Return to Transcripts main page
CNN News Central
Hamas Reports An Israeli Attack Killing 70 At A Refugee Camp; Groundbreaking Surgery Helps Girl Find Her Voice; Police Have Issued An Arrest Warrant For The Gunman In Connection To The Deadly Shooting At A Florida Mall; Spirit Airlines Apologizing For Putting A Six-Year- Old On The Wrong Flight. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired December 25, 2023 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:30:00]
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Video from the scene shows people digging through the rubble looking for survivors. The ministry is calling the strike a massacre, claiming it hate in a crowded, residential square. The IDF says it is looking into to this incident. But the Israeli military has said it is intensifying its operations inside Gaza, even as a humanitarian situation gets more dire by the day.
Joining us now is senior international correspondent, Will Ripley.
Will, what does it look like for those who are living there in Gaza right now? And knowing that, I know you went to the West Bank as well, just the reaction from people, and how they are trying to live through this?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, even though, you know, the global pressure is mounting on Israel to try and negotiate a cease-fire with Hamas, just yesterday, that attack that you just described could be one of our deadliest days in recent memory in this conflict because the death toll is being reported widely here is being even higher than the at least 70 that we have been able to officially confirm.
So the situation is very dire. There is desperation that is evident everywhere. Who can forget this video that we saw come in from the Rafah crossing on Sunday, where these aid trucks, a convoy of aid trucks were essentially ambushed by a crowd of people, so desperate to get their hands on anything, because they are short on everything.
They are short on food, they are short on water. They are short on medical supplies. They're short on supplies to build temporary tents to house their families, up until today, on this Christmas Day, the weather is nice.
But, Sara, the last several days, it was a cold, whipping wind, thunderstorms, very heavy rain, enough to drench you to the bone if you stayed outside just for a few minutes, never mind if you are a family living out in the elements, exhausted, and starving, and having been told enough to pack up and move everything to a place that you don't know where it will be safe. And, yes, that is what happened when Israel announced it was expanding its military operation from the north into central Gaza, and into the south, telling people have already had to move two times, three times, they have to move yet again.
But perhaps one of the biggest most pressing and urgent situations right now is the food situation, and a health care situation, according to the World Health Organization. Just listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN CASEY, W.H.O. EMERGENCY MEDICAL TERMS COORDINATOR: Everybody who we speak to his hungry. There is the risk of a famine here in Gaza actually. And even here in the hospital, everyone says that they only have rice, they have very often only one meal a day. And they are hungry.
I came into Gaza today, there was a challenge with the food we brought 41 hospital, it was taken along the road because people are so desperate for food.
(EEND VIDEO CLIP)
RIPLEY: President Biden did speak with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They talked about him among other, things the objectives of the war, the facing of the war. The United States privately is pressing Israel to find a way to go after Hamas leadership without hurting and killing so many innocent civilians, because in addition Sarah to the staggering death toll of well over 20,000 that is reported by the Hamas-controlled health ministry, the same sources a number of injured has now surpassed 53,000 people, 53,000 people injured, and almost no functioning hospitals able to treat them.
SIDNER: All right. Will Ripley, thank you so much for that reporting, they are live from Tel Aviv. You and your team, I hope you can have a little bit of a holiday.
BOLDUAN: Joining us now to talk much more about the status of things there, CNN military analyst, and retired U.S. air force colonel, Cedric Leighton.
Colonel, it's good to see you.
I want to ask you first about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His message on Sunday was that the Israeli military is intensifying operations inside of Gaza. And from your analysis of what is already happened in like the first seven weeks or so of its military operation, can you give us some perspective on how intensifying -- how intense it's been already? And what is stepping that up at this point could even look like?
CEDRIC LEIGHTON, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, good morning. Good Christmas morning to you, Kate.
There are so many different aspects to this that I think we really need to take a look here. But the key thing is, this when you compare the U.S. operations in Mosul for example, with the operations that the Israelis have conducted so far in Gaza, I think the Israelis have been working this for, you know, like he said, about seven weeks or so. In eight or nine months the U.S. forces basically did about a third to a half of the work that the Israelis have done so far in terms of the destruction of buildings and destruction of all of the different infrastructure that are occurring in those areas.
So, when you look at what happened in Gaza, this is probably the most intense bombing campaign that has taken place in the 21st century so far. We don't have figures yet on Ukraine. However, this needs this is far more intense, a former localize than anything that is happened there.
[09:35:00]
When you compare all the operations that the Israelis have conducted so far, what we're seeing is destruction of about a quarter of the buildings that have been damaged. We're talking about somewhere around 30,000 buildings, excuse me, 40,000 buildings almost that had been damaged in Gaza, of those, at least 10,000 have been completely destroyed.
If they do any more intensive operations, what you're looking, at basically, is them moving into the central and southern sectors of Gaza. This is where all of the people have been moved to. They have been dislocated from their normal homes. They have nowhere else to go. So the intensive nature of this fight, it will get even more desperate for the civilian population.
When you look at all of the things that are happening here, this situation can only get worse with the civilian population.
BOLDUAN: We've also heard from an IDF spokesperson over the weekend. And the way they put it, is we're approaching the final stages of gaining operational ventral over the north of Gaza. That means what?
LEIGHTON: So, what they're talking about there, Kate, is that they are in essence trying to exercise a complete control, in other words, eliminate all of Hamas in the northern areas of Gaza. That's a really tough thing to do, given the way in which they've deployed themselves throughout different buildings that are there, even those that are standing in a complete fashion.
You also look at the different tunnels that they have used, and you know, we're talking somewhere around 1500 different tunnel entrances that the Israelis have discovered. So this is the idea, of operationally controlled northern casa, something that they won't be able to achieve hundreds and certainty. And if they move to the south, the central parts, it's going to be even more difficult for Israelis to exercise complete control what any territory they've gained.
They will exercise localized control, but complete 100 percent in total control will be impossible for them to achieve.
BOLDUAN: Colonel, thank you always for coming on. Thank you very much. Merry Christmas. LEIGHTON: Thank you. Merry Christmas to you, Kate.
BOLDUAN: Thank you.
Before we take a quick break, we want to take a moment now to share some holiday greetings from U.S. service members serving abroad this Christmas. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. VINCENT MARTIN, U.S. ARMY: I'm Captain Vincent Martin, with the 40th ID here in the wonderful country of Jordan. I want to say happy holidays, and what's up to the family, in the great state of Alabama.
SGT. LIMON, U.S. ARMY: Hey. I'm Sergeant Alex (ph) Limon. I'm currently deployed in Jordan. I just want to wish everybody back home a merry Christmas, and happy holidays.
MAJ. DANIELLE COMA-FLORES, U.S. ARMY: Hi, I'm Major Danielle Coma- Flores. I'm currently deported with the 40th Infantry Division. I just want to tell my family back home, I love you. I miss you. Happy holidays, and see you soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:42:19]
BOLDUAN: Also on our radar this hour:
Police have issued an arrest warrant for the gunman in connection to the deadly shooting at a mall in Florida on Saturday. Police are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the man's arrest. The suspect has been identified as 39-year-old Albert J. Shell Jr. One man was killed, and a woman was injured in the shooting. Police say the man was wanted for premeditated first degree murder, and attempted three meditative first-degree murder of what they call a targeted incident.
Spirit Airlines is now apologizing after putting a six-year-old boy on the wrong flight, right before Christmas. Young Casper was supposed to fly from Philadelphia to Fort Myers, Florida, to visit his grandmother. He was put on a flight to Orlando instead. His grandmother was understandably panicked when the Fort Myers flight landed, and he did not arrive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIA RAMOS, CASPER'S GRANDMOTHER: How did that happen? They got him off the plane? Did the flight attendant after mom handled him with paperwork, did he let him go by himself?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: After it was confirmed that Casper was okay, and landed in Orlando, the family opted to drive the 160 miles to go pick him up. Spirit Airlines offered to pay for the drive, but the family says, they just want to know how this was able to happen. The airline says it is conducting an internal investigation.
Now the chances of this one are one in two billion. An Alabama woman with a rare condition of having a double uterus has given gear birth to twin girls. Each baby blue grew in their own separate womb after, God, they're cute, after a combined 20 hours of labor. Roxi was born first, December 19th. And then Rebel was born on December 20th.
Here is their rock star mother, Kelsey Hatcher.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELSEY HATCHER, MOTHER OF TWINS ROXI AND REBEL: Everybody got to promotional when Roxie was born, because it was like, we did, it like, we successfully did it. Lots of tears. Lots of clapping. It was fun.
But then, the reality hit that, okay, will we have another one. We have to take care of that too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Yeah, think about that one. We made it through one labor. We still got another one to go. Every woman knows that is crazy to think about.
If you are wondering, even though the girls were born on different days, and grew into different wombs, they are still considered fraternal twins. And yes, having a double uterus is rare, it occurs in 0.3 percent of women. They are so cute.
SIDNER: So cute. Can we just keep those pictures up all day?
BOLDUAN: They don't look like they're -- they look delicious, mushy.
SIDNER: Mushy, gooey, love them.
BOLDUAN: Mushy, gooey, let me squeeze them.
SIDNER: Let's just put them up every hour, and we'll just all feel better --
[09:45:02]
BOLDUAN: Back to Rebel and Roxi, our new CNN correspondents.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLDUAN: Exactly, as one would be.
SIDNER: As one would be, a a second child born.
All right. The latest week of 2023 began with some welcome news on the economic front. Yes, there is some good news. Shocker. After more than three years of steady increases, inflation finally
slowed. Last month, with prices falling on a monthly basis for the first time since April 2020.
BOLDUAN: Yeah.
SIDNER: Economic experts say it could be assigned the U.S. economy could reach a, as are calling, it soft landing, sort of reining in inflation, without massive job cuts.
Russia's war on Ukraine has continued to affect grain and energy markets however, and attacks on commercial ships passing through the Red Sea could have an impact on oil prices, although, gas is down for now.
Joining me now to discuss, Ken Rogoff, an economics and public policy professor at Harvard, and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund.
Thank you so much for coming in on this holiday. I'm just going to ask --
KEN ROGOFF, ECONOMIS AND PUBLIC POLICY PROFESSOR: Merry Christmas.
SIDNER: You're a Harvard guy. I'm going to ask a really simple question. Today is Christmas. So, can you give us the good news first please?
ROGOFF: 2023 was a good year. A lot better than anyone expected. Jobs grew a lot. Wages went up. As you just said, inflation came down, growth was decent. The stock market blew through the roof.
So, for many perspectives, it was a surprisingly good year.
SIDNER: I mean, can we say that the economy has truly avoided a potential recession?
ROGOFF: Well, I mean, it certainly looks that way, usually, when inflation gets as high as it did, to bring it down, the fellow reserve has to raise interest rates a lot, and it causes casualties. And it certainly did some. And it may still.
But, you know, so far, so good. It really looks like going into 2024, the U.S. at least, is in decent shape. I mean, if you want to buy a house, not so much. I mean, interest rates are high. Housing prices are high.
They are certainly not everything golden. But compared to what many people thought, including myself, things were a really good year.
SIDNER: Yes, and we see numbers, in the way people feel about the economy rising as well. Those are often two different things that happened at two different times. I do want to ask you, though, what the threats might be to an economic recovery, what you see that could cause havoc potentially? ROGOFF: I think the biggest thing, still, is that interest rates have
come down, but they probably not going to come down to what people were used to before the pandemic. They are probably going to stay higher, not peak, but higher than the next decade. And overtime, that's going to cause problems. They, are you, know there's commercial real estate, it's really in the doldrums.
There are many other parts of the world, which are having problems. Like I said, the U.S. had a good year, Germany tipped into recession. China detectable year.
We talked about the geopolitical uncertainty, and oil prices, there are certainly things that can go wrong. The one thing we can be sure of is that the very volatile economies don't. But, you know, we can celebrate the end of this year.
SIDNER: I think we're going to leave it there, Ken Rogoff, celebrating the end of the year, that sounds good to me. Thank you so much for being here. Half a happy holiday.
ROGOFF: Happy holiday to you.
SIDNER: Coming up for us, she was not capable of speaking for the first nine years of her life. But now, this little girl has a voice. The remarkable surgery, and the first words she spoke, that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:52:43]
SIDNER: Now to the remarkable story of a nine-year-old girl who was born with a really rare condition. Her airways and vocal cords were almost completely blocked, leaving her unable to speak.
BOLDUAN: And now, a rare and complicated procedure is helping this young girl find her voice for the first time.
CNN's Meg Tirrell has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMAE: One scoop or two scoops?
DELAYZA DIAZ, NINE-YEAR-OLD: One scoop.
MEG TIRRELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nine-year-old Delayza Diaz is practicing how to use her new vocal cords. Delayza was born with a rare disorder called VACTERL association, which can cause problems throughout the body.
Derek Lam, her doctor at Oregon Health and Science University, showed us with this model.
DR. DEREK LAM, OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY: This whole area from here to here, including just below the vocal cords, in Delayza was not formed normally. The vocal cords were present but there was just no opening between them.
TIRRELL: Delayza learned to communicate using her tongue and cheeks to make sounds and form words known as buckle speech.
LAM: Can you say mama?
D. DIAZ: Mama.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Say thank you.
D. DIAZ: Thank you.
LAM: She was thriving like any other little girl except, of course, that she had no voice through any of that time.
TIRRELL: But last year, Delayza and her family decided to go ahead with a complex and rare reconstructive surgery to open her vocal cords.
Her mom, Lucero, was nervous.
LUCERO DIAZ, DELAYZA'S MOM: I thought she wasn't ready yet but she was.
TIRRELL: The surgery took eight hours.
LAM: The bottom part of the voice box and the top of the windpipe -- had to cut that part out and then drill out the opening between the vocal cords here, and then add more cartilage borrowed from her ribs to make this party wider. And then, connect up the bottom part of her windpipe to the reconstructed voice box.
TIRRELL: Delayza wasn't able to speak with her vocal cords right away but after months of therapy her new voice emerged.
D. DIAZ: (INAUDIBLE).
LAM: That's great. That's fantastic. I think that's the first time I've heard you say a sentence with your normal voice.
TIRRELL: Delayza is working hard to improve her voice.
L. DIAZ: Can you say "E"?
D. DIAZ: "E".
L. DIAZ: "O".
D. DIAZ: "O".
LAM: Something that for the rest of us is unconscious -- for her, she's had to learn to use her vocal cords.
[09:55:03]
TIRRELL: And she so often uses what she and her mom call her squeaky voice because it's easier.
L. DIAZ: Twenty.
TIRRELL: And though she's been through a lot, Delayza has a message for other kids who may be facing challenges.
D. DIAZ: Don't be scared.
L. DIAZ: Delayza said, "Don't be scared."
D. DIAZ: Everything's going to be OK.
L. DIAZ: That everything's going to be OK.
TIRRELL: After years without working vocal cords she can now use hers to say some of the most important things.
D. DIAZ: Love you.
L. DIAZ: I love you, too.
TIRRELL: Meg Tirrell, CNN, reporting
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER: That was just so sweet. Meg Tirrell, great story.
BOLDUAN: Finding her voice in every way possible.
SIDNER: Beautiful.
All right, found, after vanishing from a Russian prison two weeks ago, where an Alexey Navalny's team says the jailed Putin critic is right now, and what we're learning about his current health condition. We'll have all of that, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
