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U.N. Demands Hamas, Israel Cease-Fire; Rebels: Ukraine Army Advances To Crash Site; Two Americans Diagnosed With Ebola Virus; The Struggle For Food In Gaza; What Can Be Done To Help Ukraine?

Aired July 28, 2014 - 10:00   ET

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

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it is going to be quiet in Israel, it's going to be quiet in Gaza, it's as simple as it gets.

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CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: But a cease-fire in Gaza is anything but simple. This morning, a renewed push from the United Nations to stop the attacks even if it's just for a little while.

On the front lines of an Ebola epidemic, two Americans now sick with the deadly virus. Their families and their communities praying for a quick recovery.

Also legalize it, "The New York Times" Editorial Board says it's time to drop the pot prohibition. Let's talk live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me. We begin with a growing crisis in the Middle East. The United Nations Security Council held an emergency midnight meeting. The plea an immediate and unconditional cease-fire.

Also the latest setback, a temporary truce crumbles with Israel and Hamas trading accusations of who is to blame. The death toll climbs more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed along with 45 Israelis.

Just last hour, we heard from Secretary of State John Kerry who just returned from the region.

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JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: The biggest challenge is trying to get many factions to cooperate, to reach the same aim. Let me tell you something, as somebody in the middle of trying to get many people, just get seven days of a cease-fire in the Middle East, I know what you are talking about.

It's never easy, but that doesn't mean you stop. That doesn't mean you turn away. You have to keep doing it. Remember what Nelson Mandela said. It always seems impossible until it is done and that's what we have to have as our guide.

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COSTELLO: CNN's Martin Savidge is in Jerusalem with more for you. Good morning, Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Yes, Israel's military says now its military strategy is to strike back when it is struck. It appears that the IDF is following that. A short while ago, they announced that air strikes are resuming in Gaza, that as a result of rocket fire they say that is continuing to come from Gaza. So any hopes of a cease-fire appear to be fading.

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SAVIDGE (voice-over): Early this morning, the United Nations Security Council, convening an emergency meeting, calling for a renewed cease- fire that would allow the delivery of urgently needed assistance into Gaza. But neither side has accepted. Both agreeing to only a few hours of peace and rejecting previous deals for a truce.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: We had a cease fire and they violated it and we'll take whatever action is necessary to protect our people.

SAVIDGE: The Israeli military detonating explosives into two tunnels that they say Hamas uses to get fighters into Israel. Secretary of State John Kerry heading home empty handed after six days of exhaustive diplomatic meetings.

On Sunday, President Obama spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone condemning attacks from Hamas against Israel and also stressing the need for an immediate cease-fire. Outrage continues to grow over the number of civilians caught in the crossfire including grade school children injured in Thursday's mortar strike at the United Nations building, which was being used a shelter for Gaza families.

Israel Defense Forces confirm a single errant mortar landed in the courtyard of the school, but they deny responsibility for any deaths pointing to their footage of the strike and claiming the courtyard was empty at the time of the attack.

Officials from the U.N. and the Palestinian government report 16 people were killed and hundreds wounded. A CNN team visited the shelter several hours after the attack and found evidence of badly injured civilians.

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SAVIDGE: Even though there is no cease-fire, the level of violence in Gaza today is said to be down and down significantly, but unfortunately, without any agreement for a cease-fire, Carol, there's no guarantee that's going to continue.

COSTELLO: All right, Martin Savidge, reporting live from Jerusalem this morning.

After days of fighting, Ukrainian troops have apparently taken control of at least parts of the crash site where Flight 17 came down from pro-Russian rebels. Deadly clashes between the two sides left the crash investigation at a standstill earlier today.

A team of investigators and international monitors were forced to abandon plans to visit the crash site because they were scared for their lives. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh was with the monitors when they were turned back.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm on the road that heads from Donetsk City to the crash site where MH-17 came down over a week ago now. The OSCE convoy, perhaps you can hear that noise, but the OSCE convoy with Dutch and Australian police have been moving down this road in a large group and you can see now more white smoke in the background.

Moving in a large group with some separatists escorts, security, the roads cleared for them. They got to the outskirts and then they continued, the media told to stop filming. At that point, we moved back to where we are here about a kilometre away from the outskirts.

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COSTELLO: But a potential bright spot this morning as I said, Ukrainian military forces say they have advanced to the crash site, which might pave the way for investigators to actually be present there and start their investigation.

CNN's Matthew Chance live in Ukraine with more. Hi, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. That's right. There's been some significant it seems military advances or at least some military action taken by the Ukrainian government. It actually comes after assurances there would be a cease-fire in the area around the crash site. In fact that's not been the case.

It's been heavy fighting reported over the course the last 36 hours taking place in the area. Not immediately in the crash site of MH17, but in the towns and villages that surround that area that are around under rebel control, various clashes being reported between rebels and government forces over the course of this day.

The situation on the ground pretty unclear. There have been denials about the various positions of where the government forces are. We're not there on the ground to actually determine independently what the military situation is. But it does very much look like that on the one hand the Ukrainian government is making a concerted effort to take control of that crash site area on one aspect of this military push.

On the other aspect, to surround the rebel strong hold of Donetsk and to cut it off from supply routes into the city. So there does seem to be an upsurge in military activity around that crash site area -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Matthew Chance reporting live for us this morning. Thank you.

Checking some other top stories for you at 7 minutes past the hour. The chairman of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees have reached a tentative deal on fixing the VA health system. The reform bill still needs to be approved by both houses of Congress. The deal is expected to address both short and long term needs. CNN first reported on the problems at the VA involving delayed care possibly leading to dozen of deaths.

Closing arguments begin today in Donald Sterling's lawsuit to block the sale of the L.A. Clippers. Sterling's wife, Shelly, claims Donald is mentally incapacitated. She is trying to sell the team for $2 billion. A judge could rule on the cases early as tomorrow. Sterling has also sued the NBA trying to stop the sale initiated after his racist comments went public.

A federal judge has struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on carrying handguns in public as unconstitutional. The ruling was handed down Thursday, but was made public over the weekend. It's a big win for gun rights advocates. D.C.'s Attorney General's Office will seek a stay of the ruling while the city decides whether to appeal.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, parents of a young victim aboard Flight 17, finally reach the crash site in Ukraine, but their journey is more than just an emotional trial. We'll talk about that next.

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COSTELLO: New fears this morning about the spread of Ebola, a highly contagious and deadly virus. Two Americans have now tested positive for the virus in West Africa. A U.S. doctor and an aid worker developed symptoms after treating patients in Liberia. Health officials say the current outbreak is the deadliest ever.

We'll talk more about this with senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen. Good morning, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. This news is so sad and it's particularly disturbing because presumably these two aid workers were well educated in how to keep from getting Ebola.

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COHEN (voice-over): Every day they work with one of the world's deadliest viruses, and now two Americans are sick with Ebola.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We pray that god will have mercy on them and that they survive this.

COHEN: This is Dr. Kent Brantley, a 33-year-old father of two and medical director for Samaritans Purse, an American charity group helping fight Ebola in Liberia. He recognized the symptoms and placed himself in isolation. His colleague, aid worker, Nancy Ripel also tested positive for the disease. Ripel is married and a mother of two.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They care about people and they care about Liberians. And from the time that Ebola broke out, up until this very day, nobody is talking about leaving.

COHEN: Dedication in the face of the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever. Since March, more than a thousand cases have been reported in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, 660 of them have died and there is no sign the epidemic is slowing down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's probably going to be several months before we were able to get a grip on this epidemic. This outbreak and growing number of cases.

COHEN: Now growing fears that the virus could spread beyond the three countries at the center of the outbreak. One Ebola patient has died in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. So containment is key, but that's no easy task.

Our own chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, saw firsthand how cautious Ebola aid workers are before handling the sick.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Multiple pairs of gloves and masks. The head is completely covered. A multi-layered gown, boots, and an apron. It's positively suffocating in the 100- degree weather. Preparing to treat a patient with Ebola is like preparing to land on the moon.

COHEN: Doctors aren't fighting Ebola, but misinformation as well. Some people in these communities believe the epidemic is a punishment for past sins. Other local leaders spreading rumors that white people are conducting experiments on them and they are breaking quarantine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are isolated. They are afraid. They are scared. They think that outsiders are bringing Ebola to them instead of trying to help them get rid of Ebola.

COHEN: A tough fight for affected families in West Africa and here at home in America. In Texas, at the home congregation of Dr. Brantley, a simple message on his church sign, pray for Kent.

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COHEN: Ebola is extremely deadly. The mortality rate can be as high as 90 percent -- Carol.

COSTELLO: How concerned are health officials that Ebola could spread outside of Africa?

COHEN: They are always concerned about that, Carol, and they are extremely vigilant. I will tell you from talking to experts that there are several things that are working in our favor, so to speak. It is contagious, but you have to have direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is sick with Ebola or someone who's died of Ebola.

It's not like the flu. The flu you can get it if you're next to someone who sneezes because the germs are airborne. That's not the case with Ebola.

COSTELLO: Understand. Elizabeth Cohen reporting for us this morning. Thank you so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, weeks of fighting has led to this. Long lines for one of most basic necessities, food. The struggle to feed the thousands in Gaza as the cease-fire comes and goes.

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COSTELLO: As fighting rages between Israel and Hamas, some Palestinians are finding food hard to come by. CNN's Ian Lee is live in Gaza with more on one humanitarian organization's efforts to feed the battle weary in Gaza. Hi, Ian.

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Yes, the fighting has been picking up today. Earlier this morning, it was quiet but now we're witnessing at least down south a lot of the fighting picking up. This highlights the growing humanitarian crisis going on in Gaza. I've talked to some doctors and they say they are running -- there is a shortage of medicine in some of the hospitals as well as a lot of them are just run ragged and they feel tired, but they are still moving forward.

Also went out and talked to some of the people who are delivering food, take a look of what we found out.

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LEE (voice-over): As the sun sets over the Gaza Strip, one of the largest operations is over for now. No, it's not the fighting between Gaza and the Israeli military, but this massive mission was born out of the three-week conflict. The battle weary civilians must eat. Consensual Gaza City, flour hovers in the air. Strong backs initiate the process.

A 109 metric tons of flour mixed with fresh water. The life line of over 160,000 Gazans at U.N.-run shelters. With so much food insecurity, only the humming of these machines is constant. On one side, dough goes in, fresh bread comes out the other.

Sorted and packed it's ready to be delivered. Micro buses weave through the streets as if they have a 30 minutes or less guarantee. Finally, we arrive at the elementary school for boys turned shelter.

Volunteers unload the truck, all give a helping hand. We meet United Nations World Food Program Gaza Director Raoul Belletto who leads this humanitarian efforts. He explains it's the people who aren't in U.N.- run shelters that keep him up at night.

RAOUL BELLETTO, WFP SENIOR PROGRAM ADVISER: That's why we are still a number of people still trapped in the effective areas who have not received assistance of any kind.

LEE: Administrators go through the list of names and number of family members. Tickets are distributed then the food.

(on camera): I want to give you an idea of just how massive a daily operation this is. This is just one school that feeds over 2,000 hungry mouths and right now in Gaza there's 84 shelters like this one.

(voice-over): This can't last forever. Money is tight and supply routes at times questionable. We just want to return to our homes. This is all we want. We want to live with dignity this man complains. They will be here until the war is over. Full bellies tonight. Tomorrow, this will all start again.

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LEE: And Carol, there's a looming deadline. August 10th is that deadline and in normal times, the World Food Program would feed hundreds of thousands of people here in Gaza, and that happens every two months, every two months they distribute food to these people. Well, on August 10th is when they are scheduled to distribute food again, if this conflict is continuing, it's hard to distribute to all the people, and if certain groups and people don't get their food, that spells for disaster -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Ian Lee reporting live from Gaza this morning.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Ukraine looking to the United States for answers as their troops clash with pro-Russian rebels, but can't someone else step up like the E.U. to help stabilize the country? We'll talk about that next.

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COSTELLO: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining me.

The deadly battles between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian troops show no signs of letting up. Just this morning, a team of investigators and international monitors heading to visit the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 were forced to abandon the trip because of all the fighting.

Ukraine's president, Petro Poroshenko, penned an op-ed in "The Washington Post" responding to what he calls Moscow-backed violence against his country that ultimately brought that plane down.

Saying in part, quote, "Like giving handgun to a child, Moscow permitted the transfer of a highly sophisticated surface-to-air missile system to terrorists. Adding to the horror has been the casual desecration of the crash site by the separatists, who have blocked access by investigators, tampered with evidence, looted belongings and treated the dead like trash."

So what can be done to help Ukraine? Joining me now is Nicholas Burns. He is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a "Boston Globe" columnist. Welcome.

NICHOLAS BURNS, PROFESSOR, HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: The Ukrainian government is actually looking to the United States for answers. Why isn't the E.U., the cards? Why isn't Ukraine putting more pressure on Europe to do something about this?

BURNS: I think actually the Ukrainians are hoping that the E.U. will come through with support this week. They look to the United States naturally because we're still the strongest power in the world. We're the one country that can deter Russia if we choose to do so with tough actions.

But the Europeans are critical. Long term, the Europeans will be much bigger aid givers than the United States. The emergency fund to Ukraine over the last several months is far bigger in terms of sons from the E.U. than it is from the United States. This week, the Ukrainians are looking for the Europeans to step up for sanctions.

COSTELLO: Again, the United States doesn't directly have a dog in this fight. Europe gets its energy from Russia. The people on board that plane were from other countries, not America, so why isn't the E.U. manning up right now?

BURNS: But the European Union is deciding this week on major sanctions toward Russia for the first time since the Ukraine crisis began in late February. That's a significant development. Now, they have dragged their feet for many months because of the economic dependence that Europe has on Russia.