and we'll check back in with yoni asher, whose wife and two young daughters were taken hostage. yoni opening up about the guilt he feels for not being able to rescue them and why he wanted to show us his little girl's shoes. let's go "outfront." >>> and good evening, welcome to a special edition of "outfront." i'm erin burnett live from tel aviv tonight. and we begin this hour with the breaking news. american troops on notice. the pentagon has told roughly 2,000 u.s. troops to prepare for potential deployment to support israel, a second carrier strike group has also been deployed to the region. this order coming as president biden weighs a trip to israel. secretary of state antony blinken is in the region at this hour. he was here today trying to stop the deadly violence in israel and gaza from spreading. while he was here in tel aviv, air raid sirens blaring overhead disrupting a high-stakes meeting with israel's war cabinet. and those strikes here in tel aviv have been constant throughout this day. this is video from earlier this evening of israel's iron dome taking out what ap

yoni asher was at home near tel aviv when the attack started.e got a call from his wife, doron. she told me that there are alarms and they are also hearing explosive, and they went into the safe room. they heard the gunshots from outside. his wife and daughters, raz and aviv, were i70km away in another kibbutz, called nir oz, celebrating a jewish festival with family. and the conversation got disconnected and... ..later on, i tried to, i tried to reach her and her mother and couldn't get them. this is the home of yoni's mother—in—law, where his wife and children were staying. there's a real sense of, smell of death here, and there's a huge amount of blood still on the floor, children's shoes. it's smashed up. it looks like a big struggle went on here. a lot of broken glass. some were burned and some after the terrorists left, they ran away. you can... i won't describe it because it's too... too painful. yeah. how many people do you think died here? i think around 90 people. hamas launched simultaneous attacks on more than 20 israeli communities

yoni asher was at home near tel aviv when the attack started.t a call from his wife, doron. she told me that there are alarms and they are also hearing explosive, and they went into the safe room. they heard the gunshots from outside. his wife and daughters, raz and aviv, were i70km away in another kibbutz, called nir oz, celebrating a jewish festival with family. and the conversation got disconnected and... ..later on, i tried to, i tried to reach her and her mother and couldn't get them. this is the home of yoni's mother—in—law, where his wife and children were staying. there's a real sense of, smell of death here, and there's a huge amount of blood still on the floor, children's shoes. it's smashed up. it looks like a big struggle went on here. a lot of broken glass. some were burned and some after the terrorists left, they ran away. you can... i won't describe it because it's too... too painful. how many people do you think died here? i think around 90 people. hamas launched simultaneous attacks on more than 20 israeli communities that day.

yoni asher was at home near tel aviv when the attack started.got a call from his wife, doron. she told me that there are alarms and they are also hearing explosive, and they went into the safe room. they heard the gunshots from outside. his wife and daughters, raz and aviv, were i70km away in another kibbutz, called nir oz, celebrating a jewish festival with family. and the conversation got disconnected and... ..later on, i tried to, i tried to reach her and her mother and couldn't get them. this is the home of yoni's mother—in—law, where his wife and children were staying. there's a real sense of, smell of death here, and there's a huge amount of blood still on the floor, children's shoes. it's smashed up. it looks like a big struggle went on here. a lot of broken glass. some were burned and some after the terrorists left, they ran away. you can... i won't describe it because it's too... too painful. yeah. how many people do you think died here? i think around 90 people. hamas launched simultaneous attacks on more than 20 israeli communities th

yoni asher was at home near tel aviv when the attack started.t a call from his wife, doron. she told me that there are alarms and they are also hearing explosive, and they went into the safe room. they heard the gunshots from outside. his wife and daughters, raz and aviv, were i70km away in another kibbutz, called nir oz, celebrating a jewish festival with family. and the conversation got disconnected and... ..later on, i tried to, i tried to reach her and her mother and couldn't get them. this is the home of yoni's mother—in—law, where his wife and children were staying. there's a real sense of, smell of death here, and there's a huge amount of blood still on the floor, children's shoes. it's smashed up. it looks like a big struggle went on here. a lot of broken glass. some were burned and some after the terrorists left, they ran away. you can... i won't describe it because it's too... too painful. how many people do you think died here? i think around 90 people. hamas launched simultaneous attacks on more than 20 israeli communities that day.

railways, but also included a number of foreign nationals and also women, children, and the elderly. yoni asher is living a nightmare. his wife and 2 young daughters are among those, kidnapped by him mazda militants, and taken over the border into gaza. he identified them in a video, widely circulated on social media. they were visiting his mother in law and a kibbutz near gaza when palestinian militants searched across these really border on saturday during the morning. ready the context, my wife, and then she told me on the phone that the terrorist inside the house. that was the last time they spoke. he doesn't want these to be the last images. he has the goose family. not simply to know that to your 2 babies and your wife and your entire family, the most precious thing you have these captive. but the trying to be positive and i'm trying to, to believe that something go we will happen. and some of my country is with my prime minister, my government will do something to bring them back soon as possible to another viral video shows a destruct young woman driven away on a motorbike by fighters w

yoni asher's entire family, his wife and two young girls, were abducted while away visiting relativess wife calling him for help. >> the last thing she said to me was that there are terrorists in the house. >> reporter: this video showing yoni's wife and daughters along with his mother in law being loaded onto a truck. all he could do was track his wife's phone all the way to gaza. >> and later on, i located her mobile phone and only later on, i saw the video. >> reporter: this video released by hamas showing a group of women being held at an undisclosed location. the hostages are believed to be hidden throughout gaza, likely being used as human shields and to blunt a full-scale israeli counterattack. and they are also powerful bargaining chips. in 2006, hamas fighters seized this man and held him for five years. he was ultimately exchanged for more than a thousand palestinian prisoners. >> kelly, you spoke to these family members. it's heartbreaking to hear them. what sticks with you the most? >> reporter: well, they're incredibly grief-stricken of course. but what's making it even m

. >> david: this young father, yoni asher, was on the phone with his wife. she had brought their two young daughters, 2 and 4, to see their grandmother. she called her husband after they rushed into a safe room in the house. they knew the militants were outside. >> she was whispering, i then heard background, didn't hear the girls. she was frightened. and when the call i just couldn't do anything. i just went down on the floor like this on my knees. couldn't feel my legs and try to hope for the best. >> david: the call drops. he had no idea what happened to his wife and children until this video. yoni says this is his wife, doran. he watches as militants start to cover his wife's head. he sees a flash of one of his daughters. >> i recognize them immediately and i saw the video twice. in the second time, i couldn't watch anymore, because i got -- i got -- i melt down. i didn't know what to do. i couldn't believe this is happening to me. it was a nightmare. it was the worst possible scenario. >> david: he has not heard from his wife since. her cell phone now p

yoni asher is begging for the safe return of his wife and two small children after they were kidnappedle visiting in—laws. i want to ask of hamas... ..don�*t hurt them. don't hurt little children. don't hurt women. if you want me instead, i'm willing to come. now in gaza, most areas are without power after israel stopped supplying electricity. there are shortages of food and water. tens of thousands of palestinians have fled their homes — many seeking shelter in un schools. as israel hits back, the international community has rushed to support its right to defend itself, but there have been warnings, too, about a growing humanitarian crisis. israel keeps saying the blockade and repeated assaults on gaza are to destroy hamas military capabilities and ensure security. clearly and expectedly, its blockade and assaults accomplished neither. and with palestinians killed in clashes with israeli soldiers in the occupied west bank, there are new signs of the violence spreading. yolande knell, bbc news, jerusalem. let's get more now on the situation inside gaza. i spoke a little earlier to our

you'll remember yoni asher. he's opened his home to talk to us about his wife and two young daughters. his wife said there were terrorists entering the house. the phone gets abruptly cut off and yoni the in a video online sees them being loaded into the back of a truck. when we visited yoni this week, he showed his daughters' playroom, their favorite toys. he showed us their little pink shoes. that was very important for him, for everyone to see the shoes, because they're girly girls, he said. he tried to show us and opened us to that heart wrenching void in his life right now. yoni is back with me now. so, yoni, when you first heard the news that hamas has released two hostages, how -- what was your feeling? >> hello, erin. first of all, i felt -- i felt that i really, really miss my wife and my two young baby girls. that's the first feeling i had. and i was happy for this family, who got their relatives back to them. >> the idf, this morning, said that the majority of hostages are still alive. and i know -- we

yoni asher was at home near tel aviv when the attack started.e are alarms and they are also hearing explosive, and they went into the safe room. they heard the gunshots from outside. his wife and daughters, raz and aviv, were i70km away in another kibbutz, called nir oz, celebrating a jewish festival with family. and the conversation got disconnected and... ..later on, i tried to, i tried to reach her and her mother and couldn't get them. this is the home of yoni's mother—in—law, where his wife and children were staying. there's a real sense of, smell of death here, and there's a huge amount of blood still on the floor, children's shoes. it's smashed up. it looks like a big struggle went on here. a lot of broken glass. some were burned and some after the terrorists left, they ran away. you can... i won't describe it because it's too... too painful. yeah. how many people do you think died here? i think around 90 people. hamas launched simultaneous attacks on more than 20 israeli communities that day. this was a mass attack, well—planned, well—equ

this is yoni asher, a 37-year-old father whose wife and two children have been taken hostage by hamassterday while my wife and daughters by five years old and three years old, went to visit my mother-in-law near gaza. and during the morning, i contacted my wife and she told me on the phone that there are terrorists inside the house. later on, i saw video come the same video that was in social media, which i identified my wife, my two daughters, and my mother-in-law on some kind of a cart and terrorists of hamas all around them. i want to ask of hamas, don't hurt them. don't hurt it'll children. don't hurt women. if you want me instead. amy: and this is a mother in gaza, sabreen aub daqqa, who survived after being trapped in rubble after an israel rocket hit her home. the attack killed three of her children. >> i was at home and suddenly i hear a sound and everything fell over our heads. my children were next to me. one of them was next to my legs and the others were next to me. my brother was a bit further. nothing happened to him. i was hiding between the sofa and the door, so there

you heard yoni asher there.ire life is gone and his home, his children's toys and pink monkey and there's no children. and how a person even can endure through such pain and fear and loss is incomprehensible. is there anything you're able to tell us, mark, now that there's been one hostage video, about your knowledge as to the safety of what you say are 199 hostages being held in gaza. >> so i think what we all can learn from this terrible, terrible, shocking story from that father, is we understand who we're up against. and when president biden and my prime minister talk about an isis-type terrorist group, it's not just words. this is the reality. they are brutal, inhumane killers who target the innocent. why on earth could anyone with any sense of humanity kidnap young infants, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old? this is this has to outrage everybody. this isn't about israel and the palestinians. this is about humanity against people who are so barbaric in their behavior that they are, as president biden said, they

yoni asher is looking for his wife and young daughters after seeing them in this video, a scarf placedn his wife's head as they're taken away on a cart. he describes the last moment he spoke with his wife. >> she told me that the terrorists of hamas entered the house, and later on, the conversation was disconnected. >> reporter: ricardo luc found out her daughter had been abducted on social media. the video shows her daughter, shani, unconscious in the back of a pickup truck being paraded around by armed militants. >> it looks very bad. but i still have hope. i hope that they don't take bodies for negotiations. i hope that she's still alive somewhere. >> reporter: hamas is now threatening to execute civilian hostages and broadcast those executions if israel targets people in gaza without warning. israeli rescue operations could be dangerous. >> the hostage-takers could kill the hostage, there can be an accident in which the rescuers kill a hostage. so that typically, a very dangerous moment for a hostage is a rescue. >> reporter: the government of qatar has been in talks with hamas abo

this includes yoni asher, whose wife, two young daughters, and mother-in-law were all taken hostage. we first spoke to yoni over the weekend, after he recognized his family in this viral video, where the militants appear to put a bag over his daughter's head. his daughters are ages five and three. they are missing tonight. and in this video, they're huddled in the back of a truck. yoni is back with us now. yoni, it's been five days now. have you heard anything about your wife and children and where they are? >> not yet -- >> i know that, since we last spoke, you have had a chance to speak with israeli authorities. i know your wife is a dual german citizen. what are they telling you? have either the german authorities or the israeli authorities told you anything at this point about what they know? >> well, i don't know yet. they told me that they're trying to look for information. but at this moment, i don't have any new information unfortunately. >> yoni, i know your wife called you from the safe room in your mother-in-law's house. and you were actually speaking to her when the terror

i spoke earlier to a man named yoni asher. his wife and two young daughters age 3 and 5, were visiting their grandmother's house in a kibbutz near the gaza border on saturday morningment i want you to take a listen to his description of the last phone call he had with his wife. >> she said that they're hearing gunshots. not much longer passed, and about 10:00 a.m. we had a phone call. hamas people was inside the house. she told me that my mother-in-law's spouse went out to speak with them. from what i'm guessing, i guess that retrospect, he wanted to negotiate with them, tell them to take some money and leave. i couldn't stand. i couldn't believe what i'm hearing. it happened so fast. we discovered that the mobile was inside gaza. >> reporter: no, yoni tracking his wife's cell phone, using the find my iphone app, seeing the phone was inside gaza and hoping and praying that perhaps these hamas militants has stolen the phone and taken it with them. andrea, it wasn't until he saw a video published by hamas where he watched his wi

yoni asher is begging for the safe return of his wife and two small children after they were kidnappedisiting in—laws. i want to ask of hamas... ..don�*t hurt them. don't hurt little children. don't hurt women. if you want me instead, i'm willing to come. now in gaza most areas are without power after israel stopped supplying electricity. there are shortages of food and water. tens of thousands of palestinians have fled their homes — many seeking shelter in un schools. as israel hits back, the international community has rushed to support its right to defend itself, but there have been warnings, too, about a growing humanitarian crisis. israel keeps saying the blockade and repeated assaults on gaza are to destroy hamas military capabilities and ensure security. clearly and expectedly, its blockade and assaults accomplished neither. and with palestinians killed in clashes with israeli soldiers in the occupied west bank, there are new signs of the violence spreading. yolande knell, bbc news, jerusalem. let's get more from our correspondent anna foster who is in ashkelon. we've heard anot

we spoke earlier to a man named yoni asher. hamas captivity. on saturday morning they were at their grandparents' home in southern israel. the last time yoni spoke to his wife deron she said there were palestinian gunmen at the door of her safe room. the call disconnected. alicia, he used the find my iphone app to try to track her phone and he could see that her cell phone was inside of gaza city. and he was hoping and praying that maybe these gunmen had just stolen the cell phone. but then hours later he saw in hamas video his wife being blindfolded, her arm protectively around the shoulders of one of his two young daughters. and he does not know where they are tonight. he said when i asked him what would you say to the people holding your children? he said he would gladly, in a heartbeat, go to gaza and surrender himself if it meant that his family was free. and that is the sentiment that we are hearing all over this country. a couple other quick points. israel's military says it is now in control of the border towns and comm

we met a young father, yoni asher, whose wife an two young daughters were visiting their grandmother. his wife called. they were in a safe room when militants got in. the call dropped out and yoni had no idea what happened until he saw this video. he said that's his wife. militants covering her head, taking her and their two daughters who are just 2 and 4. >> i recognized them immediately. i saw the video twice. the second time, i couldn't watch. i melted down. i didn't know what to do. i couldn't believe this is >> reporter: prime minister netanyahu declared israel is at war. more than 700 killed here, including at least four american citizens. the biden administration warning that number could rise. overnight abc news speaking with the mother of one of those american victims, 32-year-old haim castman. >> he was taken hostage. i didn't get official information that that's exactly what happened. his body was found in hi apartment. we understand he and his neighbor were hiding in a closet. the neighbor was released, a woman, and he was shot immediately. >> reporter: now his loved ones