tonight fighting intensifies in gaza. so does the humanitarian crisis. palestinians trapped in the territory raid united nations warehouses for food. despair and deaths mounting. israeli tanks and troops pushing deeper into gaza. warplanes striking hundreds of targets in the last 24 hours. cbs news is there. as israel enters a new phase of fighting, hostage families fear for the safety of their

loved ones. >> i'm chandler. i make jokes when i'm uncomfortable. also tonight remembering matthew perry the "friends" star dead at 54. >> rescue 23. respond to the drowning. >> talented and troubled. the latest on the investigation into his death. plus vigils in maine. mourners honor the 18 mass shooting victims as new details emerge about the gunman. >> i'm in lewiston, maine where the makeshift memorials to the 18 victims are growing. later space race. planned missions to the moon, lunar rovers. how china is rocketing ahead. >> beware because they are very aggressive. >> announcer: this is the "cbs weekend news" from new york with jericka duncan. good evening and thank you for joining us on this sunday.

several big stories including the sad news that "friends" star matthew perry died this weekend. he was 54. tonight perry is being remembered for his role in one of tv's biggest hits as well as his public struggle with addiction. but first, we begin with the latest in the israel/hamas war. tonight egypt sent nearly three dozen trucks of food and medical aid into southern gaza. rockets fired by hezbollah, militants in lebanon hit a neighborhood in northern israel. no word yet on casualties. this as fighting in the gaza strip expands. cbs's charlie d'agata is in tel aviv with more. >> reporter: good evening. tonight israeli forces are on the attack and on the move inside gaza, saying more troops have entered the territory while the humanitarian crisis inside gaza is worsening by the minute. the israeli defense forces said

they struk more than 450 hamas targets in a 24-hour period. releasing new, night time video claiming to show israeli tanks advancing inside gaza, flanked by infantry soldiers on foot. taking up positions under the cover of darkness and smoke screens. hamas has reported fire fights and released video purporting to show a missile attack on an israeli troop carrier. while aid agencies describe the toll on civilians as a catastrophic crisis. the u.n. has warned of a breakdown of civil order, saying hundreds of people have stormed their warehouses in a desperate search for food and basic supplies. large parts of the territory even cut off from communications, but cbs news producer marwan cal ghoul managed to report today scenes of despair and utter desolation.

>> reporter: while i was driving in gaza city north i saw empty streets. >> a lot of destruction everywhere. >> reporter: he found one survivor who said he was home with his family when the explosion hit. you can see our three children here, he said. on the israeli side of the front line with gaza we saw lines of artillery and troops opening fire. the israeli military's objective in this offensive is clear -- to dismantle and destroy hamas. the search is not only on for more than 200 hostages but those behind their abduction. that means any hamas member, anywhere says former masad intelligence chief. >> there is intelligence saying

everybody behind this will be hunted down. >> yes. >> is that possible? >> yes. it might take a couple years. we are able to get to everybody. to everybody. >> reporter: he described trying to find intelligence leading to the hostages in the middle of an active war zone like a mission impossible, jericka. now hostage families are terrified this new phase of fighting will endanger their loved ones and mitrice k any hope of negotiations am. >> in tel aviv, charlie d'agata thank you. president biden met with minister netanyahu and president el-sisi about gaza as the "u.s.social services eisenhower" crossed into the mediterranean sea. cbs's skyler henry is here with more on the efforts to contain this conflict. >> reporter: as this war escalates so does the criticism on israel's deadly siege on gaza. the biden administration has

repeatedly said that israel has every right to defend itself against hamas but others are concerned about the seizure's ripple effects including the humanitarian toll. >> we do not stand for the killing of innocent people whether it be palestinian, israeli, or otherwise. >> reporter: national security adviser jake sullivan says challenges are growing for israeli defense forces as hamas militants have created an added burden of using civilians as human shields. >> it does not lessen their responsibility to distinguish between terrorists and innocent civilians and to protect the lives of innocent civilians as they conduct this military operation. >> reporter: the biden administration says it will hold israel accountable if the country violates the law of armed conflict. though critics are scrutinizing the military operation and add the u.s. has a responsibility to de-escalate the situation. >> our credibility and our authority on the moral stage is

greatly diminished if we do not also call out these -- this siege that israel is launching on gaza as violations of international law. >> reporter: as those concerns grow, over on capitol hill the new house speaker mike johnson says he thinks the stand-alone israel aid package will pass in the lower chamber this week. >> we cannot allow the brutality and the just unspeakable evil that is happening against israel right now to continue. we're going to stand with our friends. >> reporter: the saudi defense minister will be in washington tomorrow. he'll meet with top biden administration officials. they'll talk about gaza as well as greater stability in the middle east. jericka? >> skyler henry at the white house tonight, thank you. now to the death saturday of actor matthew perry. tonight he is being warned by family, friends, and generations of fans. in melbourne, australia, singer charlie puth and arena of

self-declared "friends" fans sang the song during his concert. nischell turner cohost of "entertainment tonight" joins us in los angeles with the latest on that. >> reporter: good evening, jericka. the police investigation is under way but it could be several weeks before the l.a. coroner determines the cause of death. his family says they are heartbroken as are so many of his fans. >> rachel and i hired a male nanny. >> you got a man who's a nanny? you got a manny? >> matthew perry played the wise cracking chandler bing on friends for ten years a role that shot him to fame at 24 years old. >> could i be more sorry? >> reporter: 30 years later his sudden death came as a shock. 54-year-old perry was found unresponsive saturday in a jacuzzi at his los angeles home. >> rescue 23, respond to the drowning. >> reporter: the investigation

is ongoing but authorities do not suspect foul play. in his final instagram post a week ago, perry shared a photo of himself in his jacuzzi. the hollywood funny man battled addiction, writing about his struggle with substance abuse in last year's memoir "friends, lovers, and the big terrible thing" >> i had people around me telling me to stop, telling me you're going to kill yourself if you keep going like this. i just didn't know how. >> reporter: perry said he was living a healthy lifestyle since overcoming his addiction to alcohol and drugs in 2021. he shared he had gone to rehab 15 times and went to 6,000 a.a. meetings >> i want to drink all the time because it's the only time i feel good and normal. but then it turns on you, the drink turns on you and says, well now i'm going to kill you. >> reporter: the actor starred and executive produced in cbs' revival of "the odd couple" and

received his fifth emmy nomination in 2021 for "friends the reunion." thanks to streaming "friends" gained a new generation of fans during the pandemic. >> we win. >> perry's "friends" costars have yet to comment on his death but the show creators called him the sweetest with a giving and selfless heart. jericka, back to you. >> his honesty made him so relatable. thank you. a new wave of gun violence across the country this weekend. among the worst incidents, two people killed and 18 wounded at a street fight in tampa, florida. there were also vigils in maine following the nation's worst mass shooting so far this year. cbs's jeff pegues is in lewiston with more. >> reporter: this crisis, the people in this community have faith in each other and the future. what we've witnessed is people coming together and trying to heal after wednesday's shooting. before the gunman robert card

attacked his victims in this bowling alley and bar and grill he was on the radar of law enforcement. according to the "new york times," the sheriff in maine now acknowledges that he sent an alert to other law enforcement after card made threats about an army reserve center. it is unclear who received the notice and how it was handled. hundreds gathered at a night time vigil in lisbon falls, maine on saturday night. they hugged and lit candles to remember the victims of the massacre that left 18 people dead and at least 13 injured. >> i don't think they'll ever heal. i think the wound, i think there will be a scar but the wound will always remain. >> reporter: since the shooting this 10-year-old tony has been living with the images and the sounds of the unfolding violence in her haunted memories. she was in the bowling alley when the gunman opened fire.

>> i saw someone get shot on the third shot. >> reporter: eventually calling her grandpa to inform him that she had survived. what did you say to your grandpa when you called him? >> i'm not dead. >> reporter: her grandfather can't forget that call >> i just broke down. and it was pretty tough but i was happy, real happy obviously. >> reporter: dozens of police officers responded to the shooting scenes. investigators are right now looking at all of that body camera video and, jericka, also still digging into what the gunman was doing in the hours leading up to the shootings. >> jeff pegues tonight in lewiston, thank you. straight ahead on the "cbs weekend news" how the israel/hamas war is impacting americans with roots in the region. plus the new race in space of course as china aims for the

moon. and later, paying tribute to matthew perry, a friend to many.

as the war between israel and hamas enters its fourth week, its impact is being felt far beyond the middle east. for two americans i spoke to, the unimaginable is now reality. >> at al aqsa restaurant in brooklyn owner mahmoud kasem a 37-year-old palestinian american. >> pray for peace brother. >> reporter: says his life has not been the same since hamas attacked israel killing more than 1400 people according to israeli officials. october 7th, hamas invades israel. you're thinking what? >> i'm thinking this problem is war. >> reporter: kasem's mother is trapped in the west bank. he worries for her safety as hamas officials claim the palestinian death toll has risen to more than 8,000 people in

gaza. kasem says the conflict has been taking lives for 75 years. >> the people in gaza, every house has death, has a kid lost, died, or a father died, or a cousin died. it's not even one house in gaza that they don't have death. >> reporter: are you just as frustrated and saddened by the loss of life in israel? >> listen, i am mad for both sides. i don't want no killing for both sides. and i really do want to cry in this meeting but the babies are losing. the babies are dying. >> no israeli soldier that i personally know wants to see the innocent civilian die. >> reporter: 23-year-old isidore carten an israeli american has been organizing rallies in new york city since the attack. in 2020 he served in the idf. >> our hearts go out for any casualties of war that cannot be equated with the gruesome attacks on innocent civilian lives. >> reporter: do you empathize with people who say i stand with palestine?

>> i empathize with them because i hope what they're saying is they empathize with the palestinian people and not with hamas. >> reporter: carten's uncle sharon edry was murdered by hamas in 1996. prime minister benjamin netanyahu was at the funeral. >> my uncle was kidnapped for seven months and we found his body cut in two. >> reporter: in this war both sides are left struggling with the loss of innocent lives. >> we have to wipe out this terrorist force and find a way to live together. find a way to bring peace. >> at war who dies? us as human beings. believe me, most of gaza people, they don't want this war. they want to live in peace. still ahead on the "cbs weekend news" the new race to control space and put boots on the moon.

today china's newest crew took control of the country's

orbiting space station the latest mission for a country with sights on the moon and beyond as cbs's mark strassman reports, nasa is on notice. >> reporter: china has all the markings of a rising space power. a reliable rocket program, and orbiting space station and rovers on the moon and mars. so you got to give them credit. they're good. nasa administrator bill nelson. are we in a new space race? >> we're in a space race. for us to go back to the moon, for them to get to the moon. >> reporter: this space race's prize the moon's south pole where there is ice. that means water, air, and rocket fuel, critical to use the moon as a springboard to mars. the u.s. plans to build a base there as part of its artemis program but china does, too. what to you is worrisome about all this? >> they are not transparent. and you better watch your stuff.

they get there and they say, this is our territory. you stay out. >> reporter: kevin pollpeter has studied china's space moves for more than two decades. >> then we would get into a situation that could turn from competition, perhaps, into conflict. >> got a situation over here. >> reporter: that is what happens in apple tv's original series "for all man kind" a competition between countries to mine scarce, lunar resources turns deadly. >> space is no longer science fiction. if the united states does not maintain its lead we are at risk of losing our national and economic security. >> and lift-off of artemis 1! >> reporter: for nasa the race back to the moon is a marathon. after a test flight last year, the agency plans to send a crew around the moon late next year. then in 2026, a moon landing mission. supply chain problems, technical challenges, and other delays threaten nasa's schedule. are you concerned those delays could be significant enough that

the chinese would get there first? >> we should be landing before they would have a chance, but beware. because they are very aggressive. >> reporter: this year china announced its lunar timetable is accelerating. astronauts on the moon by 2030, five years earlier than previously planned. mark strassman, cbs news, washington. let's stay with the space theme. next on the "cbs weekend news" one small step for this female athlete and one giant kick for mankind.

leilani armenta on for the extra point. >> know the name. jackson state's leilani armenta kicking her way into the record book. on saturday the freshman kicker became the first woman to score in an hbcu or historically black

college or university game. she nailed three extra points against the university of arkansas at pine bluff. tigers win, 40-14. congratulations. further north a bit of help for fans getting fired up for football today. the denver broncos displayed a burning fire place on the massive scoreboard at empower field. they wanted the ground crews to think warm thoughts. they spent the morning clearing snow from the stadium before the broncos hosted the kansas city chiefs. when we return, remembering actor matthew perry.

the only thing that matters is that you, you make me happier than i ever thought i could be. >> generations of viewers fell in love with chandler bing across more than 200 episodes of "friends." the show ran for a decade and turned matthew perry into a household name. finally tonight, we say good-bye

to the friend we lost. >> i'm chandler. i make jokes when i'm uncomfortable. >> reporter: chandler bing was often sharp. >> oh, i embarrass you? how can i answer that when i'm pretending i don't know you? >> reporter: sometimes self-deprecating. >> you were pretty good. >> interesting because in my dreams i'm surprisingly inadequate. >> reporter: and always sarcastic. >> i'm not great at the advice. can i interest you in a sarcastic comment? >> reporter: more than 52 million people would tune in when perry delivered the show's final line. >> can we get some coffee? >> sure. where? >> reporter: today family and friends are remembering perry as someone who was always there for them. >> i would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, and his paramount thing is that he wants to help

people. >> that is the "cbs weekend news" for this sunday. i'm jericka duncan in new york. from all of us here at cbs, thank you for watching. good night. now at 6:00, people in two major bay area cities showing up, hoping to send a message to leaders the world away. we've got the latest on the war in israel and its effects here at home. federal judge is weighing in on california's assault weapon ban. what's next for the controversial law? and the state stepping in again. the new effort to crack down on drug dealing in san francisco and how it could mean murder charges. live from the cbs studios in san francisco, i'm brian hackney.

>> i'm andrea nakano. we start tonight with the war in israel. the tensions felt here in the bay area. >> first tonight the group save the children is reporting more than 3,200 children have been killed since the war began, almost all of them palestinian. aid is now arriving in gaza city, but workers say it is desperately short of what's needed. and now thousands of people are storming u.n. warehouses just to get basic supplies. at the same time hamas has offered israel an exchange, saying they would release all the hostages if israel releases all palestinian prisoners. an israeli military leader called the offer exploitation. the international criminal court was at the rafah crossing from gaza into egypt today, investigating both the initial terror attack in israel. and war crimes in palestinian territories. >> i need to make sure the law is on the frontlines.