Meet the Press NOW — May 27

>> IT IS NBC NEWS NOW. >>> IF IT IS MONDAY, FORMER

>>> IF IT IS MONDAY, FORMER

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS BOOED

. HIS CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY TRIAL

TOMORROW IN NEW YORK.

THE JURY BEGINS DELIBERATIONS.

PLUS, PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN

NETANYAHU ACKNOWLEDGING THE

STRIKE THAT KILLED DOZENS,

CALLING IT A QUOTE, TRAGIC

INCIDENT.

GLOBAL COMBINATION, AND NEW

CALLS FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASE

FIRE.

>>> SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS

SWEEPING ACROSS THE U.S.,

KILLING AT LEAST 21 PEOPLE.

TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS BRACE FOR MORE EXTREME WEATHER

BRACE FOR MORE EXTREME WEATHER

TO THE EAST.

>>> WELCOME TO MEET THE PRESS

NOW NOW.

I AM YAMICHE ALCINDOR.

REMEMBERING PERSONNEL WHO DIED

SERVING OUR COUNTRY.

THIS ALSO MARKS THE UNOFFICIAL

BEGINNING OF SUMMER.

THIS YEAR, THE BEGINNING OF A

TRULY UNPRECEDENTED WEEK IN

AMERICAN POLITICS.

THIS WEEK, THE JURY WILL

DELIBERATE THE LEGAL FATE OF

THE FORMER PRESIDENT, ALSO HIS

PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL

NOMINEE.

TOMORROW, THEY ARE SET TO BEGIN

IN THE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP

CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY TRIAL.

JUDGE MERCHAN TO -- FOR THE

PUBLIC.

A CHANCE TO WITNESS THE HISTORIC

CASE.

GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY, THE END

OF THIS HUSH MONEY TRIAL WILL

MARK THE START OF A NEW PHASE.

IT HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT NORMAL.

A PUSH AT THE REPUBLICANS, AND

THE -- HERE IN WASHINGTON.

HE WAS MET BY A COURSE OF

BOO

>> EVERYBODY SHOULD NOMINATE

TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES!

WHOA!

THAT'S NICE.

THAT'S NICE!

ONLY IF YOU WANT TO WIN!

ONLY IF YOU WANT TO END.

MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO WIN.

WE MUST WORK TOGETHER.

COMBINE WITH US.

YOU HAVE TO COMBINE WITH US.

WE CANNOT GIVE CRICKET JOE

BIDEN FOUR MORE YEARS.

WE CANNOT GIVE CRICKET JOE

BIDEN FOUR MORE YEARS.

>> TRUMP AND ROBERT F KENNEDY

JR. BOTH SPOKE AT THE

LIBERTARIAN CONVENTION.

FORMER GEORGIA SENATOR CANDIDATE

. TRUMP DID NOT SUBMIT THE

APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK TO BE

CONSIDERED.

NBC'S DASHA BURNS COVERING THE

STORY.

ALSO THE NBC NEWS LEGAL ANALYST.

DASHA, WHAT WERE THEY LOOKING

TO GET OUT OF THIS SPEECH?

AND WAS TRUMP AND HIS TEAM

SURPRISED BY THE BOO

NEGATIVE RECEPTION?

>> THEY'VE BEEN PITCHING ALL OF

THESE TALKS AS HIS UNITY TOUR.

HE SAW HIM GO TO THE SOUTH BRONX

, PLACES LIKE MINNESOTA, THEY

ARE PRESENTING THE VISIT AS

ALONG THOSE LINES, TRYING TO

REACH OUT TO VOTERS WHO AREN'T

INTERESTED IN LOOKING SOMEWHERE

ELSE BESIDE RESIDENT BIDEN.

I DON'T THINK THEY WERE

EXPECTING THAT KIND OF REACTION.

I'VE NEVER SEEN HIM IN SUCH A

HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT.

HE TYPICALLY GOES TOWARD MORE

FRIENDLY CROWDS.

ENSURING THERE ARE SUPPORTERS

AND ALLIES THERE.

HIS TEAM IS DEFENDING THAT AS,

LOOK, HE IS NOT AFRAID TO PUT

HIMSELF OUT THERE, REACHING OUT

TO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT TYPICALLY

LOOK AT VOTING FOR HIM.

>> DASHA, HE DID PUT HIMSELF

OUT THERE.

HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY PUT HIS NAME

IN FOR NOMINATION.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE

DECISION WAS THERE? >> Reporter: HE POSTED TO TRUTH

SOCIAL ABOUT THE SAME BECAUSE

SOCIAL ABOUT THE SAME BECAUSE

HE IS THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE

FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THAT

HE CAN'T ACTUALLY DO THAT.

THAT HE CAN'T BECOME THE

NOMINEE FOR THE LIBERTARIAN

PARTY.

THE RULES ARE REALLY WONKY

AROUND THAT.

IT BRINGS THE QUESTION, WHY DID

HE SHOW UP IN THE FIRST PLACE?

HIS CAMPAIGN SAYING HE GOT HIS

VASE UNLOCKED, SO HE IS NOT

AFRAID TO MOVE OUT WHATEVER

KIND OF VOTERS.

>> AS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT

THAT, TALKING ABOUT HIM

REACHING OUT TO OTHER VOTERS,

TWICE LAST WEEK, HE SAW THE

TRUMP CAMPAIGN IN AN UNORTHODOX

VENUE.

OF COURSE, NOW THERE IS THIS

LIBERTARIAN CONVENTION.

WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?

INSTEAD OF MORE TRADITIONAL

CAMPAIGNS IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> FIRST OF ALL, HE IS BEEN

TIED TO THE COURTROOM.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE

CAMPAIGN TEAM HAS BEEN

FRUSTRATED BY.

THEY ARE TRYING TO DO WHAT THEY

CAN WITH THE LIMITS THEY HAVE.

LOOK, HIS BASE IS THERE.

THEY ARE NOT LEAVING HIM.

WHILE BIDEN IS TRYING TO SHORE

UP HIS OWN BASES, REACHING OUT

TO BLACK AND LATINO VOTERS,

TRUMP IS ACTUALLY ABLE TO EXPAND

THE TYPES OF PEOPLE HE IS

LOOKING TO BRING INTO THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY.

SOME OF THE DATA AND POLLING

POINTS THAT OUT.

>> THIS IS GOING TO BE THAT

HISTORIC WEEK WHERE WE WILL

HAVE CLOSING ARGUMENTS.

HOW IS THE TERM COMPARING --

TRUMP CAMPAIGN PREPARING?

ARE THERE MULTIPLE WAYS FOR

THIS CAN GO?

>> NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE

VERDICT IS.

WE'VE GOT THE PREVIEW OF HOW

THE TEAM AND TRUMP HIMSELF.

WE'VE SEEN THE POST LASHING OUT

AT THE JUDGE.

IN HIS VARIOUS LEGAL TROUBLES.

I THINK YOU CAN EXPECT -- IF

THE VERDICT DOESN'T GO HIS WAY,

HE WILL CONTINUE TO HAMMER THIS

MESSAGE.

HE WILL SAY THIS IS ELECTION

INTERFERENCE.

IF HE IS ACQUITTED, YOU CAN SEE

HIM GOING OUT THERE AND SAYING,

HEY, LOOK, THEY THREW

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

AT ME.

WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THIS JUST

OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS.

HE IS ASKING HIS VOTERS AND HIS

BASE TO SUPPORT HIM.

THE QUESTION, WOULD YOU STILL

SUPPORT ME IF I WERE ARRESTED?

HE IS TRYING TO SELL THE NOTION

THAT IF THERE WERE A CONVICTION

IN THIS CASE, THAT SOME VOTERS

MIGHT THINK TWICE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DASHA,

FOR YOUR REPORTING.

>> TALK TO ME ABOUT THE FACT

THAT YOU'VE BEEN A JUDGE,

YOU'VE BEEN A PROSECUTOR.

WALK US THROUGH, AND WHAT

LAWYERS ON BOTH SIDES ARE

PREPARING FOR CLOSING ARGUMENTS.

WHAT WILL THEY TRY TO

ACCOMPLISH IN THIS FINAL

STRETCH?

>> IN THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS AND

JURY INSTRUCTION, NOT GETTING

THE ATTENTION I THINK IT REALLY

MERITS.

I WILL START WITH THE CLOSING

ARGUMENTS.

THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM OPENING

STATEMENTS.

THE LAWYERS ARE SUPPOSED TO

STICK TRULY TO JUST THE FACTS

OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE, THE

EVIDENCE.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE

CASE.

IN CLOSING ARGUMENT, THEY ARE

ALLOWED TO ARGUE.

LITTLE BITS AND PIECES OVER A

LONG TIME FRAME, BUT IT IS NOW

THE DUTY TO PUT THAT ALL INTO A

NARRATIVE.

THEY HAVE REALLY KEPT AN OPEN

MIND.

THEY ARE WAITING TO HEAR THE

CLOSING ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES.

AND TO HEAR WHAT MAKES SENSE TO

THEM.

NEW YORK IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT

FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

THEY ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE THE

PROSECUTION ARGUMENT FIRST.

THEN THEY HAVE THE REBUTTAL

ARGUMENT.

IN NEW YORK STATE, THE DEFENSE

GOES FIRST, THEN THE

PROSECUTION GOES.

THAT IS IT FOR CLOSING

ARGUMENTS.

>> YOU CAN REALLY MAP OUT HOW

THIS IS GOING TO GO.

THE JURY MIGHT NOT REMEMBER

EVERYTHING.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE CLOSING

ARGUMENTS TO LEAVING THE JURY

WITH THE LAST MESSAGE HERE?

>> THOUGH I WOULD LOVE TO BE

THE SIDE THAT GOES LAST, THE

LAST VOICE THAT THE JURORS

HERE.

IN THIS CASE, IT WILL BE THE

PROSECUTION.

THEY HAVE THE BURDEN OF PROOF.

YOU'VE HEARD THIS MANY TIMES

BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.

THEY HAVE TO GET 12 JURORS TO

AGREE UNANIMOUSLY THAT THE

FORMER PRESIDENT IS GUILTY.

THE PROSECUTION GETS TO GO

SECOND.

WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, THEY NEED

TO TELL THE JURORS WHICH PIECES

OF EVIDENCE GO TO SHOW THAT THE

FORMER PRESIDENT IS GUILTY.

THEY'VE GOT TO TIE THOSE THINGS

TOGETHER FOR THE JURORS.

THE DEFENSE WILL ARGUE THAT

MICHAEL COHEN HAD -- HE'S

ADMITTED PERJURY, HE CAN'T TRUST

ANYTHING.

>> AND OF COURSE, HOW LONG DO

YOU THINK JURY DELIBERATIONS

COULD TAKE?

AND WHAT COULD IMPACT THAT

TIMING?

>> THEY CAN GO N FOR A LONG

TIME, OR THEY CAN COME BACK

VERY QUICKLY.

PEOPLE ARE VERY COMPETENT.

YOU GOT A COUPLE OF LAWYERS ON

THE JURY, WHICH IS PRETTY

UNUSUAL.

THEY MAY HELP THE JURY GET

THROUGH ALL OF THEIR QUESTIONS.

THE LAWYERS ON THE JURY MAY BE

ABLE TO POINT THEM TO JURY

INSTRUCTION. HOPEFULLY THEY

WILL GO INTO THE JURY WITH THEM.

THE LAWYERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO

PINPOINT ANSWERS FOR THE JURORS

THAT PERHAPS THE JURY WITHOUT

LAWYERS ON IT WOULD BE ABLE TO

FIND THEMSELVES.

MY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR

GREAT ANALYSIS, CARROLL .

>> THANK YOU.

>> JOINING ME NOW IS DEMOCRATIC

-- FOR NBC NEWS.

HE IS A FELLOW AT THE HOOVER

VISITATION -- INSTITUTION.

WE ARE IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY

HERE.

THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A

PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE. OF COURSE,

THAT BEING DONALD TRUMP ON

TRIAL, WHAT IS THE AFTERMATH

LOOKING LIKE?

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HE IS

GOING TO SAY AND DO, NO MATTER

WHAT THE VERDICT IS.

>> I THINK THE KEY HERE IS,

REGARDLESS OF THE VERDICT, IT

WILL BE THE SAME MESSAGE WE'VE

HEARD ALL ALONG.

ALL OF THIS IS A WRONGFUL

PROSECUTION.

THAT HE IS INNOCENT OF THE

CHARGES REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE

JURY FINDS.

THIS IS REALLY PART OF HIS

EFFORT TO CAST HIMSELF AS

SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN THE VICTIM

OF AN ILLEGITIMATE PROSECUTION.

THAT ARGUMENT CARRIES A LOT

WITH THIS POLITICAL BASE.

THE BIG QUESTION WILL BE WHAT

THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE ON

THOSE VOTERS WHO ARE

PERSUADABLE.

SOFT REPUBLICANS, SOFT

DEMOCRATS, THE CONCERNS ABOUT

THE ECONOMY, CONCERNS ABOUT

IMMIGRATION.

IT IS VERY HARD BETWEEN NOW AND

THE END OF THE YEAR.

A LOT OF THIS LEGAL OUTCOME MAY

BE BAKED INTO PEOPLE'S PUBLIC

IMPRESSIONS OF THE FORMER

PRESIDENT.

AND REALLY FOR THESE VOTERS

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

HE WILL HAVE TO DO WHAT HE CAN

TO CONVINCE HIM THAT THE

PROSECUTION IS REALLY NO BIG

DEAL.

WHETHER HE CAN GET THERE OR

NOT, THAT WILL BE THE BIG

QUESTION.

>> HE JUST SAID THIS COULD BE

ALL -- I WONDER, COULD THERE BE

AN IMPACT IF HE ENDS UP WRITING

THIS ELECTION?

RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AS A

CONVICTED FELON?

>> YAMICHE, IF YOU LOOK AT IT

FROM A POLLING PERCENTAGE, 20%

OF FOLKS WHO ARE LEANING TOWARD

HIM.

IF HE WERE A CONVICTED FELON,

THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH.

THAT WOULD BE A REDLINE THAT

HAVE CAUSED, WHAT CAUSED THEM

TO RECONSIDER, IF NOT OUTRIGHT

WITHDRAW THEIR SUPPORT.

WE WOULD NOT KNOW THE ANSWER

UNTIL IF AND WHEN HE IS

CONVICTED, AND THEN THE PUBLIC

POLLS STARTING TO COME IN

WITHIN DAYS A WEEKS.

THE ONLY CONVICTION THEY REALLY

ARE LOOKING FOR IS THEIR

CONVICTION ON NOVEMBER 5th.

WHEN AND IF THE VOTERS REJECT

DONALD TRUMP'S RUN FOR THE

PRESIDENT.

IT COULD VERY WELL BE THAT THIS TRIAL RESULTS IN SOME SORT OF

TRIAL RESULTS IN SOME SORT OF

TRUMP MAKING THE CASE.

IT HAS BEEN THE UNHINGED POST

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

WILL WE SEE THAT REFLECTED IN

THE POLLS?

AND IF NOT, WHAT DOES THE TRUMP

CAMPAIGN DO IN RESPONSE IF THEY

DO NOT GET CONVICTED?

DO THEY SAY, SEE?

IT WAS ALL ABOUT GOING AFTER IT.

>> I WANT TO STICK WITH YOU.

MY NBC COLLEAGUES, THEY WILL

GET MORE AGGRESSIVE ON TRUMP

ONCE THE TRIAL IS DONE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WILL

LOOK LIKE?

DO YOU THINK THAT IS A

BRILLIANT IDEA TO LEAN INTO

THIS?

>> I WASN'T SO SURE IT WAS A

GOOD IDEA TO LEAN INTO THIS

PARTICULARLY.

WHETHER OR NOT HE IS CONVICTED,

HE'S DONE IT.

ENOUGH TO DISQUALIFY HIM AS

PRESIDENT IN THE

POSTPRESIDENTIAL PERIOD.

EVEN IN THIS CAMPAIGN TODAY, IT

IS THE DAY ABOUT SUCKERS AND

LOSERS, TALKING ABOUT HUMAN

SCUM.

I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR

THE BITING CAMPAIGN TO KEEP

REMINDING, AND DEFINING TO

THOSE VOTERS.

I HAVE JUST NOT TUNED INTO THE

POLITICAL SPECTACLE LIKE ALL OF

US JUNKIES ON THE SHOW TODAY.

REMINDING THEM WHO THIS MAN IS,

WHAT HE SAYS, AND WHAT HE

REPRESENTS.

TRUMP HAD SPOKEN ON SEVERAL

OCCASIONS ABOUT HIM BEING A

DICTATOR ON DAY ONE.

HE IS TALKING ABOUT

IMPLEMENTING A NEW RADICAL

SYSTEM THAT WOULD DO AWAY WITH

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

AND THE GUARDRAIL THAT KEPT HIM

SOMEWHAT IN CHECK FROM 2017 TO

2021.

IF THE BITING CAMPAIGN DOES

THAT, THEY WILL BE ON THE

BETTER SIDE OF THE DEBATE.

>> I WANT TO PLAY A LITTLE BIT

MORE OF WHAT HE SAID.

>> THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY CAN

MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE AMERICA

FREER THAN EVER BEFORE.

WE CAN UNLEASH ENERGY.

WE CAN RELEASE LIMITED

GOVERNMENT SO THAT THE PEOPLE --

WE WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE.

IF WE UNITE, WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE.

I WILL BE A TRUE FRIEND TO

LIBERTARIANS IN THE WHITE

HOUSE.

>> SO I WILL ASK YOU, WHAT DID

HE GET OUT OF THIS APPEARANCE?

>> HE WAS COMMUNICATING A

MESSAGE TO LIBERTARIANS BEYOND

THE ONES IN THAT ROOM.

THE CONVENTION GOERS

THEMSELVES, THE BASE OF THE

PARTY, THEY WOULD NOT BE OPEN

TO THE MESSAGE, SUPPORTING OR

ENDORSING THE REPRESENTATIVE,

OR NOMINEE OF THE PARTY.

I THINK THE ISSUE WAS, COULD HE

MESSAGE BEYOND? SOME WHO MIGHT

IDENTIFY AS PRESBYTERIAN.

HE MADE THOSE PROMISES THAT HE

WOULD GET INPUT FROM

LIBERTARIANS ACROSS THE

COUNTRY.

THAT HE WOULD BE RECEPTIVE.

I THINK THE HOPE WAS NOT TO

CONVINCE PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM.

IT WAS TO SPEAK TO LIBERTARIANS

IN THAT ROOM, WHO IF THEY

DECIDED TO VOTE FOR SOMEBODY

ELSE, IT MIGHT BE A LARGE

ENOUGH MARGIN TO SWING THE VOTE

IN WISCONSIN, PENNSYLVANIA, AND

OTHERS.

HE WOULD LIKE TO WIN AND LIKE

TO DO WELL.

IT WASN'T ABOUT THE ROOM SO MUCH

AS WHAT WAS GOING ON BEYOND THE

ROOM.

>> INTERESTING THAT YOU THINK

ABOUT IT THAT WAY.

I WANT TO SHIFT FOR A MOMENT.

MY COLLEAGUE, HE CAUGHT UP WITH

REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATE

KERRY LAKE OVER THE WEEKEND.

HERE'S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY.

>> I KNOW THE TRUMP SUPPORTERS

SUPPORT US, AS WELL.

I'VE SEEN REALLY GOOD POLLING.

NOT SOME OF THESE BOGUS POLLS

TO TRY TO SWAY VOTERS.

I KNOW WHAT THE REAL POLLING IS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE

ALSO KARI LAKE SUPPORTERS.

>> HOW NOTABLE IS IT THAT SHE

IS WANTING TO STICK SO CLOSE TO

PRESIDENT TRUMP?

WE'VE SEEN THEM TRY TO KEEP

DISTANCE BETWEEN THEMSELVES.

>> YOU KNOW THAT THE REPUBLICAN

PARTY TODAY IS A TRUMP COLT.

IF YOU TRY TO BREAK, SHOW ANY

DAYLIGHT BETWEEN YOURSELF AND

THE FORMER PRESIDENT, ALSO

GOING AFTER THAT PERSON

HIMSELF.

SHE HAS NO CHOICE.

WE SAW IT ALSO WITH NIKKI HALEY

LAST WEEK.

IT WOULD BE EXPECTED FOR ANYONE

TO DO.

I THINK WHAT IS INTERESTING, IN

A LOT OF STATES, ON THE

DEMOCRATIC SIDE, THEY ARE

RUNNING EVEN STRONGER THAN JOE

BIDEN IS.

WE MIGHT ACTUALLY SEE A REVERSE COCKTAIL IN SOME OF THESE STATES

COCKTAIL IN SOME OF THESE STATES

. THEY MAKE IT EVEN HARDER FOR

THE NOMINEES TO WIN ON THE

REPUBLICAN SIDE.

>> ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK TO

SOME FRONT-LINE REPUBLICANS IN

YOUR STATE.

THEY REALLY TAKE IN A MUCH

DIFFERENT TONE THAN THEY DID IN

2020.

ARE YOU SURPRISED?

>> IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

THROUGH THE CENTRAL PART OF THE

STATE.

YOU'VE GOT DISTRICTS THAT ARE

REASONABLY PURPLE.

IT WILL BE VERY, VERY HARD TO

EMBRACE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP,

OR TOO HARD TO THE OTHER SIDE

FOR ANY GIVEN REASON.

I DO THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT

FOR THEM TO FORGE THEIR OWN

IDENTITY.

IT RUNS THROUGH CALIFORNIA.

THAT MAKES IT A VERY

INTERESTING DYNAMIC.

CERTAINLY, THEY WILL BE

THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO NAVIGATE

THAT DYNAMIC.

>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING

US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> COMING UP, RENEWED PRESSURE

ON ISRAEL AND THE WHITE HOUSE

TODAY. THIS IS IN AN AREA WHERE

CIVILIANS WERE SHELTERING.

>>> AND EXCLUSIVE REPORTING

FROM TAIWAN.

JUST MEETING WITH THE NEWLY

INAUGURATED PRESIDENT AFTER A

SERIES OF PROVOCATIVE CHINESE

MILITARY -- YOU ARE WATCHING MEET THE PRESS NOW.

>>> NEWS LIVES IN THE NOW. >>> NEWS FOR THE GENERATION OF

>>> NEWS FOR THE GENERATION OF

NOW IS NBC NEWS NOW.

>>> A DEADLY STRIKE ON A CAMP

IN RAFAH.

CALLING IT TRAGIC, AND USING A

WORD IN HEBREW THAT COULD MEAN

MISTAKE OR MISHAP.

WHEN ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION,

NETANYAHU CALLED IT A TRAGIC

INCIDENT.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, VIDEO OF

THE AREA WHERE MANY DISPLACED

CIVILIANS WERE SHELTERING.

RESCUE WORKERS RACED TO PUT OUT

THE FIRE.

THE WHITE HOUSE CALLED THE

IMAGES HEARTBREAKING, SAYING IT

WAS ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE

MILITARY AND OTHERS ON THE

GROUND TO FIGURE OUT WHAT

HAPPENED.

45 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE

STRIKE.

MANY OF THEM, WOMEN AND

CHILDREN.

MORE THAN 200 WERE INJURED.

THE STRIKE KILLED TWO SENIOR

HAMAS OFFICIALS.

THE AREA TARGETED WAS NOT PART

OF THE IDF DECLARED SAVE ZONE.

WHILE SPEAKING BEFORE

PARLIAMENT TODAY, PRIME

MINISTER NETANYAHU SAID ISRAEL

WILL CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION

INTO THE STRIKE.

IT COMES JUST DAYS AFTER THE

UN'S HIGHEST COURT ORDERED

ISRAEL TO IMMEDIATELY HOLD THE

MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN RAFAH

BECAUSE OF THE RISKS OF THE

CIVILIAN POPULATION.

NBC NEWS INTERNATIONAL

CORRESPONDENT RAF SANCHEZ IN

TEL AVIV WITH MORE.

>> Reporter: THE IMAGES COMING

OUT OF RAFAH ARE CAUSING SHOCK

AND SPARKING COME THE NATION --

CONDEMNATION ALL ACROSS THE

COUNTRY.

MANY OF THESE MADE OF PLASTIC,

WOOD. WHEN THE STRIKE CAME

CRASHING DOWN, ALL HELL BROKE

LOOSE, ACCORDING TO SURVIVORS.

THEY SAY FLAMES RIPPED THROUGH

THE ENCAMPMENT.

CHILDREN WERE SCREAMING.

ULTIMATELY, AROUND 40 PEOPLE

KILLED, ACCORDING TO THE

EMERGENCY SERVICES IN HAMAS RAN

GAZA.

MANY OF THEM, WOMEN AND

CHILDREN.

SOME OF THEM, APPARENTLY BURNED

TO DEATH.

PRIME MINISTER BEEBE --

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU CALLING IT A

TRAGIC MISHAP.

SAYING ISRAEL WILL INVESTIGATE

WHAT HAPPENS HERE.

THE ISRAELI MILITARY SAYS THE

STRIKE DID SUCCEED IN KILLING

TWO SENIOR HAMAS COMMANDERS

ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED

IN THE PLANNING OF ATTACKS IN

THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK.

THE IDF SAYS IT TOOK MEASURES

AHEAD OF TIME TO TRY TO REDUCE