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Israeli Ground Troops March into Gaza
Aired January 03, 2009 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN BREAKING NEWS.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And tonight, you're looking at pictures, Gaza explodes as Israeli troops move in by foot and by tank. An ominous prediction from its defense minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EHUD BARAK, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): This will not be short. This will not be easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Good evening, everyone, I'm Don Lemon.
Also tonight, the United Nations in emergency session. But they may not have the power to stop Israel or Hamas. Now what?
In transition, the president at the White House. The president-elect in Chicago. We've seen statements. But we have not seen them. Who's in charge?
And nowhere to hide. Trapped in a war zone. Enemies all around. The people of Gaza struggle to stay alive with missiles and bombs raining down. Crisis in the Middle East, a two-hour special edition starts right now.
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Don Lemon.
LEMON: Good evening, everyone. From the very beginning, the fear was that all those Israeli air strikes on Gaza would lead to this. A protracted and bloody ground assault. So now after eight days of aerial bombings under the cover of darkness, Israel has moved into Gaza with ground troops. Thousands of Israeli troops are on a mission to end repeated Hamas rocket attacks. Hamas leaders say the Israeli forces are being met with fierce and violent resistance. Explosions have filled the night skies over Gaza, including several huge blasts caused by Israeli missile strikes.
And right now, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting where Arab countries are demanding that the UN call for an immediate cease-fire. Palestinian medical sources tell CNN that at least 460 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 2,700 wounded since Israeli air strikes began eight days ago.
CNN has this story covered from every angle. Joining me tonight are Christiane Amanpour in Jerusalem. And Nic Robertson along the Israel- Gaza border. Paula Hancocks will be reporting from the border region as well. Karl Penhaul is at Egypt's Rafa Border crossing. And Richard Roth is standing by at the United Nations where they're holding that emergency meeting right now.
We have had very little access to the front lines in this ground assault. But the Israeli military has given us a glance at their preparation. Take a look.
That video was provided to us by the Israeli Defense Forces. No word on exactly when or where it was shot.
Israeli troops have been pouring across the border into Gaza for hours. And our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is among the few reporters along the Israeli/Gazan border and he joins us now with the very latest. What are you seeing now, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, this is a battle that's unfolding on a massive front. It's going to its own rhythm. It involves heavy machine gunfire. Huge missiles impacting, huge explosions. We've seen explosions in the area behind me right there, huge detonations in the past few minutes. And at the same time, further down towards the south of the Gaza Strip, we've also seen huge -- more huge explosions. There's another one, with secondary explosions.
Huge plumes of smoke. Bright orange flares coming up afterwards. We've seen missiles fired from what appear to be helicopters. The only way that you can understand this battle is either to be there, to be there on the ground and to see it unfolding in front of your eyes, which we can't do. That's another huge explosion.
To try and understand this from our vantage point and exactly what's happening is an impossible task. The only way to understand it is if you're one of the Israeli military planners who knows precisely where the troops are going, precisely what their targets are. We know from Israel's defense minister they're trying to targeting and capture the areas from where Hamas fires its rockets into Israel, into -- affecting almost 1 million people, according to Israeli officials.
That's the objective of the troops. But as we see it unfolding here, it is busy for a few minutes, there are a lot of explosions, then it goes quiet, then it ramps up again. And is literally rolling right across the horizon from my left here, to my right going further south in Gaza. Don?
LEMON: And Nic, we have been hearing, and I saw you reporting earlier tonight on LARRY KING LIVE with Wolf Blitzer, that it's ramping up. You're seeing more fire power, you're hearing it at least, and more explosions. Talk to me a bit more about that.
ROBERTSON: Well, some of the explosions, huge detonations, just crack and rip through the air. Some of them we're seeing just a few minutes ago, we saw missiles, two missiles come in from different positions in the sky.
And slowly, slowly arrive at the same point on the ground. We're heard exchanges of machine gunfire, heavy machine gunfire. We've seen tracers fired almost at sort of house level, down in the fields behind me. We've seen as well the lights in the towns in the north of the Gaza Strip here behind me. The lights there about an hour and a half ago, there were many more lights. The electricity was on. Now the electricity appears to have been cut to many of those houses, Don.
LEMON: All right. CNN's Nic Robertson reporting. Nic, thank you very much for that. Let's go now to Egypt's Rafa Border crossing. That's the heavily guarded border area between Gaza and Egypt where CNN's Karl Penhaul is standing by. Karl, what are you seeing?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's been fighting along this stretch of the border also for the several last hours. At one point we've seen and heard helicopters overhead. We've heard missiles being unleashed from those helicopters, and crashing into positions on the ground. Very large explosions. In some cases, probably no more than 300 or 400 yards away. That would place it almost exactly just on the Palestinian side of the border there around the border post itself, I would guess. Certainly some targets, also in the town, in the Palestinian town of Rafah. Of course, that town was split in half so it also extends on the Egyptian side as well.
On the ground we have heard ground fire. Initially we were hearing the fire from heavy machine guns. Later on we heard the crack of assault rifles. That could indicate that both Hamas militants and Israeli forces are in fairly close proximity. In addition to the helicopter attack gunships, we've also heard more slower moving helicopters. That may indicate that the Israelis are trying to move around troops by helicopter and not just on the ground. And on the ground, incidentally, at one point from the position where we are, we could hear the grinding tank tracks, as tanks were moving around. We can't hear that now, though. So any tank movements appeared to have stopped. This area around the Rafah border crossing is very strategic.
And in the course of the day, there have been signs that the humanitarian crisis inside of Gaza is worsening.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PENHAUL (voice-over): Smoke from an Israeli bomb rises above the southern Gaza strip. A Palestinian ambulance ferries wounded through the Rafah Border crossing for emergency treatment in Egypt. Medics say this teenage boy is civilian, had part of his left arm blown away in an Israeli air strike earlier in the week. But the worst cases must stay behind in Gaza's teaming hospitals.
ISMAIL ZAKIR, PALESTINIAN STAFF NURSE: (inaudible) sedation or (inaudible) We cannot transport these cases here
PENHAUL: I counted around 15 wounded Gazans brought to Egypt Saturday while we were here. The youngest a four-day-old baby. Doctors say he wasn't wounded, but can only survive in an incubator, no longer available in Gaza.
The number is a trickle, considering Palestinian authorities say more than 2,700 have been killed or wounded since Israel began bombing.
DR. MANHAL EL MOUKAID, PALESTINIAN DOCTOR: (inaudible) or injury were children and women.
PENHAUL: As the wounded trickle into Egypt, medical aid trickles down. A dozen truckloads of supplies have been sent by aid agencies in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Greece. This border is open just a few hours a day, if at all. A few able bodied Palestinians desperate to protect homes and families are permitted to head back into Gaza, back into harm's way. Israel blames Hamas rocket attacks for triggering hostilities. But this Palestinian staff nurse blames the rest of the world for turning its back on Gaza.
ZAKIR: Maybe some blame from us, but the greater blame on the world that they see us what happened and not do anything.
PENHAUL (on camera): Gaza just a few yards away through that gate, and all day long ambulances have been coming and going and all day long Israeli jets have been pounding positions just across the border.
(voice-over): This afternoon fades, the last of the day's wounded head for safety. While an aid truck revs off into the danger zone.
And the smoke plume from another Israeli bomb rises just beyond the border post.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PENHAUL (on camera): Now, we're about an hour away from dawn here at the Rafah border crossing. It will be interesting to see as light comes, as to exactly how the chips have fallen during the fighting during the night. Presumably the Israelis were moving in under cover of dark to take advantage of their infrared systems and night-vision goggles. As light comes, the Hamas fighters will then start to regain some of their advantage. They know the terrain. This will be very close quarters. The Israelis will have to come consolidated their positions overnight unless they are going to come under fire in the early-morning after first light comes from Hamas. Don?
LEMON: All right. CNN's Karl Penhaul reporting. Karl, thank you very much.
Israel's military action is stoking strong emotions on both sides.
That is New York's Times Square, just a few days ago. It was crowded with happy people celebrating the New Year. Now it is a scene of angry people protesting the Israeli offensive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Long live Palestine!
CROWD: Long live Palestine!
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: It is a similar scene right here in Atlanta, Georgia. Those pro-Hamas rallies, that pro-Hamas rally, was right outside our studios. Right here at the CNN Center. Protesters carried mock coffins and signs, referring to the Israeli offensive in Gaza as a Holocaust.
In Los Angeles, protesters were just as enthusiastic. But these activists were showing their support for Israel. The protests in L.A. drew dozens to a sidewalk outside the federal building. Pro- Palestinian supporters planned a demonstration for a few hours later. Well, the two sides faced off outside the Israeli consulate on Tuesday. Much, much more rolling coverage to come on the crisis in the Middle East. We'll carry it live for you.
Neither side is backing down. Defiant reactions from broth. Plus our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour weighs in. Seconds away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: We have a quick update now on the Israeli military ground assault in Gaza. Thousands of troops have rolled into the territory targeting Hamas militants. The overnight hours have been filled with explosions. And machine gun fire. Hamas vows that its fighters will battle to their very last breath. Israeli officials say the operation could be long-lasting.
Also tonight we've learned that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is headed to Israel as a show of support for the Jewish state. A Hamas spokesman responded to the with a defiant statement on Palestinian television. He accused the Israelis of targeting civilians and vows Hamas will fight to the bitter end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISMAIL RADWAN, HAMAS SPOKESMAN (through translator): To the Israeli Army, you're incursion in Gaza will not be a picnic, and we promise you that Gaza will be your cemetery, God willing. You have no choice but to end this aggression and the siege without any condition. You will not live in peace until our Palestinian people live in peace. We will not abandon the battlefield and we will stay on the thorny course, and we will fight until the last breath.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, let's get the Israelis' view on the strategy and reasoning behind the latest military incursion. Joining me now from Jerusalem is Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesperson. Good evening to you, sir.
MARK REGEV, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Good evening.
LEMON: We are hearing that the offensive, not only by air, but on the ground, is picking up. Why such a big response here? Why do you feel the need to have a ground response as well as air strikes for this? REGEV: We've had to beef up the pressure on the Hamas military machine. Ultimately that Hamas movement continues to shoot rockets deep into Israel targeting our civilian population. About 1 million Israelis, half of them children, are in the south of my country, and are receiving on a daily basis these barrages of rockets launched by Hamas. We're acting to protect our people. We're acting to defend our people. We're acting to create a new security environment in the south of my country in which Israelis living in the south of the country no longer have to live in fear of an incoming Hamas rocket. That's our goal. To prevent those rockets coming into Israel.
LEMON: Mr. Regev, Palestinian people are also saying that they're living in fear of the Israeli military as well. Saying that this is really a David and Goliath situation. And that there should not be so much fire power and so much killing of innocent civilians. Especially women and children. How do you respond to that?
REGEV: I understand what innocent of people are Gaza are going through. I know it's not easy for them. It's not easy for the Israelis living on our side of the frontier who are on the receiving end of the Hamas rockets. And the question has to be asked, why is there this crisis now? The answer is clear. About 10, 12 days ago Hamas publicly threw out the cease-fire arrangements that were in place, brokered by Egypt, they tore up that agreement and threw it out the window. Then they escalated the violence, very deliberately, violence that reached a crescendo on Christmas Day when we had in one 24-hour period, we had some 80 rockets, missiles and mortar shells coming down on Israelis launched by Hamas in Gaza.
We ultimately had to say enough is enough. And we are acting today to defend our people and the goal of our operation is to bring about a quiet in the South where both the people in Southern Israel and the Palestinians living in Gaza can live in peace and quiet.
LEMON: And Palestinians are saying, also Hamas are saying that even though the cease-fire, you may think the cease-fire was broken, that even during the cease-fire, that there was fighting from Israel. And that Israel was coming into homes and coming into the Palestinian territory, coming in, taking people out of their homes, arresting them, some for no reason, but looking for Hamas leaders.
But some people, some innocent people were caught up into this. So they are saying that all of this was necessary if there was -- for the rockets going into the southern part of Israel. That it was necessary because they were being unfairly targeted.
REGEV: I don't think anyone except for Iran, the government of Iran supports that position of Hamas. I know that the whole world, including many members of the Arab world, Arab leaders, Egyptians, Saudis, Jordanians and Palestinians have publicly condemned Hamas for throwing the cease-fire out the window, for abrogating those understandings that were reached for Egypt for escalating the violence. If you're sitting in Gaza today, I think you would be asking yourself also, why did Hamas cause this crisis? Why does Hamas deliberately escalate the situation? Why did Hamas force Israel to respond? We knew that the cease-fire understandings weren't perfect. But they were working. And we were willing to work with them. It was Hamas that threw all those understandings out the window.
And if Hamas today is suffering, it's because they have no one but themselves to blame because it was they, Hamas, who deliberately brought about this crisis.
Let's talk about the end game here, Mr. Regev, the UN Security Council holding an emergency meeting right now on deciding what to do with this situation. Is there a compromise between Israel and Hamas? Or Israel and the Palestinians that can be reached that you feel in this meeting that will stop this incursion into Gaza?
REGEV: First of all, I'd like to pick up one point that you raised in your question. Our fight is not with the Palestinian people. On the contrary.
LEMON: Unfortunately, unfortunately ...
REGEV: We want to see a process of ...
LEMON: Unfortunately, Palestinian people, innocent Palestinian people are being killed. That's why I bring that point up. But go on.
REGEV: But I stress the point, our fight is with Hamas alone. We want peace with the Palestinians. We want to be good neighbors. We want to move forward in the peace process that started at Annapolis at the end of 2007. We're committed to that process.
Hamas is a problem. Hamas says no to peace. Hamas says no to negotiations. Hamas says no to reconciliation. At the same time they support terrorist attacks on our civilians. And so we've had to defend ourselves.
It's the obligation of every government to do what it can to defend its people. What would the United States be doing if rockets were coming in on some American city from a neighboring territory? You would act forcibly to protect your people. That's exactly what we're doing.
LEMON: We're not exactly sure about that. But point well taken. Mark Regev, thank you. An Israeli government spokesperson joining us from Jerusalem. We appreciate it tonight. We can hear the bombing going on behind you. So please be safe there.
Also coming up tonight, we'll hear from the Palestinian side. My conversation with Dr. Riyad Mansour, Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations.
And the Israeli incursion has drawn the attention and the condemnation of the world's top diplomats. The United Nations, an emergency meeting tonight, we'll take you there live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Breaking news tonight here on CNN. Of the crisis in the Middle East. Those photos you're looking at from the Associated Press shows you what's happening on the ground in Gaza. You're looking at live pictures there. Also to my left, you're seeing the live pictures, ground pictures, and also night vision that shows you what's going on. Also, the picture at the top, Ramattan Television. They've been giving us some amazing coverage there and providing us with live pictures as well. We'll continue to have that up for you throughout this two-hour broadcast.
The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting tonight on the Mid-East crisis tonight. And our senior UN correspondent Richard Roth, he joins us now live from the United Nations. Richard, have you heard anything from that meeting yet?
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I can say we have action- packed pictures that you were referring to the Security Council nations, all 15 of them are behind closed doors. Again, it's been an ebb and flow. Here's the state of play. At best, there will be a statement of unity agreed to by all 15 council members expressing some sort of reaction to the Israeli ground offensive. But diplomats have said the U.S. is not very solid onboard with that, and they've been resisting any language. Tonight they thing that now is the time, Washington believes no comment. Washington giving Israel more diplomatic maneuvering room to continue its ground assault. A lot of the people in the building knew this was coming. The Palestinians, though, remain furious. They're upset what Israel is now doing and they are also upset that the Council may not even formally condemn it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIYAD MANSOUR, PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: This is the law of the jungle. Israel has to behave according to international law and the norm international law especially with regard to proportionality would make it illegal, immoral and forbidden for Israel to do what they are doing against our people. It is the responsibility of the Security Council to bring Israel into compliance, and to bring Israel into the rule of law and not the rule of the jungle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Now, last week, very late, Don, and you were on the air, the Security Council eventually issued a press statement. The Security Council and the UN doesn't consider that an official document of the United Nations. Though it may have some wide-spread interests. The U.S. may be trying to push it in that way. They don't want to elevate the import of what the UN does tonight. Don?
LEMON: OK. This is a closed-door meeting that's going on now. Do you know how much longer this is expected to go on?
ROTH: They've been going for more than three hours. The last time we went until 2:00 in the morning. Though they started late. It's very uncertain as to how long this will go.
LEMON: Do we have any idea what's in the coming week? Now they're in the meeting and they're at least trying to draft up what to do about the situation. What are the plans for the coming week? Do we know what's ahead, Richard? ROTH: The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is not the leader anymore in Gaza, he is due here in New York late Monday, early Tuesday. There is going to be a push for more formal diplomatic reaction.
But the events on the ground may supersede that. He's coming along with several Arab foreign ministers. You can look for more diplomacy with them pleading with the U.S. to be tougher on Israel. But that may not be possible. The U.S. believes Israel is acting in self- defense against the rockets from Hamas.
LEMON: All right. We'll see you in just a little bit, Richard, within the next hour or so. Richard will be up in the 11:00 broadcast as well. It's a two-hour special edition.
Much, much more breaking news in the middle east. The coverage to come on this special edition of CNN NEWSROOM.
Also, President Bush and President-Elect Barack Obama, one has to deal with the crisis right now, the other will inherit it. And we'll take you to Washington coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Welcome back to CNN's continuing coverage of "Crisis in the Middle East." If you are just joining us, the Israeli ground assault into Gaza is under way. Tanks and troops began streaming across the border in force a little more than seven hours ago. And since then, it has been a nonstop series of powerful explosions lighting up the night sky. Israeli officials offered no timeline, but warned it could be a long, drawn out operation. Hamas has been defiant, vowing to fight to the last man.
Also tonight, we've learned that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is headed to Israel as a show of support for the Jewish state.
President Bush is closely monitoring the crisis from the White House. And CNN's Kate Bolduan has the very latest for us from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: According to a White House spokesperson, President Bush was briefed Saturday afternoon on the current situation in Gaza and the actions of the IDF, his spokesperson also saying U.S. officials have been in regular contact with the Israelis as well as officials from countries in the region and Europe.
Earlier in his weekly radio address, President Bush condemned Hamas for instigating the violence. He, along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have called for a cease-fire, but one that comes with a long-term solution.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Another one-way cease-fire that leads to rocket attacks on Israel is not acceptable. And promises from Hamas will not suffice. There must be monitoring mechanisms in place to help ensure the smuggling of weapons to terrorist groups in Gaza comes to an end.
BOLDUAN: The State Department has also put out a statement following the latest developments in Gaza, spokesperson Sean McCormack saying the U.S. is still working toward a cease-fire and, "that cease- fire should take place as soon as possible, but we need a cease-fire that is durable, sustainable and not time-limited."
He goes on to say: "We have expressed our concerns to the Israeli government that any military action needs to be mindful of the potential consequences to civilians."
On the ground assaults specifically, the White House has in recent days avoided taking a position, declining to comment on whether a ground attack would be justified.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, Kate. And for more on these dramatic developments, let's head to Jerusalem, and that's where our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is standing by with the very latest for us.
Christiane, what are you learning?
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, simply that the assault by Israeli ground forces supported by naval forces and air forces continues apace, and periodically gets very, very intense. Just recently we were looking in the last few minutes at a live picture from inside Gaza. And there is a huge flame, a huge fire burning. We don't know exactly what it is. The Israeli government spokesman does not have any updated details right now. Hopefully they will do once the sun rises, and perhaps there will be some pictures.
Of course, we are at a considerable disadvantage. In fact, the entire press corps is because we're not allowed to go in. Israel has not yet allowed us to go into Gaza. Although pressed by us, they say they will do it as soon as possible. But there are Palestinian-based reporters. There is this TV station there. And they are sending out pictures.
What we know is that Israel has said that this will not be easy. It will not be swift. That they are not intending, according to Israeli officials, to go and reoccupy Gaza, nor are they intending right now to overthrow Hamas. What they say their objective is to go in and neutralize those areas from which Hamas has been sending rockets into Israel.
The other accompanying complications to this is that that might be their military goal, but there is also obviously a civilian component to that, because of the nature of the way Gaza is, and the nature of the way those weapons, the military and the civilians are in many areas mixed up. To that end, you've seen so many of these pictures of many, many wounded in Gaza, more than 400. And -- sorry, more than 400 killed and more than 2,000 wounded. And U.N. officials inside Gaza saying at least a quarter of those are civilians. And that is causing a huge amount of anxiety and anger across the Islamic and Arab world. And there have been demonstrations in Europe and in the United States as well.
So there are officials who are trying to work towards a cease- fire. It seems that that will not be quickly forthcoming. Israel is not interested in an immediate and unconditional cease-fire. And there are international officials who say any kind of cessation must be accompanied by a monitoring mechanism.
And it could even be Arab countries monitoring, that there would be no more entry of weapons or any ability to fire those rockets. And that they're trying to figure out a way perhaps of getting the Palestinian Authority to have a presence in Gaza again.
As you know, since '07, it has been Hamas who has had the sole authority inside Gaza -- Don.
LEMON: And, Christiane, I realize that you're in Jerusalem, but I ask you this, because of your expertise in covering this unrest in the Middle East. With this emergency meeting tonight with the U.N., is this really more symbolic than anything? Does the U.N. really have any sway over Israel or Hamas? Will they obey any sort of resolution that the U.N. draws up?
AMANPOUR: Well, you know, it's never the U.N., it's always the member countries. So as long as the United States is onboard, and that's where the key always is in these situations, the United States has to get onboard and persuade its U.N. Security Council colleagues that certain action needs to be taken.
And that is presumably eventually what they're going to be working towards. But you've heard from the U.S., that they are also in no hurry to have a quick cease-fire, that they don't want something that, as everybody seems to be calling it, a Band-Aid.
This is of course also a dangerous route. We saw this back in 2006 between Hezbollah and Israel where the U.S. sort of put the brakes on any notion of a cease-fire. And this war between Israel and Hezbollah back in 2006 lasted more than 30 days with huge losses of life, and in the end, a stalemate. In the end, Hezbollah being deemed as having fought Israel to a standstill. So -- or a standoff, that there was no clear victor at all in that conflict.
So this is one of the occupational hazards of this region. And there eventually must be a political solution to this, because there will not be a military one. All experts and government officials agree.
LEMON: Our chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour. We appreciate it, Christiane. Thank you. Meantime, Barack Obama could very well inherit this international crisis when he takes office come January 20th. So he is staying in the loop, that's what he's saying, in a statement offering no advice to the White House. CNN's Brianna Keilar is covering the Obama transition team. She is in Chicago.
Brianna, the reaction from the president-elect thus far?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, the president-elect is not really reacting himself to the situation in Gaza. He's really leaving it to his aides who are issuing basically non-comment comments.
For instance, today, after this ground incursion by Israeli forces into Gaza began, his chief national security spokeswoman issued a statement saying: "The president-elect is closely monitoring global events, including the situation in Gaza. There is one president at a time, and we intend to respect that."
Of course, this is a similar refrain, Don, to what we heard from -- in the last few days from the president-elect's top adviser, David Axelrod. That, as you said, President-elect Obama keeping an eye on things, but deferring to President Bush. Even though, of course, he's getting a whole lot of criticism from those people who are speaking out and protesting on behalf of innocent Palestinians who are caught in the crossfires here.
Obama leaves for Washington tomorrow. And he spent these last few days here in Chicago, actually, with protesters demonstrating just down the street from his house, because of the silence that he has had on this situation. But it is to be expected.
Yesterday, in fact, a top leader from Hamas said on camera to Al Jazeera television that Obama has a double standard, that he commented on those recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, but that he isn't commenting on the situation in Gaza.
Well, I spoke with a former staffer and adviser to four former presidential administrations, and he said that Obama's condemnation of the Mumbai terrorist attacks is something he had to do. That Americans were killed in that. It was more cut and dried. The president-elect had to show some leadership on that.
But the situation in Gaza really a situation where he has to defer to President Bush where he can't be appearing to usurp the power of the sitting president when it comes to this foreign policy issue -- Don.
LEMON: And also speaking of what some might perceive as a double standard, Brianna, he has been very vocal about the economy, not sticking to that mantra, you know, only one president or only one administration at a time. But that was on a big domestic issue. So why is that? What's the difference now?
KEILAR: That's true. And there certainly does appear to be a difference, as you point out, Don. But the difference as well is that the economy, this huge domestic issue, is by far the number one issue when it comes to the American people, considered to be the biggest problem that President-elect Obama will inherit when he comes into power on January 20th.
And it's important to note as well, though, at this time, and up until this time since the election, the incoming administration really hasn't stepped on the toes of the Bush administration when it comes to the economy, even though they've drafted some detailed plans.
When President-elect Obama, or his incoming administration staffers have been asked about criticism of the current Bush administration policies, when it comes to the economy, they haven't taken the opportunity to criticize the president, again, repeating that "one president at a time" mantra on that.
So obviously it's a difference, though, with this foreign policy issue. Politics really stopping at the water's edge, it appears, as you can see with this situation in Gaza.
LEMON: CNN's Brianna Keilar with the Obama transition team in Chicago. Thank you very much for that, Brianna.
You've seen the explosions. You've heard the politicians. You've heard the pundits. Now we want to talk to the people who are really affected by this crisis. Straight ahead, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM, a Palestinian journalist joins us from North Carolina. Her dad joins us from Gaza. You don't want to miss this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: You're watching CNN's special coverage, "Crisis in the Middle East." We want to give you a quick update now on the Israeli military, that ground assault in Gaza. Thousands of troops have rolled into the territory, targeting Hamas militants. The overnight hours have been filled with explosions and machine gun fire. Much of which you can see there.
Hamas is vowing that its fighters will battle to the very last breath. An Israeli official says the operation could be long lasting. Also tonight, we have learned that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is headed to Israel as a show of support for the Jewish state.
You know, the Internet now makes it possible for ordinary people to communicate with the entire world at the speed of light, even from the middle of a war zone. Laila el-Haddad is a Palestinian journalist. She writes a blog called "A Mother from Gaza." She joins us from Raleigh, North Carolina. Her father joins us now from Gaza. His name is Moussa el-Haddad.
How are you doing, Mr. el-Haddad?
MOUSSA EL-HADDAD, GAZA RESIDENT: Yes. I'm fine so far. I'm still alive.
LEMON: OK. We're glad that you are still alive. Thank you both for joining us tonight. I'm sure you have been speaking to your father. Tough for you at this point, I would imagine, to be here in the U.S. and to know that your father is in harm's way.
LAILA EL-HADDAD, A-MOTHER-FROM-GAZA.BLOGSPOT.COM: Absolutely. I mean, it's mortifying. I mean, minute-to-minute I'm trying to get updates in whatever way I can by either communicating with him, calling him on his landline. The mobile telecommunications centers have been bombed, so I'm not able to communicate that way.
If we can, when he has electricity, which is about one hour in every 48, he tries to get online. We communicate on Skype, that way giving us both I think a sense of security and safety no matter how illusory.
LEMON: Mm-hmm. OK. I want to go now to Moussa, your father there. And the sounds that we're hearing are from the live pictures that we are showing. And it could be mistaken as happening in the background as Mr. el-Haddad -- as I talk to him. How are you doing? And tell us what is going on around you at this point.
M. EL-HADDAD: Well, the last nine days were horrible. It was genocide, by all standards, against humanity. Everything that is living and beautiful is being targeted, all buildings, children, women. This is not a war against Hamas, this is a war against humanity, against everything and everybody in this place. That was in the last nine days.
But this last night, now it's almost sunrise here, it's almost 6:00 in the morning, since the beginning of last night, it has been a horrible night, explosions. You probably see on the CNN, explosions everywhere, killing everywhere.
On the radio we hear ambulances, people asking for ambulances for help, because these bombs are falling on houses, not on just Hamas people. And by the way, those people who are defending the land are not just Hamas, it's everybody, Fatah, (INAUDIBLE) organizations.
It's -- I just cannot tell you the situation here exactly. I had to move. I have to take the mattress off the bed and put it on the floor to stay away from the windows to be able to speak to you because it's very noisy by the windows. You can hear explosions all the time.
LEMON: Yes. And we want you to stay out of harm's way. We appreciate you talking to us on CNN. And just real quick questions for you. Are you alone?
M. EL-HADDAD: My wife is here next to me.
LEMON: How is your wife?
M. EL-HADDAD: She's OK. She's also a physician. She's a pediatrician. She's very scared. But we thank God that we're still alive. Other people are not so much lucky.
LEMON: I spoke with an Israeli spokesperson for the government a short time ago, and he says that Israel has no qualms, no problems with the Palestinian people, but yet and still Palestinian people are being injured in that. They said that they have problems with Hamas...
M. EL-HADDAD: Well, not just injured, they're being killed, 500 people have been killed, 10 percent of those are children, 5 percent are women.
LEMON: There are a number of people who are watching us right now who have family members in the area. And your daughter is watching as well, and joining us here on CNN. Do you have a message for those people who may be concerned about their family members, Mr. Haddad?
M. EL-HADDAD: Well, the only thing I can say is that God is here, and I'm sure God would not leave these innocent people alone, although the (INAUDIBLE) world has. I know that people, civilians and the whole world, in the U.S., Europe and everywhere else have been demonstrating and sympathizing with us.
But we are here supporting each other, I mean, as civilians. We pray to God just that this situation will be over soon. And that these politicians and army people who come to their senses, they have families of their own, and I'm sure none of them would like to see what's happening in Gaza happen to their children and families.
LEMON: Mr. el-Haddad, Moussa el-Haddad and Laila el-Haddad, will you both stand by, because I want to talk more, especially to Laila. I've been wanting to find out, Laila, how your dad is doing, because he's in the middle of all of this happening now. And I'm going to talk to you a little bit more. Will you both stand by just a bit and I'll talk to you after the break?
L. EL-HADDAD: Yes, absolutely.
LEMON: All right. Thanks to both of you. We'll talk to you in just a little bit.
Meantime, a ground assault, urban warfare, that's what we're talking about here. How long will this go on and how -- and when will it end? We'll get the military perspective from an expert straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Pictures from the Associated Press on the devastation in Gaza. And also you're looking at live pictures now at the top, that's Ramatan, the one that's at the top of your screen. And you can see that sun is now -- the sun is starting to come up in Gaza. It is almost 7:00 in the morning there. And we will get the first daylight look since this ground offensive went under way earlier this afternoon here in the United States.
And, of course, at the bottom there, there was just seconds ago, that was the White House where we have heard a statement from the president, but we have not seen him on this situation. Before the break, we were talking with Laila el-Haddad, a Palestinian journalist, she writes a blog called "A Mother from Gaza." And we were talking to her father there as well. Her father is in Gaza. His name is Moussa el-Haddad. He told us about the situation, what he was enduring. We're looking at her blog now. And I have it up here on the screen as well.
And I've been reading a little bit of it and how people have been responding to you and what you've been putting up there, Laila. I asked you about how you feel knowing that your dad is over in harm's way? How has this affected your works? And have you written about this on your blog?
L. EL-HADDAD: Absolutely. I mean, I've been basically trying to write, convey my conversations with him, convey their emotions, their fear as they're living through this, having lived there myself and having raised my son there for the first years of his life.
I know what it's like to live under this constant fear, this terror under Israeli bombardment, and sort of being the news yourself, not knowing, not being able to quantify in any way what's happening around you. It's an absolutely terrifying feeling. And so I've been trying to convey that, as I mentioned, on my blog, been pretty much hysterical, unable to sleep, unable to -- thinking about them, thinking about all my family and friends over there.
LEMON: And including your mother. Your mother and your...
L. EL-HADDAD: Including my mother and my aunts and my uncles and my -- you know, et cetera, my cousins.
LEMON: I asked your father this, what he wanted people here to know about families in Gaza. What do you want people here in America to know? Can you help them deal with this situation? Obviously it is unbelievable to watch these pictures and unnerving as well to see what's going on.
L. EL-HADDAD: Absolutely. I mean, it's the modern-day Warsaw Ghetto. It's unprecedented in modern history that you have a population that is stateless, that is occupied, and that is besieged, and that is the majority of these people in Gaza Strip are refugees, refugees who fled from their homes in 1948, the same homes that are, you know, where rockets are falling.
These were the homes of these Palestinian refugees that are now living in Gaza. Unprecedented in modern history that an occupied stateless people -- I mean, these people basically want their freedom. And the more -- instead of aggravating, you know, Palestinians, we need to address their demands, their human rights, you know, their ability to achieve human rights and dignity.
LEMON: Laila el-Haddad, we appreciate you joining us. Writes a blog, it's called "A Mother from Gaza." If you want to keep up with her, keep up with her family, you can go to that blog, a-mother-from- gaza -- and I think it's blogspot.com. Thank you very much for that. We're going to let you go so that we can continue on our coverage here.
Is her father still with us, guys?
M. EL-HADDAD: Yes, I am.
LEMON: OK. Are you still -- yes. So...
M. EL-HADDAD: Let me tell you something. Last night, up 'til now, the -- 11 mosques have been bombed. Mosques are holy places just like churches. Last night two rocket attacks from F-16 -- American- made F-16s, two rockets attacks were fired at a mosque during Maghrib prayer time. And 16 people were killed during praying. And probably you saw those on the TV screens on CNN.
LEMON: Yes, we did, sir.
M. EL-HADDAD: The pictures are horrible. I mean, it's just -- you know, I'm talking to you with my arms trembling. I just cannot explain the situation. And this is not -- again, this is not a war against Hamas. This is all what this word means, it's a holocaust...
LEMON: Mr. ...
M. EL-HADDAD: ... against humanity.
LEMON: Mr. el-Haddad, our thoughts are with you. Thank you very much for joining us. Please stay safe.
Our continuing coverage here of the "Crisis in the Middle East" continues next hour, and all night, right here on CNN, much, much more straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: As Israeli troops move in by foot, by tank, an ominous prediction from its defense minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EHUD BARAK, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): This will not be short, this will not be easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Good evening, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Also tonight, the United Nations in emergency session. But they may not have the power to stop Israel or Hamas. Now what?
In transition, the president at the White House, the president- elect in Chicago. We've seen statements, but not them. Who's in charge?
Nowhere to hide. Trapped in a war zone, enemies all around. The people of Gaza struggle to stay alive with missiles and bombs raining down. The next hour of "Crisis in the Middle East" starts right now.
