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IDF: More Than 700 Killed In Israel Since Hamas Attack; Hundreds Killed At Israeli Music Festival; Hamas Claims To Hold High- Ranking Israeli Officers Captive; Hamas Claims to Be Holding More Than 100 Hostages in Gaza; Gaza Civilians Face Carnage as Leaders Hide; Horrific Accounts of Violence During Hamas Attack. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired October 09, 2023 - 01:00   ET

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

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[01:00:38]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world as we continue our breaking news coverage of Israel at war. I'm Rosemary church.

The Israeli military is keeping up its strikes on Gaza, saying it has severely degraded the capabilities of Hamas. That word coming two days after the militant group launched a large-scale surprise attack that's killed hundreds inside Israel. An IDF spokesperson does acknowledge Israel is not yet in full control of its territory along the border with Gaza. Overnight Hamas also claiming to have launched a missile attack on the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.

Militants say 100 rockets were fired in response to Israeli Defense Forces targeting their safe houses. Israeli police say the rocket attack made a direct hit on an apartment building. This all comes as Hamas claims to now be holding more than 100 hostages in Gaza, including high ranking Israeli official -- officers. Well inside Israel the death toll from Hamas' multi-pronged attack has now climbed past 700. At least 260 were killed at a music festival.

This disturbing image showing the bodies of some of the victims from that festival near the Israel-Gaza border. That site just one of several targeted by militants on Saturday. Our CNN's Nada Bashir is following developments. She joins us now live from London. So Nada, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is warning of a long and difficult war ahead. So what is the latest on airstrikes overnight? And, of course, the hostage crisis gripping the country as it comes to terms with the horrifying death toll.

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, Rosemary, as you mentioned there, those airstrikes exchange of rockets that we've seen overnight has continued to intensify, according to the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., thousands of rockets fired from within Gaza into Israeli territory. And as we've heard from our teams on the ground, many of them have been intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome Air Defense System, but some have made landfall hitting targets including in Ashkelon, where an apartment building is said to have been struck by a rocket fired from Gaza.

But of course, we have also seen intensification of those strikes by the IDF on the Gaza strip, according to the IDF. These strikes have been targeting Hamas positions in particular, Hamas command centers. But of course, this is a densely populated area. And the concern, of course, is pi around the potential for civilians to be caught in the crossfire according to the IDF, some 500 targets were struck overnight in Gaza.

But we have been learning more about the situation within Israeli territory. In fact, just in the last few moments, an IDF press briefing has just wrapped up and I can give you some of the key updates from that briefing from the IDF international spokesperson who has said that the IDF is still fighting along those territories infiltrated by Hamas fighters over the weekend. There are about seven to eight sites where they are engaged in fighting with Hamas operatives and fighters on the ground.

Of course, this according to the IDF has taken more time than they expected they had anticipated that they would be in a better place this morning than they are at this current point in time. And according to the IDF, there may still be areas where Hamas fighters are infiltrating into Israeli territory, and that is, of course, a key priority not only for the idea for the Israeli government as a whole to secure those areas that have been infiltrated to regain control over those border areas.

And as we've heard from Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, speaking over the weekend, that is certainly the focus of what has to be the first phase of Israel's response to Saturday's unprecedented attack. But of course, there is also a key focus as you mentioned on the hostage situation. We know of course that hostages were captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza.

Hamas claims more than 100 Israeli hostages were taken although at this stage the IDF isn't putting a precise figure on that the IDF spokesperson in the last hour saying they believe dozens have been captured. But of course, the efforts put in place by the government, by the IDF to rescue these hostages has proven quite complex they have been taken into Gaza. And while we have seen in the past, typically, a fierce response by the IDF when it comes to air strikes on Gaza, this has added a layer of complexity because it is believed that many of these hostages have been dispersed around Gaza.

[01:05:35]

So there is concern that these Israeli citizens as well as Palestinian civilians will be caught in the crossfire. And of course, in order to extricate these Israeli civilians, these hostages, it is anticipated that a large ground presence by the IDF will be necessary. Now, of course, this is an anticipation that IDF will carry out a more fierce military response. We know of course, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that they are setting up their offensive preparations. That was his phrasing over the weekend. It is anticipated again, not clear when, but it is anticipated that there could well be a ground offensive in Gaza launched by the IDF. It's unclear when this will take place. There's no indication that this is imminent, to say the least. But it is anticipated is rather a question of when then if this will happen. Now, of course, when it comes to the Gaza Strip, this is a deeply complex issue. We're talking about a very small enclave densely populated. It has been under a land, sea and air blockade enforced by the Israeli government since 2007.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that his cabinet has come to the decision to cut off the supply of electricity, fuel and goods in order to stifle Hamas has operations. But as you can imagine, this will have a severe humanitarian impact as well. So there was a lot at stake here and all eyes will be watching what is next for the Israeli military as it progresses into its next phase of its response to Saturday's attack by Hamas.

CHURCH: CNN's Nada Bashir, bringing us the very latest many thanks for joining us live from London there. Well, among the hostages taken by Hamas militants are young people who were celebrating a Jewish holiday at a music festival near the Gaza border. The Hamas gunmen who stormed the site didn't just take hostages. They also murdered hundreds of festival goers. And we caution you the images of the aftermath we're about to show you our graphic at CNN is Clarissa Ward saw when she visited the site.

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CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What happened just off this quiet border road was a massacre. The bodies of the perpetrators still remain. While the fate of many victims is unknown. Organizers of the supernova Music Festival say that thousands of young revelers had gathered to celebrate the end of the holidays. And just after 6:00 a.m., Hamas militants launched a bloody attack.

(on camera): So we're just now on the approach to the kibbutz where that dance party was taking place. You can see there's vehicles all around here that have been shot up. We see the bodies of at least one, two Hamas fighters. I think there are more down this way.

(voice-over): Many of the victims spent hours in hiding, waiting to be rescued and calling their loved ones.

(on camera): Many of them are still missing. Many of them are dead. It's been very difficult to try to get a precise number.

(voice-over): Now a volunteer group that handles human remains says that at least 260 bodies have been found at the festival site. The government here took a bold step releasing an image of scores of body bags in a tent where investigators were tasked with identifying them.

(on camera): So you can see over here the body of at least one other person. I don't think you want to get too close to it. It's pretty graphic.

(voice-over): Active fighting continued along this stretch of the border throughout the day as Israeli military forces poured in. So we're seeing a bunch of tanks being brought down this way. You can also been hearing a steady stream of booms apparently rockets landing in the distance in that direction. And certainly a feeling that people are on high alert. We tried to push further down that way. We were told and no uncertain terms we needed to turn around.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: CNN's Clarissa Ward there for us, near the site of the music festival where hundreds of young people were killed or taken hostage.

Well joining me now is Ruby Chen. He is the father of Itay Chen, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel who serving in the Israel Defense Forces Armed Corps and he is now missing. Ruby joins me from Netanya in Israel. Thank you so much for talking with us at this very difficult time.

[01:10:12]

RUBY CHEN, FATHER OF ITAY CHEN, MISSING IDF SOLDIER: No, thank you for having me and letting our voice be heard.

CHURCH: Now, your son was serving in the IDF Armed Corps at the Gaza border Saturday, when this attack took place, he is now missing an action. When were you told he had been taken hostage? And what all did the Israeli government tell you about what happened to your son? Are they keeping you updated?

CHEN: Yes, so just to be more precise, so what -- we have been updated as from the IDF, Israeli Defense Forces, a commander that is in charge of notifying the different foster relatives of those that are missing in action. So that is the exact definition. And what does that mean? It means that since Saturday morning, no one has been able to identify him, and no one has seen him in the hospitals. And he is also not one of deceased, meaning he and his team has basically vanished, meaning missing in action.

CHURCH: And what would you like to share with us about your son, Itay?

CHEN: Yes. So he is a wonderful kid. As I said, he's born and raised on U.S., culture, a big basketball fan. He grew up annoying Kobe Bryant, which was a bit difficult for me as I'm a New York Knicks fan. But, you know, that's how kids are they always all rebellious.

And his younger brother Alam (ph), actually is supposed to celebrate his bar mitzvah, which is the Jewish ceremony from becoming a turning from a kid into a man. And this is supposed to happen to Saturday. We all playing and hoping that we will be able to celebrate this together with our family and with the guy.

CHURCH: We certainly hope that happens, Ruby, and your son, of course, as you mentioned, is a dual U.S.-Israel citizen. So what's your message to Israel's Prime Minister and indeed to U.S. President Joe Biden?

CHEN: So indeed, I'd like to take this opportunity to reach out to President Biden, if I would have had the opportunity to talk to him. I tell him about a young kid like myself, growing up in the American public education system. In the morning, we would all stand up. Thank you all right hand, pledge allegiance, do the flag. And behind that was the American values that we all believe in, saying that if myself, or my family would be in danger, the United States will be behind us.

What I'm asking today from the President of the United States, is for that kid 40 years ago, that will put his hand on his chest and continue saying, one nation, indivisible, with liberty, justice for all, to backup -- to be able to backup those words. And for that kid 40 years ago, and for all kids, waking up today, of course, the late United States of America backup those words and the values of the American people, pick up the phone, call if you need to call to you have multiple American citizens being held captive in Gaza.

Please pick up the phone, call these people explain to them that the United States of America demands that they will be treated according to the International Law of prisoners of war, allow the Red Cross or the U.N. to visit these POW's and make sure that they are safe. That is what I'm asking from President Biden not to take a second be behind but lead like you're supposed to the greatest nation in the world for the values of liberty and justice and help us hear that we are in danger and need the U.S. to help us and protect our people, our citizens.

CHURCH: Ruby Chen, we hope your son comes home very soon and comes home safely. Thank you so much for talking with us. We appreciate it.

[01:15:06]

CHEN: Thank you for having us.

CHURCH: And there is much more to come here on CNN as we continue our breaking news coverage of Israel at war. We'll be right back.

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CHURCH: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed quote mighty vengeance on Hamas after a highly coordinated surprise assault over the weekend. Netanyahu has warned Israel is now preparing for a long and difficult war as the death toll rises into the hundreds on both sides. This video obtained by Reuters appears to show IDF soldiers patrolling a city on the Israel Gaza border. A spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces tells CNN they aren't in full control of all border areas yet. He says the military is working to secure the border while hunting down any remaining Hamas operatives in Israel.

While much of the world is reacting to the Hamas attacks with shock and outrage, one notable ally is celebrating the militant group's actions. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says his country supports quote, the Palestinian nation's legitimate defense against what he calls the Zionist regime of Israel. A speculations swirls over what role Iran may have played in the elaborately coordinated attacks on Israel. Iranian state media quotes, Raisi is saying that Israel and its supporters are responsible for endangering the security of countries in the Middle East. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[01:20:20]

EBRAHIM RAISI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): It is a manifestation of resistance and standing up against the fake Zionist regime, Palestinian people, Palestinian soldiers, all Palestinian groups, and the Islamic Ummah really should be congratulated for this victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The U.S. is sending military assistance to Israel. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Sunday that a U.S. carrier strike group is headed to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The carrier will be accompanied by guided missile destroyers and guided missile cruisers. The U.S. is also sending more fighter jets to the region. U.S. officials say the purpose of the military assistance is to deter any expansion of the fighting beyond Israel's borders. CNN's Oren Liebermann has more now from Washington.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. is sending a carrier strike group the USS Gerald Ford carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea as it watches the beginnings of a war unfold, and Israel promising to carry out a widespread prolonged campaign in Gaza. The purpose of this carrier strike group, which includes the carrier itself, as well as a guided missile cruiser and several guided missile destroyers, is not to get involved in this fighting or take part in any way in Israel's campaign against Gaza. Instead, it is a message to others in the region outside of Israel.

President Joe Biden said on Saturday, warning other actors in the region without specifically naming whom, but telling them not to get involved or trying to exploit this opportunity without naming them. That was clearly a message to Iranian backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iranian backed militias in Syria, a message of deterrence to them not only that carrier strike group heading from the Western Med to the Eastern Med, but also several more fighter jets heading to the region as a message of deterrence to Iran.

Those fighters won't go to Israel. But the other areas where U.S. fighters are based, again as a warning to Iran not to try to carry out any more aggression or take advantage of the situation. Israel we've also learned from a U.S. official and an Israeli official has requested certain arms from the United States in particular precision guided munitions as well as Iron Dome interceptors, and those are the two munitions U.S. -- Israel has used at this point. Israel has carried out airstrikes in Gaza using proceeded precision guided munitions. So it makes sense that they're requesting more of that.

And then Israel's Iron Dome has been incredibly busy intercepting barrages of rocket attacks from Gaza pretty much since the moments this began with an opening salvo of rocket fire. So Iron Dome has played a critical role there, and Israel looking more for more of the Iron Dome interceptor missiles. Israel, of course has its own stocks in it and it uses those. But there's also an understanding that Israel can tap into U.S. stocks, some of which are in Israel in the event of an emergency and certainly, this qualifies as one.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke for a second consecutive day on Sunday, it seems there'll be keeping up a pretty steady cadence of communications, just to make sure that the U.S. is giving Israel what it has, what it wants, and what it needs President Joe Biden and many in the Biden administration promising full support for Israel.

Oren Liebermann, CNN in Washington.

CHURCH: Yohanan Plesner is the president of the Israel Democracy Institute and a former member of the Israeli Knesset. He joins me now from Hod Hasharon, near Tel Aviv. Thank you so much for joining us.

YOHANAN PLESNER, PRESIDENT, ISRAEL DEMOCRACY INSTITUTE: Thanks for having me this morning.

CHURCH: So what was your initial response to news of this surprise attack by Hamas and of course, the sophistication involved with coordinated attacks by land, air and sea?

PLESNER: Well, clearly, Israel was surprised, we were surprised and Hamas declared war on Israel, a horrific war that includes goals of killing families, killing youngsters youth in festival, basically killing as many Israeli civilians as possible as part of a broader goal of commas to destroy the State of Israel and to kill all Jews. I mean, it sounds horrific, but there is a plan. There is a doctrine. It's supported by Iran. It's supported by Hezbollah, and the terrible atrocities are now being surface we're discovering how entire families father, mother, three kids, three daughters, girls, boys, old people, Holocaust survivors, were both killed, slaughtered, taken hostage to Gaza so it's a genocidal jihadist organization supported by Iran, perpetrated a horrific attack continues to perpetrate such attacks just a few hours ago, they sent dozens of Hamas operatives into a kibbutz in southern Israel.

[01:25:25]

So the fighting continues to go on. And there's only one way to deal with it. And it's basically to absolutely destroy and crush Hamas' capabilities to launch any kind of warfare, the previous doctrine of we can live side by side next to this tiger or monster, and hopefully it will tame itself, this doctrine has failed, and Israel is now going to embark on a new path, a path that means that we need to basically crushed Hamas capabilities. And this will be hard and long.

CHURCH: Right. And at this stage, it does have to be said, there's no evidence that Iran is behind this. But I certainly understand your speculation on that point to given the history here. So I want to ask you, though --

PLESNER: Just on this point -- just on the Iranian point, Hamas and Iran are allies, Iran pours money, equipment, doctrine into Hamas on an ongoing basis, they establish Hamas and Islamic Jihad as a front base, to try and again, implement their doctrine of annihilating Israel specifically on this attack, whether Iran knew when and where and exactly the tactics, I don't know for sure.

CHURCH: So given the sophistication of this operation, and we haven't ever seen Hamas as sophisticated as this, how was it possible, and so many people involved, how was it possible that Israeli intelligence didn't see this attack coming? And why was the initial response to the attacks so slow, even its own citizens are asking these questions?

PLESNER: Look, those are excellent questions. And obviously, we will have to think about them very seriously in the develop responses, because there was both an intelligence failure and an operational failure. But right now, it's not the time to delve into immerse oneself in those questions. Right now is the time to restore security and respond that very forcefully, there will come a time for us to conduct the lessons learned and improve the systems and ensure that such a thing doesn't recur again.

But this is not the time. We're in the midst of fighting. Israel mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists. Israelis are united across the board. You know, we've been -- I've been also on CNN just a few weeks and perhaps months ago, talking about internal Israeli disputes about the Democratic makeup. This is all now set aside. We're all together. We're all united. There -- reservists showed up in 150 percent. Even people who are not called up showed up.

Israelis from all walks of life are volunteering are assisting. We're seeing beautiful instances of heroism of fighting, so Israel will prevail. But clearly, we were surprised by a jihadist murderous barbaric organization and they will pay the price.

CHURCH: And Hamas is claiming to be holding more than 100 hostages. We don't know if that is in actual fact the case. But how will the Israeli government rescue these hostages and bring them home safely?

PLESNER: Well, it's, again, a very good question. The assumption that there's unfortunately more than 100 hostages is a safe assumption. Both civilians, old people, women, children, and soldiers, the -- all of them are being held. Israel on the one hand, needs to restore security, restore stability, exact price, a very dear price on Hamas, reduce its capabilities. And at the same time, we will have to negotiate for the release of those prisoners.

[01:29:42]

Nevertheless, Hamas immediately needs to release old people, children. It's basically a major, major violation of any kind of humanitarian code. And obviously laws of war there being violated in perpetrating war crimes right, left and center.

And one has to understand and this is very, very important -- Hamas (INAUDIBLE) conduct their war crime by situating its capabilities within the civilian population. And we will have no choice as we attack Hamas, there would be collateral damage.

So all civilians now should detach themselves from Hamas operatives because we're going to go after these operatives. And there will be collateral damage. And we have to understand it, and there is no other option.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Let's hope all those hostages come home safely. We are praying for them.

Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

PLESNER: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: And there is much more to come here on CNN as we continue our breaking news coverage of Israel at war. We'll be right back.

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CHURCH: We are following breaking news out of the Middle East where deadly fighting continues between Israel and Hamas. More than 700 people are dead in Israel after Hamas launched unprecedented surprise strikes on Saturday, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare outright war on Hamas.

[01:34:55]

CHURCH: Israel's own attacks on Gaza have killed more than 400 people with the IDF claiming to have quote, "severely degraded the capabilities of Hamas" in a series of air strikes.

Well, inside Gaza, Israel is unleashing devastating airstrikes on numerous sites it says are tied to Hamas and other militants.

And while the militants' leaders are hiding out, Gaza's civilians are trapped in the Strip's narrow confines with nowhere to run.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz takes us inside.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These are the first moments of what Prime Minister Netanyahu warned will be a long and difficult war. Airstrikes in the densely populated Gaza Strip that the Palestinian health ministry says left hundreds dead and thousands more wounded.

Israel's military says it is targeting headquarters belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad and released this video.

Netanyahu vowing to avenge the hundreds of Israeli lives lost with more ferocious fire power to come.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): All of the places which Hamas is deployed, hiding, operating in that weakened city. We will turn it into an island of ruins.

I'm telling Gaza's people to leave those places now because we will take action everywhere.

ABDELAZIZ: But destroying or severely deterring Hamas will prove extremely challenging for Israel's army. A significant and unprecedented number of Israeli citizens were

captured by the militant group according to the Israeli army. This disturbing social media video geolocated by CNN shows one of those victims, hands appear to be bound and in captivity.

And Hamas claims the hostages are distributed across the Strip, Israel believes to be used as human shields.

Still Israel's military is pressing on. With the air assaults already underway, the IDF is preparing for a potential ground incursion and that all options are on the table. Thousands of Israeli reservists have been called up for the task.

Israel's army telling Gazans to clear the way for operation. Ordering families to leave their homes and providing locations for evacuation. But with the conflict sure to engulf the whole of the strip, for most there is no way out.

Gaza is largely isolated from the world by an Israeli air, land, and sea blockade and Egypt's southern border closure. Electricity, which is mostly provided by Israel, was cut off to the enclave and Internet disrupted, unclear how long services will be severed.

And with Hamas leadership reportedly going underground, the two million people living in the 140-square mile territory have nowhere to turn. Fears that an unprecedented attack on Israel could yield unprecedented bloodshed in Gaza.

Salma Abdelaziz, CNN -- London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: CNN's Nada Bashir is following developments for us. She joins us now live from London. So Nada, thanks for being with us again.

What's expected to come next? That is the big question, isn't it?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is certainly the big question. We've heard from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking over the weekend, characterizing this response to Hamas' attack on Saturday as being in phases.

The current first phase is the priority at this stage for the Israeli Defense Forces, for the Israeli government focusing on securing those areas infiltrated by Hamas fighters over the weekend on Saturday.

We just heard in the last hour from the IDF international spokesperson giving an update on the situation on the ground. We know, of course, that firefighting between IDF forces and Hamas fighters has continued overnight on the ground in Israel.

And according to the IDF, there are still seven to eight areas where they are engaged in direct fighting with Hamas fighters on the ground. They are still trying to secure those areas.

They do not, according to the IDF have full control over those border areas in southern Israel around the Gaza Strip.

And according to the IDF's spokesperson, this is taking longer than they were to have hoped or anticipated. They had hoped they would be in a better position this morning than they currently are.

So the is certainly the immediate focus. But of course as we've heard from the prime minister, they were set to be a strong military response from the IDF when it comes to the situation in Gaza and targeting Hamas positions in Gaza.

We heard from Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday saying that they are preparing their offensive preparations on the ground. We know that reservists have been called up and it is anticipated that in addition to these strikes that we have seen taking place over night in Gaza some at least 500 targets struck bit IDF according to the IDF spokesperson.

[01:39:59]

BASHIR: It is anticipated that we could well see this escalate into a full-scale ground incursion. Now that hasn't been confirmed by the IDF and there is no indication at this current point in time that a ground incursion would be imminent.

But we know the reservists have been called up and we know that with the situation in Gaza in terms of hostages, which have been taken into the Gaza Strip, it could prove very difficult for the IDF, for the Israeli authorities to extricate these Israeli citizens without a significant ground presence. So that could well be the IDF's next move.

But of course, it remains to be seen when that takes place. But it does appear at this stage that it is a question of when, not if, that will take place.

So that is set to be -- expected to be the next focus, that military response by the IDF. But of course, there is huge concern not only for the Israeli citizens in Gaza who could be caught up in the crossfire, but of course, for the Palestinian civilians who could be caught in the crossfire and have been on numerous occasions before with devastating consequences.

CHURCH: And Nada what has been the international reaction so for.

BASHIR: Well Rosemary, from the outset of these attacks from Hamas on Saturday, we have seen expression of solidarity with Israel for many of its international allies and partners, not leased across the European Union here and the U.K. and, of course, in the United States.

President Biden has reaffirmed the White House and his administration' support for Israel. In fact we heard from President Biden saying that additional support is on the way. He has been in close contact with Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli authorities and has been offering further military support as has been requested by the Israeli government. But of course, there have been calls for de-escalation of violence.

There is real concern across the region that this war -- this could really could escalate into a full-scale regional crisis and that is a huge concern.

We've heard from the likes of Turkey, Egypt, Jordan calling for de- escalation of violence, calling for an end to the war, an end to tensions, an offer in support in helping to mediate and deescalate those tensions.

We also heard from the Saudi government, which of course, has been exploring the potential of normalizing relations with Israel over the last few weeks and months. The Saudi foreign minister actually holding the (INAUDIBLE) community responsible for failing to recognize and acknowledge failures by the Israeli government to uphold the rights of the Palestinian people.

Now we have also, of course, heard from Iran, a significant player in all of this. We know that the Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi has been speaking and in touch with the officials within Hamas as well as the leader of Hamas. He has expressed Iran's solidarity with the Palestinian people with Hamas and congratulated them on Saturday's attack.

I'll just read you a bit from the statement. He said, he supports the Palestinian nation's legitimate defense against Israel.

Now of course, it is important to note the contest here. We heard obviously on CNN on the weekend from the Palestinian Authority ambassador to the U.K. who has said that while he has condemned the violence this has come in his view as a response of the violation of Palestinian rights and freedoms.

CHURCH: All right. CNN's Nada Bashir joining us live from London. Many thanks for that report.

Well, there's much more to come here on CNN as we continue our breaking news coverage of Israel at war. We'll be right back.

[01:43:40]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: We are hearing more accounts of the people taken hostage by Hamas attackers at that music festival in Israel. Because the captives can't share their own stories right now, their family members are doing it for them.

Uriel Bohbot's brother El Kana (ph) was abducted from the festival, he was El Kana's friend. And Liel Cohen spoke to Anderson Cooper earlier. And they told him how they found out about El Kana's kidnapping.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

URIEL BOHBOT, BROTHER HELD HOSTAGE BY HAMAS: So, I called all of his friends that they go to this music festival. Everybody was not available.

I'm trying and trying and keep trying until someone -- one of them answered me, he was home already. He actually left early when they got attacked because the fest attack was about 10, 15 minutes from this raid.

And then when he answered me, just told me, I just saw your brother on the video. This video is coming from the other side, from the Gaza side. And I told him that I can't believe it. I thought he was just playing with me and laughing with me.

And he does send me the video. And from there until now, I'm in shock. I don't know what to do. We don't have any piece information.

After that video, you can see on his face how much he's scared. You can see on the face that they hit him on his face. It's terrible. I'm -- you know, I'm speechless, sorry.

But I really want to share this story to the world and ask to join me to bring my brother back home as soon as possible.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Leal, I know you're coming to Israel. Have you -- has the family contacted by Israeli authorities? Do you have any more information about El Kana's whereabouts or his condition?

[01:49:49]

LIEL COHEN, FRIEND HELD HOSTAGE BY HAMS: There is no -- there is no -- there is no certain information right now. And actually there is still misinformation about other people that got kidnapped, so we don't know their situation.

But the moment that we saw the video, we are still waiting for the government to respond of like what's going to be our plan? And how are we going to strategize to bring him back home. We are still waiting for any kind of help for the government, but we don't see it right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Uriel Bohbot and Liel Cohen speaking there to CNN's Anderson Cooper.

And there is much more to come here on CNN as we continue our breaking news coverage of Israel at war. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: More now on the breaking news out of the Middle East where Israel has formally declared war on Hamas after unprecedented strikes over the weekend.

We are hearing horrifying accounts of the violence many witnessed during the militant incursion.

CNN's Nic Robertson talked to a volunteer doctor who described stories he's heard from others and the brutality he's seen first hand.

[01:54:52]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHLOMO GENSLER, VOLUNTEER DOCTOR, HELMSLEY CHARITABLE TRUST: The brutality that I saw here, I've been by many terror attacks in the past, the brutality that I saw here and the lack of compassion for other human beings was unparalleled.

There were little children executed. There were people that were just like burnt alive, hit by RPGs, people kept ---

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: RPGs -- rocket propelled grenades?

GENSLER: Rocket --

ROBERTSON: Not guns. They fired big rockets.

GENSLER: They were firing -- they were firing hand held rockets. They were coming in on motorbikes and it was consistent attacking. They were coming sneaking in over around many areas and they were coming into people's houses and then executing people in their houses. And then also --

ROBERTSON: When you say executing -- without being too graphic what do you mean?

GENSLER: I can say from one situation that I have a cousin that was at a party that was on the border of --

ROBERTSON: That big -- that big outdoor party. The Hamas went right into and shot a bunch of people there.

(CROSSTALK)

GENSLER: -- not only shot. They stabbed, slaughtered, cut people's throats, and many -- she happened to have escaped it alive but the trauma that was seen there.

I'll tell you one story that really hit home with me where I started to cry yesterday. I was treating people there in critical condition, intubating and doing chest compressions all the time when I met two kids. They both were held hostage, somehow were in a closet for 12 hours, finally escaped.

The army came in got them out and after that they said to me, I saw my parents get killed in front of me. I'm hungry. I haven't eaten in the last 12 hours.

That thing -- to see that brutality and understand that these are little children suffering like this, I can't -- I can't -- like the amount of crying and emotional, this is going to take a lot of time to process through.

But to see that humans can act like that to another type of people is unreal. Yes.

ROBERTSON: How are you coping with it? You're a professional I know but this is of a scale terribly worse.

GENSLER: This definitely is of a scale that's terribly worse. It's something that I've seen quite a bit of it in the past but this just brings it to a new level. It will take days like I said to process in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And that was CNN's Nic Robertson talking to a volunteer doctor.

I want to thank you for joining us this hour. I'm Rosemary Church.

Do stay with us. I'll be back with more news after a quick break.

[01:57:03]

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