Transcripts For CNNW CNN 20240703

Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. As we continue our coverage of israel at war. Im rosemary church. Israeli forces are stepping up strikes in gaza, as they are calling the next stage of the war on hamas. Explosions and plumes of black smoke can be seen in gaza city. And fighters clashed with israeli troops inside gaza. Heres more from Benjamin Netanyahu. Translator you fought with heroism in gaza. Your stories are instragsal. This is difficult. We are fighting for our lives and our home. This is no exaggeration. We are at war. Were in a double battle. One battle is to block them here. The second battle is to win a Crushing Victory that will erase hamas. Mr. Netanyahu met with the nations war cabinet on sunday. And the Defense Minister says its likely invasion of gaza needs to be israels last move, inside the region, vowing hamas wont be around for long. The humanitarian crisis in gaza is becoming more desperate. A second convoy of 14 aid trucks entered by the Border Crossing on sundays, with vital food, water and other supplies. A warning, some of the images can be disturbing. Patients are overwhelming the hospital system, that is already having to scale back on treatments at some locations. Fuel is scarce in gaza. And infants on ventilators remain at risk without a dependable source of electricity. In northern gaza, northern israel, i should say, the idf is warning hezbollah leaders, they are playing, quote, a dangerous game. An Idf Spokesperson says the group has attacked positions on the border with lebanon, that the military has responded to. Journalist Elliot Godkin joins me with more on all of this. Good morning, elliot. Were seeing increase in air strikes in northern gaza. Whats the latest on that . And what were you learning about the Ground Incursion thats expected any moment . Reporter the drum beat towards a Ground Invasion has been getting louder since the Terrorist Attack from hamas on october 7th. Its getting louder. We have indications that were on the cusp of it happening. We had the Chief Of The General staff telling troops over the weekend, well enter the gaza strip. We had the clashes, the first clashes between the idf and hamas militants on the ground. One idf soldier was killed and one injured, when militants fired an antitrack missile at an engineering vehicle. On top of that, we have the increase in bombardment. The heaviest that weve seen, as israel takes out not just hamas commanders but weapon storage facilities, Rocket Launchers and the tunnels. The Tunnel System that hamas maintains underground beneath the gaza strip. Thats another indication of whats going on. On top of that, a flurry of diplomatic activity. Benjamin netanyahu, holding his eighth meeting with president biden. We have the french president and the dutch Prime Minister coming today, as well. They will talk about the humanitarian situation in the gaza strip. How to get more aid to the palestinians in the gaza strip. And discussing ways on how to get more hostages released. We saw two Israeli Americans released by hamas over the weekend. Theres some 200plus people being held hostage by hamas that were abducted on october 7th. That will be a point of discussion. And netanyahu will update them on the security operation. Reporter u. S. President joe biden is asking israel to delay the Ground Incursion in gaza so more can be done. Any sign that can happen . And how much influence does the u. S. Have on this issue . Reporter the u. S. Has more influence on israel than any other one. Weve seen things being delayed. President bidens presence in israel, would have been delayed. Israel would never go in when the president was on town. He said these are decisions that israel has to make. President biden said, i am talking to the israelis. Israel has denied that the United States asked it from going in on the ground. Weve been expecting this for a couple of days now. Perhaps its changing Facts On The Ground or the additional intelligence that israelis are getting, for the whereabouts of other hostages and bodies and hamas Infrastructure On Assets and below the ground. Delays have clearly happened. The u. S. Is pressing for israel to delay to get humanitarian aid in. Israel says thats not the case. We expect the Ground Invasion to happen. Its a question of when rather than if. Were on the kcrisp of it now. But the israelis not giving much away. Thanks to Elliot Gotkine in london. The situation in gaza has become a catastrophe. Palestinian Officials Say more than 4,600 people have been killed in gaza since the war started. Among them, more than 1,000 women and nearly 2,000 children. Cnns scott mclean has more on the enclave. A warning that his report contains graphic images. Reporter those who arrive at the hospital in central gaza alive are the lucky ones. There were five air strikes near the hospital. This video, shows the smoke from one nearby. Some 110 bodies were brought here overnight. And this morning, one medical source tells cnn, the morgue is full. The rest of the bodies are out in sheets in the hot of the day. Residents try to find their loved ones. Finding them confirms their worst fears. Inside the hospital, children including a toddler are among the dead. Several of the victims were found with names written in arabic on their legs. A common marking, as parents try to make identification easier if they are their kids are killed. This hospital is located outside of the area of northern gaza, that israel is trying to get civilians to evacuate. On saturday, the idf dropped leaflets that said everyone who chose not to evacuate, might be considered as a partner for the terrorist organization. In a statement, the idf confirmed it dropped the leaflets but has no intention of considering those that have evacuated as a member of the terrorist group. Even though who have managed to avoid the bombs are not out of danger. The trickle of aid, 20 trucks, allowed to cross the Border Crossing on saturday. Thats a tiny fraction of what is needed. 20 trucks to gaza will not change much. Gaza needs at least 500 trucks daily for fuel, food, medicines and water. For 14 days, gaza got nothing. And its immediate need now is 7,000 trucks. Reporter images show trucks on the border and dozens more down the road unable to get in. Aid groups say the death toll could skyrocket because of disease and hospitals that are overwhelmed and undersupplied. This shopkeeper is keeping the store open by candlelight. The shelves are bare. The World Food Program says the shortage of supplies is pushing gaza to edge of catastrophe. Idf says it killed dozens of shifts overnight. But vows that they will increase over a suspected ground operation. Conditions for the people of gaza worsen by the hour. The director of external relations and communications with Yinlsunited Nations Relief Work Agencies for Palestinian Refugees. She joins me from amman in jordan. Thank you for being with us. Thank you, good morning. Your organization is sheltering hundreds of thousands of palestinians who have been displaced by this war. What is the situation right now . Some of the humanitarian aid has eventually arrived in gaza, just a fraction of whats needed, though. Yes. Scott said it very well. Its a trickle. Over the last two days, two convoys of humanitarian assistance managed to go into gaza. Were talking about 20 trucks, the day before yesterday, and 14 trucks overnight this morning. However, these trucks really only contain a fraction of what is needed, given the immense humanitarian needs, particularly amongst the 400,000 people displaced in schools, that have become shelters. These are usually the schools that the Palestinian Refugees runs and where it hosts little girls and boys. These are overcrowded shelters with no privacy, no locks. One toilet for several hundred people. The situation is dire. 20 and 14 trucks is a welcome gesture. As a reminder, before the conflict, over 100 trucks of humanitarian aid and fuel used to come in. And here, i insist on the fuel. No fuel has come into gaza for the last two weeks. Without fuel, its not possible to distribute assistance. Or to power the plants and get clean drinking water. Or to Power Hospitals and the lifesaving machines. Youve just shown how the Health System is on the brink of collapse. We need fuel. Thats very urgent. As urgent as water and food. And the idf is not allowing fuel in. Its concerned that hamas will take it as it has in the past. I wanted to ask you when you expect more humanitarian aid to get into the gaza. And whats the process involved in rationing out what is available until more supplies enter the wartorn region . Its a strict rationing. Its counting the minimum required calories of person per day for survival. Thats how dire it is and how small, little, access to humanitarian assistance is. Were counting on unimpeded trucks into gaza. The trucks have to contain fuel, water, food and urgently needed medical supplies. And the flow has to be a big flow. Not just a trickle of tens trucks a day. What is happening in the hospitals . Given that gaza is cutting off supplies that would run the generators . The situation is extremely difficult. What were hearing from our partners in the Health Sector, other than working around the clock to attend to the wounded, the supplies are extremely low. Including hygiene supplies. Imagine a hospital that cannot be clean because theres no hygiene supplies. This is not only a major Health Situation to those that are wounded in air strikes. Its a major risk for a Public Health crisis, if we cant have clean water for the hospitals and not able to clean the hospitals. Hospitals are run by Health Sectors and agencies support the Health Sector by bringing in medical supplies and medicines, even insulin or antibiotics. And mostly by advocating for fuel to come into gaza to generate electricity. Thanks for joining us. Really appreciate you chatting with us about the dire situation in gaza. Still to come, republicans in the u. S. House cant get their act together. Ill talk to Jessica Levinson about the partys struggle to elect a speaker of the house. Back in a moment. Welcome back, everyone. Im rosemary church. In washington, nine republicans have entered the highstakes race for speaker of House Of Representatives. They will make their case before the republican conference later today after jim jordan tried to win the spot three times this past week. The house has been paralyzed for three weeks now, that ousted speaker Kevin Mccarthy calls embarrassing. With such a crowded field, its unclear if any of the nine candidates will secure the 217 voted needed to win the speakership. One standout is tom emmer, who is emdndorsed by kechbvin mccar. That may end up harming his chances. Joining us to discuss all of this is Law Professor at Loyola Law School in los angeles. And host of The Passing Judgment podcast. Good to have you with us. Good to be here. Nine republicans have joined the race after jim jordan failed to get support and dropped out of the race. How will this play out . And who will likely get sufficient support if thats possible . I dont know if any of the nine or 217 have to vote for that person for sure. I think the house is in chaos. Weve never had a situation where the house is without a speaker for three weeks because the speaker himself was ousted by his party and the next two in line could not garner the votes needed. Who is going to get this job . The person that can. And save to all of the factions with the Republican Party were going to lose in 2024 if we dont elect somebody. We need to do things like vote on a budget. Keep the government functioning. Our government is based on three branches. And half of one of the branches isnt functioning at all. Thats a problem. Republicans will vote on the floor tuesday. I dont know if theyll succeed in that. Thats the plan. The house remains paralyzed and cannot pass legislation on israels war on gaza and russias war on ukraine. How likely is it that they will get those done in time for parts of the world and a looming government shutdown. Theres so much at stake while the gop dithers. Theres never a good time for the House Of Representatives to grind to a halt. This is a particularly precarious time as you outlined. Theres serious issues with respect to foreign policy. The ukraine crisis and the crisis in the middle east. And we need to pass a bill to keep the government open, to keep it functioning. We know what happens if our federal government shuts down. That would be a problem for many americans. That is not an abstract concept. That would have dire impacts. Who is it going to be . And how would the Person Garner support . The person would have to explain that it not only looks like House Republicans are in chaos but it will look like this to the voters. They will have to make compromises. I think the person will have to be Strong Enough not to make promises that he or she cannot keep. That was part of Kevin Mccarthys downfall, he made so many promises to many people. They were competing and conflicting. He could not make everybody happy. What role and should the democrats play in this process to get a speaker . Only in an extremely rare situation, and rarer than the one were seeing now, which i understand is hard for people watching to imagine. Only extremely rare situation would enough republicans join with democrats. Such that democrats have an active role in this and pick a democrat to lead the house, like hakeem jeffries. I think republicans would say we would rather have a republican that a number of us dont support than to have a democrat. If House Republicans cant pick one of their own party, thats a flag of defeat to themselves and to their voters. It is. What is likely the political blowback for republican indecision on this effort to find a speaker . If it happened a few days back, it might be forgotten. But it dragged on and on at a critical time for the world, in pact. Will voters remember this in 2024 . I think they will remember this is a particularly dark moment for us. Our system of government is based on the idea that we have two parties that need to work with each over and compromise. It is a public good. We can talk about how we elect our officials. How we choose them in primary voters. They have to go to work and do their jobs. Dont get to oust somebody and say were rudderless and well stagnate until we can pick somebody. A lot of people are shaking their heads, even people that want a conservative agenda are not looking at that. They are not seeing the majority voted in. Jessica levinson. You are not ours. We dont own you. Thank you for being with us. Israeli officials are urging more officials on the border. Plus, a memorial held for a Synagogue Leader stabbed to death. Questions are swirling why she was killed. The latest on the investigation. The power goes out and we still have wifi to do our homework. And thats a good thing . Great in my book who are you . No power . No problem. Introducing stormready wifi. Now you can stay reliably connected through Power Outages with unlimited cellular data and up to 4 hours of battery backup to keep you online. Only from xfinity. Home of the xfinity 10g network. Welcome back, everyone. Israel Defense Forces are bombarding hamas targets in gaza and engaged in skirmishes in the territory on sunday. All this ahead of a potential military incursion. Sorlss say the white house is urging israel to delay any Ground Assault in order to allow for more possible Hostage Releases and for more humanitarian aid to enter gaza. Joe biden spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone and con agreed to continue aid to gaza. Aid groups say the humanitarian situation remains dire. Hezbollah militants are targeting forces from across the northern border with lebanon. And israel is responding with tank, drone own artillery attacks. Israeli Officials Say they will fund the evacuation of 14 areas at the border. Evan chance brings us a report from the scene. Reporter its quiet in northern israel. Thats mainly because the vast popularity has gone. Theyve been evacuated. Thats true of towns across the israeli border. Theres been on order for civilians to leave, because of growing attacks from Southern Lebanon where hamas controls the territory. Militant groups operate there, as well. With, as you say, Drone Attacks taking place, and drone flights taking place across israel from lebanese territory. And antitank missiles being fired d at israeli installation along the border. Theres infiltrations into israel. Israelis have responded in kind. Theyve been Pounding Areas with Artillery Strikes and air strikes in syria and lebanon. Close to the border with syria also. They are warning lebanon and hezbollah, if it continues or escalates, there will be a strong response, indeed, from the israeli military. They dont want a second front to open up. They prepare for the operation, the Land Operation in gaza. They have moved Tens Of Thousands of troops in this region, in preparation for what they say will be a determined and strong and destructive response against hezbollah and against lebanon, if the attacks from that part of the country, persist or escalate. Israel believes some 200 people are being held captive in gaza. The families are living in agony, desperate for information about their loved ones. One woman, whose son was kidnapped two weeks ago, describes her worst fears and greatest hopes. I know him, hes strong. He has good faith. He will go through this. He is helping people there. Hes helping himself and the people around him to be able to go through this horrible thing. Something that is haunting me every night, i think about what he is going through. And i sometimes see myself. Going through this. Suddenly being with rockets around me and gunshots and someone driving me somewhere, i have no idea where. When i think about that, i think about my soninlaw and where he is. And what he is doing. Is he getting food and time to sleep . Its so hard for me and anybody in my place or in his place. How do you cope. What do you do . A detroit Synagogue Leader that was killed over the weekend, is being mourned by friends and family members. At a Memorial Service, she was remembered as a citizen that was positive and loved bridging divides. Omar jimenez has more on her memorial and the investigation into her death. Reporter the headline alone is a cause for concern. Detroit Synagogue Leader found stabbed to death. Its understandable why some may jump to quick conclusions. Its what Detroit Police are cautioning against at this stage of the investigation. They have not announced an arrest of any suspect. And they have not announced a motive they have found in this particular case. But over the course of sunday, the Detroit Police chief put out a statement that read in part, while the investigation into the Death Of Samantha wool at this time, no evidence is suggesting that the crime is motivated by antisemitism. What wasnt in that statement, they ruled out This Being Mote Vated by antisemitism. That highlights they are in materially stages and why they are urging caution for people to jump to conclusions. On this block where im standing near downtown detroit, this is where police found the body of wool. They said they followed a trail of blood to her home. Thats where they believe the killing took place. They have not released the identity of the suspect at this point. As for what happened, it did happen. And thats why this community is trying to figure out how to move forward at this point. A Memorial Service was held on sunday. Speakers from those who knew her best, all the way to state elected officials, shared what they remembered about the 40yearold. Take a listen to michigans attorney general. Samantha may have been the nicest person that i have ever met or will ever meet in my lifetime. Sam did more for our community, our state, our world, our lives. In her short time here on earth, than most will ever accomplish in 1,000 lifetimes over. And her killer will not rob us of the memory of her joy and warmth and kindness that she leaves behind. Reporter we also heard from a State Senator who was with wool the night before she was found dead at a wedding. And the only consolation she has is some of her final memories with wool were of laughter and happiness. The fbi is assisting the Detroit Police and trying to figure out what happened here. The community is trying to move forward and process what happened, as investigators at this point, are trying to figure out why. Omar jimenez, cnn, detroit. More, now, on the hostages still being held by hamas in gaza. The israeli president told cnn his governments army has taken a Hostage Taking Handbook from hamas. That comes in the aftermath of the Surprise Attack on israel on october 7th. The most revealing part is the idea that hamas was never supposed to bring the hostages into gaza. Israels president described the pamphlet as a detailed guide on taking hostages. This booklet is Instruction Guide how to go in a civilian pre premises, how to a city how to break in. And first thing, what do you do when you find the citizens . You torture them. It says how to torture them. How to abduct them. How to kidnap them. Want to talk more about this. Joining me is graham wood. Hes a staff writer for the atlantic and the author of the book the way of the strangers. Encounters with the islamic state. Appreciate you joining us. Glad to be here. In a recent article, you write that hamas hostagetaking handbook is to kill the difficult ones and use hostages as human shields. You received that document from an official in the israel Defense Forces. What else does the document refeel about how hamas might be treating the hostages they are holding inside gaza . The document i received from idf and other sources, the other sources gave me parts of the document that idf didnt. It describes a program of hostagetaking. It was clear there was an expectation they would be able to take hostages and treat them with brutality from the start. The document says, for example, you should identify the problematic ones, the ones that might resist, and kill them first. Separate the women and children from the men. And remove any implement they might be able to use to kill themselves. It says to force them into come clines. The game plan it describes is not what happened. Hamas may have planned to take hostages into gaza. But the document describes having a standoff that was supposed to take place in israeli territory. They were surprised to get so many hostages and bring them back to gaza where they have leeway how to handle them. Given what the handbook said about that, is there any idea why they changed the plan . And instead of keeping them in homes, they took them back to gaza. Anyone understand why that was changed . I think its straightforward, actually. They didnt expect, nor did israel expect, that when they went into israeli territory, they would have the run of the place so long. It was shocking, i think, to israelis, it took hours. Like, 12 hours to have a full response from the idf. So, i think hamas expected they would have the full fury of a modern military come after them. They had hours of leisure, when they could do what they wished onsite. During that time, it was pretty obvious to them, they would rather not have a prolonged standoff in israeli territory when they could take everybody back. Hundreds of people back and bring them in gaza territory instead. I wanted to raise a point p israels president said it contained the instructions for the manufacture of Chemical Weapons. Have you heard more on that . Yes. I have seen the documents. And these documents are strange. I have discussed them with chemists. Im assured that the Chemical Weapons are most primitive and least likely to work. The document is an expression of aspiration, rather than a fully fledged plan to kill large numbers of people with terrible, corrosive, poisonous gas or whatever. Its alarming, but unlike the hostage manual, its not describing anything close to being able to taken to fruition. Thank you for joining us. Appreciate it. Youre welcome. And well be right back. Chinas special envoy to the middle east, says the situation in gaza is severe and the risk of a largescale Ground Conflict is rising significantly. According to Chinese State media, they warned of Armed Conflicts spreading along the borders with lebanon and syria. And said the prospect is worrisome. They are visiting to push for a ceasefire. What is expected to come out of the upcoming visit to the region of chinas special middle east envoy . Reporter the envoy is there to push for peace talks. China is willing to do, quote, whatever is conducive to promote dialogue, to reach a ceasefire and to restore peace. And he adds that the risk of a largescale Ground Conflict in gaza is, quote, significantly rising. China wants to present itself to the world as a neutral mediator. We have to keep in mind that it has economic interests in the middle east, access to energy, like oil and gas. That was on saturday that he was in egypt. He made remarks at the cairo summit for peace. He is also visiting uae, saudi arabia and jordan and countries in the region. And china will provide humanitarian aid for pr palestinians. And china wants to promote a twostate solution. According to the readout, to end the cycle of conflict between palestine and israel, it is essential to implement the twostate solution. Establish an independent state of palestine and realize peaceful coexistence between palestine and israel, end quote. Thats what we heard last week. Thursday last week, from the top leader of china. Xi called for a twostate solution. Which we have not heard from china, any condemnation for hamas. China has not condemned hamas. Thats prompted anger from israel, disappointment from israel. Prompted criticism, as well. Coming up, you will hear from an american medic who says she is willing to risk her life to go to israel and help victims of the violence recover. Were back with that and more in a moment. A 27yearold israeli american medic is headed to israel to help victims impacted by the war. She plans to work at a hospital and Nursing Homes while shes there. She spoke to camilla benal. Reporter she says that going to israel is a calling. She says after seeing what happened on october 7th, she was reminded of a feeling she had when she was 6 years old, at the time of the September 11th attack. She says, as an american, going to israel is her way of pursuing justice. She will go to volunteer at a hospital and is going to do so as long as she is able to stay in israel. She told me she made peace with a number of possible scenarios, including death. She may not be able to return home to the United States when she plans to in about a month. But is willing to risk her life to leave everything behind. Leave her family, job opportunities, to go and do what she described as a calling. Something she needed to do. Heres what she told us. My way to deal with the loss, the tragedy, is to do my part. This is my values and who i am as a person and who i am as a nurse. And a medical professional. Reporter we talked to her here in los angeles. But she landed safely in israel. She plans to spend one or two days with her grandmother before beginning her volunteer work. Theres a number of organizations that we talked to here in the u. S. , who says it is very difficult for civilians to travel to israel right now. From is limited space. In terms of commercial flights, it is expensive and limited. But there are many, many here in the u. S. , that are wanting to travel to israel to help. Camilla bernal, cnn, los angeles. The New York Giants honored the ten americans unaccounted for after the hamas terror attacks. The team displayed flags in ten empty seats in east rutherford, new jersey. Hamas released two Americans Last week. The u. S. Secretary of state says ten others are unaccounted for and some of them are being held hostage. A renowned climber known as the french spiderman climbed a massive building in paris to call for peace in the middle east. It took him two hours to get to the top of the 20meter 20meterhightower. He is not picking sides in the war. But called on israeli and palestinian leaders to hear each other out. Otherwise, he says, we are on the verge of world war iii. Thank you for joining us this hour. Im rosemary church. Well be right back with more cnn newsroom. Stay with us. From chrome to duckduckgo. Duckduckgo is a browser you download to your mobile and desktop devices. Unlike chrome, the Duckduckgo Browser has privacy builtin. It comes with a private alternative to google search, which doesn■t spy on your searches, and it blocks cookies and creepy ads. And theres no catch. Its free. We make money from ads, but they dont follow you around. Join the millions of people taking back their privacy by Downloading Duckduckgo On Mobile and desktop today. Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in