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Israel Confirms Death Of Hamas Leader; Will Harris & Trump Address Israeli Killing of Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar?; Netanyahu Speaks After Hamas Leader Killed In Gaza; Netanyahu: Sinwar's Death "Brings The End Of The War Closer". Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired October 17, 2024 - 13:30   ET

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

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[13:30:42]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: We continue to follow our major breaking news. Right now, sources telling CNN that President Biden has been briefed as Israel confirms that Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, is dead.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Biden is on Air Force One on his way to Germany. And the impact of Sinwar's death on the Israel-Hamas war is expected to be a major focus when the president meets with European leaders this week.

CNN senior White House correspondent, Kayla Tausche, is in Berlin ahead of Biden's arrival.

Kayla, what are you hearing from U.S. officials on this?

KAYLA TAUSCHE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, we know that President Biden is expected to land here in Berlin in just a few hours. Reporters will have an opportunity to shout questions at him on the tarmac, unclear whether he will take them.

We had expected to hear from National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during a gaggle aboard Air Force One with Press Secretary Karine Jean- Pierre. That, so far, has not happened yet.

Which is somewhat unusual considering that when these gaggles happen aboard the president's plan, they often happen at the outset of the flights that reporters then have the duration of the travel to work on their stories.

But given the fact that this is a live and evolving situation that has evolved just as the president has been on board, it's understandable that -- that perhaps the administration wants to wait until it has all of the information possible that it can share before speaking directly to reporters.

President Biden is with Secretary of State Tony Blinken and NSA Jake Sullivan onboard Air Force One.

And here in Germany, when he touches down, tomorrow, he'll be having an expanded bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the president of Germany, as well as a summit with the closest European allies for the U.S. That's the U.K., France and Germany.

During a meeting that was expected to focus on the Middle East and the desire among all of those nations for not only a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, but also a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

I'm told by officials that now the news of Sinwar's death will overtake any prior agenda points that had been planned by officials. But these have been leaders that have for weeks been trying to urge Israel toward a cessation of hostilities.

You may remember that at the United Nations in New York, just about three weeks ago, they we're working around the clock to try to get Israel to agree to a short-term ceasefire deal in Lebanon.

And of course, that fell apart. Israel did not go forward with that deal. And the desire and the drumbeat of messaging among these allies has only gotten stronger in recent weeks, at least as far as European allies.

The U.S. has been willing to allow Israel to proceed on the northern border of Israel, the southern part of Lebanon, with its campaign there, but has expressed some frustration about the bombing campaign in Beirut.

And so we've seen that come to a pause. But now the question of what happens with Hamas, whether Israel sees its leadership as further decentralized and a greater opportunity to continue decimating that group, or whether Israel sees that as a new opening for a diplomatic off-ramp. That remains to be seen.

And officials telling CNN that they, too, don't yet know how this situation will play out -- Boris, Brianna?

KEILAR: All right. Kayla, thank you for that report for us from Berlin.

[13:33:54]

And we are awaiting still, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, to address his nation after Israel has confirmed that it killed the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar. Stay with us for that.

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[13:38:38]

KEILAR: We are keeping a close eye on the campaign trail to see when Vice President Harris and former President Trump will address the major breaking news, which is, of course, the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by Israel.

SANCHEZ: We are also awaiting word from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu which should come in just moments. Let's talk about the state of the presidential race in the United

States though, with Matt Mowers and Chuck Rocha.

Matt is a Republican strategist and former Trump administration official. He's also president of the global public strategy firm, Valcour. Chuck is a Democratic strategist and senior advisor to the Bernie Sanders' 2016 and 2020 campaigns.

I want to ask both of you about Harris on FOX, Trump on Univision.

But first, obviously, with the news overseas, the way that these candidates talk about the Middle East is significant for specific constituencies.

I'm thinking for Kamala Harris about Arab-American communities in Michigan, Chuck. How do you think the way that she discusses this and how Israel might move forward, perhaps getting closer to a peace deal, could impact the campaign.

CHUCK ROCHA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think it has a lot to do with being ready on day one. There aren't a lot of small groups of folks, Jewish voters in Pennsylvania, Muslim-Americans in Michigan, that do matter, especially at the end -- people have already started voting.

So people are looking for the motivation to actually show up. And when you have something like this happens, while we're talking about it nonstop, it gets people's attention --

KEILAR: Sorry, Chuck.

Let's go now, Benjamin Netanyahu's statement.

[13:40:02]

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through interpretation): -- final preparations for the October 7th massacre.

I stand before you today to inform you that Yahya Sinwar has been eliminated. The person who committed the most terrible massacre in the history of our nation since the Holocaust, the mass murderers who murdered thousands of Israelis and kidnapped hundreds of our citizen was

eliminated today by our heroic soldiers.

And today, as we promised to do, we came to account with him. Today, evil has suffered a heavy blow. But the task before us is not yet complete.

To the dear families of the hostages, I say this is an important moment in the war and we will continue with all our strength until the return home of all of your loved ones, who are our loved ones.

It is our highest commitment. It is my highest commitment. And to the residents of Gaza I say Sinwar ruined your life. He told you he was a lion but, in reality, he was hiding on a dark turn and he was killed when he fled in a panic from our soldiers. His elimination is an important landmark in the decline of the evil rule of Hamas. I would like to say again, in the clearest way, Hamas will no longer rule Gaza.

This is the beginning of the day after Hamas. And this is an opportunity for you, the residents of Gaza, to finally break free from its tyranny.

I call on everyone who hold our hostages, I call them, whoever lays down his weapon and return our hostages, we will allow him to go out and leave. In the same way I say, whoever harm our hostages, blood on his head. We will reckon with him.

The return of our hostages is an opportunity to achieve all our goals. And it brings the end of the war closer.

To the people of the region, I say, Gaza and Beirut and throughout the entire region, that darkness recedes and the light rises. Death Haniah, Sinwar, Nasrallah, Mohsen, Aqil and many of their associates are gone.

I'm calling you, people of the region, we have a great opportunity to stop the axis of evil and create a different future. A future of peace, a future of prosperity in the entire region. Together, we can repel the curse and promote the blessing.

Now it is clear to everyone, in Israel and in the world, why we insisted on not ending the war. Why we did insist, in the face of all of the pressures, to enter Gaza, Rafah, the fortified stronghold of Hamas where Sinwar and many of the murders hid.

I would like to express my deep appreciation to the IDF and Shin Bet fighters under commanders for their determined and courageous action. There are none better than them.

Today, we clarified again what happened to those who hurt us. Today, we have once again shown the world a victory of good over evil.

But the war, my dears, is not over yet. And it is difficult. And it's exact heavy prices from us.

And I wish to express my condolences from the bottom of my heart to the families who lost their loved ones. I want to hug the families of our fallen heroes. Their supreme sacrifice during the last few days brings us closer to victory.

As King David said, "I will pursue my enemies and destroy them, and will not return to their end."

Citizens of Israel, we are in the resurrection war. Big challengers are still ahead of us. We're required for long patience, for the unity of ranks, for courage, for a firm stand.

Together, we will fight and, with God's help, together, we will win.

SANCHEZ: That was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking to the Israeli people and the world following confirmation of the death of the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar.

There, Netanyahu saying that a mass murderer has been eliminated. He said evil has suffered a heavy blow, but the task is not complete.

He did vow to the families of those taken by Hamas and other outfits in Gaza on October 7th that he would return the hostages, adding that Hamas will no longer rule Gaza.

He said this is day one of a Gaza without Hamas. And he said that returning the hostages would bring that region closer to the end of the war.

KEILAR: He also said, now it is clear to the world. I believe he said why, Alex Marquardt, we, Israel, went into Rafah.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And remember that was one of the most contentious moments in this war between the Biden administration and the Israelis, and that's when the Biden ministration held back 2000-pound bombs because they did not want Israel to go into Rafah in ways that they had in the rest of the Gaza Strip.

[13:45:00]

So what Netanyahu, I believe, is alluding to here is where they ended up finding and killing Yahya Sinwar, which the IDF has said was in southern Gaza.

He mentioned Rafah. And I'm also told by a person familiar with the death of Sinwar that it did happen in or around Rafah. So a bit more detail there about the -- the final moments of Sinwar.

But I think what is really interesting there is we didn't hear the word "ceasefire." If I'm a U.S. official, I'm listening to that speech looking for indications that he may be willing to wind down this war and reach a diplomatic solution.

He talked about the importance of bringing home the hostages, but the argument that he has made for quite some time is that it is military pressure, is the fighting that will bring those hostages home.

He didn't say anything about now agreeing to a ceasefire. And he said this brings us one step closer to victory. And victory for him has been the eradication of Hamas.

KEILAR: Yes, I was just going to say, he actually seemed to implore individuals to give the hostages over, right?

SANCHEZ: Yes.

KEILAR: That it was -- he was imploring individual Palestinians that we will give you safe passage if you turn over hostages, which is kind of difficult to see how that might play out.

SANCHEZ: Yes. And part of it has to do with how Hamas will now be constituted, right? There's this open question of whether the political arm that has essentially been in Qatar now for the duration of the war, at least --

MARQUARDT: Yes.

SANCHEZ: -- and the actual military group, the sort of combat units that are in Gaza, if there might be a power struggle there.

Netanyahu did say that this is a great opportunity to stop an axis of evil. And I wonder, Alex, how does that land with folks in Gaza, this idea that this is now day one of a Gaza without Hamas. Is that a realistic path forward at this point?

MARQUARDT: I mean, there are so many facets of that -- that terrific question, Boris. And it reminds me of something that Netanyahu said last week when he basically called on the Lebanese people to cast off Hezbollah. And here he's asking the Palestinians of Gaza to cast out Hamas.

There are a lot of Palestinians in Gaza who don't want to see Hamas in charge, who don't want to see Hamas running the Gaza Strip because of everything that they have been suffering through for the past year.

But when you hear Netanyahu calling on them to do that, they don't want to team up with Netanyahu on that because Netanyahu has been the one that they believe has brought so much suffering there.

So that is likely not to go down very well. It's not like the Palestinians in Gaza are going to heed this call from Prime Minister Netanyahu.

But this -- there's no doubt that there's this power vacuum here. And they have always had this difficult balance of power between those who are outside, those who were inside.

Those who are outside weren't aware of the October 7th attacks as they were -- as they were unfolding, or as they were about to unfold. And so major questions about whether the ultimate head of Hamas is going to remain in Gaza as it did with Yahya Sinwar.

Or whether someone from the political echelon outside of Gaza will take over, in which case, they might be more in favor of coming to some kind of ceasefire agreement.

But what I took away from that Netanyahu speech is that the fight, in his eyes, is not yet over.

KEILAR: All right.

We have much more ahead, obviously. An historic address --

SANCHEZ: Yes.

KEILAR: -- from Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, as he is telling his nation and the world that Israeli forces killed the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar.

[13:48:31]

We'll have much more after a quick break. Stay with us.

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[13:53:19]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU: To the residents of Gaza I say, Sinwar ruined your life. Told you he was a lion but, in reality, he was hiding on a dark day and was killed when he fled in a panic from our soldiers.

His elimination is an important landmark in the decline from the evil rulers. I would like to say again in the clearest way, Hamas will no longer rule Gaza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A strong statement there from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he confirms the death of Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas and the architect of the October 7th attacks, some of the deadliest against Jews -- certainly the deadliest against Jews since the Holocaust.

We have Barak Ravid with us, as well as retired Navy Commander Kirk Lippold.

Barack first to you.

I'm curious what you heard there from Netanyahu that stood out.

BARAK RAVID CNN POLITICAL & GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Well, I think the first thing is that, for the first time maybe, Netanyahu spoke about the day after the war, something that, every time for over the last year, he said that the day after the war will be when Hamas will be destroyed.

And now we just heard them say that, today, when he feels Sinwar has been killed, is the first day after Hamas. So I think this is significant.

The second thing is the fact that Netanyahu and also minister of defense, Yoav Gallant, said the same thing in statements today that they're calling on people who are holding hostages in Gaza to give them away and get immunity and the ability to go to exile without being harmed.

[13:55:06]

I'm not sure a lot of people would jump on this proposal. At the end of the day, Hamas will reconstitute and will resume some sort of negotiations.

And that's what I hear from Israeli officials that, now after Sinwar is out of the game with his hardline positions, now is the time to try and resume those talks, to get this hostage and ceasefire deal that has been on the table for months now.

KEILAR: Commander, what do you think is ahead? And also from the U.S. perspective, what they're hoping is ahead versus what Netanyahu may have signaled is ahead. He did say the task is not complete.

CMDR. KIRK LIPPOLD, U.S. NAVY, RETIRED: I think what where you have to look at is, from the U.S. perspective, we have always wanted to try and pressure Netanyahu to get to a point where we can stop the war, where we can get to a cease-fire agreement, where we can have the hostages released and begin to negotiate what is the new Gaza, a new version of Gaza going to look like?

And how are they going to be able to sustain and, hopefully, even live in peace. That has not been the view.

When you look at how Prime Minister Netanyahu has acted ever since October 7th and the war broke out, he has operated with a strategic vision and a moral clarity that has been somewhat frustrating for both the U.S., the E.U. and others.

Because he has been single-minded, having lived with these threats for decades. I think Israel has finally reached a point where they've said enough and they're going to now begin to pursue these terrorists.

They've clearly expanded at beyond and outside of Israel, taking out terrorists in Lebanon, in Iran itself. And that he is going to continue to pursue that fight until they're the ones that let's say they want peace, not have peace imposed on Israel.

SANCHEZ: Commander Lippold, Barak Ravid, thank you both for the analysis.

Stay with CNN. We'll take a quick break. We'll be back in just moments.

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