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CNN's Continuing Coverage on the War in Israel; Israeli PM Invited U.S. President Biden to Visit Israel soon; House Republicans Resumes Work to Vote for a New Speaker of the House; Polish Opposition Bloc Takes Control of the Parliament After it Won in the Polls. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired October 16, 2023 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. is actively working to ensure the people of Gaza can get out of harm's way and get the humanitarian assistance they need. His comments coming as aid groups describe deteriorating conditions inside Gaza where Israel has been launching airstrikes at Hamas targets since the militant group's deadly attacks. We heard from a spokesperson with the Israel Defense Forces a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. PETER LERNER, IDF SPOKESPERSON: Hamas has taken the Gaza Strip hostage and is hiding behind its civilians, and this is the reality. The humanitarian operations, and this morning again, we continue to call on the people of the north of the Gaza Strip to evacuate towards the south.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Tens of thousands of Palestinians have already fled to the south, but the growing humanitarian crisis remains a major concern. Aid deliveries have been piling up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, the only viable way in or out of Gaza. Blinken has promised that it, quote, "will be open," but the U.S. embassy in Israel warns the situation at the crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable.

CNN's Clare Sebastian is following developments for us. She joins us live from London. So, Clare, what is the latest on the Hamas-Israel war from both sides of the border? And what are you hearing about the possibility of a ceasefire coinciding with the opening of the Rafah border crossing into Egypt?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do not have confirmation of that as of now, Rosemary, from either side, from Hamas or from the Israeli government. We just got a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office saying at the moment there is neither a ceasefire nor humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip in return for the exit of foreigners.

The Hamas-controlled government media office in Gaza saying they have no contacts or confirmations from the Egyptian authorities regarding the intention to open the Rafah crossing today. All this of course followed comments from Secretary Blinken on Sunday in Cairo saying Rafah will be opened but then we got an alert from the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem later saying that the situation was still very fluid urging citizens to assess the risk themselves before going to Rafah. So it is very uncertain what's happening there. Clearly there's a situation inside Gaza that is spiraling, plenty of people wanting to get out after Israel ordered them to evacuate from the north of the Strip down to the south.

There are significant difficulties doing that, of course, given the lack of food, fuel, electricity, and of course the issues that the health system are currently facing, which is getting a lot of focus right now. There may be very few days left with fuel for the hospitals. Take a listen to the head of the Palestinian Red Crescent speaking to CNN's Erin Burnett.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARWAN JILANI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, PALESTINIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY: Food and water is running out, medicine and obviously fuel. We have been saying that we only have fuel for a few days. Today I can say that we only have fuel maybe for tomorrow and after tomorrow. And you know, without fuel, the hospitals will not function.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Don't forget they're of course dealing with more than 9,500 people who are said to be injured so far during the Israeli bombardment of this. We're watching closely Israeli preparations as well for potential ground offensive troops have been massing on the border with Gaza and of course intense diplomatic efforts from the U.S. Secretary Blinken said to be heading back into Israel today. His focus will be on the humanitarian situation, the efforts to get both U.S. citizens out of Gaza and of course the hostages and also intense efforts to prevent the conflict from broadening beyond Israel and Gaza. This is why we see him on this second trip and also why we heard over the weekend that the U.S. plans to deploy another aircraft carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean, a second one there. Rosemary.

CHURCH: Our thanks to Claire Sebastian for that live report from London. I Appreciate it.

Well earlier, Israeli President Isaac Herzog described to CNN's Wolf Blitzer some horrific scenes he's witnessed. And we want to caution you, some of the images are graphic.

[03:04:58] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISAAC HERZOG, ISRAELI PRESIDENT: I saw the most horrific scenes. I saw, I saw the scallop of the woman in which house I visited, a house totally destroyed, totally destroyed, and they just cut her head off. I saw a pool of blood in that house where the picture of the children is hanging and the grandchildren hanging on the wall with the knives and the hatchets which they went in. I saw the -- the most horrific scenes possible, I saw a bloodshed, and I was thinking to myself, because in Kibbutz Be'eri, there was a special fund to help their neighbors from Gaza.

For years, they've been paying money to help their friends and neighbors in Gaza, because they advocated peace. And all of a sudden, life was shattered. And the same life was shattered for the Israeli nation. My nation is bleeding. My nation is in pain. My nation is in sorrow and we are faced with an extremely cruel, inhumane enemy which we have to uproot with no mercy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Aid groups are preparing for the worst as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies with each day of the conflict, and basic necessities begin to dwindle. Food, medicine, and water are in short supply. The Director General of the Palestinian Red Crescent also says hospitals face imminent shutdown since there's very little fuel left to run generators.

And Juliette Touma, communications director for UNRWA, joins me now from Athens. Thank you so much for being with us.

JULIETTE TOUMA, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, UNRWA: Thank you for having me, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So the Hamas attacks last Saturday in southern Israel. They were brutal and abhorrent. But now as Israel strikes back with heavy military force, your organization is calling this an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe unfolding inside Gaza. Your commissioner- general says the world has lost its humanity, with Palestinians being denied water, food, and electricity. Describe to us what exactly is happening inside Gaza right now.

TOUMA: It's a terrible, terrible tragedy, Rosemary. One million people have been forced to leave their homes. At least half of them are now in UNRWA facilities. We get reports from our staff on the ground all the time. They are terrified. UNRWA lost 14 colleagues of mine. Some of them were teachers, an engineer, a gynecologist. No place is safe in Gaza.

CHURCH: And efforts are underway to establish a humanitarian corridor to get food, water and other supplies into Gaza. Are you hearing any more details about that corridor or any information on the possibility that the Rafah border crossing may open soon? We're also hearing rumors of a possible ceasefire. What are you hearing on all of this?

TOUMA: Well we've got to get in supplies and we've got to get in those supplies urgently into the Gaza Strip. We need fuel, we need wheat flour, we need other basic supplies. UNRWA has not been able to deliver anything in the past week plus. So we need to get in those supplies as soon as possible, fuel especially, so that the water can come back to people in the Gaza Strip.

CHURCH: And why hasn't Egypt's president El-Sisi opened that Rafah border into his country given he's been condemning Israel's airstrikes on Gaza and calling the cutting off of water, food and electricity collective punishment, but he's not. doing anything to help the Palestinian people who are messing at that Rafah border crossing?

TOUMA: But look Rosemary, UNRWA is calling for humanitarian assistance in whichever shape, way, form possible so that we're able to get in humanitarian assistance. The situation right now on the ground is very, very dire.

Water has run out for two million people. Little children are drinking dirty water. We got to get in those supplies, especially fuel and wheat flour, as soon as possible. Time is really running out for the people of Gaza. It's running out.

CHURCH: Yeah, that is a real concern. And if Israel proceeds with its ground incursion into Gaza, what will likely happen to those Palestinians who weren't able to evacuate and to the hospitals that weren't able to evacuate some of those patients and those who are helping them?

TOUMA: Well, more people will be killed, more civilians will be killed, and it's time for all of this to come to an end. Too many people have been killed, too many civilians, too many children, too many women, old people. This has got to stop, has got to stop, and humanitarian supplies need to get into Gaza, and the siege on the Gaza Strip must be lifted right away.

[03:10:02]

CHURCH: So at this point, we know that humanitarian aid is sitting at the Rafah border crossing on the Egyptian side but the problem is that crossing hasn't been opened up. Once it is and it could, I mean there are rumors that it could happen any moment, some of these aid groups position to be able to get that humanitarian aid to those most in need.

TOUMA: Well you see before the 7th of October, UNRWA used to bring in supplies from the Israeli crossing. So right now, what we're calling for is to lift the siege. We are ready. We would like and we would urge all those who have influence on parties to the conflict to open up Gaza so that UNRWA is able to bring in much needed supplies for people. There's one million people who are in need on the ground. Half of them are sheltering in UNRWA facilities. We are running out of supplies. We are on the verge at UNRWA of not being able to continue our operations.

CHURCH: Well, let's hope that happens soon. We're all watching and waiting for that very action to occur. Julia Touma, thank you so much for talking with us. We appreciate it. TOUMA: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, still to come as Israeli troops prepare for an expected ground attack on Hamas, we will take a look at the last time the IDF moved into Gaza.

And China takes on diplomacy in the Middle East with top diplomats delivering some increasingly strong words for Israel. We'll take you to Beijing for the latest after a short break.

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[03:15:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Well, aid groups say conditions in Gaza are deteriorating rapidly. The enclave has been cut off from water and electricity for days as Israeli airstrikes continue to pound towns and cities.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have already fled from northern Gaza to the south to escape an expected Israeli ground incursion. The last time the IDF went into the enclave to target Hamas leaders was back in 2014. Nic Robertson looks back at the operation then and what Israel is planning now.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Close to Gaza, preparations underway for a much-anticipated ground offensive. Troops from different units training together. There is an urgency here. They have to be ready fast.

(on-camera): Right now this is a rehearsal. If and when there's an incursion these troops could be at the front of it. Tanks, or for this practice, model ones right now, followed by infantry and combat engineers, a combined force spearheading an incursion.

(voice-over): If they do, Major Ofek will be near the front.

MAJOR OFEK, IDF TROOP COMMANDER (through translator): We expect to go to war. We expect to destroy the terrorist organization Hamas, kill its government and kill every last terrorist. That's what we plan to do, and that's how it will be.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The last time the IDF went into Gaza targeting Hamas' leaders was 2014. Ariel Bernstein was 21 in the Special Forces, one of the first to cross the border.

ARIEL BERNSTEIN, FORMER IDF SOLDIER: You're just afraid that there is something waiting for you at every corner.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): But his experiences then have left him questioning the tactics today. Back then, he says, the IDF warned civilians to leave. and Hamas told them to stay, just as is happening now. But some had stayed. His orders, he says, assume the civilians had left.

BERNSTEIN: Whoever you see is basically engaged in fighting or is involved in fighting. And therefore, we call it engaging with fire, with any home you enter, with any kind of shape of a person that you see from afar.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): In many ways, Israel's actions are playing out just as they have in the past. 2021-gun positions freshly dug back in use.

And in Gaza, the civilian death toll, according to Palestinian health officials, already higher than in 2014. And like then, Israel is already facing huge international pressure to avoid more civilian casualties.

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: What we are doing is saying privately what we've said publicly, which is that all military operations should be conducted consistent with law of war, that civilians should be protected.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The problem the IDF says it faces, just like 2014, Hamas will be hiding among civilians.

MAJOR DORON SPIELMAN, IDF SPOKESPERSON: The whole situation we're talking about with Gazan civilians forcibly embedded is another element of Hamas. Hamas has to be fully defeated.

ROBERTSON (on-camera): So the responsibility is on them and not you?

SPIELMAN: The responsibility is on Hamas for their own civilians. Our responsibility is to eliminate Hamas's capabilities completely.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Major Ofek, pausing during training in a mocked up Palestinian town, says they don't hurt innocents, only terrorists, but admits if he is sent into Gaza, avoiding civilian deaths won't be easy.

(on-camera): Do you think it's possible though to fight Hamas without civilians getting injured?

MAJOR OFEK (through translator): We're concerned with overthrowing the Hamas regime and killing the terrorists who are currently in Gaza. If it will be difficult, it will be difficult. Not easy.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Outside the camp gates, as Israel's military ponder their next move, troops are saying their fond farewells.

Nic Roberrtson, CNN, Southern Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The IDF says its fighter jets hit Hezbollah military infrastructure in Lebanon on Sunday. An uptick in clashes with Hezbollah is raising fears that the conflict could spread. Ben Wedeman is in southern Lebanon with details.

[03:20:10]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was another day of cross-border strike and counter-strike between Hezbollah and Israel, with the violence edging beyond isolated incidents and starting to veer toward this scenario so many hear fear.

Another full-on war between Hezbollah and Israel, one worse perhaps than the more than month-long battle they fought in 2006. Throughout the day, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli military positions on the border, firing guided missiles at communications, observation and surveillance equipment, and also hitting some Israeli towns, killing one Israeli civilian and wounding several others.

Israel fired artillery and launched airstrikes on what it called Hezbollah military infrastructure. As a result of the fighting, Israel declared a four-kilometer-deep closed military zone along the border to keep civilians away.

In the afternoon, a volley of rockets was fired into Israel, most intercepted by the Iron Dome. But it wasn't Hezbollah, but rather the military wing of Hamas that claimed responsibility. At roughly the same time a rocket hit the headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping force just north of the border, slamming into the helipad there, no one was injured. The U.N. is trying to determine where the rocket was fired from. All of this doesn't amount to war yet, but it's getting dangerously close.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Southern Lebanon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: China is weighing in on the war between Israel and Hamas. The country's top diplomat says Israel now has gone beyond self-defense with its actions since the Hamas attack. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says that the right to self-defense should line up with international humanitarian law. He also told Iran's foreign minister in a phone call that statehood for the Palestinian people has long been put on hold.

CNN's Beijing bureau chief Steven Jiang joins us now from the Chinese capital. So Steven, what more can you tell us about China's response to Israel's war with Hamas?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yeah, Rosemary. Wang Yi's remarks regarding Israel have raised some eyebrows because some perceive it as to be a hardened stance from Beijing towards Israel as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens. And in all of the readouts after his phone calls with regional powers over the weekend, not just around, but also Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. as well.

And you see this emphasis on China's traditional champion cause, that is Palestinian statehood, as we mentioned. But one thing that's been conspicuously missing since day one is the word Hamas. They have not mentioned this group in any of their statements and readouts and condemnations. Perhaps because like most Arab nations, China has long viewed the group as a resistance organization, not a terrorist group. That's also reflected in their state media coverage on the story, very much focused on Palestinians suffering after the Israeli counterattacks, while barely mentioning the initial Israeli heavy casualties when the Hamas group launched these heinous attacks against civilians.

So that of course has not gone unnoticed by Israel and its allies, including the United States. But despite Beijing's claim of impartiality and insistence that they have no agenda in this conflict, other than being on the side of peace and justice, very much you see this one-sided sort of emphasis on the Palestinian statehood, as you mentioned. That's of course something they are not the only ones saying, but at this juncture, it seems that's not something very practical. That's why some analysts say despite Beijing's recent inroads in the region, they still lack the expertise and the experience in dealing with perhaps the world's most sensitive or complex issue.

And that also may be a reflection of Beijing's calculation that at the end of day, despite their closer economic ties with Israel in recent years, you know, scoring points with a wider Arab world serves their overall interests better on the international stage and all of their messaging over the years of course has been they are the staunch allies of the Palestinian cause while often portraying Israel as a puppet state of the United States.

That is also some people say why when an Israeli embassy employee was brutally stabbed on the streets of Beijing on Friday the day when Hamas called for a global jihad, at least initial -- initially the reaction on Chinese social media, people showed very little sympathy and support for him and Israel. Rosemary.

CHURCH: Alright, our thanks to Steven Jiang joining us live from Beijing.

And still to come, as Israel expands its Gaza operations, the U.S. sends a second carrier group to the region. We will look at the message Washington is hoping to send.

[03:25:09]

Plus, could a trip to Israel be on the horizon for the U.S. President? More on the invitation extended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when we return.

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Israel and Hezbollah fighters have been exchanging fire, raising fears of a second front in the ongoing conflict across the Israeli-Lebanese border.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

The IDF says its fighter jets struck Hezbollah's military infrastructure on Sunday and say they were responding to fire coming from Lebanon. Meantime, as fighting intensifies in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of civilians are fleeing south.

The U.S. Embassy in Israel says the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza may open at short notice for, quote, "a limited time." The crossing has been closed since the fighting began.

Iran's president is warning that the war between Israel and Hamas could spread to other parts of the Middle East if the crisis in Gaza is not resolved soon. In a call with France's Emmanuel Macron Sunday, Iran's president called for an immediate end to the bombardment of residential areas in Gaza and demanded that efforts be made to lift the blockade on the territory.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the weekend holding talks with leaders across the Middle East in hopes of preventing the conflict from spreading. He's warning Iran and other regional players not to take advantage of the crisis, noting that the US is sending a second carrier strike group to the region.

[03:30:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We backed that up not only with the words that we're saying. but with what we're actually doing, including the deployment of these aircraft carrier battle groups. Again, not to provoke anyone, but to send a very clear message of deterrence, that no one should do anything that widens this conflict in any way or that furthers aggression against Israel from any other direction. So we've been clear about that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN has also learned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited U.S. President Joe Biden to visit Israel and that both countries are discussing the possibility of a visit soon.

The Pentagon has ordered a second carrier strike group to the Mediterranean Sea as we mentioned as Israel prepares to expand its Gaza operations. The U.S. warships are not intended to join the fighting but their presence is designed to send a message of deterrence to Iran and Hezbollah.

CNN's Hadas Gold has our report on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE

HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: As of right now, the United States is giving absolutely no indication that it plans to send in U.S. military boots on the ground in any way to Israel to try and assist either in the operations in Gaza or in part of any sort of hostage rescue operations. But what it's doing right now is a show, a force, a show of unity with these carrier strike groups sitting in the waters off the coast, a very clear message to other groups in the region, not even just Hamas, but Hezbollah groups in Syria as well as a deterrent to try to keep them from getting involved. Now, we do know that the Americans have -- already have on the ground a federal team who can help in hostage situations.

They are assisting the Israelis and there is reporting that a Marine Expeditionary Unit is headed potentially towards Israel. Now, this is a unit of more than 2,000 Marines and sailors who not only can help in major evacuations but they have also had training in hostage rescue scenarios.

Now, no indication that is where they're headed or that's why they are headed or why they would potentially be headed towards the region, but it gives you an idea of potentially the support that the Israelis may be receiving from the U.S. military. Now, the Israeli military and the U.S. military work very, very closely together. They are constantly training with one another.

Israeli military officials often call the American military their brothers-in-arms. They actually just had their largest ever joint exercise in the last few months. And during that exercise, they made it explicitly clear that such an exercise was a very clear message to Iran, saying that if you get involved in a way of attacking Israel, be careful because the Americans are there to support them.

But John Kirby has already said that they have no plans and no intentions right now of sending U.S. troops on the ground into Israel. And Chuck Schumer in an interview with Erin Burnett earlier also said that the Israelis have not asked for troops on the ground. What they want is support in the forms of things like munitions, ammunition, and also just the support of having those terror strike groups off the coast to try and deter any other actors from getting involved.

But even if a hostage rescue operation is attempted, it will be incredibly complex, it will be very, very difficult, and the Israelis will likely be seeking at least some sort of support from the Americans in terms of logistics and intelligence.

Hadas Gold, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The families of American hostages are urging the White House to take immediate action to get them home. A group calling itself the Families of American Israeli Hostages in Gaza met with U.S. President Joe Biden last week to deliver that message. But for now, U.S. officials say the best plan is to work with Israel to secure the release of all the hostages.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SULLIVAN, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: All we can do is to continue to work closely with the Israeli government on hostage recovery options, which we are doing, and then work through third countries to see if there are avenues for release. Those efforts are underway. Our hope is that they can produce results. We will continue to stay focused on this. It's as high a priority as the president has.

(END VIDEO CLIP) And discussions are now underway for a possible visit by President Joe Biden to Israel in the near future. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Prime Minister Netanyahu invited President Biden to visit Israel soon. His forces tell CNN that both countries are discussing the possibility. Now it's unclear how advanced these conversations are and if this will happen when it would happen.

[03:34:52]

But in a statement to CNN, the White House said that there are no new travel plans to announce. Now the two leaders did talk over the weekend to talk about ongoing military support by the U.S. and the conflict at-large. And if this visit were to happen by President Biden, it would come on the heels of high-stakes diplomacy by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been meeting with regional partners and his counterparts in diplomacy to avoid this conflict from spreading or widening any further.

And in an interview with "60 Minutes," President Biden said that while Israel needs to respond, it would be, quote, "a big mistake for there to be an occupation of Gaza." Take a listen.

BIDEN: What happened in Gaza in my view is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don't represent all the Palestinian people. And I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again, but to going in and taking out the extremists, the Hezbollah is up north, but Hamas down south is a necessary requirement.

ALVAREZ: Now all of this is top of mind as the White House goes into the week. On Sunday, President Biden was briefed regularly by his senior officials about the ongoing situation in Israel and Gaza.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, The White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: State police in Illinois are urging residents to stay vigilant against hate crimes after a Chicago man allegedly killed a six-year- old Palestinian Muslim boy.

Police say 71-year-old Joseph Czuba stabbed 6-year-old Wadea Al- Fayoume to death in his apartment and seriously wounded the child's mother. She reportedly told the boy's father that Czuba, the family's landlord, attacked her and her son while yelling, you Muslims must die. Authorities have charged Czuba with first-degree murder, attempted murder and two counts of a hate crime. The U.S. Justice Department has also opened a federal hate crimes investigation into the attack.

U.S. House Republicans return to Capitol Hill today, first on the agenda, choosing their next speaker. But whether lawmakers can agree on a new leader remains to be seen. Details on that, coming up.

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[03:40:00]

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CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. When House Republicans gather behind closed doors in Washington Monday evening, they will be in their 13th day of operating without a leader. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan is expected to force a floor vote on Tuesday as he tries to become the next speaker of the House. Jordan was nominated to replace Kevin McCarthy, who became the first speaker in U.S. history, to be ousted by his own party. During Friday's nomination vote, Jordan seemed well short of the support he will need to win the Speaker's gavel, but he appeared optimistic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): I think we'll get 217 votes.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But you'll only keep running if you get 217 votes?

JORDAN: I think we'll get -- I think we'll -- Watch yourself. I think we'll get 217 votes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: One senior House member who opposes a Jordan Speakership tells CNN he thinks there are roughly 40 votes against him and at least 20 members who are willing to go to the floor on Tuesday to block Jordan's path if he tries to compel a roll call vote.

Well joining me now is Natasha Lindstaedt, a Professor of Government at the University of Essex, and Deputy Dean of Education in Social Sciences at the school. Appreciate you joining us.

NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROF. OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: So as Republicans dither over who to select as their new speaker, the House is paralyzed, unable to pass any legislation, and that could have dire consequences for the war raging between Israel and Hamas, as well as, of course, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Why can't the Republicans unite on this or anything at this juncture?

LINDSTAEDT: I mean, that's a fantastic question. That's something that is a major problem for the Republicans. We saw this when Kevin McCarthy needed 15 times to become speaker of the House back in January. And this is a residue of Trumpism. It's an impact of the Trumpian-style politics affecting the Republican Party, where it's more about individualism, about personality, about charisma, about trying to get media attention that it is about coming together and actually governing and that's what many experts are saying that the Republican party doesn't seem to be that interested in governing at the moment.

They're more interested at least let's just say the MAGA-wing of the Republican party in trying to prove that Washington is broken and that we need a new style of governing or politics to run things and that style is essentially more authoritarian. And so we're seeing the Republican Party self-destruct in this instance, and it's going to take a very long time before we get any kind of resolution. And as you already mentioned, of course, this has dire implications for our allies for getting aid over to both Israel and Ukraine and just for governing in general.

CHURCH: Yeah. I mean, it appears incredibly tone deaf while all of this is going on in the world around them. They don't seem to see it. So, Jim Jordan is still trying to get enough support for his bid to become Speaker of the House after Steve Scalise bailed out. He wasn't able to get it and of course before that Kevin McCarthy was ousted historically. So what happens if Jim Jordan can't get the 217 votes needed here? What happens next?

LINDSTAEDT: I mean that's another great question because what are they going to do? They don't seem to have a clear way forward. You saw Jim Jordan run just on a pose in a secret ballot of 55 Republicans said they just wouldn't vote for him, there's just too many Republicans that wouldn't want him to be Speaker of the House and with good reason he of course is very close to Trump has a very pugilistic style of politics of basically derailing and opposing things has actually no record of using consensus or trying to get people to come together.

So he would be a very terrible choice for speaker they need to come up with somebody was probably more moderate and committed to governing, but then of course the problem is that the extreme right-wing of the Republican party will derail that, they have absolutely no problem with this going on for weeks if not months.

[03:44:58]

And so it's difficult to see a way forward maybe they'll allow the caretaker Patrick McConry to stay in this role a little bit longer but then of course that leads to more problems with what's going to happen with that with the budget and there is in a way forward with cooperating with the Democrats though some people have thought that might have been a possibility but it apparently Republicans have stated that that's not really have -- that doesn't really have much a chance of working out. So what I think we're going to see is many weeks wrangling within the Republican party until a suitable candidate comes forward and I'm not sure who that's going to be.

CHURCH: Yeah, I don't think they're very sure either. So can Republicans ever move forward on this issue or any other issue, while ever the far-right element within the GOP, apparently led by Matt Gaetz, remains in the party? And is there anything the moderates in the GOP can do about that rogue element? Because this is going to impact them, presumably, unless people have very short memories, by the time we get to the presidential election next year.

LINDSTAEDT: It is going to impact them and I'm not sure what the moderates can do. I mean the one thing they could do but I don't see this happening would be to go independent to make deals with the Democrats but we've already heard that's not likely to happen. What has ended up happening is that they've made concessions to the right- wing elements of the Republican party and they've really made too many concessions and this is how we got ourselves in this mess in the first place because, Kevin McCarthy agreed that basically one person could oust him, could nominate to have him unseated.

And that creates a situation where you just don't have enough party discipline and party unity. And so we're seeing the fraying, as I mentioned, of the Republican Party. There needs to be some discipline of the party in order for it to govern. And right now they're not in that type of place.

Well let's hope voters are watching all of the detail here. And remember, by the time they have to cast their ballots in November 2024. We shall see. Natasha Lindstaedt, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your analysis. I appreciate it as always.

LINDSTAEDT: Thanks for having me.

CHURCH: Well, exit polls show Poland's populist ruling party is set to lose its parliamentary majority after Sunday's hard-fought election. The opposition bloc, led by former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, appears on course to gain control if it strikes deals with smaller parties. The results of this election are expected to have major ramifications for Poland, the balance of power in the European Union and the future of the war in Ukraine.

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DONALD TUSK, LEADER OF CIVIC PLATFORM (through translator): We did it, really. I know that our dreams were even more ambitious, but I will tell you I have been a politician for many years. I am an athlete. I have never been so happy with this supposed second place in my life. Poland won, democracy won.

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CHURCH: Well now to Afghanistan, where a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the western part of the country Sunday morning just days after a series of strong quakes hit the same region. Officials say at least 50 people were injured in Sunday's earthquake. Taliban government officials estimate more than 2,000 people were killed in an earlier tremor on October 7th, most of them women and children.

Well still to come, inside the nightmare day, the Be'eri kibbutz was attacked by Hamas. We will hear from one resident.

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[03:50:00]

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CHURCH: More than 270 Americans who had been stranded in Israel after the deadly Hamas attacks arrived in Florida Sunday night. They landed in Tampa on a flight chartered by a non-profit group and Florida Governor and U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. He was there to greet the returning Americans on the tarmac and said there will be more charter flights to bring up to 1,000 Floridians home from Israel.

Well meantime, people took to the streets around the world this weekend to show their support for both Israelis and Palestinians. However, in Europe, pro-Palestinian rallies were most prevalent. In the Netherlands, police say more than 15,000 people gathered for this demonstration in Amsterdam. Authorities say one person was arrested for displaying the Hamas flag, and two more for covering their faces and threatening officers.

And in London Saturday, thousands march to British broadcaster BBC's headquarters. The BBC says red paint was splattered over its main entrance to protest its coverage of the war.

Dozens of bodies have been found in the Israeli kibbutz Be'eri near Gaza, as details emerge of the horror that unfolded as Hamas launched their deadly surprise attack. CNN's Anderson Cooper spoke to one resident about that terrifying assault.

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YARNIN PELED, RESIDENT OF BE'ERI KIBBUTZ: It was a nightmare, nothing you can imagine. And you're locked in a, what a confined place. Some of my friends and colleagues, families have been even few. We actually been only two of us, my spouse, myself and the dog. About, I know, eight people crowded in this place or even more. everything is locked, you see nothing outside.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, AC360: I should point out, you live in Be'eri, which was attacked by Hamas very early on, on Saturday morning. It was the scene of horrific brutality by Hamas on the ground there, and you got to your safe room, and I know other members of your family got to their safe rooms as well, but you were on a WhatsApp group following every move that these terrorists were making as they moved around killing people?

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PELED: Well, the Kibbutz has an app for internal messages, you know, mainly for the daily life. It's not about what's going on in the culture, what is about health care, what about dining room, you know, things like that. Add to that, as a family, we have our own family WhatsApp. And each one of us actually talking to other people. So you get a lot of information from a lot of places in the Kibbutz.

Add to that, that all my friends start calling me in the middle of this chaos. And I can't answer anyone because they see on the news what is going on. which is more than I can at the moment. And so you sit there and you on literally blind and just can imagine what is going on you get a message from one please someone go to my mother's house they breaking down the safe room door go this to save my uncle burning down his house and smoke is coming into the and they going up the stairs we hear Arabic shouting outside and, you know, this kind of messages all over the kibbutz.

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CHURCH: Horrifying stories there, one of so many. I want to thank you for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. Our coverage of Israel at war continues with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo next.

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