American Maha Elbanna woke up in Gaza on Thursday unsure if she'd be able to cross the border into Egypt. She found her name on the approved list and said she had enough fuel in her car for one shot at getting to the border.

Thursday night, from her hotel in Cairo, she told ABC News that she's been in Gaza for other wars, but this time is different.

"It's brutal," she said. "The total number of people killed is too high, too fast. Too many women and children -- can't be justified."

She said the decision to leave Gaza wasn't easy.

"I'm leaving everyone I know -- my brothers, sisters, nieces, my cousins, my friends, my co-workers," she said.

But she also has four children in New Jersey. She said she’s grateful she is able to go home to have Thanksgiving with them.

She said she wants people to know that Gazans are human.

"They're beautiful. They have dreams and hopes and aspirations. We do everything like all other normal people. We eat, we breathe, we play, we dance … we do yoga. we ride our bikes. It's normal life," she said. "It's people who deserve life."

-ABC News' Maggie Rulli

The U.S. has been flying unarmed MQ-9 Reaper drones above Gaza to assist with hostage recovery efforts, a U.S. official said.

The official would not discuss where the MQ-9 flights are originating for operational security reasons.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez

Secretary Blinken and Prime Minister Netanyahu met earlier this morning behind closed doors and are now meeting with the Israeli War Cabinet, according to the pool producer on the ground.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now holding a private meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv. They will also meet with the members of the War Cabinet," the Israeli PM tweeted.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken descended the plane stairs and greeted newly sworn-in Ambassador Jack Lew and the former Chargé d’Affaires, now Deputy Chief of Mission Stephanie Hallett, as he arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday morning.

Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Chief of State Protocol Gil Haskel and MFA North Americas Bureau Director Yaron Sideman also welcomed the secretary.

Blinken will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu, members of the Israeli War Cabinet and President Herzog this morning and will hold a press availability at 8 a.m. ET (2 p.m. local) after the meetings.

Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp, the most populous refugee camp in the region, was hit by a second airstrike on Wednesday, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that on Wednesday, "based on precise intelligence, IDF fighter jets struck a Hamas command and control complex" in Jabalia, and that Hamas fighters were killed in the strike.

"Hamas deliberately builds its terror infrastructure under, around and within civilian buildings, intentionally endangering Gazan civilians," the IDF said. "The IDF has been urging Gazans in this neighborhood to evacuate as part of its efforts to mitigate harm to civilians. The IDF continues to call on all residents of northern Gaza and Gaza City to evacuate southwards to a safer area."

The IDF also took responsibility for the first strike on Tuesday, saying the blast killed a Hamas official who the IDF claimed was one of the leaders of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The United Nations Human Rights Office said, "Given the high number of civilian casualties & the scale of destruction following Israeli airstrikes on Jabalia refugee camp, we have serious concerns that these are disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes."