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Israel-Hamas War; Meeting Between Senior U.S. Officials and Israeli Envoy; Interview with Senior Adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Mark Regev; Maintaining the "Long fight" in Gaza is Netanyahu's Pledge; Biden Discusses Situation in Gaza with Qatar's Emir; Actor Lee Sun-Kyun from "Parasite" Discovered Deceased in His Vehicle; Top 10 Health Stories of 2023. Aired 10:30-11a ET

Aired December 27, 2023 - 10:30   ET

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

[10:30:00]

SARA SIDNER, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: They discussed the next phase of the war, minimizing civilian casualties, and a post-conflict Gaza.

I am joined now by Senior Advisor to Benjamin Netanyahu, Ambassador Mark Regev. Thank you so much for coming on the program. I want to talk to you about this meeting. The president met with Netanyahu's close advisor, Ron Dermer, for quite a long time, for hours-long meeting at the White House yesterday. Can you give us any insight into what came out of that meeting?

MARK REGEV, SENIOR ADVISER TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I can only tell you, Sara - and it's good to be speaking with you -- that Israeli-U.S. ties have never been stronger. We've never had such an intense level of communication, of coordination. Since the beginning of this crisis, President Biden has been there. He's, first of all, you know, painted a clear picture from a moral point of view that Hamas, he said, is sheer evil and must be destroyed.

And he's asserted and reasserted again and again Israel's right to defend itself. He said it's not only our right, it's our obligation to act against Hamas to protect our people. And of course, he's given us important diplomatic support at the United Nations. And more than that, he's given us the tools to finish the job. He's made sure that we have the ammunition that we require to win this war.

SIDNER: But, Ambassador, one of the things that Biden has been really stressing, and the administration is trying to lower the intensity of the fight, ratchet down the number of people who are being killed, civilians, in Gaza. Where are you on that front? Where is Israel and the United States on that front? Are they on the same page?

REGEV: Definitely. Definitely on the same page. We don't see the civilian population of Gaza as the target of our operation. Hamas, that brutal terrorist organization that murdered Israelis on October 7th, that raped, that beheaded, that massacred the young people at the music festival. That organization, the Hamas terrorists, are our enemy. The people of Gaza, we are -- they are making a maximum effort to get them out of the line of fire, to get them out of dangerous areas where we know there's going to be difficult combat, and of course, to facilitate humanitarian aid.

SIDNER: Ambassador, it's been really, really difficult, looking at the pictures, of course, of what happened, obviously, on October 7th, but also what is going on in Gaza, with the Hamas-run -- Palestinian ministry for health, saying that there are more than 20,000 people who have been killed, most of them women and children. What does Israel have to say, and what will it do to try and stem that tide to stop killing so many civilians?

REGEV: So, every civilian casualty is a tragedy, and we don't want to see a single one and we're really making a maximum effort not to see civilians caught up in the crossfire between the Israeli defense forces and the Hamas terrorists. But it's very, very difficult because Hamas, as you know, has orchestrated this policy of using Gazan civilians as human shields. They've put their military machine under urban neighborhoods, under hospitals, under schools, under mosques, even under U.N. facilities.

So, we are trying to be as surgical as we can be in a very difficult combat environment. But once again, I stress, we don't want to see civilian casualties. And I can tell you, my information is that civilian casualties are going down, and that's a good thing. Of course, the numbers you get from Hamas, which are most likely exaggerated, but those numbers do not make a distinction between combatants and noncombatants.

If you tell me we killed 200 people yesterday in Gaza and they're all terrorists, I'll tell you, good. We want to get those terrorists. We want to find those people responsible for the October 7th massacre. But civilians, every time a civilian is caught up in crossfire, from Israel's point of view, it's a tragedy. It shouldn't have happened.

SIDNER: And we know, though, that there are a lot of civilians who have been have been killed. I do want to ask you about the hostage situation, because the emir of Qatar yesterday spoke with -- they've been speaking with Biden. They were speaking on the efforts of trying to secure the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas. Where do things stand right now? Because it seems at this moment that there is a real question as to whether that is ever going to happen.

REGEV: So, once again, I want to start off by praising President Biden who helped us facilitate the release of over 100 people in November, and he's obviously continuing trying to achieve a release of hostages, and that's a good thing.

The Qatar government, of course, hosts Hamas. They have the senior Hamas leadership sits there in their capital, Doha. And for many people that don't understand this, if you claim to be a member of the civilized world, how can you host these terrorists, these Hamas murderers, these killers, these beheaders? And the government of Qatar answers, well, we can bring benefits to the world by having this relationship with Hamas.

So, we say, OK. Let's see what benefits you can bring. Can you bring about another formula that brings our hostages home? We want every last one of our hostages out. [10:35:00]

You know, we're speaking to the families of the hostages, and they are going through living hell because they know who Hamas is. They saw what Hamas did on October 7th. The way they brutalized our people. The way they killed randomly. The way they burned people alive. And the hostages that got out in November have been reporting back and some of them have spoken on CNN and they've spoken about psychological and physical abuse.

So, of course, the families of the hostages are rightfully worried about their loved ones. And the Israeli government will do everything we can to get those people out as soon as possible.

SIDNER: All right. Well, I know that Qatar was going to be a big player in this. They have already played a role in getting some of the hostages out. But I hear you on this, sort of, the cognitive distance is how you're putting it with how Hamas is treated there in Qatar. Mark Regev, there has to be negotiations. And that is what has to happen in order for any hostages to be released. Thank you so much for coming on today. Appreciate it.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: Coming up for us, a man trapped in his wrecked truck for nearly a week, surviving only on rainwater. Why police are calling it a miracle that he was found, and just in time, they say.

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[10:40:00]

BOLDUAN: We are learning some new details about the death of South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun. The actor was known internationally for his role in the Academy Award winning film, "Parasite." Now, police say, he was found dead in his car, but we've also learned he was reportedly being investigated for alleged illegal drug use. The cause of death right now is, "Presumed to be suicide."

CNN's Hanako Montgomery is joining us now from Hong Kong and following all of these developments. What more are you learning from police?

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Kate. So, you know, about this death, it's an extremely tragic and very, a very sad case in South Korea and beyond, given his international fame.

So, what South Korean police have confirmed to CNN is that his death is a presumed suicide. We also know that around the time of his death, he was being investigated for alleged illegal drug use. This investigation started in October of this year. And he's been called into police questioning three times, most recently on December 23rd, just four days before he was found dead in his car.

Now, during this most recent questioning, he was held for 19 hours and was released on Christmas Eve. Now, it's important to note that throughout this investigation, all of Lee's drug tests have come back negative. He has also denied ever knowingly taking drugs, and has instead said that he was tricked into taking them and then subsequently blackmailed. Kate, we also know that he has filed a lawsuit against his alleged blackmailer.

BOLDUAN: God, what a -- so sad. He was just -- I think he was just 48 years old and he really was quite a star. And what has the reaction been?

MONTGOMERY: Yes, his fame, you know, kind of knows no bounds, really. Internationally, he's really known for his film "Parasite". Starring in that film "Parasite", which, of course, after it's released in 2019, went on to win four Oscars, importantly, the Best Picture Award which, you know, in -- it became the first film in Hollywood history to win Best Picture for a non-English language film.

And at home, domestically in South Korea, he was a household name. His career spanned two decades, and he starred in a number of TV shows and a number of films. And his agency has released a statement also saying, there is no way to contain the sorrow and devastated feelings. Please refrain from spreading false information based on speculation. or assumption. So, really just a lot of sorrow and a lot of sadness surrounding the sudden death of Lee.

BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Hanako Montgomery, thank you very much.

SIDNER: All right. Up next from Damar Hamlin's terrifying cardiac arrest on the field, to the skyrocketing demand for new weight loss drugs. We're looking at the biggest health stories of the year. Our Sanjay Gupta will have that for you coming up.

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[10:45:00]

SIDNER: 2023 was a year of incredible discovery and innovation in the medical field. But with surging respiratory viruses and shortages for common drugs like antibiotics, doctors and patients also face some really serious challenges. Our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a look back at the top 10 health stories of 2023.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: 2023 may best be described as an incredible year of breakthroughs and innovation, while also a year of continuing to deal or not deal with basic ongoing health problems. Our team has had many moments now to reflect, be inspired, learn. And we double our efforts to help make all of you happier, healthier and more informed. So, let's kick things off with number 10 of our "Top 10 Health Stories".

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead and go over the cot. I don't like how he went down.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): January 2, 2023, the very beginning of the year. Buffalo Bill safety Damar Hamlin goes into cardiac arrest on national TV. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to need everybody. All call. All call.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): A quick response not only saved Hamlin's life but brought national attention to the importance of CPR, rapid defibrillation, and the NFL safety protocols, which I saw firsthand.

DR. GUPTA (on-camera): Now, keep in mind, the medical team was able to get to Damar Hamlin within 10 seconds, and speed really matters here. Every additional minute that someone in cardiac arrest goes without CPR, mortality goes up by up to 10 percent.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Number nine, you've probably never heard of phenylephrine and that's OK. It's the main ingredient in many over the counter allergy and cold medicines, like Sudafed PE and Vicks Sinex. This year, an FDA committee said, contrary to popular belief, it was not effective as a nasal decongestant in tablet form. So, while we wait for a final decision, some stores like CVS have already said it will no longer sell medications that contained this as the only active ingredient.

DR. GUPTA (on-camera): Don't worry though. There's lots of other options out there.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Number eight.

[10:50:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: A breakthrough treatment for sickle cell disease.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): And a breakthrough for modern medicine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Johnny is now one of the first people in the world to have his genes edited using CRISPR to treat his disease.

JONATHAN LUBIN, CRISPR SICKLE CELL TRIAL PARTICIPANT: I was worrying that I might be, like, get, like, superpowers or something like that.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): In December, the FDA approved the first ever treatment to use the gene editing technique known as CRISPR. Think of it like this, CRISPR allows scientists to precisely cut and modify DNA, which could then potentially treat and even cure certain diseases, such as sickle cell, but also cancer, muscular dystrophy, even Parkinson's.

Number seven.

SIDNER: A 60-year scientific quest has now given us the world's first RSV vaccine.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): For the first time, we have vaccines available to fight the full respiratory triple threat of COVID-19, flu and RSV. Last season, we saw cases of RSV come back with the vengeance, reminding us of the importance of vaccination, especially for the most vulnerable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Before I even knew what happened, he was being admitted and pumped with oxygen and trying to be stabilized.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): So far, we've been sort of sleepwalking into this triple threat season, but there is still time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's not too late to get vaccinated if you haven't already.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Number six.

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: There are more than 300 drugs on the FDA's shortages list right now.

JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: More than 90 percent of cancer centers say they're impacted by a shortage --

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): This one may surprise you, one of the richest countries in the world that spends trillions on health care.

GUPTA (on-camera): And yet we currently have the highest number of drug shortages in about a decade.

DR. GUPTA (voice-over): Laura Bray had to call hundreds of children's hospitals across the country herself to try and find chemo treatment for her daughter. And in the process, she started a movement. She's now channeling what she's learned into a national effort to predict which drugs are going to go into shortage, and to produce them before patients have to go without.

GUPTA (on-camera): When you see this now, Laura, you see this coming off the lines, what's that like for you?

LAURA BRAY, FOUNDER, ANGELS FOR CHANGE: What I see here is each one of those that's being filled up, seven to nine NICU babies that are going to get fed today.

GUPTA (voice-over): Number 5.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In our health lead, the FDA has approved a new Alzheimer's drug today.

GUPTA (voice-over): There's new hope this year for those with early Alzheimer's.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll look at my phone and read the names and a lot of them don't mean anything to me.

GUPTA (voice-over): Leqembi is the first drug proven to show a slowing down of the debilitating disease, in part by removing amyloid plaques from the brain.

GUPTA (on-camera): It's not a cure, but clinical trials found that it can slow down the onset of more severe symptoms.

GUPTA (voice-over): Number four. Loneliness.

DR. VIVEK MURTHY, SURGEON GENERAL: I'm so concerned about our children because there is an epidemic, if you will, of mental health challenges that they have been facing.

GUPTA: Coming out of the pandemic, loneliness and social isolation have become a key public health issue for young and old alike. So significant an issue that these surgeons general normally known for things like curbing smoking had a rare convening to raise the public health alarm about this topic.

DR. JEROME ADAMS, FORMER SURGEON GENERAL: And I have to look at my three teenagers every day and know that I'm not handing them a better world than the world that was left to me. And a lot of that is because of our failure to really focus on mental health.

GUPTA: It's a massive problem that seems to disproportionately affect Americans. But at the same time, small moments of human connection. Smiling. Just saying hello. Those are all steps we can take toward a solution.

GUPTA (voice-over): Number three. The ripple effects of overturning Roe v. Wade. Real-life stories and unimaginable decisions.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Were the doctors clear with you about what her chances were of surviving?

HEATHER MABERRY, DENIED ABORTION IN KENTUCKY: They told us there was no chance. They said that either she would be still born or she would die within a few hours.

GUPTA: A ruling by a Texas judge also sent the fate of mifepristone, an oral pill used for abortion and miscarriage management into legal limbo. With families already feeling the effects, the final decision will now be taken up by the Supreme Court.

DR. LEAH TATUM, OBSTETRICIAN-GYNECOLOGIST: Their concerns are, if medical abortions are no longer accessible, what if their reproductive rights are restricted even further?

GUPTA (voice-over): Number two.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wegovy helped us lose weight.

GUPTA: Demand for weight loss and diabetes drugs like these has skyrocketed. A Trilliant Health analysis found that in the final three months of last year, an estimated 9 million prescriptions were written for these kinds of medications, that's a 300 percent increase since 2020, and it pushed manufacturing lines to run practice this year.

[10:55:00]

DAN VONDIELINGEN, SITE HEAD, LILLY RTP: Demand is very high and we're doing everything that we can to stand up and supply.

GUPTA: That demand has also resulted in shortages, knockoffs and growing awareness of the side effects, including nausea, vomiting, even stomach paralysis. But so far, these drugs have been proven to be effective for weight loss and also a welcome tool to combat obesity.

And number one.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: We've talked about the dark side of AI, this is a bright spot -- health care.

GUPTA: While the message is still to proceed with caution, we've already seen a glimpse of how artificial intelligence could change health care from identifying new antibiotics, to detecting breast cancer. It may not ever, hopefully never, replace your actual human doctor. It could help enhance patient care. And even as we saw help someone walk again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A paralyzed man is up and about.

GUPTA: Happy New Year. And look forward to a lot more in 2024.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Happy New Year, Sanjay Gupta. We love you. Coming up still for us on "CNN News Central", President Biden's top officials are about to touch down in Mexico for high level talks to try to drive down and better control the surging numbers at the U.S.-Mexico border. And we have new numbers coming in from the border. We'll be right back.

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