hundreds of people have been killed in an air strike on a hospital in the middle of Gaza City according to the Palestinian Health ministry that's where many wounded Palestinian civilians and displaced residents including young children were seeking shelter hoping to be spared bombardment after Israel ordered all residents to evacuate to the southern Gaza Strip if the death toll is confirmed the attack would be the deadliest Israeli air strike and five wars fought since 2008 according to the Associated Press Israeli Defense Forces say they're looking into the reported strike but haven't claimed responsibility while troops amassed near Israel's border with Gaza to begin a ground operation against Hamas terrorists Israel's continued response to the military regime's brutal October 7th attacks that killed more than 1,400 Israelis 30 Americans among them and took 200 people hostage the deadliest attack on Israel in 50 years so far according to Gaza Medics nearly 3,000 Palestinians have been killed in the counter offense and the number keeps Rising the deadly blast on the hospitals comes as President Biden prepares for a visit to Israel and the conflict escalates with humanitarian conditions in Gaza growing more desperate senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan was at Newark Airport this morning as flights arrived directly from Tel Aviv with those fleeing to safety while many others in Israel and Gaza have not families hugged each other tight meeting loved ones from Israel on the international arrivals ramp at Newark Liberty International Airport for some Americans escaping the rockets and explosions and air raage Sirens after waiting days for a flight out of Tel Aviv felt bittersweet it's a bit of a relief to be back but I'm honestly on the plane I uh got a little emotional because I felt like I was leaving my you know people behind we were planning on coming back last week my wife and myself but David zelig flew home to ten alone his daughter's a soldier in Israel and his wife chose to stay there with her zelig had to return to work in New Jersey his eyes filled with cheers I didn't want to come back I don't know I don't know how long I'll be H to stay me and my daugh went for the holidays for the Jewish holidays uhhuh the first week was amazing the second week was I near yosef's flight got canceled when US Airlines suspended service to Tel Aviv trapping thousands in the war zone folks arriving this morning described running for shelter in safe rooms ducking for cover under the Iron Dome defense and express dismay at some US news reports we was very disappointed to hear about Ro um the demonstrations in America supporting Kamas which makes absolutely no sense there is absolute evil in the world hundreds of pales Palestinian Americans are still trying to exit Gaza into Egypt a work in progress for us diplomats trying to arrange a safe Crossing it took almost a week for the Biden Administration to charter flights out of Tel Aviv for thousands of stranded Americans who definitely noticed that other nations acted swiftly to airlift their citizens out wake up Washington because over a dozen countries sent planes to Israel to take their citizens home who do you think wasn't on the list the good old USA some of the flight itineraries out of Israel make several hops for example from Tel Aviv to the island of Cyprus then to Athens and then on to here at Newark the US Embassy is asking Americans in Israel and the West Bank to register online for charter flights so we were lucky to find this one there was the last two seats on the on the flight yeah the flight was B I we worked with a few travel agents and we were finally able to get on but it it was stressful schlomo Schwarz and his family live in Florida but boarded the first flight they could book out of Tel Aviv to Newark people arriving here this morning flew in 12 hours nonstop on l or Jet Blue oshri Shi drove up from Maryland spent a couple of hours dozing with his daughter pacing the terminal waiting for his in-laws to arrive and then more hugs we brought them here you know so they can everybody will feel safer but our heart is with you know the the hostages and the people got killed and I mean that's where heart is Hamas claims to hold almost 200 hostages possibly some from New Jersey but negotiations over their release remain deadlocked Israelis like alas or gross flew in to raise money and support for the war effort he's grateful for President Biden's visit to Israel tomorrow God bless America for your support for your help God bless you all this is all family that the unity of this of Israel of the Jewish people is something that we've always heard about we felt on and off through history everyone who lives there really feels strongly that it's their country and they're not they're not leaving it they're not deserting it but Americans pushing mountains of suit cases at international arrivals felt lucky to be home in Newark I'm Brenda Flanagan NJ Spotlight News