What do you think the Israeli initial goal is here? Is it to extricate and save the hostages, or is it to degrade Gaza totally and completely? Well, there's a big difference. When Blinken goes around and he talks to people like Ben Salm, he's basically talking about the hostages. I mean, that's the main American concern. The concern of Saudi Arabia in the other stages is the humanitarian situation. But we know pretty clearly what the Israeli intent is. 

The first intent is to try and move as many people out of the top, if you like. Third of Gaza, push them down to the south. They can't go through to Egypt because Egypt is blocked. The Rafa crossing, which is the only crossing into Egypt, they can't go across that, but they want them out of the way so that Israel would then stage two is to level that area. 

I bomb it down to ground zero, and then to put in troops. And they've been mobilizing huge numbers of troops, reverse Reservists and others for this, and assembling tanks and equipment on the border as we speak. Now, this large concubation, this could happen at any moment. .