>> this is dw news live from berlin. health officials say hundreds of people have been killed in an airstrike on a hospital. images show rescuers scrambling to help the wounded. palestinian leaders have declared three days of morning. israel's defense forces are blaming the attack on militants. chancellor olaf scholz tells is

really prime minister netanyahu israel has the right to defend itself against hamas. they warn countries in the middle east not to intervene in the conflict in gaza. jordan's king of dula warns against any attemptpalestiniansr egypt calling this a redline. u.s. president joe biden prepares to travel to israel and he is expected to reaffirm israel's right to defend itself and raise the need to minimize civilian deaths as israel pounds gaza with airstrikes. i am nicole. to those joining us in the united states or all the others around the world welcome to the program, it's good to have you with us. gaza health ministry says 500

people have been killed in a strike in a hospital filled with wounded and those seeking shelter. the palestinian president declared three days of morning after the strike in gaza city. the who has condemned the attack in egypt is called on the international community to intervene. the israeli military denies responsibility saying it believes the hospital was hit in a rocket launched by palestinian militant group islamic jihad. i spoke to a journalist on the phone. he told me more about the situation surrounding the strike on the hospital. >> what we know is among the rescue crews, when the missile hit the hospital in gaza it

caused the killing of hundreds of palestinians who were taking the hospital as a safe place from the nearby area. he did not define the number of killed people, he said we evacuated hundreds of bodies. after the blackout they will come in the morning to check the facilities of the hospital. >> rebecca is near the israeli city not far from the border with gaza. good to see you. what do you know about the strike on the hospital russian mark >> this airstrike happened at a christian hospital in gaza in an area that has been given an evacuation order by the israeli military but many people

are not able to move and many others have no way or means of moving are taking shelter in the hospital. many of the people where fleeing bombing further north. the report said two or 300 people were killed but the palestinian health authority raised the number and it is likely the number could rise making it one of the deadliest attacks in any gaza war since 2008. the condemnation of the attack was quick as you can imagine, 500 plus people. the world health organization and arab states have condemned this attack and we are starting to see protests emerge in jordan and the west bank. people protesting this attack now. the is really military has issued a statement. they said they were investigating and looking into the matter and they have issued a statement blaming the blast on

an islamic jihad misfire. a barrage of rockets were fired and they were fired near the hospital. one of them misfired. it is difficult to independently verify the information with the lack of access and ongoing operation. israel says it does not target civilian infrastructure but it has been known to in the past and earlier today, a school was targeted killing six people. a horrific incident by any -- whichever means this has happened. >> this exacerbates the dire humanitarian situation. what can you tell us about what the people stop there are experiencing? >> well, this is a perfect

example of what people are experiencing, the fear of death at any moment on top of that. they are trying to flee. numbers of 600,000 may have made their way to the southern art of the strip from the north the evacuation order encompassed more than one million people but we know some people who were sheltering in this hospital are not able to make the journey for whatever reason and the situation, they humanitarian situation is getting worse by the minute. we know they have been under ach since the war began on the weekend. we know that they are running out of gas, water, fuel and the situation, a water situation creating diseases for people on the ground this is a horrific

situation. hospitals running out of medical supplies to try to treat the wounded, that is the worst case scenario. hoping for humanitarian assistance in the coming days but nothing has been put into action. >> rebecca there. thank you so much. is really prime minister netanyahu described the hamas attack on israel as the worst crime committed against jews since the holocaust. he made the comment after meeting olaf scholz in tel aviv. a lawful was forced to take cover when sirens sounded when he was boarding his plane to travel to egypt. he was able to continue his journey. he was in israel in a show of support for the country. >> german chancellor olaf scholz

called it a visit to friends in difficult times during talks with netanyahu he expressed condolences to israel but concern over a broadening of the conflict. . >> it is important to save us today in this difficult time in all clarity. germany's history, our historic responsibility originating from the holocaust makes it our duty to protect the security of israel. >> my government is doing everything to ensure that this conflict does not escalate. the german chancellor pledge that his government will keep up humanitarian commitments in regard to the civilian population olaf scholz met the relatives of german hostages held in gaza. they staged a protest in front of the german embassy demanding answers.

>> the information that we have, some of them are probably already dead. we don't know that officially and that is certainly a problem. >> all we want is our beloved back and before everything to know their situation because we know nothing read we want to know their situation, that they are being taken care of. >> after his visit to israel olaf scholz will have talks with the president of egypt ahead of the peace summit in cairo this weekend. >> earlier the chancellor met with jordan's king in berlin. they discuss the humanitarian situation and how to prevent escalation between israel and hamas in gaza. jordanian leaders warned against

refugees being pushed into egypt or jordan calling it a redline. the jordanian king stressed the need for aid to alleviate the suffering of civilians but said that humanitarian issue must be dealt with in gaza and the west bank. >> that is a redline because that is a plan to create de facto issues on the ground no refugees in jordan or egypt, this is a situation that has to be dealt inside and the west bank, not to try to push the challenge on other people's shoulders. >> jeremy is the former israeli ambassador to germany who joined us earlier on from jerusalem. i asked what israel expects from germany in light of olaf scholz visit to the country. >> i think we're getting

everything that could have been expected from germany. the chancellor's visit was an important and crucial sign of support and solidarity for israel in this very last 11 days of absolute horror that we have seen after the attack. it comes after the foreign minister had visited israel last friday and yesterday evening i accompanied the german ambassador to meet with families of the captive prisoners of ducted by hamas during the last saturday. so we feel very strongly about the german support. we very much appreciate it. >> you have been campaigning for the release of 200 hostages. is there anything we know about their situation? >> they have released a couple

of videos of one of the captives being assisted by a medical attendant and obviously she was speaking to the camera and under a degree of compulsion, is difficult to say but they've said that they are taking care and looking after them and they would do well to do so because we hold them clearly responsible. these are not just israeli citizens, they are citizens from other countries including germany. they were illegally of ducted and the least hamas can do is give them sanitary conditions, proper nourishment and medical assistance, treat them with the respect that they deserve. so this is one of the things that is capturing our attention. we are concerned about this.

>> is there any progress being made to secure their release? >> the israeli government as i said we visited a center for volunteers that has the family is present and we are working with them, israel is focusing on this important and crucial issue for us and we will do everything we can as you know. it was announced that there are 199 captives in gaza and as i said i have no doubt that germany and the united states is looking closely at the issue and working with israel to do all we can to get the captives back as soon as possible safely alive and well. >> the international community is working not only to release

those hostages but to de-escalate. can their diplomatic efforts avoid the conflict getting out of hand? >> look, this is a very complex situation. we have said since the situation you fall and became clear that we are going to target hamas military capabilities and leadership. earlier today a senior commander was taken out by the idf. so there is still -- this is still an ongoing military operation and we are talking with our german colleagues. this was part of the conversation with the chancellor. we are very long and detailed discussions with the united states, antony blinken was here. regarding how we deal with the

humanitarian situation on the other of also. >> i want to touch on the humanitarian situation because it is causing huge concern, politicians and aid organizations. they would like to see a humanitarian corridor door. why is this not happening? >> first of all, i would say that there are already very intense discussions to ensure humanitarian aid can arrive at the people who need it in gaza. because you know the americans and german government are talking to egypt who are in control. also the crossing south of gaza. >> they say it is israel making the situation impossible. >> i'm not so sure.

we don't control the border between gaza and egypt. >> there have been attacks. >> there are as i said ongoing conversations and it was clear from what secretary antony blinken said that there have been agreements regarding how you get humanitarian aid to those who need it and would it be possible to identify safe zones for the palestinians on that side. i want to remind the viewers that there are many thousands of israelis displaced from the south of israel and the north of israel because of the attention with hezbollah and we are dealing with a very tough humanitarian situation on the israel side. >> thank you for your time, jeremy in jerusalem. thank you. >> thank you. >> 2008 hundred people have died

in the gaza strip including dozens in the south where israel told civilians from the north to shelter. the territory is on the verge of collapse as it runs out of essentials. >> while thousands are desperate to escape, some are impatient to be allowed in. at the crossing with egypt workers are being given the green light to send trucks with supplies over the border. >> we at the crossing have enough aid for a long time, it could be more than sufficient for our people in gaza. there is food, vegetables, medicine. >> the world food program said it had organized over 300 tons of food, enough to feed a quarter of a million people to be sent to egypt and is waiting for the green light to send it to gaza where it says the situation is deteriorating fast. >> shops will run out of basic

food items. any stock cannot reach the people because of damaged infrastructure and lack of fuel. the number of bakeries is decreasing by the day and they do not have enough to produce bread. >> w fp provided food and financial assistance to more than half a million people since the start of the latest conflict. despite its efforts many are growing desperate as israel's blockade bites. >> we need everything. safety, peace, the essentials. electricity, water, food. there is no water at all. medicine for children. there is nothing.

the u.n. says israel's actions could be contravention of international law. >> any lawful temporary evacuation by israel as the occupying power imposes obligations on israel to ensure security. it imposes obligations and there appears to be no attempt to ensure this for the civilians order to move. >> german chancellor olaf scholz said he had spoken to netanyahu about allowing aid into gaza. the people queuing for bread and essentials will be hoping that the israeli prime minister heats his words as resources run lower. >> u.s. president biden is preparing to head to israel on wednesday in meetings with the government, expected to reaffirm america's commitment to israel's

security. he will discuss israel's war aims and the strategy and need to protect civilians and enable aid to reach gaza. this comes as israel presses on with airstrikes and prepares for a ground invasion. >> it is first light and the extent of israel's military buildup on its border with gaza becomes clearer. troops battle ready as they prepare for a ground offensive that could begin at any moment. overnight the israeli defense forces continued airstrikes on the gaza strip. they are targeting the militant group hamas in retaliation for deadly terror attacks on israel. israeli warships have been firing missiles at gaza from the sea but the conflict is in

danger of escalating further. in the north, troops have advanced close to the border as tensions between israel and hezbollah increase. israel has released footage of strikes targeting military infrastructure in lebanon and it says it carried out an attack on what it described as a group of militants from lebanon attempting to infiltrate a security fence. iran has raised the stakes by warning of a preemptive attack against israel. before leaving israel u.s. secretary of state antony blinken said the u.s. presidents visit this week is also a warning. >> president biden will underscore our message to any actor state or nonstate, try to take advantage of this crisis to

attack israel, do not. >> gaza already under fire waits for israel and world powers to take the next step. >> shawn spencer is the chair of urban warfare studies with the madison policy forum. i asked for an assessment regarding the israeli ground offensive in gaza. >> i think they are setting conditions to execute the operation the idf has been given which is to destroy hamas military capabilities. this is continuing with the campaign to strike military targets and reduce their capabilities to clear it. you would need ground forces to clear urban areas of hamas military capabilities. >> how has that we can hamas?

>> it is hard to say from afar but considerably, it has taken out their ability to see, the ability to strike using rockets and reducing the capability. but they do have a city underneath their cities where they can protect their capabilities. how effective it is being they have taken out leadership, that will be significant if a ground campaign is executed. >> let's talk about the system of tunnels that they have built up over the years, they added to gaza being one of the most densely populated areas on the planet. what does that mean for a possible ground offensive? >> the challenges for the idf will be historical although gaza is not one of the densest

places, it is a high density and uniquely -- hamas has spent years if not longer building tunnels underneath the civilian population on purpose for military design. there are subterranean spaces but hamas has dug deeper and deeper up to 200 plus feet. that makes it harder and more destructive if a ground campaign is to get those military capabilities which most of them are underground. >> fears of the conflict spilling over, what are the chances of other actors being dragged into the war? >> always high chance although as a professor of strategy, war is politics by other means. the idea of a narrow but larger

than they have ever tried political and military objective, the actions of other state and nonstate actors like the program was talking about are unknown but this is why you keep open communications. to send signs of deterrence to uphold following the rules of law and not to target civilians. that will come into play on what happens next in this war which is defined clearly as from the terrorist act of october 7 to the mission of the idea to destroy hamas military capability. >> is israel prepared for a scenario they have been gearing up for for longer? the facts as you just laid out

are very complex. >> right, i think israel is prepared and we all hope it doesn't go that way. it would be catastrophic for regional aspects, for civilian casualties, it would be terrible. it's not the first time they have fought a multiple front war. and there have been plenty of allies to say they would stand with israel in the protection of citizens and nations but nobody wants that to happen. every political, and i've heard is do not go that way. >> diplomatic efforts are running high to avoid that. that was john spencer from the madison policy forum, thank you so much. >> thank you. you're watching dw news. here's a reminder of our top story today. officials in gaza say hundreds of people have been killed in an

airstrike on a hospital. israel defense forces have blamed the attack on a militant islamist route. palestinian leaders have declared three days of morning. you are up-to-date and i will be back in a moment to walk you through the day and i hope to see you there.

>> it is 10:00 p.m. here in the french capital. you are watching ella the." here are the -- you are watching "live from paris." the humanitarian crisis in gaza grows worse by the minute. in missile hitting a hospital in gaza, killing at least 200 people with israel and hamas trading blame. i will check in with our correspondent in jerusalem. u.s. president joe biden is expected to arrive in tel aviv tomorrow to show support for israel and prevent a wider regional conflict in