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A Look at Hamas Rockets; Red Cross Tours Gaza; Bowe Bergdahl to Face Army Investigators Today; Becky Hammon Makes NBA History

Aired August 06, 2014 - 09:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We are just about 34 hours into the longest cease-fire yet between Israel and Gaza. Right now, a small team from the U.S. State Department is on its way to Cairo, Egypt, acting in a supportive role as Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet. They're using Egyptian officials as go-betweens for the negotiations.

In the meantime, back in Gaza, residents are trying to negotiate a new reality, one where homes and businesses, hospitals and markets once stood, are now leveled, taken out by Israeli rockets. But in the attacks, neither side can escape blame. During the conflict, critics have slammed Hamas, claiming it used its own people as human shields, firing rockets from neighborhoods full of civilians, and now an Indian TV network seems to confirm that. Take a look at what the news crew says it saw just outside the window of their hotel.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By reasonable doubt, it's fair to guess that this is a potential Hamas rocket launching site. That this is an area very heavily built up. A lot of residential and hotel, buildings all around. Sort of a bush on top of whatever they've buried under the sand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So that's the rocket being fired today, morning (ph), a day after it was assembled in the exact spot. The rocket is being fired, that's the smoke, we just showed a video of it in the immediate aftermath.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So let's talk about this. I want to bring in CNN military analyst Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona. Hi.

LT. COL. RICK FRANCONA (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hi. Good morning.

COSTELLO: It looks so rinky dink to me.

FRANCONA: Yes, this particular one is. It's a smaller rocket. Probably one of the homemade ones. You can launch it from any kind of a tube. You could use a car battery to ignite them. It's really quite simple, quite ingenious. And they'll go maybe 10 miles. This is not the rocket -- these are not the rockets that are a big threat to the Israelis.

COSTELLO: Well, let's talk about this kind of rocket for just a moment because it's so strange. So they're in the middle of a street and there's a little blue tarp and they're covering the rocket paraphernalia with branches and trees.

FRANCONA: Yes. And once they launch this, the Israelis will detect it because they have almost 24-hour coverage of the entire Gaza Strip. It's not that big. They've got these blimp-born cameras and sensors, plus all the drones, so they can see what's going on. And as they detect the rocket going up, they can immediately bring weapons to bear on these launch sites. The problem is, as you see there, this is in the middle of a crowded street right beside probably a school, a mosque, a hospital, something like that. So the Israelis are faced with a dilemma. Do they let it go or do they try and make a precision strike on that. And, of course, precision isn't always precise

COSTELLO: True. And we've seen that sadly many times. The other interesting factor is, once these guys fired off their rocket, they changed their clothes so that they could blend in -

FRANCONA: Yes.

COSTELLO: With the neighborhood.

FRANCONA: Yes. This is called shoot and scoot. This is a -- every military does this. Once you fire your weapon, you want to get out of there because they know what's coming next. And you -- like when you fire mortars or artillery, the other guy, whoever you're firing it at, generally has what's called a fire finder radar. He knows the incoming rounds are coming. He knows where they're from. So you fire an outgoing round. The Israelis are very good at that as well. And I think that's what we saw in some of these U.N. facilities, they were taking mortar rounds and they were sending mortar rounds back and not -- the guys down there at the trenches don't always know what's on the other side of that trajectory

COSTELLO: So these rockets don't have a massive range, right? So is it possible they would like fall within Gaza and harm Gaza's people?

FRANCONA: The Israelis estimate about 10 percent of the -- particularly the homemade, the al Qassam rockets that they fire, fall short. They misfire. I mean they're crudely made. When I was last in Gaza, I saw some of these rockets and what they'll do is they will take down sign pipes and make rockets out of them. Anything that's - anything that's cylindrical, made out of metal, they'll make a rocket out of it. So they're going to be very crude. They'll go two, three, four, five, six miles. All they do is need to get them to an Israeli town.

COSTELLO: Lieutenant Colonel Rick Francona, thanks so much.

Those rocket attacks we were just discussing have been coming from both sides, but the numbers, as well as the damage, well, they don't appear equal anyway. Israel's Defense Forces say more than 3,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel. In the meantime, United Nation agency officials counter that number, saying that more than 20,000 missiles and shells have been fired from Israel into Gaza. And, of course, that's left parts of Gaza absolutely devastated. Hospitals bombed, markets left in ruins. Nearly half a million people forced out of their homes.

So let's talk about this. We're joined by Cecilia Goin. She is the spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Celia, welcome back.

CECILIA GOIN, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Thank you so much.

COSTELLO: Have you had a chance to walk around Gaza?

GOIN: Well, I spent the week in Gaza two weeks ago, but -- so now I'm in Jerusalem. But we have, of course, our teams of people. The president of International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr. Peter Mauer (ph), yesterday spent the whole day in Gaza. He had the chance to go to different neighborhoods to be able to talk to people in the hospitals, not only with doctors, nurses, but also the people who are there, the wounded, the children. He managed also to go to difficult areas where in the past days it was impossible to go because of the ongoing fighting.

He's (ph) particularly devastated because of the impact of these armed conflict. I mean as you rightly side, there are over 450,000 people who are displaced or the majority are living with friends or relatives. But over most of 200,000 people, they are staying in shelters, such as the U.N. schools, or other public buildings. And there are many, many people who are living, they are homeless. So the numbers that 50,000 people they don't have home anymore, so there's a huge impact in the infrastructure.

You know that the only power plant in Gaza was completely damaged. It will take a year or more to repair. So the problem is that the majority of the population that we are talking about, 1.8 million people there, directly affected by water shortages or electricity cuts. So it's a huge problem right now in Gaza.

COSTELLO: Are there enough supplies to help?

GOIN: Well, in terms of drugs and disposal materials, the Red Cross, jointly with the Red Crescent, which is our brother organization, we are supporting the work done by the hospitals, particularly the Shifah (ph) Hospital, which is the main Rafah hospital in Gaza. We have teams of surgeons, nurses. We are trying to support as much as we can. A couple of days ago we were able to bring inside Gaza 3,000 units of blood from the ministry of health in Ramallah. So that was a huge help because, you know, the number of people we have 10,000 people who were wounded.

Just to give you a picture of what this armed conflict means, a couple of days ago after heavy fighting that took place in the south of the strip, in 20 minutes, 160 wounded people arrived at Shifah Hospital. Just imagine the picture. Most of the patients they were on the floor. The nurses, the doctors working around the clock. It was really, really hectic, but they managed to be able to provide first aid assistance to all of them.

So, really, the health system is working under a lot of pressure. We are trying to do as much as we can given the circumstance. The people, they went outside their houses. It's one day without bombs inside Gaza. So that's quite important. But nevertheless, they are afraid. No one knows what's going to happen when (ph) this cease-fire ends in two days.

COSTELLO: Cecelia Goin from the International Red Cross, thank you so much.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, he was held captive by the Taliban for five years. Today, Bowe Bergdahl faces Army investigators. Nick Valencia is following it all in San Antonio.

Hi, Nick.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. I'm Nick Valencia, just outside of Ft. Sam Houston here in San Antonio, where U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl will be questioned by a Pentagon investigator. I'll have all the details after the break. You're watching CNN.

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COSTELLO: Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl is now ready to face army investigators. The former Taliban prisoner will meet an army general leading the probe into his disappearance from the unit. Bergdahl, as you know, went missing in Afghanistan in June of 2009. He was held captive by the Taliban for five years. He was freed in May after a controversial swap for five Taliban prisoners.

Our Nick Valencia joins us live from outside the army base in Texas. Nick, what can we expect today?

VALENCIA: Well, the missing element in the army's investigation into Bowe Bergdahl's disappearance is hearing Bowe Bergdahl's side of the story. Carol, when I was in Hailey, Idaho, earlier this year, the day that Bergdahl was released from Taliban captivity, that's what his friends and family kept saying -- we haven't heard Bergdahl's side of the story. Well, after today, all of that will change.

The interview, which his attorney is quick to point out, is not an interrogation, is expected to start at 9:00 a.m. Eastern so it could very well be under way. It will focus on why he left. It will focus largely around his disappearance and if he intended to leave and never come back. We also know that the person asking the questions was appointed by the Pentagon; his name is Major General Dahl.

Yesterday, I also spoke to Bowe Bergdahl's attorney, who released to us a new image ,the first image we believe that we've seen of Bowe Bergdahl since that video, that very chilling video that we saw during his swap there between Taliban and special forces, that picture, that recent picture seems to show a very intent Bowe Bergdahl. He's been prepared for this, according to his attorney, and they feel pretty good about what's going to transpire here today. Carol?

COSTELLO: Do we know any more about the circumstances of his disappearance?

VALENCIA: Say it again, Carol? I'm sorry. I couldn't catch that question. Say it again?

COSTELLO: Do we know any more about the circumstances of his disappearance?

VALENCIA: Well, that's what the army investigators are going to want to find out today. Largely focusing on intent -- what was his intent when he stepped foot off that base? Was his intent to never come back? Was he a deserter as some critics have painted him as and portrayed him as?

You know, this -- the jubilation surrounding his release was very short lived, as many of our viewers know. It was a celebration that turned quickly into criticism of President Obama as well as Bowe Bergdahl himself. Now, his attorney has also criticized the media, criticized pundits, saying that they've used this as more of a politicized attack on President Obama. He believes that his client is not nervous at all, is ready for the lines of questioning, and that the army will have a better sense of what happened that day that he disappeared in Afghanistan in 2009. Carol?

COSTELLO: All right, Nick Valencia reporting live from San Antonio, Texas, this morning.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, a groundbreaking move in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs hire a woman as an assistant coach. Andy Scholes has the story. Hi Andy.

ANDY SCHOLES, "BLEACHER REPORT": Hey, Carol. WNBA legend Becky Hammon is trading in her jersey for a clipboard. We'll hear from her about the historic move after the break.

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COSTELLO: History made in the NBA. For the first time, a woman will hold a critical job in the coaching arena. Yes, I said in the NBA. This pioneer is Becky Hammon. She's a retired WNBA all-star and quite the expert on the court no matter what gender is playing ball.

So glass ceiling shattered, Andy Scholes? Tell me.

SCHOLES: Yes, it certainly is. This is definitely a big move for the NBA and for the Spurs, and they should be applauded for this. But Becky Hammon, she earned this. She's going to be the first full-time paid assistant in the NBA. She's not the first female we're going to see on an NBA bench. We saw Lisa Boyer on Cavs' staff back in 2001- 2002 season, but she was not paid and she did not travel.

That will not be the case with Hammon. Wherever the San Antonio Spurs go, Hammon will be there right alongside with them, right alongside Gregg Popovich. And like I said, she definitely earned this. She was kind of an informal intern with the team last season. She went to all the practices, attended all the film sessions, and she definitely impressed Gregg Popovich enough to give her the full-time gig.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY HAMMON, SAN ANTONION SPURS ASSISTANT COACH: I'm a little overwhelmed right now, to be perfectly honest. And just -- as great as it is, this opportunity, it's also incredibly humbling at the same time. So I'm feeling a lot of emotions, but those would probably just be the -- the two driving forces is just thankful and just humbled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: And Carol, Gregg Popovich, you know, widely regarded as the best coach in the NBA. He never sugar coats anything and he had a great quote when talking about Hammon. He said, "She knows when to talk and she knows when to shut up. That's as simple as you can put it. A lot of people don't figure that out. She knows how to do it. Our players really respond to her. She's just a natural."

And that coming from a guy who's won five NBA titles, is the longest tenured head coach in the NBA. That's pretty high praise, Carol.

COSTELLO: And it seems she gets along with the players and they listen to her, too, which is fabulous.

SCHOLES: Yes, and you've got to be held in high regard. You know, these are NBA players making millions of dollars. And for them to listen to pretty much any coach is impressive, but they really respond to when she was around them last season. And it's going to be very fun to watch this season and see how everyone reacts to her being on the bench and her giving direction to the players.

COSTELLO: Well, good for her. Andy, many thanks. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The '60s, an era where men were in charge. Women couldn't serve on juries. And gay men were given shock therapy. Plus, the fight for equality took center stage. The times, they were changin'. Here's today's "SIXTIES" minute.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jack, what is your definition of a husband?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A husband who is a guy who's in charge and should be all of the time.

MUSIC: There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Women couldn't open a bank account in their own name. They couldn't get credit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The jobs we have are jobs that only men are able to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: American Psychiatric Association deems homosexuality to be a mental disorder.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do not employ homosexuals knowingly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Migrant farm workers were getting paid pennies to feed America.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have this bubbling up of a desire for real equality.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What we are talking about is a revolution and not a reform.

MUSIC: What's that sound? Everybody look what's going down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You cannot be given equality. You have to assume it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People looked around and said look at this potential for change.

ANNOUNCER: "THE SIXTIES", tonight at 9:00 on CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The Emmy-nominated series, "THE SIXTIES", airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on CNN. The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts now.

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