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Body Count Rises in Gaza; American Ebola Patient Enters U.S. Hospital; Dangerous Drinking Water in Toledo; American Family Stuck In Israel; Meshaal Palestinians Using Self Defense; Russian Jet Chases U. S. Spy Plane
Aired August 03, 2014 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. We'd like to welcome our viewers in the U.S. and around the world.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Jake Tapper in Jerusalem. These stories are topping our news this hour.
WHITFIELD: New violence erupts in Gaza. Another U.N.-run shelter is attacked as the casualties are counted. We are also learning new details surrounding the death of an Israeli soldier. We're live in the Middle East with the latest.
Plus, an American infected with Ebola fighting for his life in an Atlanta hospital. How he was evacuated from West Africa and the latest on his condition now that he has been in the U.S. in medical care for a day.
And an entire American city is without drinkable water. How Toledo's water became contaminated. And why you still can't drink it even if it is boiled.
We start today in the Middle East where Gaza is rocked by another blast near a school. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 10 people died today in shelling near the United Nations run school. U.N. officials say the school has been sheltering nearly 3,000 people. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon calls the attack a moral outrage and a criminal act. U.S. has also condemned it.
The Israeli military says its forces were targeting Islamic jihad militants in the vicinity of the school and it is reviewing what happened.
This is the third time in the past few weeks we've seen blasts or at -- or near a U.N. run school in Gaza.
The rockets keep flying toward Israel, as well. The Israeli military reports at least 80 rockets have been fired into Israel since midnight.
Also today, the funeral for an Israeli soldier who originally was thought to have been captured by Hamas. The Israeli military now says Lt. Hadir Goldin was killed by a suicide bomber. Two other Israeli soldiers died in that suicide bombing on Friday.
That attack quickly ended. And it was supposed to be a 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
A short time ago, CNN's Wolf Blitzer spoke to the U.N.'s special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT SERRY, U.N. SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS: This was a serious breach. And both the secretary-general and also Secretary Kerry, as the two who have been announcing the ceasefire have been very clear that this was a very serious breach of the ceasefire.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, THE SITUATION ROOM: By whom?
SERRY: By Hamas.
BLITZER: So Hamas, the United Nations believes, broke that ceasefire?
SERRY: Yes.
BLITZER: Why? Why would they do that? You have commitments, you believe, from Hamas at the highest levels, right?
SERRY: Exactly.
BLITZER: So what happened?
SERRY: Well, what happened. There's always a lot of fog in a war, Wolf. I have also, and you must have heard that also from the other side, from the Hamas side that they have been complaining about possibly lines having been -- Israeli lines have been moved, maybe even prior to the eight hour, which then technically not a breach of the ceasefire. But not in the spirit, I must say, of a ceasefire. This has never been -- this actually has been denied by the IDF to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Jake Tapper is live for us now in Jerusalem.
So, Jake, the big news in Gaza is the shelling of that U.N. school. Has there been any reaction?
TAPPER: Fredricka, obviously there has been a strong condemnation, as you mentioned, from the United Nations. This is hardly the first time this has happened in this three-plus week military campaign. The Israeli Defense Forces have made a very robust defense saying that there were three members of Palestinian Islamic jihad on a motorcycle who were spotted in the vicinity. They are launching an investigation. But another Israeli Defense Force general said Hamas has made a special effort during the past few weeks to fire from U.N. facilities. A larger explanation.
But then there is what I think is the strongest condemnation to date by the U.S. government, by the Obama administration with the spokeswoman from the U.S. State Department, Jen Psaki, saying, quote, "The United States is appalled by today's disgraceful shelling outside a U.N. school in Rafah, sheltering some 3,000 displaced persons in which at least 10 more Palestinian civilians were tragically killed.
"The coordinates of the school like all U.N. facilities in Gaza have been repeatedly communicated to the Israeli Defense Force, as we once again stress that Israel must do more to meet its own standards and avoid civilian casualties, U.N. facilities, especially those sheltering civilians must be protected and must not be used as basis from which to launch attacks."
That's a statement both to the Palestinians as well as the Israelis. But then specifically pointedly at Israel, the suspicion that militants are operating nearby does not justify strikes that put at risk the lives of so many innocent civilians.
So, Fredricka, a very strong statement from the U.S. State Department about the attack on that school.
WHITFIELD: And Jake, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said just yesterday that the military will continue its operation to destroy Hamas' tunnels. Is there any update on that plan today?
TAPPER: Well, they continue with the operation to destroy the tunnels. Last I was told, they were -- they felt -- the Israel Defense Forces felt they were nearing completion of that, they knew of 31 tunnels from Gaza into Israel. They have been used by Hamas and other extremist groups to attack Israel Defense Forces. But as of now, no specific announcement that they have finished with that.
WHITFIELD: All right.
TAPPER: No end in --
WHITFIELD: Go ahead.
TAPPER: No end in sight, of course, in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. The Israeli military saying at least 80 rockets have been fired at Israel just since midnight. And according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 71 Palestinians have been killed today as we noted.
CNN's Martin Savidge has made his way to Gaza and he joins us now live to bring us up to date on what's going on, on the ground in Gaza -- Martin.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Jake. Yes, as you can see, you know, the sun has set here in this part of the world in the city of Gaza. Gaza City, which is a city of half million people. Normally you would think it would be brightly illuminated but due to the fact that the power is pretty much cut here because, one, an attack on a plant, but two, because of power lines coming in from Israel. As a result you look out on a city that is in almost total darkness. Now there are a few places where you get islands of light that's
probably coming from private generators. But otherwise, it is plunged into darkness. But let me show you something we saw just after sunset from our vantage point here. Take a look.
Can't tell whether you can hear it. But what we saw was a brilliant flash of light from our camera vantage point here. And then after that, you hear what sounds like the thunder, and what that really is rocket launches going out from just about maybe 300 yards away or several hundred yards away from this building.
Now what that indicates to you is, of course, what Israel already knows. There continues to be rocket fire coming from Gaza. But also shows how this city, how the -- how the weapons are embedded into the population. And that is why it is difficult for Israel to strike at them. It is also why, when Israel does strike, there can be civilian casualties. But clearly -- and you don't know if it's Hamas or any number of other militant groups that are launching these rockets, but they aren't afraid to use the buildings and the population here as a way to try to hide and protect them when they do. So that's what the situation looks like right now -- Jake.
TAPPER: With deadly consequences for the Palestinian people, of course.
Martin Savidge, thanks so much.
Now back to Fredricka in Atlanta -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. We're going to get back to you, Jake. Thanks so much.
Up next, an American doctor infected with the Ebola virus. What's his condition 24 hours after he arrived at an American hospital?
And later, what left Toledo, Ohio, without safe drinking water? And when will it be safe to drink again?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A day after arriving at an Atlanta hospital, the condition of the American doctor infected with Ebola is so far unchanged. Dr. Kent Brantly contracted the virus while treating patients in Liberia. He's the first person to ever be treated in the States for Ebola.
Brantly was evacuated to Emory University Hospital where they have a specialized unit designed to treat highly infectious diseases. And a family representative said Brantly was -- was briefly reunited, rather, with his family and as well as his wife at the hospital.
The couple spent about 45 minutes together separated by a glass wall. The rest of the family each got to spend about 15 minutes.
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at how Brantly made his way home from West Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The fight to keep American Dr. Kent Brantly alive is now in the hands of infectious disease experts at Atlanta's Emory Hospital. The 33-year- old Brantly, a missionary with Samaritan's Purse, made the long journey from Liberia to the United States in a specially equipped jet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm worried about him. Yes, I am. But he'll be OK, regardless.
GUPTA: After nearly 6,000 miles, 14 hours in the air, Brantly touched down Saturday morning in Atlanta. But not before a brief refueling in Bangor, Maine. He's the first known Ebola patient on U.S. soil.
I spoke with Dr. Bruce Ribner, one of the leading physicians overseeing Brantly's care. He says there was never a question of bringing the two Americans who contracted Ebola to Emory. They were ready for them.
(On camera): Why take the risk at all?
DR. BRUCE RIBNER, EMORY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: I think you've been in that part of the world. And you know the level of care that can be delivered. These are Americans who went over there to supply a humanitarian mission of medical care for these individuals. And our feeling is that they deserve the best medical care to try and resolve this infection that they can get.
GUPTA (voice-over): By early Saturday afternoon, Brantly was transferred from his isolation on board the plane into an ambulance on the tarmac. Then a caravan took to the streets of Atlanta where his every move was tracked by air and ground. Awaiting him at the hospital, a specially outfitted containment unit, one of only several on the world.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What sort of message do you have for folks at home, general public, that were concerned about having an American with the Ebola virus here in their backyard?
DR. JAY VARKEY, INFECTIOUS DISEASES DOCTOR, EMORY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: I think that's the key point. That this is not a virus, this is a patient. This is one of our neighbors. This is a parent. This is a child. This is a spouse. This is a sibling. This is a sick person who needs our help.
GUPTA: The other American missionary, Nancy Writebol, is awaiting her trip back to the United States as well. Around 12:30 Saturday afternoon, about an hour after the plane landed at Dobbins Air Force Base, it was back in the air, and she's expected to join her colleague at Emory early next week.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That case of Ebola came into the U.S. in a very controlled, careful environment. But could someone with Ebola get on a commercial plane and fly into the U.S.? And how can you protect yourself from any infectious diseases when you do travel?
I'm joined now by Dr. Mark Gendreau from Boston, a physician at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center. He focuses on staying healthy when you travel, especially by plane. He's also going to give us some tips in just a minute.
But, first, Dr. Gendreau, I want to ask you, how likely is it that Ebola could get into the United States in a non-controlled environment?
DR. MARK GENDREAU, PHYSICIAN, LAHEY HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER: You know, there is some risk there, but the risk is very, very low. I mean, there has been cases of viral hemorrhagic fever infections that are similar to Ebola who have come to the United States. We had a case in, I believe, 2009 of a passenger who was flying from London to JFK in New Jersey and checked himself into a hospital. And he ended up having Lassa fever which is similar to Ebola.
The CDC did track 18 people who they believed were close contacts with this passenger during the flight and everybody did well and -- there was not any problems. So the risk is very, very low.
WHITFIELD: So you have, still, a list for us, of tips that you say can help people fly healthy. A few of them are keep yourself well hydrated, bring an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, wipe down the tray aboard the planes, buses and trains. Why are these things so important to you?
GENDREAU: Well, the biggest thing that you can do is to sanitize your hands. Most infectious diseases that are going to be -- that we come in contact with, we introduce to ourselves through our hands by touching inanimate objects, such as the trays, seat, a kiosk or whatnot. So it's very, very important to sanitize your hands. It needs to be ethyl alcohol based product that has at least 60 percent ethyl alcohol in it.
This particular Ebola virus is an enveloped virus. And enveloped viruses do -- are -- ethyl alcohol is effective with enveloped viruses. So I do think that the key here is to make sure that your hands are well sanitized. We touch our eyes, nose and mouth about 200 times a day, which gives ample opportunity for introduction of infectious diseases.
WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. Gendreau. Thank you so much for your time and great tips. Appreciate it.
GENDREAU: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: People in Toledo, Ohio, still can't drink or even cook with their city's tap water even if it's boiled. What's making it so dangerous? And when will the advisory end?
We'll have an update for you next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Bottled water is flying off the shelves in Toledo, Ohio. A water advisory is still in effect this afternoon. Tests show a toxin caused by algae blooms is in the city's water system.
CNN's Alexandra Field joins us now.
So, Alexandra, do you have any word on the latest test results?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, this morning, we're hearing from the mayor of Toledo who said that he's seeing some encouraging signs. But the fact is that this water's been tested in four different locations by a variety of different methods and really elected officials and environmental officials are going to hold off. They need to see all of these test results before they can figure out with any certainty whether or not this water is safe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FIELD (voice-over): The National Guard delivering water by the truckload. The Red Cross handing out gallons.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come get them. Come get it. Come get it.
FIELD: The store shelves are empty and people in Ohio are clamoring for cases.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In case I don't have water, my baby doesn't eat. So that's going to be an issue.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can't wash dishes, can't wash up, you can't cook, it's hell.
FIELD: Four hundred thousand people in the Toledo area are without drinking water. Boiling it will only make the problem worse. The warnings first issued on Saturday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want the community to know that everything is being done that is humanly possible.
FIELD: The issue appears to stem from algae blooms growing in Lake Erie. Routine testing of the water supply turned up two samples with readings for microcystin, a toxin sometimes released by algae blooms. More testing is underway, but additional results are needed before the ban can be lifted.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I can tell you is everything is trending in a very positive direction.
FIELD: Businesses and restaurants are closed for the weekend. Officials say the water is safe for adults to bathe in but that's not recommended for people with sensitive skin or weakened immune systems. The toxin can cause sickness and affect the liver. In the worst cases, it can lead to liver failure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was stressful at first. Definitely worrying about I have a couple of dogs at home and four children. And I wanted to make sure we had enough water to brush our teeth and be able to drink it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't appreciate it. You don't know about it until you don't have it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FIELD: A lot of people there eager to see their water deemed safe again. But Fred, we should point out that these algae blooms can be a persistent problem. There is something that water treatment facilities are able to treat for. You can add a chemical to the water to neutralize the toxin but there's only so much chemical that you're able to add to the water, which is why it's so important to determine, you know, how much of a toxin there is in the water at this point.
WHITFIELD: Boy, very potentially dangerous there. Thanks so much, Alexandra Field.
A former high school student featured in the CNN series "CHICAGOLAND" was shot and wounded this weekend. That's according to the "Chicago Tribune" and the "Sun-times". In the original series, 20-year-old Lee McCollum, Jr. had spoken about wanting to turn his life around.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: During his four years at (INAUDIBLE), Lee McCollum made a remarkable transition. He went from being a street kid, running with a violent crowd, to a student leader with his sights set on college.
LEE MCCOLLUM, FENGER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE: My two worries in life are not making it and being unsuccessful and ending up on the streets being a bum. And the second worry is scared. I want to be a father that can be able to provide for their family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Police are investigating whether the shooting was gang related. No one is in custody.
A family from New York is stuck in Israel as the violence continues and the sirens blare.
It's been a frightening experience for them. We'll talk to them next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN center. I'd like to welcome our viewers around the world.
TAPPER: And I'm Jake Tapper, I'm live in Jerusalem. Here is what we know. A blast near a school turned shelter in Gaza today killed at least 10 people according to Palestinian officials. U.N. Secretary- General Ban Ki-Moon calls the attack a, quote, "moral outrage." The U.S. State Department condemning it, as well, calling the shelling disgraceful. Israel's military says it was targeting Islamic jihad militants in the vicinity and they are looking into what happened.
The situation in Gaza is quickly deteriorating even further. Palestinians say they're living without water, sanitation or primary health care. Doctors are working 20-hour shifts just to keep up. Palestinian officials now say more than 1800 people have died since the Gaza conflict began.
In Israel today, mourners attended the funeral for a soldier originally said to have been captured by Hamas. The Israeli military now says that he was killed in a suicide bombing attack near a Hamas tunnel.
Here in Israel and this region of the world, conflict is sadly something people get used to. But for one American family stuck here during the latest fighting, it's been a scary experience.
While the civilian death toll in Israel is low, especially compared to neighboring Gaza, the fear factor is quite high. An hour or so ago, sirens went off again, warning of Hamas rockets. I'm joined now by David from Long Island, New York.
His wife and children were visiting family in Israel when the fighting began. He rushed here to try to get them out. David, I want to play a video today of an alert for an incoming rocket while you were in a shopping mall. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Red alert. Rocket coming in. This is what we go through every single day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: You can see there, everyone evacuating. David, obviously, the media has been more focused on people actually being killed in Gaza than the fear of being killed here in Israel. But for you, this was a very frightening experience and very different than reading about it in the newspapers or watching it on CNN back in New York City.
DAVID SELIKTAR, AMERICAN WHO JOINED FAMILY IN ISRAEL: Well, yes, but just in response to what you said as far as the fear of being killed as opposed to being killed in Gaza. I feel for any civilians being killed in Gaza. The iron dome. The technology on developing the iron dome.
Thank God we have it. Thank God for the collaboration with America and the funding for America. But, you know, while we were doing that here, Hamas is spending their money on building terror tunnels to attack Israel. It's very unfortunate there are civilian deaths.
And I really do feel for them. Let's all remember who Hamas is. Who the leadership that was voted in was. I truly believe there are many good civilians in Gaza. But Hamas has a history for many years. Suicide bombings and buses. They tried to kidnap many people, many times, even during this conflict. TAPPER: Understood. But since you're here to share with us your experience so fellow Americans back in the United States and others around the world who might not know what it is like to be going through one of these experiences that you're not used to, although people in this part of the world, people in Israel are used to. What is it like when you're walking in a mall and that alarm goes off? You're here with your wife and children?
SELIKTAR: My wife and four young children. Yes, we're staying at my father-in-law's place.
TAPPER: How old are you kids?
SELIKTAR: The oldest is 5-1/2. You're right, being in a shopping mall, fortunately there are bomb bunkers.
TAPPER: I'm not belittling it. How did your kids react to it?
SELIKTAR: We tell them they're fire drills. They have no idea there's a war going on. And you're right, it is terrifying being woken up at 5:00 in the morning knowing there's a missile, a rocket coming in the direction of your town, directly at you. And getting to the bunker in less than a minute is a terrifying experience.
TAPPER: Where are you? Where are you staying? What part of Israel?
SELIKTAR: It's about 40 miles away, 40, 50 miles away from Gaza.
TAPPER: And how much is a warning is there? Because I know in places, which are c
SELIKTAR: It's about a 15-second warning. Here in Jerusalem, more of a 90-second warning.
TAPPER: There are other places in the south that have been under attack for 13 years. 13 years by rockets. They had 15 seconds. And, you know, it's the norm for them to run to bomb shelters while at school for the last decade.
A lot of psychological trauma. What -- we're going to show a video right now of you driving in a taxi as you arrived.
SELIKTAR: Right.
TAPPER: And the alarm going off. Tell us we only have a little bit of time left. Tell us, you feel stuck here as opposed to -- can you explain that?
SELIKTAR: I wouldn't use the word stuck. Look, the route to the airport, you have to jump out of the car, hit the floor, duck for cover. Definitely not an appealing situation to be in. Look, I have a sister-in-law. My wife's only sister. We came here for that.
Throughout the last two weeks and we intend on continuing our trip and being here with them. And, you know, I would feel as if I'm leaving them behind at this point. We're in this together. Wouldn't use the word stuck. There are flights in and out of Israel all the time.
TAPPER: I misunderstood. We hope you and your family remain safe. Appreciate you sharing your story with us. Fredericka, back to you at the CNN Center.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks so much, Jake. We'll check back with you momentarily.
Meantime, one U.S. official calls the leader of Hamas a, quote, "savvy political operative. But he once came close to an assassination. We'll tell you more about him next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFI: The bloodshed continues today. Israel will continue to fight Hamas until all militant tunnels are destroyed, Jake.
TAPPER: That's right. The political leader of Hamas, meanwhile, he rarely speaks out publicly. But sat down for an exclusive interview with Nic Robertson who is in Abu Dhabi.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Hamas has responded very quickly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's latest statement. They are saying this is an admission of failure and defeat and confusion.
We talked about the breakdown of the cease-fire there that Israel has said that Hamas was responsible for the ending of what was supposed to be a 72-hour truce. This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHALED MESHAAL, HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER (through translator): The Israeli position is unacceptable. This is because a truce is a truce. But the presence of the Israeli forces inside Gaza and destroying the tunnels means it is an aggression because they are inside the Gaza territories.
Therefore, we told Mr. Kerry that the Palestinian resistance has the right to self-defense and the right to deal with invading Israeli forces who are inside our Gaza territories with the necessary means. We did not deceive Mr. John Kerry, and we did not deceive the Israelis. We fight honourably. Therefore, they are the ones who should be responsible for this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: I asked him also about the possibility of another truce to get another humanitarian cease-fire in place. He said that was possible that they were ready for it. Sent a team to Cairo to talk about this, indirect talks is how he described it. But he said the issue of a permanent cease-fire would be much harder. Allow the people there to lead normal lives.
He indicated that is still not something he sees happening any time soon. He says, do you feel you're winning? Does Hamas have victory right now? He said steadfastness and holding out against the Israeli forces. He said that in itself was a fact showed they were winning. Nic Robertson, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
WHITFIELD: So the man we heard from, Khaled Meshaal is said to be indispensable to Hamas.
TAPPER: That's because of his ability to make political deals and secure money. But the man leading Hamas against Israel right now once came very close to assassination. And CNN's Brian Todd has more on how Khaled Meshaal rose to power.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): September 1997, Khaled Meshaal was hours, perhaps minutes away from dying. He'd been walking on the streets of Amman, Jordan when two men later reported to be agents of Israel's intelligence agency injected or sprayed him with poison.
MESHAAL (through translator): I heard a loud noise in my ear. It felt like an electric shock.
TODD: The Israeli agents were captured. Jordan's king reportedly threatened to put them on trial if the Israeli government didn't provide an antidote.
(on camera): The White House even intervened, President Bill Clinton, trying to keep between Jordan and Israel pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu widely reported to have ordered the hit on Meshaal in retaliation for suicide attacks in Israel. He was revived.
MESHAAL: Once he survived this attack, this leader who was previously relatively unknown became very popular. His stature goes straight to the top. He's the living martyr.
TODD: He is now the leader of the Hamas movement. He recently spoke to CBS news.
MESHAAL: We are not fanatics. We are not fundamentalists.
TODD: But one Israeli official calls the 58-year-old former teacher the Osama Bin Laden of Hamas. Analysts say he's an inspirational commander for attacks and a deal maker occurring status and money for Hamas from his home in Qatar.
That is the ATM of Hamas right now providing significant funding to Hamas and Meshaal is the point man for that. In a recent interview with CNN's Becky Anderson, the foreign minister denied that.
It's not clear how much control he has over the military wing of Hamas, which launches the attacks on Israel. And street cred is an issue. He's reportedly been to Gaza only once and the Israelis themselves may be trying to undermine his standing, painting him as an insulated, pampered jihadist.
He's roaming around five-star hotel suites in the gulf states having the time of his life while his people, while he's deliberately putting his people as fodder for this horrible terrorist war they're conducting against us.
Analysts say he wants to eventually become leader of all the Palestinians. But will he? The U.S. has designated him a terrorist. The Americans and Europeans would have a tough time recognizing his legitimacy and his survivability is in question.
There are a lot of rivalries within Hamas. And when I asked if the Israelis might target him again, an Israeli official said no comment. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO
TAPPER: That's the man in charge of the political wing of Hamas. Meanwhile, there is this news from the military wing of Hamas. They just issued a message via text promising some sort of new attack against Israel to quote them. They said, quote, "Just you wait, we will show you," unquote. A foreboding warning -- Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Foreboding, indeed. All right, Jake, so much. We'll get back to you momentarily.
A U.S. spy plane in a game of chicken with a Russian jet. Sounds like a movie plot, right? It's not. We'll tell you what happened.
But first, on today's travel insider, we're checking out some Atlanta sites that you won't find in most travel brochures.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD BLAZE: I'm Richard Blaze, chef, author, restaurateur. We're at a vintage old shop, it's one of the neat things here Paris on ponce. They curate curators. You're in one shop, but you're in 50 shops.
This is a cutting board and actually some reclaimed walnut wood here. This is going to be perfect for my restaurant. This is kind of neat, this fridge. The clam shell wind chime. You don't see that every day. This is a mortar and -- I can use this to make some great pesto maybe.
You have weird, interesting stuff like a stuffed skunk. This dome, actually, I might be able to use. It has a skull under it. Some cheese under it might be a little bit better.
My goodness. Look at this chair. This is what I'm talking about. You come for knives and forks and plates, you leave with the kings throne.
Right now, we're in the red room. They do a lot of private events. And I totally can see why. Another amazing thing here is it's totally dog friendly.
These are the fun things you can do here, as well. Even if I'm not going to buy a fencing mask. I need my sword and just when you thought you'd checked every nook and cranny, you find what you've been looking for. Some vintage knives. There we go. Got some inspiration, really cool stuff. Thanks for checking out Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Welcome back. We'll have more live coverage from the Middle East in just a few minutes. But now to another big story we're following, a U.S. spy plane similar to that one right there evaded an encounter with the Russian military a day after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down.
Let's bring in CNN's Erin McPike at the White House. This is a U.S. Air Force plane that was. In international air space? What happened?
ERIN MCPIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, that's right, it was a U.S. Air Force spy plane essentially there to spy on the Russians and then got caught. The actual plane used was an RV135 rivet joint. And it was used to eavesdrop on the Russian military. But then the Russian military was using land-based radar tracking to track the plane and then sent a Russian fighter jet to intercept the plane.
Well, once that happened, a U.S. official tells CNN that the plane needed to get out of that air zone right away. So it entered into Swedish air space without permission. We got a comment from a State Department official who says we acknowledge a U.S. aircraft veered into Swedish air space and will take active steps to ensure we've properly communicated with Swedish authorities in advance to prevent similar issues before they arise.
Now, these things happen with some frequency that Russian fighter jets and U.S. planes can come into near contact. There was almost a collision in April to a U.S. plane and a Russian plane were very close. But what's interesting about this is that the Russian military was using this tracking system to track it. That doesn't happen very often.
And when President Obama says that we are not returning to the cold war, episodes like this make it feel that way -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: It does, indeed. Thanks so much.
All right, CNN's "THE HUNT" has helped find a dangerous fugitive. We've got details on how police tracked him down and the gun battle that happened once he was cornered.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now, singing is just a love of mine. For now, I'll keep it that way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Singing has always provided her with a release as he tours the world on the tennis circuit -- admits, her enthusiasm can get the better of her. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sometimes I have long days and I get back to the hotel late. There were a few times where I started singing and then just suddenly got caught up in it and was singing for like an hour and get a phone call from the front desk. And usually they're a bit perplexed. You know, they're like, somebody's been worried that there's somebody singing.
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WHITFIELD: We're getting more details on the events that led police to a shootout with a fugitive in New York City. A fugitive that had been featured on "THE HUNT" with John Walsh seen on CNN in the U.S. Deborah Feyerick has more.
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DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The search for suspected child molester and fugitive, Charles Mozdir ends here. The shootout at a Manhattan west village smoke shop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mozdir fired upon the officers at very close range and the officers returned fire.
FEYERICK: Members of the U.S. Marshal's New York-New Jersey regional task force tracked Mozdir to this busy street after a profile on CNN'S "THE HUNT WITH JOHN WALSH."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My son sat me down and he said mom I have something to tell you.
FEYERICK: Charlie Mozdir, as friends called him, was suspected of molesting his 5-year-old god son as the boy's matter slept nearby. The segment was still airing when a Florida woman called the hotline with a crucial lead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The tipster stated, I know Mozdr.
FEYERICK (on camera): In New York, people who knew him, knew him as John Smith. The heavy set guy with the bushy beard and ponytail who seemed to blend in with the darker, slightly seedier side of life here on West 4th street.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had a history of working in smoke shops. He had a hobby of blowing glass, which would come in handy at a smoke shop.
FEYERICK: And he seemed friendly enough on Yelp, customers rated the man they called big john as super helpful. Another saying, quote, "John is the dude. He was pretty chilled and very helpful. He was also under the radar looking blocks from the shop in apartment 3A with his black Labrador, Lucky.
NATASHA CHALLAPALLY, NEIGHBOR: The way he just stared at you and just, you know, not friendly and, you know. And just gave out bad vibes despite being a dog.
FEYERICK: Police later searched his apartment and uncovered a computer, laptop and a West Virginia driver's license.
STEVE JURMAN, U.S. MARSHAL: He managed to do everything in cash, probably obtained a very good fake I.D. trying to live completely off the grid.
FEYERICK: Off the grid until "THE HUNT" and the crucial hot line tips that followed.
(on camera): Around lunchtime Monday, the U.S. Marshals regional task force made its move. And NYPD detective went in and identified Modzir. He was alone and wary. When he saw the two U.S. marshals run in, that's when he grabbed a 0.32 caliber revolver and was able to get off five shots.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: During the exchange of gunfire, the detective and two marshals were wounded. Charles Modzir was shot dead.
FEYERICK: One U.S. marshal was shot near the leg, another in the arm. The NYPD detective assigned to the task force shot three times, including in the abdomen. Modzir had an additional 20 wounds of ammo in his pockets.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The way to see is where the ballots end and (INAUDIBLE) were recovered in the vest.
FEYERICK: All of the officers retreated and relieved. Modzir's life as a fugitive traveling from his California home to Mexico, Georgia, Florida and New York had come to a violent end.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
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WHITFIELD: And our viewers in the U.S. can watch "THE HUNT" with John Walsh tonight 9:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
We have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and all starts right now.
