. and cnn in the country heard strikes being carried out. idf says they hit a military compound, an observation outpost and more in response to rocket and anti-tank missile launches from the area earlier on monday. hezbollah media reported strikes occurred in open areas, they also claim four hezbollah fighters died on monday before the most recent attack. we're learning more about the israeli neighborhoods decimated by hamas and the lives of people who lived there.

kaitlan collins visited a kibbutz and spoke with a man seeing his chide ldhood home fo the first time after most of his family was murdered in the surprise attacks. this contains graphic video and is difficult to watch. >> reporter: this kibbutz is less than three miles away from the gaza border. a quiet community where residents grow avocados and raise poultry and their families. but as the sun rose on saturday october 7, the kibbutz that around 300 people called home became the site of a massacre as hamas militants stormed inside and murdered 14 people, kidnapping four others. a reservist in the israel defense forces watched from home as the brutal attack unfolded that day. now he is leading a small group of foreign press into theky buts for

kibbutz for the first time wanting the world to bear witness firsthand. >> the shock is still there after two weeks seeing the damage. yet still hard to absorb the full horror. >> reporter: the stench of death is thick in the air as you walk along the tree lined streets. but if you did not look too closely, you'd never guess that slaughter took place here. then you notice the bullet hole in the door. the 90-year-old grandmother who loved gardening was in her bathroom when hamas militants shot her in the head. her blood still smeared on the entryway two weeks later. if you didn't look over here, it would just look like a regular home on a saturday morning. orange juice out. the newspaper, her mail, some cookies. when you look over here at the kitchen, you can see people have gone through it, they opened all the cabinets. still cups in the sink. her kettle still out.

and she is just one of several who was brutally murdered in her kibbutz on that saturday morning. >> reporter: the zach family lived just down the street. the parents and their 14-year-old son were at home when the attack began. their older children were away. we reach the 24-year-old on facetime. what was through that window? this is the first time he is able to see the charred remains of his family's home. >> i was told he found my dad laying on the ground with the dog just watching the door so the terrorists won't come in. >> reporter: bodies of his mother and little brother found hugging each other in the nearby bomb shelter where they asphyxiated after militants set their home on fire. just days before, he had been dancing his heart out in a bruno mars concert in tel aviv. ♪ >> i'm 24. we have ten years between us.

hard to see my little brother like my child. >> reporter: and he and his sister now orphans. his grief and anger is palpable. >> it is absurd to me that you are showing me first and not someone from israel. know what i mean? i love my kibbutz. it is amazing. but the government -- i have no words to describe. >> reporter: just 24 hours later, an idf soldier is killed and three others wounded during a raid ahead of israel's expected ground invasion in gaza. an ominous warning shot of what is yet to come. kaitlan collins, cnn, israel. still to come, humanitarian crisis in gaza is getting worse. what one doctor is warning will happen if fuel is not allowed to enter the enclave. plus the family of a young american israeli man is speaking to cnn, they share their hopes for their son and calls for an

urgent international response.

you want to be able to provide your child with the tools or resources they need. with reliable internet at home, through the internet essentials program, the world opened up. fellas, fellas. that's how my son was able to find the hidden genius project. we wanted to give y'all the necessary skills to compete with the future. kevin's now part of this next generation

of young people who feel they can thrive. ♪ ♪ is it possible my network could take my business to the next level? it is with comcast business. powering all your devices with gig-speed wifi. and you get fast downloads and uploads. pick it up! pick it up! oh we got this! because it's powered by the next generation 10g network. more speed for your business? it's not just possible. it's happening. get started for $59.99 a month for 12 months. plus, ask how to get an $800 prepaid card with a qualifying internet bundle. comcast business, powering possibilities. more on the top stories we're following this hour. israel's military is preparing for their next phase of war. officials say idf soldiers are

taking part in training exercises ahead of a potential ground incursion into gaza. all this as conditions in the enclave get worse by the day. a doctor working at the largest hospital in gaza tells cnn it will become a mass grave if they lose power. aid groups are desperately trying to get supplies like food and medicine into gaza, but they say it is not enough to fix the problem. and meanwhile two israeli women have been released from hamas captivity and now being reunited with their families. hamas says they were released for humanitarian and health reasons. we'll bring you a story of one american israeli victim of the mass attack two weeks ago. these are photos of him and he is believed to be a hostage in gaza. anderson cooper interviewed his parents last week and he said that their son's arm had been partially blown off by grenades being thrown into a bomb shelter

where he was hiding. and any say that they want the world to see what hamas has done to their son, a warning the video you are about to see is extremely graphic. >> reporter: god is great the gunman shouts recording on his phone. he checks a car looking for anyone else hiding. other gunmen shout as they bring survivors from the shelter. come, come, they yell, load them. that is hirsch on the right with another hostage. his left hand and part of his arm blown off, the bone sticks out. the other hostage appears wounded as well.

another wounded hostage is dragged by his hair and tossed into the truck. a fourth man thrown on top of them. when i sent the video to you, what was your initial -- >> first of all, it is a crazy sequence of events that we talked to you through a computer screen and then get a phone call from you saying i have a video of your son. >> i didn't want to say on live television. >> of course. >> which we so appreciated. the way everything has unfolded, the gentleness that you used because at the end of the day, you are a journalist and journalists want a story. and that could have been dealt with in many other ways that were not kind and gentle. >> so first seeing that video in general gave us a dose of optimism. as horrible as it is as a parent to see your kid under gun point

being pushed with one arm, the composure with which he is walking on his own legs, pulling himself with his weak hand, he is a lefty and his left arm was blown off, pulls himself with his weak hand on to the truck gave me a real dose of strength that he is handling a horrible situation and he is doing it with composure. >> we're saying he walked out calmly, which he did, but i think that it is from shock. >> reporter: they have this photo taken inside the shelter before hamas gunmen began throwing grenades inside. rachel says as many as 29 people were crammed together. that is hir isment ch and this is his friend. >> and so they went to the festival together. they have known each other since they were kids. honor was by the door and honor by everyone's account who we spoke to as they were throwing in grenades, he would keepicing them up and throwing them out. all the witnesses said there were 11 grenades tlees thrown i

he threw out eight. >> reporter: eight pieople survived by hiding. but honor did not make it out alive. >> his parents, they just came to our house on friday. and the people who are identifying bodies actually let them know that they identified him with dna, but in his hand he was holding a grenade. his dead body had a grenade in his hand. >> incredible. >> he's the real hero. those eight people and even the people who walked out and are now in gaza, it is because of honor. >> reporter: how are you able to get through each day? >> i personally feel like we have to keep running to the end of the earth to save him. and we have to try to go believing that somehow he got treatment and he's there and he

is in pain and he's suffering, but he's alive and he's there. and there are also the moments in this universe that we now live where you say maybe he died on the truck. maybe he bled out in that truck. maybe he died yesterday. maybe he died five minutes ago. and there are those moments where you think how are these thoughts even -- i don't understand these thoughts. but they are real thoughts. >> reporter: they often go down to see their son's room. >> and this is his room and also a steel door because it is our bomb shelter. >> reporter: you can feel him here close. his globe, his books and mementos, all as he left them. rachel did make his bed however, she wants it ready for when he returns. >> we have a porch facing south and i went out friday night and like screaming to him, hoping. because friday night, you know,

we bless our children traditionally. jewish homes, you bless your children on friday nights. so takes traditional blessing from the bible. and so i was screaming the blessing to him with my hands up. i usually put my hands on his head when he's home. >> what does the blessing say? >> it says may god bless you and keep you, may god's face shine upon you and be gracious to you, may god's countenance be lifted up toward you and give you peace. >> what do you want people to know about hirsch? >> he's a super curious kid. and this wander lust that he developed when he was 6 or 7 has been his life obsession, always asking for maps and globes and atlases. for his bar mitzvah. and he's saved every penny to go on this trip that he has a ticket for on december 27th.

he was going to go to india and then all points east. >> reporter: rachel and john were just on the cover of "time." they are trying to get the world to pay attention to the plight of the hostages particularly those like their son who has serious wounds or medical issues. >> as american israeli, we've been embraced by the u.s. government. the support is there. the empathy is there from the u.s. we're obviously hunkering down for more than that. we want action, we want results for more than that. we want action, we want results. why have we not yet seen prime ministers and global leaders screaming to get the wounded help? >> reporter: rachel also got to be on a call with other american families and president biden. >> he stayed for 90 minutes and he listened to us and he cried with us. >> i know loss.

i lost two churn ildren and my . you need to go through this but he said he will be strong for your family. he knows loss, so it was someone speaking who has lost children speaking to a mother who lost her two children. and it was a real moment of coming together just as people who know what pain is. you know, this very excruciating part of pain. >> this is a particular kind of pain. >> correct. there is no playbook for this that we know of. of the game daily. is he alive, is he getting treatment, did he die 15 days ago. like we're on the head of a pin and every direction you fall is a bad direction. so a lot of how we get through

the day when you asked that before is we're trying to balance on the head of the pin and just get everything done with the hope that he'll come home to us alive. and he will go on that trip with one hand. >> reporter: anderson cooper, cnn, jerusalem. still to come now three weeks without a speaker, u.s. house republicans still can't agree on who should lead the chamber. another critical round of votes today. we'll have the latest on what is at stake. and also to come, an off duty pilot accused of trying to kill more than 80 people by shutting down a plane's engines. how the flight crew saved everyone on board. to duckduckgo on all your devie

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join the millions of people taking back their privacy by downloading duckduckgo on all your devices today. we'll continue coverage of israel's war against hamas in a few moments but a look at other stories making headlines.

u.s. house republicans will try again in the coming hours to settle on a nominee for speaker three weeks after kevin mccarthy's historic ouster from the post. but with eight candidates now vying for the gavel, deep divisions remain over who should be mccarthy's replacement. manu raju has the latest. >> reporter: republicans emerged from closed doors tonight still divided about their way forward uncertain about whether their eventual speaker nominee can get the votes he will need on the house floor to be elected speaker. even though we're about three weeks now since kevin mccarthy was ousted in an unprecedented fashion, first time a sitting speaker pushed out by his colleagues and unable to act, completely paralyzed in the house because of that effort that successfully ousted kevin mccarthy, still no closer to getting a speaker. even though eight candidates in the race, everyone from tom emmer to byron donalds, all down

the line, making their pitch to the colleagues behind closed doors. but members emerged making it very clear that their constituents are frustrated and that they are concerned that this dysfunction could cost them the house majority next november. how does this reflect on the gop? >> we're not governing. >> people are angry. i just got back from sarasota and people are very worked up down there about that and they think that all of us are incapable. >> we'll have to figure out how to get our act together. big boys and big girls have to quit making excuses and get it done. >> reporter: tuesday there will be a leadership election in which the winner who will be speaker nominee must get a majority of the conference vote. but that is different than a majority of the full house. there are 221 members of the house republican conference. in order to be elected speaker, you need to get 217 votes on the house floor meaning that you cannot lose more than four republican votes. and at the moment it is uncertain whether any of the

candidates can do just that. if they can't, it could take time to get to a floor vote or we could see this stalemate persist and others talk about other avenues to try to reopen the house as it moves on to its fourth week as the paralyzed chamber, members uncertain about how to resolve this crisis at this moment. key issues like funding the government, aid to israel, aid to ukraine all waiting action as the house remains completely stalled allege mid the gop leadership manu raju, cnn,mid the gop leadership crisis. manu raju, cnn, capitol hill. off duty pilot allegedly tried to cut off the engines of a flights. the flight crew subdued joseph emerson who was flying in the jump seat. alaska airlines says he tried to activate fire extinguishers that would cut off the fuel to the engines. the flight was bound to san

francisco. the crew diverted the plane to portland, oregon where emerson was arrested. authorities don't believe that there are any links to terrorism. still ahead, a 22-year-old idf soldier killed in a missile strike is being remembered as a selfless person proud of his service. he is just one of many americans who rushed to help israel.

israel's national carrier is paying tribute to the hundreds of hostages with a symbolic gesture. they put photos of the hostages and missing persons on the seats of a special cargo flight from new york. they say it is a symbol of hope for their return to israel and they say the special cargo flight carried tactical and medical equipment to israel for fighters on the front. a soldier killed in a missile attack near the lebanon border just days after he was called on duty. brian todd went to his hometown in maryland where family and friends are still trying to grapple with his death. >> reporter: 22-year-old omar was always drawn to israel according to his friends.

he grew up in rockville, maryland and choice to serve in the israel defense forces right out of high school instead of going to college right away. he is a dual u.s. israeli citizen was on vacation in the u.s. when hamas attacked israel on october 7. after being called up as a reservist, he hurried back to israel. within a few days he was dead, killed last friday bien a anti-tank missile along israel's northern border with lebanon. >> it is devastating for our community. he was a lovely kid. he is the kind of kid who comes into a room and when he smiles everyone notices it. it lights up the entire room. >> reporter: this rabbi head of the charles e. smith jewish day school where he graduated in 2019. >> he was passionate about his commitment to israel. i know that inside he felt like he needed to be there, that he needed to defend the state of israel. it is obvious to me why he would choose to go even though he knew it was going to be dangerous.

>> reporter: friends say he was a selfless person who was proud of his service. >> he really is the best. he is the sweetest kid in the world. >> reporter: and he is not the only american serving in israel's military even as thousands have been rushing to evacuate from israel, some are traveling in the opposite direction. called up as reservists or even just volunteering. >> today is the day. >> reporter: matthew, former idf paratrooper from kansas city, says he will take any job israeli military will give him. >> everything squared away here and i can finally go over there and focus on what i need to do. >> reporter: others volunteering by aid workers or medics. >> i am a licensed nurse and i have the capability to help. >> reporter: and bulletproof israel -- >> this is my values who i am as a person and who i am as a nurse. >> reporter: for every young volunteer, there are parents

whose daughter is serving in the idf. supportive but anxious. >> we worry a lot. and we cry a lot. >> we recognize that right now in israel, no one is safe and that is tough for us to process. >> reporter: as for omar, he is survived by parents, three siblings and long time girlfriend his funeral took place sunday in israel. we're told about 3,000 people came to pay their respects. brian todd, cnn, rockville, maryland. thanks for joining me here. "early start" is next with kasie.