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Netanyahu Claims Israeli Troops Have Severely Hurt Hamas In Gaza; First Ebola Patients Arrives In United States; Investigative Team Able To Survey MH17 Wreckage

Aired August 02, 2014 - 15:00   ET

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

POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everyone, you're in the CNN newsroom. I am Poppy Harlow here in New York.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: I am John Vause, reporting in Gaza.

HARLOW: And this hour, we are explaining the two biggest stories this weekend, the chaos in Gaza and the arrival of an Ebola patient in the United States.

First in the mid east, what led to the violent struggle between Israel and Hamas.

And in Africa, the leader of World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak is moving faster than they can control it. Now an infected patient is in the United States for treatment. How concerned should everyone here be? Our experts weigh in so you know exactly what's going on.

We begin this hour in the Middle East. People who live in southern Gaza say shelling from Israel and explosions today are constant, they are nonstop. At least 50 Palestinians are reported killed today across Gaza. One day since a cease-fire fell apart really before it could even take effect. The Israeli military says their targets are tunnels, weapon storage sites, and Hamas command centers. Southern Gaza is where a missing Israeli soldier is believed to be captured by Hamas.

The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke a few moments ago.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Until now, Israeli army achieved a lot of success. We actually caught and destroy thousands of terrorist targets. The rockets, missiles, the factories which make the rockets and missiles, and many hundreds of terrorists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right. I want to get straight to our John Vause. He is in Gaza city right now. He has been reporting throughout.

So John, listening to the prime minister's statement, we also know before he spoke that residents of northern Gaza got some messages today from IDF saying it is safe to return to homes. But listening to what Benjamin Netanyahu is saying, saying that their operation continues full scale but also saying tens of tunnels were destroyed. He went on to say we managed to destroyed severely the strategic system of Hamas, emphasizing a system they have been building for years. How did you read that? Did you read that as a winding down of operations, at least in parts of Gaza?

VAUSE: It certainly sounded like the ground operations to find the tunnels were winding back, now that most of the tunnels in the words of the Israeli prime minister have been destroyed. There's admission that there may be some which are still there. But now that most of them are gone, there's no point leaving all of those soldiers and engineers on the ground, simply as targets for Hamas militants. And we have seen that today. We have seen the Israelis pulling back from areas in the north, as you say, allowing residents to return to what's left of their homes.

There were also some reports early today, this was coming from the Palestinians, that around the town of Kanyunis (ph) that the Israeli soldiers were pulling back to the border as well. There was a great deal of anticipation here in Gaza that perhaps the Israeli prime minister may be announcing some kind of unilateral end to this operation, but that did not happen.

Benjamin Netanyahu making it perfectly clear that this operation will continue, it is just now going into another stage, and there still has been a sporadic sound of artillery being fired by the Israelis into Gaza, mostly towards east Gaza. So that continues.

We also know the operation down south in Rafa continues to find by the Israeli soldier who is believed to have been captured, even though Hamas says they don't have him and they assume he is in fact dead.

Many people were watching exactly what the Israeli prime minister had to say. This was an address to the nation. This war has been going on now almost four weeks. Hamas has fired thousands and thousands of rockets into Israel. They continue to fire those rockets right now.

So let's get to Sara Sidner. She is standing by in Ashkelon, a place where many of the rockets end up.

So Sara, many people listening to Benjamin Netanyahu. We know the Israeli public has been very keen for the Israeli military to continue on with this operation. So what is the reaction there tonight?

SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, and just to be clear, you know, it is the Israeli Jewish population that has been polled, Palestinian population hasn't been polled. But tolls show up to 90 percent of Israeli Jews didn't want a cease-fire, didn't want to see this ending so that Hamas could then come back in a couple of years and start up firing rockets again into the country. They really wanted the government of Israel and soldiers to crush Hamas' ability to, you know, make war with Israel.

So at this point, you know, we will have to wait and see because they did not say, both the defense minister and prime minister, did not say it was over. But it does sound like they're going to be pulling back a bit on the operation, saying that they're close to completing the operation.

And you remember the stated operation was to rid Gaza of the tunnels, especially those that can get into Israel, and especially those where there are weapons coming through those tunnels into the hands of Hamas and Islamic jihad. And as you know, there are other groups operating there on the Gaza Strip, militant groups that tend to try and fight against Israel.

So there is a good sense here that we are going to see a bit of a change in the operations. But, you know, Israeli citizens looking at this, especially those polled, they are going to be watching this very closely. There was a war in 2008, there was a war in 2012, and there is a war now. And they don't want to have to see this happen and go through this every couple of years, John.

VAUSE: OK, Sara, thank you. Sara Sidner there live for us Ashkelon.

And Poppy, we went down to the hospital just a short time ago. As the statement was read by the Israeli prime minister, many Palestinians here were listening to it. There was a great deal of disappointment. In fact, there was a doctor at the hospital working 24/7 treating some of the wounded here. Remember, 8,000 at least have been wounded during this military offensive by Israel. He says for the first time ever, he now wants this war to continue because he wants the Palestinians to achieve their goals. He says that he wants his children to feel safe -- Poppy.

HARLOW: Interesting reaction. I think a lot of people were expecting to hear something else from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He did say that they will regroup now that he says they have significantly damaged and destroyed that tunnel system. But he did not specify what that regrouping would be, and said in terms of timing, that would be up to the Israeli military. As soon as we get more from folks on the ground there, we will let you know.

But I want to take you now to a very critical story here in the United States.

Right now, inside Emory University hospital in Atlanta, doctors are treating the first ever Ebola victim known to be on U.S. soil. That victim, a doctor, Dr. Kent Brantly, just arriving in Georgia a few hours ago from Liberia on board a specially equipped medical plane. He was then driven by ambulance to the hospital. When the ambulance arrived, two men in those protective suits exited through the back. It is actually believed one of the men was Dr. Brantly. He will be treated in an isolation unit, created by Emory and the centers for disease control and prevention which is also based right there in Atlanta.

Now, the medical plane is already on the way back to Liberia to pick up another American Ebola patient, Nancy Writebol. Both of those patients are affiliated with a Christian charity, Samaritan's Purse. They became sick while they were caring for others Ebola patients.

The World Health Organization reports that the outbreak in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea has effected more than 1300 people. It has also killed more than 700 people this year alone. Important to note here, though, Ebola is not airborne. This spreads through contact with bodily organs and other bodily fluids.

All right, I want to bring now our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Sanjay, you have been on top of this for months. You were even there when the outbreak started to get worse and worse. Standing where you are now, we showed that video. Maybe we can re-rack it for viewers. Two people coming out of the ambulance in the suits. It is believed that one of those is Dr. Kent Brantly. What does that tell you, Sanjay?

DOCTOR SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's a good sign medically, no question. A bit of a surprising one, Poppy. I'll tell you, you know, we had heard some days ago that his condition had deteriorated and then we heard that he may have stabilized, but was still in serious condition walking off the ambulance the way that he is, obviously requiring a little assistance. I think from a medical standpoint, you know, bodes very well for him and frankly, is a little surprising based on I think what certainly we were expecting, what we had been told, and how he had been described.

We also just confirmed a bit ago that even before he left Liberia, he was able to stand up and shower on his own. Actually get into the shower and shower on his own. So perhaps he improved quite a bit before his flight actually here to the United States.

Regardless, he is now here at Emory University hospital. He is in an isolation ward. His condition was still being described as stable, but serious. And looking at the images, maybe he's improved since that time.

He is going to be in the isolation ward for some time. They are going o start replacing fluids, giving whatever treatments are necessary. And then as you mention, Poppy, already in route to pick up one of his colleagues, also from Samaritan's Purse and bring her back to the United States and Atlanta as well.

You know, Poppy, I'll just tell you real quick, I know you've heard this, but you know, this what you're seeing has never happened before. We've never had a patient with Ebola in Atlanta, in the United States, in the western hemisphere of the world. So this is from a medical standpoint, a scientific standpoint, certainly a first, and this is how it transpired. Intentionally through a medical evacuation program.

HARLOW: And Sanjay, this brings up so many important questions. I know you have a bit of new information. I want you to get to in just a moment, but also big picture here, I mean, these are U.S. citizens who are over there doing good work. And I think a lot of people right now feel torn and feel confused because they don't know fully what kind of risk, if any, this poses to other people in the United States.

Can you clarify for us, what kind of risk it poses? I know that Emory is one of the preeminent universities to deal with this in terms of infectious diseases, the facilities they have. You were just in there yesterday. What kind of risk does this pose and was this the right decision?

GUPTA: Well, I think it is very important to just remember what Ebola is and how it moves and how it transmits from one person to another. And the answer is it doesn't happen easily. It is not easy to catch Ebola from somebody else. It requires contact with the person and contact with a person's bodily fluids.

So the way we describe Ebola is something that's highly infectious, meaning a small amount of body fluids could cause infection if it were to get on your skin. But isn't contagious. It doesn't spread through the air. So even as you look at these images here, I can tell you there were others not that far away who are not wearing those bio- hazard suits who did not need to be because again, this is not going through the air.

So the idea that this could potentially cause some sort of outbreak now here in Atlanta or in other places around the United States, you know, just seems very, very unlikely.

Also, the isolation ward where he is, is basically designed to protect him and protect the health care workers from getting infected from this patient, Dr. Kent Brantly. So they have anti-rooms where they gown up, and put on all the suits to basically cover every square inch of their skin.

S I guess, the best way to sort of characterize that, I don't think the general public is in any way at risk, the health care workers themselves have to go through pretty extraordinary precautions. But if they follow those precautions and there are no lapses and there are no errors, they should be OK as well.

HARLOW: Yes. Appreciate clarifying that for everyone, Sanjay. There are so many questions. Because as you said, Ebola has never been in Atlanta, the United States ever before, so this is certainly a first. We appreciate the reporting, Sanjay. We will get back to you shortly.

And of course, for all of our viewers, for the latest on this deadly Ebola outbreak and these American patients, I want you to stay with us because "SANJAY GUPTA MD live," Special Report, 4:30 eastern only here on CNN.

Ahead here in the NEWSROOM, k now more, of course, from the Middle East, the latest comments by Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and what happens next in the push for the fighting to end. We will break it down with our experts in the region next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Just in the last hour, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the air waves announcing that Israeli troops have severely hurt Hamas in Gaza. He also said that the Israeli forces will quote "continue to act in full scale against Hamas to try to restore, he called it, peace and calm in Israel. I want to bring in two terrorism experts to really talk about the

words that he used. They were chosen very carefully. Former CIA operative, Bob Bear joins us from Los Angeles, Robert McFadden is here with me in New York. He is a former special agent in charge of NCIS, also a senior vice president at the (INAUDIBLE).

So first to you, Bob Baer. What did you make of language used by Benjamin Netanyahu. I mean, he said they have destroyed tens of tunnels, severely disabled or destroyed this system, he said that Hamas has built for years, trying to emphasize what they have taken out. He talked about a regrouping of Israel's involvement, Israel's offensive, but he didn't say when that would happen or what that would look like.

ROBERT BAER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Poppy, his problem is, you know, he can't say mission accomplished because the moment he says that, there's going to be a series of rocket attacks. There could be other tunnels out there. Someone make -- that Hamas may come across and attack Israel army through those tunnels. So he knows there's still work to be done. And it is the question now is finding targets.

It's very difficult for the Israelis. And I said I just heard today, Hamas is not using, you know, its normal communication systems like cell phones that they could pinpoint locations and go after these targets. So they know there's still a Hamas infrastructure there they have to deal with, and that they're regrouping to find out how to go after them without completely occupying Gaza.

HARLOW: Right. Because that has happened in the past, and that is something that we have not seen happen in this four weeks of deadly fighting.

To you, Robert, the rationale, the reasoning for Israel going in on the ground this time was the tunnel?

That's right.

HARLOW: And now that Netanyahu says that they have severely disabled, destroyed these tunnels, what do you read into his comments that they will regroup? What targets will they go after, if any more from the ground or does this once again become an air offensive?

ROBERT MCFADDEN, FORMER SPECIAL AGENT IN-CHARGE, NCIS: Well, in addition to the tunnels, of course, it is all of the rockets, OK? And so, that will be very important part over this interim period as to what happens with that. Because Israel has been very clear all along that the strategic objective is about the tunnels.

But there's something else, though, that goes on in Gaza that also makes it extraordinarily complicated for the Israeli defense force and Hamas military wing itself, because there are some other smaller groups within Gaza that on the one side Israel holds Hamas responsible to control, but Hamas at times has tenuous to no ability to control some of those groups and launching into Israel.

HARLOW: That is such an important point to make in something we saw possibly play out when yesterday the Israeli soldier was captured and that Hamas said it wasn't us, points to the issue of what other factions could it be within Gaza, something we're going to discuss more through the show.

Stay with us, Robert and also Bob Baer. Stick with us. We will have more on this straight ahead. This is really just the beginning of our conversation. We will take you back to the region live straight after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: And welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause, live in Gaza.

And within the past hour, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a televised address and he has said that the military operations here in Gaza will continue, but they're now moving into another phase. Mr. Netanyahu said most of the tunnels have now been destroyed, and Israel will continue to protect the peace and the defense of the Israeli public.

Let's get more on this. Let's go back to Bob Baer in Los Angeles and Robert McFadden, standing by there in Washington.

Bob, I would like to start with you. We heard the prime minister there, essentially this operation continuing. This is a long military campaign, longer than any other against militants in Gaza. Why is this one taking so long?

BAER: Well, I think Hamas has gotten better. You look at the Israeli casualties, you look at the maybe two Israeli soldiers have been taken. Hamas has been able to alter its communications, it has not been pinpoint strikes, civilian casualties are much too high for Israel's liking, you know.

There's been a reaction around the world, this should have been over in a couple of days, and I think we're looking at Hamas is fighting more like Hezbollah. You look at the 2006 war, where Hezbollah drew the Israeli army into all sorts of traps, spun them, and there was mutual destruction in each side, but the Israelis didn't get a clear cut victory and they're not going to get one with Hamas.

VAUSE: Yes, certainly shaping out that way, isn't it?

And Robert, to Bob's point, that Hamas is getting much better. From an intelligence point of view, this is your area. Has there been an intelligence failure by the Israelis? They were coming in here, there is tunnels were meant to be destroyed in a couple of days. It has taken 16 days. Hamas has spent past five years digging these tunnels. Many Israelis now seem to be surprised over that network is so extensive, it is so deep underground. Even surprised at the strength of cement which Hamas has used. So again, Israelis are sensitive to this, but did they miss it?

MCFADDEN: Well, that really enough question for right now, you know, in roughly two years cycles from 2006 to 2008, 2012 and to now, as Bob made a great point. Obviously, Hamas military wing has improved in its fighting. So, as far as an intelligence failure, that's always the kind of thing that leadership starts looking at immediately, but will be walked backward if you will from this point forward from the Israeli and intelligence perspective.

For example, you mention about the amount of cement and some other construction materials. One of the really big questions will be with all of the restrictions and all the sensors for things going into Hamas over the few years, how was that much amount of material that is very restricted in going in go to things like the tunnels? How were the missiles able to get into those numbers?

Also, too, the intelligence from the command and control system for the military wing at Hamas, is as being the Qassam brigade and some of the others that are engaged in fighting.

Those are the things that will be looked at, and no doubt, I have little doubt anyway after the objective of the tunnels, is long toward being taken care of, the command and control structure of some of the or of all of the military wing of Hamas will be the objective.

VAUSE: And Bob, back to you. When we look at the narrative here, we're hearing from Hamas, there was a statement just a short time ago in reaction to Netanyahu's speech, saying Netanyahu is believing in a fake victory. What he said about the tunnels is funny and they went on to say that Netanyahu is confused and he is facing a crisis in Gaza. They're shaping the narrative much like Hezbollah did. After 2006, they stood up to Israel. They took the blows. They didn't lose and so they won. So unless Israel is prepared to go all the way, is that how this is going to play out, when I say all the way, like topple Hamas?

BAER: Well, this is a political mine field for Netanyahu. I mean, he cannot be absolutely sure there are not more tunnels out there. It is impossible. Intelligence about these, difficult to get out. You know, Hamas is compartmented. And if there's a truce and there is a truce for polls out and a group comes under the ground, you know and attacks, (INAUDIBLE), this, you know, because what was this all for. So I think, you know, Netanyahu is foremost in his mind and his regrouping, trying to figure out going after what.

Like Robert said, I mean, the real problem is Hamas. It is a coherent organization. It is effective. It does seem to know what it is doing in this war and fighting it to a certain standstill. But what if you destroyed it? What would we get afterwards? And that's the question, would you get an Al Qaeda like group to replace it, which would be even worse for Israel because it would be more destructive in the end.

VAUSE: And we will tackle that question in a moment.

But back to you, Robert, for one last question here. With Hamas still standing, with them still in place, the Israelis are regrouping, no doubt Hamas is regrouping, they're continuing to fire rockets, is there a possibility here in any way that unless Israel is prepared to reoccupy Gaza, can they demilitarize Gaza? MCFADDEN: I think the short answer for that, you know, without an

almost total occupation, a complete demilitarization is really not likely. Because as we mentioned in the previous segment, it is Hamas military wing by far, the biggest terrorist paramilitary force in Gaza, but there are other groups, and that's been one of the problems for Hamas itself, both the political side and military side in the months up to this crisis, is getting control some of the other groups that tend to fill the void in the seams where Hamas doesn't have complete control.

VAUSE: OK. Robert McFadden and Bob Bear, we would like you guys to stick around because we're going to tackle that question about if Hamas does go, what comes after them, because that for many Israelis could be a terrifying prospect -- Poppy.

HARLOW: Yes. We will talk about that more in the show. Appreciate it to you John and both to Robert and Bob. We will get back to you in just a moment.

But now this. The flow of immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has been making headlines, as you know, for months. Children coming to the U.S., fleeing extreme poverty and violence in Central America. But this week CNN hero is Juan Pablo Romero Fuentes with helping children find hope and try to create a future for themselves at home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUAN PABLO ROMERO FUENTES, CNN HERO: My country is violent history has created very violent presence. Gangs are everywhere. Kids are exposed to drugs, to violence, and to lack of opportunities for them to improve their lives.

I was a teacher in the same community that I grew up. My students were dealing with the same problems that I was dealing 20 years ago. I wanted to change that. The best thing for me to do is open my house doors and bring them here.

Eight years later, I am still running the program in my family house. We provide classes so they find their own passions. We give them a decent plate of food. Children are powerful, just they don't know that yet. So I created a safe place for them to realize that they are able to change aspects in their lives and their community.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

FUENTES: A violent country, the only weapon we can have, it's love. I still believe that we can change this country. I see potential in kids' dreams and ideas. They are the ones who try to writing the new history in Guatemala.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VAUSE: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause, live in Gaza where many people have been disappointed by announcement from the Israeli prime minister within the last hour. Many here were expecting possibly some kind of unilateral withdrawal by the Israeli prime minister from Gaza and end to this military operation, but that is not the case. Benjamin Netanyahu saying the mission to destroy the Hamas tunnel infrastructure is almost complete, but the operation will go on.

OK. Let's bring in Bob Baer and Robert McFadden back in for more on this.

And Bob, you know that there was this debate for some time within the Israeli cabinet, about whether or not they should go all the way, whether or not they should topple Hamas, and the cabinet was split about it. Because there's some concern that if they get rid of Hamas, what comes next, well, they may actually miss Hamas. So from your assessment, if Hamas falls, what other radical groups out there could in fact take over Gaza?

BAER: John, first of all, I think we have to look at Hamas as not an international terrorist organization, and it's in their terms, they're fairly moderate. In the mid '90s, they started to car bomb Israeli cities and busses. They eventually stopped that. Part of it was the Israelis closed them down, but they have not generally attacked targets outside of Gaza.

It's not that the Israelis feel safe, of course, with Hamas, but the question is, Israeli influence is not such that they cannot replace it with a new group. Fatah, the secular organization, Palestinian organization, is discredited in Gaza completely, which leaves you as Robert brought up earlier, a bunch of disparate groups, and some of them looked very much like Al Qaeda. They have kidnapped and murdered aid workers in the past. And they may have taken this Israeli lieutenant and, you know, captured or killed him.

So they're sort of, you know, this is terror incognito for the Israelis. They don't know what -- they done have an easy choice. And they are not even -- and these groups are not even as tame as Hezbollah, for instance. They could actually get something worse, and it is a gamble for the Israelis what to do about Hamas leadership.

VAUSE: So Robert, at that point that Bob just made that, you know, Hamas is fairly moderate, there's a lot of Israelis that would very much disagree with that. A lot of Israelis within the government in the cabinet, whenever they talk about Hamas, they always mention ISIS or Al Qaeda, well, almost always in the same breath. In your assessment, are they in the same league?

MCFADDEN: Well. No, I mean, the short answer is no. I mean, as Bob pointed out that Hamas is, you know, exclusively for the struggle and the resistance is in its name in Arabic for Gaza and the West Bank, and going back many, many generations.

But when you're talking about destroying Hamas, though, and I'm presuming that (INAUDIBLE), when they refer to that, it is talking about military or paramilitary or the terrorist structure of Hamas, because there's the political wing which leadership is outside Gaza, it is mostly in Qatar. So when you are talking about, you know, dismantling or doing away with

Hamas, does that mean that the political wing which might -- could be a stretch, maybe even preposterous, could the political wing be brought into the political process once fighting stops. So that's part of the equation that really is makes it extraordinarily complex.

Some of the other groups out there where you have this unusual set of circumstances, depending which side of the political divide the groups are, for example, Palestinian, Islamic jihad, the most formidable fighting terrorist group in Gaza besides Hamas military wing, its leadership is in Damascus. And even though it is a hardcore Sunni group, it has stayed aligned with Damascus, in alliance with Hezbollah and Iran, all throughout the fighting. So you have these underlying themes that make the fabric of what's going on not nearly as simple or linear as it appears.

VAUSE: Back to you, Bob, for this one, and we'll finish on this. What has been interesting about this conflict in the last 25 days has been the division within the Arab world, there are countries like Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia which pretty much sided with Israel because they have absolutely no love for Hamas, especially Egypt, which sees it just as a Palestinian version of the Muslim brotherhood. I guess in some ways has Netanyahu played that well?

BAER: I think Netanyahu has been very fortunate with this because Hamas is the Muslim brotherhood by, you know, all definitions, it just uses a different name. And I think Egyptians certainly would like to see it defeated. They don't like the civilian losses but like to see the organization defeated, as would the Syrians, as with the Saudis, as UAE, as Kuwait would as well. It is, for them, the Muslim brotherhood is the existential threat to those regimes. And if Hamas were to win this conflict, it would have repercussions across the Middle East. And the only country that really supports Hamas is Qatar, but that's sort of insignificant at this point. So you're seeing a weird alliance between the Arab regimes and Israel to destroy what they consider a very dangerous virus.

VAUSE: And that alliance seems in many ways is allowing Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military to continue on with this offensive, much longer than anybody really expected this to go on.

Robert McFadden, thank you. And Bob Baer, as always, thank you for being with us. We appreciate your insight.

And Poppy, back to you.

HARLOW: All right, John, fascinating discussion. Thank you all. We are going to talk a lot more through the evening about Qatar being really a stand-alone in terms of supporting Hamas in the Arab world right now. We will talk about that a little later.

But coming up here in the CNN NEWSROOM, the struggle to reach the crash site of flight MH-17 takes a positive turn. Finally, teams able to reach and survey the wreckage.

Next, we will take you live to a conversation with one of the international monitors on the ground about what they have found.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARLOW: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I am Poppy Harlow in New York. Now, the eastern Ukraine where the search and clean-up of Malaysia flight 17 is finally reaching a new more positive phase. High level talks on both sides have made it possible for investigators to finally reach that crash site. The teams took a new route from the north, it was only one day on scene, today may be the second day, but this proved valuable in terms of retrieving information that has been lacking in the two weeks since the plane went down.

Let's bring in now Michael Bociurkiw. He is the OSCE spokesman for the Ukraine monitoring mission.

So, you have been there throughout. And I am so glad that your teams have finally been able to safely reach the wreckage. That has been a long time coming. Day after day being turned back because of all of the violence. Let's begin with this. What have your teams on the ground been able to find?

MICHAEL BOCIURKIW, OSCE SPOKESMAN, UKRAINE MONITORING MISSION: Thanks, Poppy. Good to be back with you. Well, today was the second day where we had an unprecedented number of experts out there, over 100 Australian and Dutch experts in uniform with sniffer dogs and other equipment combing fields. And they, for the second day. did find more victim remains. And also, there was an effort today to also go after some key evidence, some pieces of fuselage. That unfortunately didn't work out well, because there was shelling in the area. But again, the most important thing today was to see all of that effort out there. And we can imagine how the families feel now seeing that this huge effort is going on.

HARLOW: We have some images to show our viewers. I'm going to bring them on the screen as we talk about this. These photos coming from your teams on the ground there, looking at some of the wreckage, looking at the investigators, et cetera.

Two hundred and ninety eight people on board that plane, 298 victims in all of this. And we heard this week that as many as 80 of the victims' bodies may still be at the crash site. How much time is needed for your teams to safely day-in and day-out be able to fully examine the wreckage, try to bring the bodies home?

BOCIURKIW: Yes, it is a very difficult situation to assess. So obviously, probably weeks are needed in an ideal situation. But I can tell you, Poppy, listening to the kind of orientation, pep talk yesterday that the commanders gave to teams on the ground is they said treat every day as if this is your last day on site because that front line is moving back and forth. And even today, they said we got pretty close to some live fire, and had to retreat a little bit.

And the other thing, Poppy, of course, is the terrain. You have bodies of water there, you have woods, you have high grass, sunflowers fields, very, very difficult to find stuff out there. HARLOW: And important to remember how vast this crash site is,

spanning for kilometers and kilometers with different parts of the plane very far from other parts. Bottom line, what is your team on the ground there need most? Obviously they need protection because there's killing going on within miles of where they are. What else do they need most on the ground now?

BOCIURKIW: Well, the most important thing right now is to keep that safe, unhindered access going. And that's basically our function as an OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine. It is every day, we kind of renegotiate and get that corridor, if you will, for the inspectors to get in there.

It requires talks on the rebel side and also on the Ukrainian government side. But two days in a row, tomorrow will be another day. If that holds, that will allow a lot of crucial work to be done. First of all, victim remain recovery, and then slowly moving to the more kind of criminal investigation activity of collecting the debris, crucial debris, and sending it off for proper examination.

HARLOW: And it is certainly going to be awhile before we know how much that evidence has been tampered with, because this is an unprecedented situation. And our hearts go out to all of the families that lost 298 people.

Michael, to you and your team, thank you for what you've done on the ground there over the last two weeks. There have been a lot of sleepless nights and we appreciate it. Thank you.

BOCIURKIW: My pleasure. Thank you.

HARLOW: All right, coming up next here in the NEWSROOM, back to the other top story today. The first ever Ebola patient arrives in the United States, right in Atlanta. Would you feel comfortable with the victim of this virus in your city? What is the risk, what is myth, what is reality. We're going to break it down next.

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HARLOW: All right. A quick update on one of the day's top stories. The first of two Ebola patients has arrived in the United States. It just happened a few hours ago.

Dr. Kent Brantly arriving by ambulance at Emory University hospital in Atlanta this afternoon. He's been taken to an isolation unit. Now, the medical plane that flew him here is already on its way back to Liberia to pick up a second Ebola patient and bring that them back here, that patient Nancy Writebol.

According to the CDC Brantly and Writebol will be the first Ebola patients ever to be treated in the United States. And while there's no question they deserve the best health care available some are also concerned about what the potential risks are involved in bringing them to the U.S.

I want to bring in Congressman Adam Schiff. He joins me now. And I want to talk about this, Congressman. But first, I'd like to read you a statement from Dr. Kent Brantly's wife that we just received. Let me read it in full here.

It says, quote, "it was a relief to welcome Kent home today. I spoke with him and he is glad to be back in the U.S. I am thankful to God for his safe transport and for giving him the strength to walk into the hospital. Please continue praying for Kent and Nancy and please continue praying for the people of Liberia and those who continue to serve them there."

Of course, these are two people that were trying to help Ebola victims and then contracted it themselves. You know, we also heard that (INAUDIBLE) and Kent's parents were watching CNN earlier today and saw him be able to walk out of the ambulance which shows us a sign of where he stands and that brought them to tears, the fact that he had the ability to walk out.

From what you're hearing from your constituents, Congressman, what are they saying? Are they comfortable with an Ebola patient coming into the United States and would you be comfortable with having them in your district?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: Yes, I would be. And I think my constituents are happy that he's home because the treatment will be better here. It has a greater chance of saving his life. These are very brave people that are doing a real service in a dangerous part of the world, all the more dangerous given this outbreak. So I'm glad that they're home. And I think we have taken great precautions and will take great precautions to quarantine these patients so that there is very little risk of spread.

Frankly I think, Poppy, the greater risk is people coming into the country that we don't know have a virus, if not this than a different virus. That's a much greater risk and obviously we're taking precautions on that as well.

HARLOW: Yes. We're showing some video right now, Congressman, if you can see it. You know, they are even a police officer close to that ambulance. Others in relative proximity that are not in those protective gear suits. So it is important to note that our Sanjay Gupta has been reporting throughout that this is not easily contracted through the air virus. You have to really have really organ-to-organ or you have to have different -- it comes through secretions, saliva, blood, et cetera. So that's important to note.

When you talk about the decision, do you have any insight in to how this decision was made to bring Dr. Brantly and also his colleague back to the United States for treatment? Because that decision was made behind closed doors. Do you have any information on that? How that was made?

SCHIFF: Well, I think the CDC has said that the Samaritan organization in which they were serving in Africa, they made the decision they wanted to bring back their two personnel, and then it was really a question of coordinating with the CDC and other health care providers to make sure that could be done safely and what the mechanism would be. And I think that's the way it should be. We shouldn't preclude Americans from coming home when they're sick. I think the role of government is actually to facilitate making sure that they're safe when they come home and the community is safe and I have every confidence that we can do that.

We have to realize the best way to stop this outbreak is to stop it at its source in West Africa and that means we are going to need doctors there and health care personnel. So there are going to be these risks, but they are very measured risks and I don't think we should be so spooked because of the novelty of this terrible virus that we turn our back on Americans who are in trouble.

HARLOW: Yes. It's such an important point. People have to know the facts about how this is spread and what the dangers really are, not what the perceived dangers are.

Congressman Schiff, we appreciate it. Stay with us. We are going to speak with you much more next hour. And our thoughts go out to the families of both of those patients as they get the best treatment possible here in the United States.

Ahead here also in the NEWSROOM more from the Middle East after a quick break.

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