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U.S. Sends Second Carrier Group to East Mediterranean; 2,300 Plus Deaths from Israel Airstrikes; Iron Dome Defense System Integral to Israel's Security; Interview with IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner; Hamas Believed to be Holding 150 Hostages in Gaza; IDF and Hezbollah Trading Fire; IDF says Hamas Hiding in Gaza Tunnels; Interview with Tel Aviv University, MDC, Senior Researcher Harel Horev; Biden Calls of an End to All Forms of Hate; Blinken's Middle East Crisis Tour; U.S. Will Evacuate its Citizens from Israel by Sea; USS Eisenhower Deploys to Eastern Mediterranean; WH Focuses on Humanitarian Crisis; Antisemitism in Europe; Women Struggle for Health Care in Gaza; Interview with UNFPA Representative for The State of Palestine Dominic Allen; Shows of Support for the Palestine People. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired October 15, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

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[04:00:00]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us around the world, here in the United States, Canada, and everywhere as we continue our breaking news coverage of Israel at war. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

It's 4:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, and 11:00 a.m. in Gaza City where an incursion by Israeli ground forces now appears imminent.

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BRUNHUBER: Israel, on Saturday, declared it's ready to open a new phase in its war against Hamas with a focus on significant ground operations. The IDF says, it struck more than 100 Hamas targets in Gaza overnight. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met soldiers on the front lines, offering words of support, and telling them to be prepared.

The U.S. is now sending a second carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as additional fighter jets. The move is intended to deter Iran, Hezbollah and others from entering the conflict. Palestinian authorities in Gaza say, the death toll from Israeli airstrikes is now more than 2,300 people, including 300 in the past 24 hours. It follows the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel last Saturday which killed more than 1,300 people.

Now, we have CNN's Sara Sidner, who's joining us live this hour from Southern Israel. So, tell us exactly, Sara, where you are right now.

SARA SIDNER, CNN NEWS CENTRAL CO-ANCHOR: I cannot give you an exact location because this -- if I were to do so, there is the possibility that Hamas would fire rockets in this direction and then the communities around us would be in danger. Where I am though, and where I'm standing is a very significant place because of the equipment that is here. It is the Iron Dome that you see behind me. That is a lifesaving technology that has taken out at about 90 percent of the rockets or more that have come over Israel of being shot by Hamas from Gaza.

It is a pretty incredible technology. In 2011, it was the first time that the technology was used to see just how accurate it was. It worked. And since then, it has been used ever since in any incursion in any time there is a rocket fired from Gaza. So, you look at it, it actually -- when you get here, it doesn't look like much. It looks, you know, sort of, just -- you see there, it's just, sort of, a rectangle shaped piece of equipment, but it saved lives.

And truthfully, yesterday when we were on the air and there were rockets flying over more than 10 flew over us while we were live on television, we watched right above our heads, the intercept happened. I mean, literally above our heads, it saved our behinds to be fair. And keeps the rockets from damaging things, from killing people, maiming people. And so, this technology has been used over and over and over again. It was developed here. The United States, of course, has given its monies so that they can keep building them, and there are quite a few of them. We can only show you one. We don't want to give away where we are.

These are in many different parts of the country here in Israel. But it is such an incredible piece of technology that truly, truly saves lives. Also, you may notice it is raining here and has been for a bit which does not complicate things at all for the Iron Dome. It can operate in any kind of weather.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, Sara. Listen there's been so much Israeli faith in the Iron Dome system, but we saw it's not infallible. We saw it get overwhelmed with the volume of rockets coming from Hamas from last weekend's attack.

SIDNER: Yes. Yes, and that is the problem, right? You'd have to have God knows how many to try and knock out that many rockets. We're talking about thousands of rockets coming over in, you know, a 48-hour period. There just aren't enough of them. There just aren't enough Iron Domes to try and intercept all of the rockets.

[04:05:00]

But if you would imagine that when they're intercepted, how many people were saved? How many homes, how many buildings were kept from being demolished or hit, or exploded? That is it's significant, but it can only do it so much, right, with so many rockets coming over. You are not going to get every single one. It isn't 100 percent foul proof. It doesn't every single time get every single rocket, which tells you a little something by the way about. Just how many rockets have been fired.

You know, in the past, I used to live in Jerusalem and live in this region. And, you know, there were operations. There were incursions that happened quite regularly with rockets coming over and then Israel responding, going into Gaza or flying over Gaza with airstrikes. And, you know, when you just see a few, it's accurate. It knocks them all out. When you have that many, this just goes to show you what a different place we are in in this particular war. And it's been a declared war. While I was here and while many reporters here over the years, that has not been the case. There are incursions, there are operations, but they've never said we are at war.

SIDNER: Israel is now at war with Hamas. And so, this is a very, very different feeling here.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, I appreciate getting that unique view and the context as well there, CNN. Sara's Seidner in southern Israel. Thanks so much. All right, with us now from Tel Aviv is Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces. Thank you so much for being here with us this hour. So first, just give us an update on the ongoing raids in Gaza.

LT. COL. PETER LERNER, IDF SPOKESPERSON: Yes, I was just listening to Sara there. And, you know, you cannot be unimpressed by how Israel goes around investing in life and saving lives. And this Iron Dome defense mechanism is just one of those examples of the extent we go.

Moving on to what you asked, yes, the IDF is continuing its activities and expanding our strikes against Hamas from their leaders. I can report that over the night, we killed Bilal El-Kidra. He, he was a Khan Yunis special forces commando from the Nukhba Force. He was one of the commanders that broke the -- that penetrated defense and conducted the massacre in Kibbutz near Re'im.

We are very, very determined to take out the terrorists that conducted the attack, take out the organization that orchestrated it, and even take out the leader who is the mastermind of the massacre, Yahya Sinwar, who is orchestrated and governs the Gaza Strip as a staging ground for terrorism and utilized all the forces of Hamas's government to do so.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Sadly, I understand the bodies of some of the people abducted by Hamas have been found. What more can you tell us about that?

LERNER: So, I'm going to be very cautious and careful around the issue of bodies. You know, there are still bodies and there are still people that are unaccounted for. You know, we have to be very respectful to the families that don't know about their -- what's happened with their loved ones. You know, we are -- they're at the top of our priorities, but I think we'll have to leave it at that at this time. Our operations are influenced by the scenario of the bodies and hostages, and we'll do everything in order to try and retrieve them. But that -- that's all I can say at this time.

BRUNHUBER: All right. I want to ask you about the evacuation order. About half of Gaza's population is under that order. We've already seen how dangerous that journey south can be with dozens, including women and children, killed on the road south reportedly by an IDF strike. What more can you tell us about what happened there?

LERNER: So, I think what we -- what -- the most important thing to learn from this incident is you can't believe what Hamas are telling you. This was not an IDF strike. There was no IDF strike conducted against that convoy. It appears, from all of the footage that we've seen that the explosion came from beneath, meaning it was probably some sort of explosive device that they put. And it just goes to exemplify exactly what they're saying, don't evacuate the Northern Gaza Strip. This is what Hamas is telling the people. Don't evacuate. Even though we're telling them we're coming and we are seriously going to strike Hamas.

Hamas have no regard for human life. This is what we are facing. They don't care about Israelis and they don't care about Palestinians. They have no problem in placing drones with explosives on their rooftops that we intercepted and destroyed a couple of days ago. And placing rockets and rocket launchers in the basements of houses.

And so, this just goes to show the enemy we're up against. They are merciless. They have -- they will butcher babies in their bedrooms.

[04:10:00]

And therefore, they will sacrifice their own people in order to try and achieve goal. We need to be very, very cautious about everything Hamas is saying. And when you see an explosion in it and when videos and images circulate around on social media, I would say, we need to be very, very cautious in coming to conclusions that in this case, you know, throughout the last day, this is news from this morning that we're able to confirm -- it was only this morning that we were able to confirm and announce that this was not an IDF strike.

So, I would say please, in your future reporting, please be cautious and don't automatically attribute explosions in Gaza to the IDF.

BRUNHUBER: In the meantime, so many in Gaza are struggling without food and water. What would you say to them, to the innocent civilians in Gaza who feel that they're being collectively punished for the sins of Hamas?

LERNER: So, Hamas obviously is -- has failed the people of Gaza miserably. They've held the people of Gaza hostage. But ultimately, they are the responsibility of Hamas. Our responsibility, primarily, especially in the aftermath of the massacre in Israel is to restore security and safety to the State of Israel and make sure that it can never, ever happen again. So, to the people, I would say, listen to our announcements. Evacuate areas what -- when we tell you to move south.

And I'm very happy to see that people are actually listening to us and not listening to Hamas because they understand that Hamas has failed them. They understand that Hamas has not been a good representative, a good government for their interests. You know, Hamas, over the course of the last 15, 16 years, could have made Gaza flourish, could have made the people of Gaza benefit from being our neighbors. But they chose to take all of their institutions.

The whole system of the Hamas government was a cyphering off machine in order to build the death machine that Yahya Sinwar has developed in order to conduct that massacre on Friday of the 7th of October. So, ultimately, people of Gaza need to listen to what we're saying. They are not our enemy. Hamas is our enemy, and we are determined to destroy them and their capabilities.

BRUNHUBER: And finally, I want to turn north. First of all, can you tell us about the attack on an Israeli village near the Lebanese border?

LERNER: Yes, the IDF has currently closed off the whole border area because of these repeated attacks. It's not just one. We've had several anti-tank guided missiles fired at forces over the last few days. I'm aware of the -- that it is still a developing incident as we speak, and the IDF is responding to the fire, to the attack. We will have more to update you on that a bit later on.

BRUNHUBER: OK. And then -- and finally, I want to ask you, Israel's National Security Advisor said, Hezbollah was currently staying under the escalation threshold. What would have to happen for the North to turn into a fully-fledged front?

LERNER: Well, I certainly hope it won't. But the IDF is prepared for any eventuality and any development that can evolve from the tension. And I would highly recommend that Hezbollah look very closely how we are pursuing Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and how we are dismantling their entire system so that they can never threaten us again. So, I would say, Hezbollah should stay definitely beneath that threshold.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner. Thanks so much.

LERNER: Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: All right. I want to head to London now for more from Elliott Gotkine. Elliott, and you were listening in there. What struck you from what we heard from the IDF spokesperson?

ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Kim, Peter kind of alluded to this, but it's being, I think, a little bit more categorical right now, which is, in particular, that convoy of Palestinian citizens heading south in Gaza, away from Gaza City, in accordance with the warning to evacuate from the IDF. Peter Lerner there saying that the IDF, it wasn't us. Saying that it wasn't the IDF, that they didn't do it, and that it appears to be some kind of explosion from the ground up, perhaps some kind of improvised explosive device, some kind of booby trap. And saying that that one definitely wasn't the IDF.

And that reports to the contrary are wrong and that the responsibility for that and specifically that specific incident lies at the door off of Hamas. So, I think that was one of the main things that he said. Also, he referred to what's going on in the northern border, of course, big concerns and this is why the U.S. has deployed not one but two aircraft carriers with quite sophisticated assets to the Eastern Mediterranean. Concerns about the northern border between Israel and Lebanon turning into a new front.

[04:15:00]

And Peter Lerner there, the IDF spokesman, talking about a number of incidents with precision guided anti-tank missiles being fired from Southern Lebanon towards Israel and Israel responding to that. In fact, there's an ongoing incident and the area, four kilometers south of the border with Lebanon has now been declared a closed area. So, civilians not allowed to go into that area because of the danger that exists there right now.

He also said that, look, this threshold for whatever you want to call it, an escalation, turning it officially into a front with the Hezbollah backed by Iran, of course, in the north has not yet been met. And clearly, neither Israel nor the United States wants to see that happen. And as I say, that is one very big reason why the U.S. has deployed two aircraft carriers to the Eastern Mediterranean to act as a deterrence both to Hezbollah and of course its backers back in Tehran. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Appreciate it. All right. Thanks so much, Elliot Gotkine in London.

Well, now, so far in the war, fighting has mostly been done by air, through airstrikes and bombs, who many are anticipating the possible ground invasion in the coming days with military buildup happening on the Israel-Gaza border. We can't forget about the labyrinth of tunnels under Gaza where the IDF says, Hamas is hiding. Listen to this.

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JONATHAN CONRICUS, IDF SPOKESPERSON: Hamas terrorists are hiding in Gaza City, inside tunnels, underneath houses, and inside buildings populated with innocent Gazan civilians. Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families. And distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields.

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BRUNHUBER: All right, let's go now to Tel Aviv, where I'm joined by Harel Horev, a historian and senior researcher at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle East and African Studies at Tel Aviv University.

Thanks so much for being here with us. So, when we think of Hamas and tunnels, we often think of the ones used by Hamas to get into Israel, which Israel spent a lot of resources trying to eliminate. But we're talking now in the context of a ground invasion of the network of tunnels in Gaza itself. How extensive is it?

HAREL HOREV, SENIOR RESEARCHER, MDC, TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY: It is very extensive. We know they actually put anything that they got at least since 2012 in this infrastructure in the metro, as we call it. We're talking about a 12 -- sorry, about dozens and dozens of kilometers underground with command, controls and communication rooms and supply rooms and peers for launching rockets, peers for launching fighters that will hit our forces or will try to hit our forces.

So, it's extremely expensive. It suffocated any budget that was coming into the to the strip. It's -- by the way, it's very easy to estimate it because since we know we're talking about dozens of kilometers underground, metal, cement, everything you can understand how much they put into it.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. I mean, two years ago, Israel said it had destroyed more than 60 miles of tunnels under Gaza. But Hamas says, it has a network of some, you know, 300 miles, 500 kilometers, which is why, as you said, it was -- it's known as the Gaza Metro, but unlike the cross-border tunnels, these, you know, more complex. They're very deep. The entrances are often in public buildings, which makes, you know, finding them so much tougher. So, getting at Hamas will be a huge challenge. What types of dangers would Israeli soldiers face once they're in the tunnels?

HOREV: Not to mention explosive tunnels, such as the ones that's used against, for example, the Americans in Vietnam. And it's actually a medieval method, which I'm afraid will be implemented here as well. I think Hamas might be exaggerating a little bit with those 500 kilometers because, of course, he wants to deter Israel from invading. But however, I think that Israel, the IDF particularly have learned this system for quite some times. Invested in a certain specific warfare within those tunnels.

The main challenge, Kim, actually is how to deal with the main commands which are located under centers -- civilian centers, such as the Shifa Hospital in Central Gaza. And that's -- that is really the main challenge because if you won't take those hubs out of the equation, they will keep on running their warfare.

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And I think, of course, it's top secret, and I don't know about those -- the way that Israel actually accurately want to hit those commands. But I know this is a major challenge, no doubt about it.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, I mean, you talked about Vietnam. We've all heard those stories about tunnel warfare from previous wars like that, close encounter, fighting in the dark. It sounds absolutely terrifying and then making it more complex, you have civilians, possibly even hostages down there. Can technology be used, robots, drones and so on?

HOREV: Many things all together, without it getting into details, drawings, geographic measures. All kinds of things, highly sophisticated seismological measures. All kind of things that Israel is working on for the past decades, special units to deal with those tunnels. So, I think that Israel is in a totally different position in terms of military abilities in comparison, for example, to the protective edge operation in 2014 where the tunnel were a huge tremendous surprise for the soldiers, and they had to deal with it on ground unprepared. BRUNHUBER: Yes, they have been preparing for this, but it still promises to be a huge and, you know, inevitably deadly challenge as well. Harel Horev, thank you so much for speaking with us. Really appreciate it.

HOREV: Thank you, Kim. Thank you for having me.

BRUNHUBER: All right.

Well, the U.S. president calling for an end to all forms of hate. Just ahead, President Biden's remarks and what his administration is focusing on as the Israel-Hamas war rages on. And the top U.S. diplomat wants Arab countries to help contain the war between Hamas and Israel. What Antony Blinken hopes to achieve with his whirlwind tour of the Middle East, that's next. Stay with us.

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[04:25:00]

BRUNHUBER: News just coming into CNN. The U.S. says, it will help evacuate its citizens from Israel by sea. The announcement was made a short time ago by the American embassy in Israel. It says a ship will depart from Haifa in Northern Israel on Monday and head to Cyprus. The embassy says, U.S. citizens and their families will then be responsible for their own accommodation and onward travel from Cyprus.

Well, as Israel prepares for the next stage of its war against Hamas, the U.S. and other Western nations are working to keep the conflict from spreading. And as part of that effort, the Pentagon is deploying more military resources into the region. Oren Liebermann has more.

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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The Pentagon has ordered a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Eastern Med as a deterrence message to Iran and Iranian proxies in the region. As we see the U.S. military here bolster up its forces in the Middle East as Israel's war prepares to enter what officials there have called a bigger stage, the next stage here.

So, the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, which is the carrier, several destroyers and a cruiser, is already in the Eastern Med and arrived there earlier this week. That will now be joined by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group. Elements of that group, including the carrier, left Naval Station Norfolk on Friday, so that will arrive in the region in a couple of weeks.

It is a very significant statement for the U.S. to send two carrier strike groups all the force and power that entails to the Eastern Med. Now, in doing so, the White House and the Pentagon have made clear it is not the role of the aircraft on this deck or the warships here to get involved in the fighting with Israel. Israel doesn't want that, and the U.S. doesn't want that. But the Biden administration, Israel and the region are watching this very closely and watching the fight play out in Gaza, and trying to make sure it doesn't spread beyond Israel's borders to other areas.

And the key message there is to Iran, and that's who the point is of sending these forces to the region. A warning to Iran not to get involved. A warning to Iranian proxies not to get involved. Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as Iranian backed Shiite proxies in Syria that could open fire on Israel. So, that's who the recipient of this message is.

The U.S. also has other forces in the region. It has plussed up some fighter squadrons, F-15s arriving just a couple of days ago here, and perhaps more fighters expected. And there's also the USS Bataan, part of an amphibious ready group that's also in the region, and could be ordered closer to Israel in case -- essentially as a message to Iran, and in case this escalates.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, in the Pentagon.

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BRUNHUBER: In the context of the Israel-Hamas war, U.S. President Joe Biden denounced hatred in all its forms. In a speech on Saturday, he stressed that antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and transphobia are all connected. He said hate fed the Hamas attack, calling it the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. His speech came after he spoke again with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has more.

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PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Biden on Saturday spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marking the fifth time the two leaders have talked since the attacks on Israel last Saturday. Now, in that discussion, the two talked about U. S. military support, as well as protecting innocent civilians as this conflict unfolds.

Now, in a second call, the president also spoke with Palestinian Authority President Abbas. In that call, they talked about humanitarian supplies reaching Gaza, which is facing water shortages and food shortages. Now the president also spoke in at a human rights campaign dinner. And in his remarks, he too talked about the terror attacks in Israel as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Take a listen.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: A week ago, we saw hate manifest in another way in the worst massacred Jewish people since the holocaust. More than 1,300 innocent lives lost in Israel, including at least 27 Americans. Children and grandparents alike kidnapped, held hostage by Hamas. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza, innocent Palestinian families in the vast majority that have nothing to do with Hamas, they're being used as human shield.

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ALVAREZ: Now, the focus for officials at the White House continues to be that this conflict not widen in the region, but they are sending a message of deterrence in the region as well and focusing their efforts too on bringing those Americans who are held hostage by Hamas home.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, the White House.

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BRUNHUBER: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pushing ahead with his Middle East diplomatic tour. In the next hour, he'll be heading to Cairo for meetings with Egypt's president. Blinken was in the UAE and Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Since the conflict began, he's met with leaders in five Arab countries and Israel. Blinken urged the Arab nations to use their leverage with Hamas to keep the violence from spreading and to help free those being held hostage by the terrorist group. Here he is.

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ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: As Israel pursues its legitimate right to defending its people and to trying to assure that this never happens again, it is vitally important that all of us look out for civilians, and we're working together to do exactly that.

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BRUNHUBER: Security is tightened in Europe as the fear of antisemitism grows. We'll have that story and much more after the break. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: I want to get back to our breaking news this hour. Israel says, it conducted more than 100 new airstrikes overnight and reportedly killed a commander responsible for some of the Hamas atrocities in Israel last weekend. Earlier, Israel said it's preparing for the next phase of the war, including what it called significant ground operations.

[04:35:00]

But Israeli strikes and blockade are already causing what one official called a complete catastrophe in Gaza. Palestinians say, about 300 people were killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours alone, with 800 others wounded. That brings the death toll since the crisis began to more than 2,300 people.

Gaza is also running out of water, receiving only about five percent of its usual water supply. The U.N. says some people are so desperate that they're drinking from agricultural wells, which could spread waterborne disease.

A rise in antisemitism in parts of Europe is worrying the Jewish community. French police say, they've detained 65 people for dozens of antisemitic acts since the Israeli-Hamas conflict began. And the U.K. is increasing security as officials report an uptick in antisemitic activity. CNN's Melissa Bell has more from Paris. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Far from the front lines of the Israel-Hamas war, many European Jews say they're not just feeling the pain of what's happening there, but also fearing the potential ramifications much closer to home.

In France, at the Great Synagogue in Marseille, a prayer is held for the people of Israel. It's a fervent prayer. After reports of antisemitic incidents in parts of Europe, after Hamas launched its assault on Israel more than a week ago, and Israel's subsequent bombardment of Gaza.

MARC MEIMOUN, WORSHIPPER (through translator): First of all, it's important to be present whenever the Jewish people are in danger. Unfortunately, we're used to this kind of gathering, this kind of prayer. We're tired of it all. Nevertheless, we have to respond in unity.

BELL (voiceover): France is home to Europe's largest Jewish population, as well as the largest Muslim population in Western Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron has urged his citizens to remain united, though French police used water cannon and tear gas to break up a recent rally in support of the Palestinian people, which had been banned by French officials, citing concerns about public order.

But there are fears of further unrest in France. 10, 000 police officers have been deployed to protect synagogues and Jewish schools. And on Friday, France raised its security alert to the highest level after a knife attack at a school the French interior minister says was linked to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The U.K. is also stepping up security after reports of increased antisemitic incidents. The Community Security Trust, a British nonprofit organization that monitors antisemitism, says the number of incidents reported to them in the past week has increased by more than 300 percent compared to the same period last year.

Tensions at times spilling out onto the streets of London where flyers of Israelis reportedly kidnapped by Hamas were torn down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is for Palestine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're not -- please if it's children. It's children. It's innocent people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What about the children in Palestine?

BELL (voiceover): Germany, meanwhile, says it has a zero-tolerance policy towards antisemitic acts and will ban all activities supporting Hamas, which is on the EU's list of terror groups. German officials say, they can do no less.

FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, GERMAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Protecting Jewish life in Germany is part of the identity of our democracy. The security of Jews in Germany is our democracy at its core. Only if our Jewish citizens live in peace and security can our country as a whole do so.

BELL (voiceover): Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Still to come, the U. N. warns 50, 000 pregnant women in Gaza are struggling to get the health care they need as hospitals and clinics come under attack. Stay with us.

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[04:40:00]

BRUNHUBER: The United Nations is urging all parties to put an end to the fighting in Israel and Gaza. The organization says, since October 7th, more than 400,000 people have been displaced. The U.N. also says, many of those displaced are pregnant women who will be unable to move southwards to escape the fighting and are struggling to get the care they need.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANE DUJARRIC, UNITED NATIONS SPOKESPERSON: The U.N. women reports at Gaza is now -- is home to 50,000 pregnant women who are struggling to access essential health services as health care workers, hospitals and clinics come under attack. Some 5,500 of these women are due to give birth in the coming months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All right. Let's go live now to Jerusalem where I'm joined by Dominic Allen, the U.N. Population Fund's representative for the State of Palestine.

Thank you so much for being here with us. So, we just heard there are 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza. I mean, many of those will be in the north who have been told now to evacuate south. What kind of dangers are they facing on that journey, those who can move, and what are you hearing?

DOMINIC ALLEN, UNFPA REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE STATE OF PALESTINE: Well, thank you. It's been a horrifying week. The unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza is catastrophic. And as you noted, there are over 1 million women and girls in Gaza and UNFPA and I am extremely concerned for Gazans 50,000 pregnant women who, right now, cannot access the basic maternal health services they need. They're facing a double nightmare.

And as you referenced, the healthcare system itself in Gaza is crippled. It's under attack and on the brink of collapse. And these pregnant women that we are seriously concerned about have nowhere to go. They're facing unthinkable challenges.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, let's talk about those challenges. I mean, if -- even if you, you know, put aside the danger from bombing, which is still huge. I mean, the lack of food, water, electricity when you're pregnant, I mean, what kind of, you know, threat does that pose to their health and their unborn child?

ALLEN: Well, exactly. And, of these 50,000 women, we expect that 5,000 of these will give birth in the coming month. So, imagine, having been displaced from your homes, fearing for your life, in shelters right now with very little food, very little water, very little fuel and with little access to the healthcare they need.

Some of these pregnant women may suffer complications. They will -- anticipated to do so. So, whilst eight days ago, they would be thinking of the dream that they would be fulfilling this life affirming process of giving birth. But right now, in the shelters they're in, they're not able to access the health care that they need. And we're hearing from the hospital staff, the midwives on the ground telling us some very harrowing stories.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. Well -- I mean, well, can you share any of those stories for us? What are you hearing from them?

[04:45:00]

ALLEN: Yes. We, from UNFPA, we spoke to a midwife at the Al-Shifa Maternity Hospital, one of the biggest facilities for giving birth in Gaza, and they're reporting that since the start of the escalation, as a midwife themselves, they've been separated from their families, unable to be able to support the pregnant women that are there, and many of them are unable to even get to the maternity wards because of the unsafe environment. So, they're fearful in their homes.

And imagine going through that process in those final stages, in your last trimester, before giving birth, with possible complications, without clothing, without hygiene support, and not sure about what the next day, next hour, next minute will bring for themselves and for their unborn child.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. I mean, it's just terrific. I mean, many parents know all too well when a baby is born, even in the most, you know, prosperous nation with the best medical care around, life is so precarious. I mean, it's tragic to think how many newborns won't have a chance at life because of this war.

ALLEN: Absolutely. I mean, this is why we from UNFPA echo the Secretary General's call that even wars have rules. That these civilians, these health facilities, these pregnant women must not be a target. And we call for their protection. The violence must end. The siege must end. And humanitarian aid which is unable to get through, has to get through to support all Gazans. And for us, primarily, those pregnant women who are in need of medical care and in need of those health supplies.

BRUNHUBER: All right. So, those supplies, I mean, they exist. The resources are there, but you -- I understand you can't get that help to those who need it. I mean, what more can be done here to help those pregnant women and new mothers? ALLEN: Well, the first thing, as you said, there is a siege at the moment. So, humanitarian aid and supplies to Gaza must be allowed through. There must be a humanitarian corridor open and humanitarian law abided by. The pregnant women must therefore get access to those life-saving health services. So, we want safe humanitarian access immediately. And humanitarians and healthcare workers must be able to reach those pregnant women and all of those in need of those life- saving supplies and services.

BRUNHUBER: All right. Let's hope that does happen. Thank you so much for speaking with us, Dominic Allen. I appreciate it.

ALLEN: Thank you. Thank you.

BRUNHUBER: And do stay here with CNN where next hour I'll be speaking with a mother who's nine months pregnant and has fled the fighting in Gaza. And if you'd like to help with humanitarian relief efforts in Israel and Gaza, CNN has compiled a list of vetted organizations that are responding on the ground right now and you can find it at cnn.com/impact.

So, as Israel prepares for an expected incursion into Gaza, thousands of people across the world are voicing their support for the Palestinian people. We'll have a look at some of those displays of solidarity next here on "CNN Newsroom." Stay with us.

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CROWD: (Speaking in a foreign language).

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BRUNHUBER: Palestinian sympathizers marched in Washington, D. C. Saturday, gathering in Lafayette Park and on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House. Listen here to one demonstrator who was there.

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AHMED ABED, PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATOR: I wish I can do something. I wish we could all do something. I wish we can stop the war. Just stop the war. That's all we need. Just stop the war. They're in prison. They're in, like -- they're in prison. Gaza people are living in prison. No water, no food, no electricity, no nothing. This is not right. Like, where's Europe? Where's everybody at, man? Like, this is not right. What's going on right now is not right.

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BRUNHUBER: Rallies in support of Gaza are expanding across the U.S. this weekend, taking place in San Francisco and outside the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles. And on Friday, thousands took to the streets in New York, gathering in Times Square to demand Palestinian independence.

The shows of support for the Palestinian people are being seen in cities around the world.

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CROWD: (Speaking in a foreign language).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking in a foreign language).

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BRUNHUBER: In Frankfurt, Germany, demonstrators scuffled with police as they tried to hold a rally in support of the Palestinians despite a government ban. Now, hundreds of police officers were deployed in London as a crowd of demonstrators called for a free Palestine. It was part of a series of rallies held across the U.K.

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BRUNHUBER: Now, things there stayed calm as hundreds gathered in the Swedish capital, voicing their opposition to Israel's attacks on Gaza.

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BRUNHUBER: And one day after using tear gas and water cannons against protesters, police in Paris worked to keep pro-Palestinian demonstrations from even happening. While in Turkey, thousands gathered in Istanbul's Freedom Square for a rally dubbed the Great Palestine March deriding Israel's attacks on Gaza.

Well, the effects of the Hamas Israel conflict can be felt throughout the world. On Saturday, players and fans took a moment of silence to remember the victims at a U.S. versus Germany men's soccer match in the U.S., have a look.

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BRUNHUBER: And music legend Madonna kicked off her 40th anniversary tour in London Saturday. The 65-year-old paused her show to send a message of support to civilians suffering in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Have a look.

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MADONNA, SINGER: All of us are suffering, watching what's happening in Israel and Palestine. It breaks my heart to see children suffering, teenagers suffering, elderly people suffering. All of it is heartbreaking. OK. I'm sure you agree. But even though our hearts --

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BRUNHUBER: Madonna's anniversary tour was delayed for several months as the star battled a serious bacterial infection. And now that she's recovered, she's resuming her 78th-day tour.

The longtime U.S. sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live" started on a serious and personal note last night. Guest host Pete Davidson shared a poignant message about the war. Have a listen.

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PETE DAVIDSON, ACTOR, COMEDIAN, GUEST HOST "SNL": This week we saw the horrible images and stories from Israel and Gaza. And I know what you're thinking. Who better to comment on it than Pete Davidson? Well, in a lot of ways I am a good person to talk about it because when I was seven years old my dad was killed in a terrorist attack.

So, I know something about what that's like. I saw so many terrible pictures this week of children suffering, Israeli children and Palestinian children. And it took me back to a really horrible, horrible place. And, you know, no one in this world deserves to suffer like that. You know, especially not kids.

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BRUNHUBER: The actor and comedian also shared that comedy is sometimes the only way forward through tragedy. Well, that wraps this hour of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Please do stay with us.

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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

BRUNHUBER: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world as we continue our breaking news coverage of Israel at War. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

It's 5:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, noon in Gaza City, where an incursion by Israeli ground forces now appears imminent.

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