Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

"Code Red" Sirens Heard In Israel; ISIS: We've Captured Yazidi Women And Children; Israel: "Gaza Terrorists" Breach Cease-Fire

Aired August 13, 2014 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So it's now really up to the Israelis, how do they deal with this. Can they live with one rocket being fired? Can they deal with that politically? Are they now preparing some kind of response?

Before this happened, it had been widely reported the Israeli military was moving forces closer to the border, there had been a heads up if you like for the reservists here, there could be a callup of additional troops, all fairly standard operating procedure as the clock ticked down to the expiration of the cease-fire.

Clearly now it's up to Israel to decide what they will do. Will they continue on in negotiations or will there be some kind of response? And I suspect that the response from Israel, they'll decide the next couple hours and that will depend on what happens out of Gaza, Brooke.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: The world is watching. An hour to go, as you say, the clock is ticking here at the end of the 72-hour cease- fire. We'll be watching and waiting and watching both of your locations very closely. John Vause and Fred Pleitgen, thank you very much.

Need to pull away from this because there is now breaking news in Iraq. We have been reporting and talking so much and showing these faces, men, women and children, held captive. Many of whom fled to the top of a mountain for fear of their own lives by this militant group, ISIS.

We now have new information that some of these religious minorities, refugees, are being held captive. And I'm talking about women, I'm talking about children. We have an update for you on that next here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: And more breaking news for you today. Out of Iraq, specifically, when reporting on this militant group, incredibly brutal and increasing low sophisticated militant group, ISIS. We have been showing all these different pictures of these men, women, children, families trapped on the top of Sinjar Mountain.

So now we have confirmation from a phone call between CNN and a senior ISIS commander with knowledge of what's happening in Sinjar saying that the day after ISIS got into Sinjar, men were killed in large numbers, and at that point in time, once the men were killed, they took the Yazidi, the religious minority group, the Yazidis.

They took these women and the children and those women and children, about 100 of them, roughly, are being held captive. That's what we have right now. Kimberly Dozier is with me, global affairs correspondent, and also we're waiting to talk to our correspondent on the ground in Iraq, Nick Paton Walsh.

Kimberly Dozier, first to you, because we talked last hour and you have sources and contacts as far as what's happening in Sinjar. And I have to say, I mean, based upon what I know about this group and the beheading of children -- I'm not surprised to hear -- they're holding women and children captive.

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, I have been hearing from aid workers, some Yazidi activists, and local journalist on the ground who are in touch with some of these people. When the families were seized by is, some were able to get away, and they saw women, children and men taken away, and the men separated from the women and children.

They didn't always witness the killings, but they knew that women and children were being held in large numbers. Word has leaked out from some of these people being held that the women of marriageable age have been told, you will be married off to ISIS fighters or else.

They're now being held at different locations, prisons, schools. And being given small amounts of food and water. Kept alive. They don't know for what purpose.

BALDWIN: And to hear about these women specifically talking to a general about this specific issue. He has been to Sinjar and he tells me what happens. These women are married off to these ISIS militants. ISIS militants ultimately die. They then, the women become outcasts. They then are the ones oftentimes who become suicide bombers.

That is one general who told me that having been to the region. Nick Paton Walsh, you are up with us now from Iraq. And can you just explain to me when we're talking about the slaughtering of these men, the abducting of these women and children?

Did this happen before the rest of this group, these refugees, could even run away to this mountain? Did this happen back at their homes?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This ISIS commander that our producer, Roger, spoke to on the phone, who was in Mosul. He wasn't giving out much information. But this is significant, because Kimberly was talking about what we have heard from the other side of the fence.

And there has been an awful lot of misinformation to or potentially accurate information hard to verify about what the fate of the Yazidi women and children have been. But to have ISIS actually admit this senior kind of level that they are holding, what they referred to is at least 100.

Weren't given the exact number on that of women and children and that they're being held somewhere in Mosul. No precise location or locations is, of course, significant, because clearly for them, this is something that they are willing to exploit or at least make publicity over.

The key part of the conversation, though, in terms of the future of these women relates to the senior commander saying they have been called to join Islam. So as you see, in many occasions in the past, too, when ISIS takes territory where there are people who don't share their strict beliefs.

They say to them, you have a period of time in which to convert to how we believe the world should be, to our -- some say often warped version of Islam. Or you will face some sort of further action.

We don't know what will happen in the case of these women and children. But we are clearer now in at least having ISIS admit they are holding some of them -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Talking to correspondents where you are, one correspondent, talking about ISIS and the brainwashing of teenagers to join this militant group, and just described this torture room for me, they're torturing these young people, the ones who will not initially, you know, convert to the radical view of Islam.

I know you say we don't know specifically what's happening to these women and to these children. But given the big picture brutality of this group, what do you think?

WALSH: Look, when ISIS started out back in the key city in Syria, when we first reported on them, they were lashing, severely beating activists who were opposing their presence there. And very quickly developed into much more brutal forms, amputations for theft, people being flogged for smoking.

And then suddenly it catapulted into a whole new level of brutality with crucifixions being involved. Then more in the last month, I've seen indescribably vicious videos of mass executions, dozens of people killed. One particularly brutal video of at least a dozen men being shot one after the other in the back of the head next to a river and dropped into the river.

The floor below that execution area filling with blood. So gruesome to describe. You have to hear the details to understand quite what this group is capable. When it comes to women and children, yes, they do not treat them with the kind of dignity one would expect in any rational society.

I don't want to speculate as to what could be happening to these women. If they are calling them to join Islam, it's possible there is a period here in which they will be fine until they choose to not take that particular course.

And then, of course, suffer what infidels in the eyes of ISIS tend to suffer, often some kind of brutal punishment indeed. But a terrifying, all the same, for them at this moment -- Brooke. BALDWIN: Absolutely terrifying for this group of women and children held hostage, captivity by this horrendous murderous group called ISIS. Nick Paton Walsh in Iraq on that breaking news. Nick, thank you so much.

Let's get you back to other breaking news. We have been watching and waiting, the hours, minutes, ticking away and the final hour of the 72-hour cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. Just getting word Israel saying -- they're saying the cease-fire is over. Quick break. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Breaking news out of the Middle East, as we have been watching. This is really getting into that final hour of the 72-hour cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. We know negotiators have been sitting at the table in Cairo, trying to hammer something out.

But now Israel is saying -- Israel says the cease-fire is over. IDF tweeting "Gaza terrorists have breached the cease-fire and launched a rocket at Israel hitting the regional council."

Let's go to our correspondents, both in Gaza City and Jerusalem. John Vause and Fred Pleitgen. Fred Pleitgen, let me just begin with you, 10:45 at night in Gaza City. Any reports of a rocket being launched from Gaza?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, I was here at our position earlier before about an hour ago. We did hear something outgoing that could have been a rocket being launched towards Israel from Gaza.

And it was indeed only a couple moments later that the Israeli Defense Forces came out and said that, yes, a rocket had been launched, and as you said, that the rocket impacted in the Huff Ashkelon area, which is in the south of Israel and close to the border with Gaza.

There have been several reports since then, some of them claiming that up to two to three rockets had been fired here from Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces at this point in time are only confirming that one rocket was indeed shot across toward their area.

There is also other reports that we have seen come out that possibly there's already been some retaliation by the Israelis, the Israelis are not confirming that.

They are saying they have no reports of any sort of explosions inside Northern Gaza or that the forces had conducted any sort of military operations since these rockets were fired.

Of course, everybody here in Gaza is now waiting to see whether or not there's going to be any sort of Israeli pushback. Any sort of Israeli operation as a result of the rockets just fired.

And, of course, we know the cease-fire in any case was due to expire at about an hour and 15 minutes. We were supposed to hear from the Palestinian negotiating delegation that's on ground in Cairo as to what sort of progress might have been made.

Whether or not some sort of deal might have been reached. They were supposed to have a press conference. That press conference has been postponed indefinitely. Now things very much in flux.

And I can tell you there is an air of insecurity here in Gaza City, as I can see the streets emptying out from our position up here. I can see below as more and more people are leaving the streets -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: People anxious of what could come next, if one rocket goes one way, there could obviously be retaliation going toward Gaza.

John Vause, we talked about those sirens going off, those warning sirens often indicating and signaling an incoming rocket. What do you know about that rocket?

VAUSE: Yes, we know that -- it was fired a couple hours before the cease-fire was set to expire, landed in the southern part of Israel. Around the city of Ashkelon. No damage or death reported. Of course, that's not the point. The point is that it appears to be violation of the cease-fire.

And even though Hamas is saying that that wasn't ours, denying firing that rocket, that does not mean a whole lot to the Israelis. The Israelis hold Hamas responsible for all rocket fire that comes out of the Gaza Strip, because Hamas is in control of Gaza.

And they have shown in the past that when there have been these cease- fires of humanitarian windows, lulls, truces, or whatever, and the rocket fire has stopped, they have been able to control militant groups.

Now as far as Israeli response, we look at how things usually work out, Brooke, if there is a violation like has happened now, there is a clear barrage of rockets, which then come after this, which is what happened last Friday.

Then the Israelis, they'll take their time. They don't rush to respond. There will be an operational meeting. Last Friday, when they did respond, probably about three hours after the first barrage of rockets were fired pretty much after the cease-fire expired.

So that's kind of where I think we are right now. We're in that point where the Israelis are deciding exactly what the response will be, if there will be any, if there is some kind of hope of still salvaging the cease-fire.

Because a little earlier tonight, the Israeli delegation left Cairo, left four and a half hours before the cease-fire came to -- was officially meant to end and there was a lot of reports that the Israeli delegation had, in fact, accepted a deal to extend the cease- fire.

So we're in that period right now where it's very much in flux, and, of course, if there is more rocket fire over the next couple hours coming out of Gaza, there will be an Israeli response. Maybe they can live with one rocket. I guess at this point, we just don't know.

BALDWIN: We don't know. To your point, there is confidence on behalf of Israel. Reza Sayah out of Cairo is reporting there was apparently confidence from the leader of Hamas on Gaza TV. Confident in that Palestinian negotiating team.

So the question is, where did this -- if this did break down, how did it break down? Gentlemen, thank you. Let me just bring Elise Labott in this conversation, joining me from the State Department.

Elise, it is Israel saying the cease-fire has been broken and peace talks are under way in Cairo. What happened this?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Everyone expected as everyone is saying as Reza and John Vause is saying that clearly, they did want a cease-fire to extend and that's what the U.S. expected. You talk to U.S. officials on the ground, how is it going?

They say, well, we don't think they'll be coming out with an announcement of a cease-fire, but we think everyone will just quietly agree to keep going and no one really knows what happened, Brooke, but U.S. officials on the ground saying that yes, those rockets were fired into Israel and it looks like the cease-fire ended early.

Clearly, it took everyone by surprise. Today, President Obama was speaking to Prime Minister Netanyahu saying, listen, I want to get a long-term truce, but let's agree to keep the truce going right now and this took everybody by surprise -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Remind me, Elise, what were John Kerry's most recent comments on this?

LABOTT: Well, obviously, everyone is kind of on tenterhooks wanting that cease-fire to keep going. Originally when Secretary Kerry was trying to get this cease-fire and it was a day and it was 12 hours and they kept going, hoping that they would get some momentum going on and that that would give the parties the confidence to keep talking for a longer term agreement.

So what the secretary was saying is, look, the cease-fire seems to be holding, but also a recognition that something needs to be done in Gaza, that the kind of destruction that we saw, the devastation and the way the Palestinians are living in Gaza is not sustainable.

And Israelis living on the other side of the border with the threat of rocket fire all of the time is not sustainable and they were hoping those talks in Cairo on a more durable choose would be addressing some of those underlying causes of the conflict.

So the desperation and the blockade in Gaza ultimately hoping that the Palestinian Authority led by President Abbas could take control of some of those border crossings that you could get some humanitarian aid in.

That would boost up President Abbas and eventually the long-term goal would be disarming Hamas. These were all long-term goals that the secretary had, but in the immediate it was just hoping -- hoping upon hope that that cease-fire.

Even if nobody was going to shout from the rooftops about another cease-fire that everyone would just keep going quietly to agree to stop fighting.

BALDWIN: Not the case, it appears, in this go round. Elise Labott, thank you so much from the State Department for us. Let's move back to Iraq. The humanitarian crisis there has now officially hit its highest level. Quick break. More on the breaking news out of Iraq after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Got our eyes on two big breaking stories this afternoon. One as it pertains to the 72-hour cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. Israel saying cease-fire has been broken because according to IDF a rocket has been sent into Southern Israel.

And two, we are now hearing reports that the human -- the humanitarian crisis in Iraq is at its highest level ever before. We will take you to Iraq and hopefully get you some information on Iraq, but first back to Hamas and Israel and the end of the 72-hour cease-fire.

We know these peace talks have been under way in Cairo, in Egypt so let's go to the correspondent there, Reza Sayah, who can talk a little bit. We have no idea how this can be broken down, but just as we saw last Friday, it is that final hour of that 72-hour cease-fire where it all seems to break.

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It is remarkable that what we're seeing at this hour is almost identical to the script we saw last week. You'll recall last week a couple of hours before the 72-hour talks ended, they fell apart and the Palestinians fired rockets at the Israelis again tonight about an hour ago, 10:00 p.m. local time.

Two hours before the 72-hour cease-fire talks was concluding and it became clear that perhaps these talks were faltering and failing again, the Palestinians fired one rocket at least according to the IDF into Israeli territory.

On both occasions the Hamas movement denied their involvement. Eventually it was another militant faction that took responsibility. That's what we're seeing again and increasingly it looks like the outcome of these talks are going to be identical to the outcome of last week's talks. Those talks, of course, failed and the fighting started back up again.

If, indeed, these talks have failed and technically there is an hour left before the 72 hours is over, if indeed these talks have failed and now we wait to see what Hamas does, what the Palestinians do and how the Israelis respond -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: OK, Reza, thank you so much in Cairo and let's get you back to the news out of Iraq. Richard Roth is on the phone with me with news from the United Nations raising the humanitarian crisis level. RICHARD ROTH, CNN UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Yes, the U.N. special representatives in Iraq has announced that the U.S. has declared Iraq a Level 3 emergency, which will help send additional goods, assets to the needs of thousands of those people displaced by the rampage by ISIL.

The U.N.' representatives say Iraq was raised to this level based on the humanitarian catastrophe, tens of thousands of people still trapped on Sinjar Mountain. Another U.N. official had said earlier that there is an explicit targeting of women and children now, 1500 Yazidi and Christian people may have been forced into sexual slavery.

BALDWIN: We were just getting reports from Iraq that a number of men had been murdered by ISIS. This is from a senior ISIS representative and saying they have held captive about a hundred women and children in Mosul. Stay with CNN. Lots of breaking news today.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. Let's take you to Washington. "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts now.