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Israel Defense Forces Say More Than 200 Hostages Currently Being Held In Gaza By Hamas; Israeli Forces Mass Along Gaza Border In Preparation For Ground Invasion; Sister Of Woman Killed By Hamas While At Music Festival In Israel Interviewed; American Woman And Her Teenage Daughter Free After Being Held As Hostages in Gaza by Hamas; Twenty Trucks with Humanitarian Aid Allowed into Gaza Strip; Retired U.S. Army General Warns Israel Forces Should Not Attempt To Directly Occupy Gaza City; Red Cross International Committee Spokesperson Describes Negotiations That Led to Release Of Two American Hostages By Hanas; Biden Administration Asks Congress For More than $100 Billion Of Foreign Aid To Provide Security Assistance To Ukraine and Israel. Aired 2-3p ET.

Aired October 21, 2023 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

SHAMIL IDRISS, CEO, SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND: I can't remember a time when it was this low. It was heartening to hear President Biden talk about not being blinded by rage when wants to strike back after attacks, just as he mentioned the experience of the United States during 9/11. But people need to see more, they need to see a concerted effort to get the humanitarian assistance in at the level that it's required, and a genuine effort to address the civilian casualties on both sides, and not simply call it collateral damage. The proportions are simply way out of measure to simply call it collateral damage. It's much more than that.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Shamil Idriss, thank you so much. Great to see you again, sadly, under these kinds of circumstances, but appreciate your time and your insight. Thank you so much.

IDRISS: Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta, alongside Wolf Blitzer in Washington. I'll get to you in a moment, Wolf. We're continuing with our special coverage of the events unfolding today on the ground in Israel and Gaza.

After days of waiting, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was open, briefly, this morning. Twenty trucks carrying humanitarian aid were permitted to cross into Gaza. Water, fuel, and food are all running desperately low there, and the United Nations is warning that Gaza's hospitals are on the brink of collapse.

Israel continues its air strikes over Gaza. The death toll there now standing at more than 4,300 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Meantime, tens of thousands of Israeli troops continue to amass along the Gaza border, and now the Israeli Defense Forces updated the number of hostages held in Gaza to 210 people. Two American hostages, a mother and her teenage daughter, are free following their surprise release yesterday. They were visiting family at a kibbutz close to Gaza when they were taken hostage by Hamas. Wolf?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, THE SITUATION ROOM: Thanks, Fred.

As Israel masses forces along the Gaza border, speculation remains high about when an Israeli ground offensive could begin in Gaza. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Ashkelon, Israel, for us. Jeremy, what's the latest on the state of Israel's forces? What are you learning?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, we were driving along the Gaza border today and we saw massings, several massings of tanks, armored personnel carriers, and these bulldozers, these D9 bulldozers that the Israeli forces use ahead of a ground invasion to basically clear the roads of any potential IEDs and other obstacles in their way.

But these were large massings. I would say altogether we saw several hundred tanks, armored personnel carriers, and these armored vehicles, as well as infantry troops staging in the area, artillery nearby as well. So all of this very much appears to be the preparations for this ground invasion that we have been waiting for. And it goes along with the comments that we are hearing from top Israeli generals that tonight Israel's military chief of staff, General Halevi, saying, quote, "We will enter the Gaza Strip," telling troops that they will embark on an operational task of destroying Hamas, and making very clear that while he understands that Hamas has prepared for the possibility of an Israeli invasion, that they will have booby traps, that they will have tunnels, that they will have reinforced positions waiting for those Israeli troops entering the Gaza Strip, he also said that we are also preparing for them.

And so all of this, we still don't know exactly when, Wolf, this invasion will take place. But certainly, based on the massing of the troops and the comments that we are hearing from Israeli generals, it does appear that we are very close.

BLITZER: It looks like it's close, indeed. Jeremy, I know you're doing a lot of reporting on what's going on inside Gaza. What are you learning about the conditions in Gaza right now as these first aid trucks are finally allowed through that southern border?

DIAMOND: Well, Wolf, the humanitarian situation inside of Gaza is being roundly described by various aid groups and international organizations simply as a humanitarian catastrophe, let alone that the death toll inside of Gaza is over 4,000 individuals killed, including hundreds of women and children. But in addition to that, the World Food Program's executive director is warning of rampant starvation, saying that the consequences are catastrophic inside of Gaza. All of this despite the fact that today, finally, the first aid trucks, about 20 aid trucks were allowed into Gaza via that Rafah border crossing from Egypt, but that is simply a drop in the ocean at this point. Aid organizations and international groups saying that much more aid needs to be allowed to go in, and that a consistent humanitarian corridor needs to be established for the people of Gaza.

[14:05:08]

BLITZER: All right, Jeremy Diamond in Ashkelon, Israel, for us. Jeremy, thank you very much. Stay safe over there.

I want to bring in Israel Defense Forces international spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus. Lieutenant Colonel, thank you so much for joining us. We all know the Israeli military has been gathered around the northern part of Gaza now for more than a week. Is it still the intention of the IDF to go into Gaza for a ground assault against Hamas?

LT. COL. JONATHAN CONRICUS, ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON: Hello, Wolf. Thank you for having me again. It is our intention to dismantle Hamas from its military capabilities so that the security situation in Israel will be fundamentally different. It is also our intention to bring back the 210, and perhaps more, hostages that we have there, every last one of them.

BLITZER: Earlier today, Lieutenant Colonel, one of your colleagues told CNN that civilian casualties are inevitable in urban warfare like the situation in Gaza right now. What measures is the IDF taking to try to limit as much as possible civilian deaths in Gaza following a major Israeli ground offensive?

CONRICUS: Indeed, we try to minimize civilian casualties and the effect on civilians. The problem is that our enemy uses them as human shields, and we've seen that all throughout 20 years, almost, of Hamas rule and all of the encounters, and we're seeing it now today, not allowing them to evacuate, et cetera.

What we will be doing is, first and foremost, trying to distinguish between who is a combatant and who isn't, and we will target the combatants, the Hamas terrorists. We have tried to evacuate the civilians, and we still try to evacuate them from the northern part of Gaza, because that is where most of the combat will be. And we continue to warn civilians in various locations to stay clear of Hamas so that they don't endanger themselves.

BLITZER: As you know, Hamas released two American hostages, a mother and daughter, yesterday. But Israel says there are 210 other hostages still in Gaza. What can you say about plans to rescue the remaining hostages? And is the IDF concerned that the potential ground invasion into Gaza could put more of those hostages in greater jeopardy?

CONRICUS: Responsibility for the well-being of all of the 210 hostages, most of them, by the way, civilians, women, children, infants, and elderly, all of that responsibility lies on one organization only, the same organization that abducted from their homes in Israel -- Hamas. If anything happens to them, Hamas is responsible. We will conduct military operations, we will dismantle Hamas, and we will bring the people home, and we will find the tactical way of squaring that situation in the best possible way. I'm not saying that everything will be perfect and everybody will come home, not soldiers and not hostages. What I am saying is that we are committed to defeating Hamas and making sure the security situation changes fundamentally.

BLITZER: Israel has vowed to wipe out, to destroy Hamas and its infrastructure, but even if the IDF successfully were to destroy this terrorist organization, does Israel have a clear sense of what happens next in Gaza? Hamas is in charge in Gaza now, but who would take over?

CONRICUS: The only thing I can say is that Hamas will not be in charge at the end of this war. That is for certain. What will happen, who will govern, that we'll have to see. And people in suits will have to tell people in uniform exactly what the strategic end game is. Our job is to make sure the bad, the worst organization that we've seen in Gaza, the one that has failed Gazans the worst and the one that has brought so much death, carnage, and horror on Israeli civilians, that organization, Hamas, will be gone from Gaza so that a better, safer, and more prosperous future can be built for everybody, first and foremost, for Israel, for Israelis who should live in peace in our sovereign country, and also for Gazans.

BLITZER: Amidst all of this, as you well know, Lieutenant Colonel, the IDF in recent days has engaged with various groups along Israel's northern border, with Lebanon and also with Syria, with some groups coming in from Syria. There have been some serious tensions. What is the level of concern about this current war between Hamas and Israel and Gaza expanding into a much larger regional conflict?

CONRICUS: We are concerned, and we urge the state of Lebanon to think twice, or maybe 200 times, if they really want to jeopardize what's left of Lebanese sovereignty and prosperity for the sake of a bunch of terrorists in Gaza, because as of now, that's what Hezbollah is doing, and we strongly urge against it.

[14:10:12]

We are positioned along the border --

BLITZER: One final question -- Lieutenant Colonel, one final question before I let you go. The Houthis in Yemen, they launched some missiles. They were destroyed by U.S. interceptors. Were those missiles aimed at Israel? Do the Houthis have missiles and rockets with a range that could actually reach Israel?

CONRICUS: I know that the Pentagon said that they might have been aimed at Israel, and I also know that they definitely have uranium weapons that are capable of reaching Israel.

BLITZER: All right, well, that's another worrisome development as well. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, thanks very much for joining us.

CONRICUS: Thank you, sir.

BLITZER: We're learning much more now about the lives lost in those brutal Hamas attacks on Israel two weeks ago, among them, 23-year-old Shira Eylon. She and her friend were killed by Hamas terrorists at that Nova Music Festival. Shira's sister Adar Eylon joining us now from Tel Aviv. Adar, thank you so much for joining us. I wish we were just talking under different circumstances. And let me express our deepest condolences to you over your sister's death. First of all, what can you tell us about what happened to her?

ADAR EYLON, SISTER KILLED IN HAMAS ATTACKS AT NOVA FESTIVAL: First of all, thank you for having me. Two weeks ago, Shira and two of her friends went to the Nova Music Festival. And Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. she called my dad, telling him there was bombing over there, which, sadly, has become a regular thing here. She told him that she's scared and she's going into a panic to come, and come home. But 30 minutes after, she didn't answer her phone anymore. She was missing for five days. And after five days, we got a message from the army that they recognized her body. Her body lay down in the forest for five days.

Apparently, the terrorists surrounded the party, they had been planning that for a while, apparently. And they just came inside and started to automatically shoot everybody over there, stealing stuff from their bodies, kidnapping. After they're done over there, they went to the nearest cities and kibbutzim and just broke into houses, killed families, babies, kidnapped 200 people, killing thousands of people.

And while she was missing, I tried to find some information. I watched the videos in Telegram. Apparently, the Hamas videoed themselves killing people then uploaded it to Telegram and TikTok. So sadly, I watched all the horrible things that they did. And we managed to locate her phone the first day. We saw it in Gaza, so we thought they kidnapped her. But apparently, she was murdered, they shoot her in the back around 8:00 a.m.

I talked to a lot of her friends that were at the party while I was looking for her, and the stories were the same. They said that once the shooting was starting, it was complete chaos. They hide in the forest for hours. They described it like running away from the Nazis. They tried to call for help from the army and the police, but nobody came because there were hundreds of terrorists just shooting cars, so nobody can get over there to help them.

And apparently there were so many dead bodies over there that it took them -- they couldn't get the bodies to the hospital anymore because all of the hospitals were full. So they collected the bodies and brought them to the near amadaze (ph). This is why it took them six days to recognize her and bring her to bury her. And she lie in the forest for six days before we buried her.

BLITZER: So sad. Adar, tell us a little about your sister, Shira. What was she like?

[14:15:00]

EYLON: She just started her life. She was 23. She just came back from India. She was very peaceful and kind. She was about to start at university, a psychology degree. And she was very gentle and very delicate, and she had nothing to do with this war. I can't even imagine what kind of monster can shoot kids, innocent kids, not soldiers, civilians, innocent civilians that just came to party and to celebrate life.

And we're heartbroken. We're devastated about it. She was so delicate and so peaceful and very nonviolent. She had nothing to do -- I don't think that she could have survived this attack. No way that she could have survived it.

BLITZER: So, so awful. The IDF, as you know, says more than 200 people are being held hostage in Gaza right now. I know your family tracked your sister's phone there, thinking she was, perhaps, one of the hostages. What was it like for your family during this awful, awful time?

EYLON: My parents actually said that they prefer her to be dead than to get kidnapped, because they know that the terrorists, they abuse the people they kidnap, they abuse the dead bodies, they rape the women over there. So they were hoping for her to be dead on the spot. And yes, they shot her from zero range, so she was dead on the spot, apparently.

I had hope that maybe she got kidnapped and maybe we can free those kids someday. I don't know the last time that they kidnapped a soldier, it took five years to find his location. But I had hoped that at least we can free those 200 kids and elderly and babies, because those people don't deserve this. They're probably in a very bad situation psychologically and health, very bad health situation. I know that most of them have been held after they already got shot. So they're dying. I saw some videos of the Hamas making, while I was looking for her, I watched hundreds of videos on Telegram, and I've seen the people that they took. Some of them were babies, infants, some were very old people, and most of them were injured, like very badly injured, like with wounds on their legs and in their stomachs. So I really hope that we can free them as best as we can, because we have, as a country, we are responsible for them. We have a responsibility for them, to save them.

BLITZER: Adar Eylon, thank you very much for spending a few moments with us. Our deepest, deepest condolences to you and to your family on the loss of your loving sister. And as we say, "Zichrona (ph) Livrocho (ph)", "may her memory be a blessing".

EYLON: Thank you.

BLITZER: And we'll have much more of our special coverage right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:22:39]

WHITFIELD: An American mother and daughter released by Hamas have been reunited with their family at an Israeli military base. They both were held hostage for nearly two weeks now after being abducted by Hamas.

Let's turn now to CNN's Whitney Wild. She's in Evanston, Illinois, the hometown of the Raanans. So Whitney, what's been the reaction of the community? I'm sure they cannot wait to see them. WHITNEY WILD, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. It is a

collective sigh of relief here because this was a community that had so much been on edge. They had no word on their condition. They didn't know if they would ever see Judith and Natalie again. And it has been very painful for the community here in Evanston, but especially for the family members who had little word on their condition and were forced to just wait for any news of their loved ones.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

URI RAANAN, HUSBAND AND FATHER OF RELEASED HOSTAGES: I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, for two weeks. I haven't been sleeping for two weeks. Tonight, I'm going to sleep good. I spoke with my daughter earlier today. She sounds very good. She looks very good. She was very happy. And she's waiting to come home. I'm going to hug her and kiss her, and it's the best day of my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILD: It is not yet clear exactly what day they will return to the Chicago area. The wait continues, for now. But the hope, Fred, is that Natalie and Judith will be back early next week, hopefully by Natalie's 18th birthday, which is on Tuesday. Of course, this community so eager to embrace Judith and Natalie after that two-week ordeal. It is just the greatest relief and the greatest news you could possibly hope for here in this community.

WHITFIELD: Indeed. What a gigantic relief. Whitney Wild, thank you so much.

Still to come, Israel's military received the green light to enter Gaza, but two weeks after Hamas -- after the Hamas brutal attack, the full-scale ground invasion has not yet begun. We'll discuss that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:28:56]

BLITZER: The Israel Defense Forces now claim that a majority of the more than 200 hostages abducted by Hamas are still alive in Gaza two weeks after that deadly terror attack in Israel. Tensions are running very, very high right now, with Israeli troops, tens of thousands of Israeli troops staging along the Gaza border for a possible ground invasion. IDF officials say troops will soon see Gaza, quote, from the inside.

I'm joined now by retired U.S. Army Brigadier General Steve Anderson. General, thanks so much for joining us. We've seen these Israeli forces amassing in huge numbers near the border with Gaza, and it's been going on since shortly after the Hamas terror attack. An IDF spokesperson just told me Israel intends to bring back all 210 hostages believed to currently being held by Hamas in Gaza. What will it take to accomplish that goal?

BRIGADIER GENERAL STEVE ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY (RET): Thank you, Wolf, for having me. I think what they need is time. They need to take their time. They

need to show some restraint, because it's going to be a very, very difficult fight. Wolf, you remember the days in Iraq and Fallujah and Ramadi and places like that.

[14:30:04]

For the Israeli to attack straight into Gaza City I think would be a terrible mistake. In fact, getting bogged down in Gaza City is probably exactly what the Iranians would be hoping for, is to see the Israelis tied up and bogged down in such a war. So they need some time. And I think we all support their goal, to destroy Hamas, and to rescue the hostages. But they've got to do it in a way that doesn't escalate the war. And I think that by going directly into Gaza City, they will do exactly that.

BLITZER: As you know, Israeli officials say that their goal is to completely eliminate Hamas and its infrastructure, destroy all the weapons, the infrastructure that Hamas has in Gaza. What sort of challenges do you think the IDF will face in Gaza if it does launch this full-scale ground invasion? And all of us are bracing for it to begin fairly soon.

ANDERSON: We all know what they're capable of. Everybody has heard a lot about that incredible tunnel system that's as long, perhaps, as the New York City subway system. They're going to have suicide bombers. They're going to have all kinds of difficulty fighting in urban terrain.

I think the smart move for the Israelis at this point would be to attack directly across the country to seize the Gaza power plant. That would cut the country in half. And then what they need to do is establish humanitarian support areas in the south of Gaza and then encourage as much as they can the people that are north of that line to come south and enter into the camps, camps that hopefully would be run by the United Nations or the World Health Organization.

And then they could still have a stranglehold on Gaza City, conducting precision strikes on Gaza City, using special forces, using drones and air assets and whatnot, and then they could target the Hamas leadership that way and they could slowly close the noose on them.

The other thing that time would afford them, and if they were to execute this strategy of cutting the country in half, the other thing is they need to start working on a political solution, because we all know the old Pottery Barn rule, you break it, you own it, you bought it. And that's what they're going to be doing. So they need to make sure they've got a political situation. We all know that Hamas needs to go. President Biden has stressed a two-state solution. That is something that needs to be worked out before we start any kind of a direct ground incursion into Gaza City itself.

BLITZER: If Israel were to succeed, General, in eliminating Hamas with this major ground invasion, are you confident Israel has a plan ready to go for what will happen next in Gaza if that goal is achieved? Do you see a scenario where Israeli forces would actually occupy Gaza once again long term, or are they looking for some other goal?

ANDERSON: I think that would be a terrible mistake, Wolf. And again, I think that's what the Iranians would like to see nothing better. I'm not convinced that Israel has worked out a political solution yet. They've got to get the Palestinians to essentially step up leadership- wise. We all know that Hamas needs to go. But they need to take their time and develop some sort of political solution, something that can fill the void, because they cannot fill the void with Israeli soldiers patrolling the streets. That would send a terrible message to the rest of the world, and that would inflame Palestinians all over the world.

And we've got to remember, Israel is a small country, 10 million people. Just directly on the border there's 150 million people that would like to see them go away. We cannot allow this to become a multi-front war, Hezbollah in the north or the West Bank, or even Syria in the north. We can't let these other players get involved. The Israelis need to develop a political solution before they directly attack into Gaza City.

BLITZER: General Steve Anderson, thanks so much for joining us.

ANDERSON: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Coming up, the International Committee of the Red Cross helped facilitate the American hostages' release from Gaza, and says it is ready to visit the remaining hostages and to try to help secure any future release so more families can be reunited. A spokesperson for the Red Cross is standing by to join us live. That's next.

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[14:38:34]

BLITZER: Since the Israel-Hamas war began, the Red Cross has been providing really important assistance, including food, water, and critically important health services as well. The organization has been supporting evacuated Americans from Gaza and Israel, even transporting freed American hostages Judith and Natalie Raanan from Hamas to the IDF.

I would like to bring in Jason Straziuso. He's the Red Cross International Committee spokesperson. Jason, thanks so much for joining us. Thanks for all that you and your colleagues at the Red Cross are doing. First of all, what can you tell us about the surprise release of these two American hostages, a mother and daughter?

JASON STRAZIUSO, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS SPOKESPERSON: The first thing I want to say, Wolf, is that the misery across Gaza is deep and broad, but at the same time, we should pause and celebrate the very good news, the very good humanitarian progress we're seeing in the last 24 hours. The release of these two hostages is a burst of good news for the more than 200 families that are waiting in emotional agony for news about their loved one or for the release, even better, of their loved ones.

This operation yesterday, first of all, let me say the International Committee of the Red Cross, we've been in direct touch with Hamas since the beginning. We've been asking that they release the hostages first. Next, we're asking them that they allow us to visit and that they allow family communication. So now that two hostages have been released, our role was to pick up these two women, transport them from one side to the other as a trusted neutral intermediary, and get them back to their families.

[14:40:12]

BLITZER: It was a surprise, the release of these two American women. Are you working right now to try to help secure the release of any other specific hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza?

STRAZIUSO: We're working every day to try to achieve the exact same thing, because there are still these 200 people. Yes, you're right, Wolf, it was a surprise. I can say that our organization was working on the issue. We know that other entities were working on the issue. The news was kept quiet, but that's in order to ensure that there's trust among all the parties, that the handover can take place, that the agreements aren't broken, and that the operation is seen through from beginning to end.

So now the answer to your question, are we working on speaking with Hamas, trying to get more hostages freed, or trying to allow humanitarian visits to take place or communication with the family to take place? Yes, those conversations are still ongoing. We're still pressing, we're still insisting that more progress be made. And we're underscoring the humanitarian nature of a lot of these cases, perhaps all of these cases.

BLITZER: I want to turn, Jason, while I have you, to this humanitarian aid for Gaza. As you know, 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid were actually allowed to cross into Gaza from Egypt at the Rafah border crossing, southern Gaza, earlier today. Do you know if more aid trucks will be allowed through that Rafah gate?

STRAZIUSO: What I know for sure is that there are more aid trucks waiting to go through. These 20 trucks is great news. I was thinking, how do you describe this. If you're driving along the highway and you see 20 trucks -- or probably you pass by 20 of these slow trucks, all filled with aid, and you think this is a really impressive amount of assistance. But when you consider that 2 million people are in need, 20 trucks simply isn't enough.

So there are more trucks waiting. In fact, my organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, has 60 tons of aid waiting across right behind these 20 trucks that came in today. What I can say is we're seeing positive signs. We're seeing movement where there wasn't movement before. I can't predict the future, but it seems like things are going in a positive direction.

BLITZER: Let's hope that continues in that direction. We're grateful to you for all that you and the International Committee of the Red Cross are doing. Jason Straziuso, thank you so much for joining us.

STRAZIUSO: Thank you. BLITZER: As the war between Israel and Hamas rages on, many Israeli

Americans are coming together to try to collect humanitarian supplies. There's a dire need in Gaza right now, as well as hospitals are on the verge of collapse, and civilians are quickly running out of food. Palestinian officials say Gaza needs 7,000 trucks for immediate aid.

CNN national correspondent Camila Bernal is joining us now live with more. Camila, you met with one organization in Los Angeles. Tell us about what they're doing to try to help.

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So Wolf, what they're trying to do is trying to raise as much money as possible. They're trying to collect as many supplies as possible. But also focused on getting mental health resources to Israel, and also trying to fight misinformation. There are a lot of Israeli Americans who were shocked, who were heartbroken, and who in a way felt helpless when they started seeing what was going on in their countries. And so what they decided to do was work here in the U.S. to do anything they could to send relief or to send aid. They said initially when it came to those supplies, they were trying to find bulletproof vests, any tactical gear. But right now what they're saying they're focused on is medical supplies, any kind of medical supplies. Just the basics. That's what you're seeing there in those images. They're trying to gather as much as possible and ship it in any way possible. They've done it from L.A., from New York, from Miami, and they will continue to do so over the coming days.

I want you to listen to the CEO of Bulletproof Israel and what he told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LION SHIRDAN, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, BULLETPROOF ISRAEL: For me, it wouldn't make sense to go back, but knowing so many people in Israel and knowing what they're going through, what my goal is just to do everything that I can to help them out, everything, everything. There's no limit to what I would do. It doesn't matter. They're there, and they're fighting for us, and they're trying to get my family out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: And Lion told me that two members of his family have been kidnapped, which is part of the reason why they're doing everything they can here to help everyone else in Israel. Now, we also reached out to organizations helping people in Palestinian, and what they told us was that, for them, it's impossible to send supplies, which is why they're only focused on trying to raise as much money as they can in order to send it to the people in Palestine.

[14:45:04]

So, again, it's just Americans here feeling that they have to do something, Wolf.

BLITZER: Camila Bernal reporting for us, thank you very much. The people of Gaza and Israel need a lot of aid right now, and if you

want to help, you can. Go to CNN.com/Impact, or text "Relief" to 707070. Very important.

Up next, the White House laying out the details of a $105 billion national security package that includes military and humanitarian assistance for the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. Stay with us. More news coming up.

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[14:50:04]

JOE BIDEN, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. We would put all of that at risk if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel. It's just not worth it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That was President Biden Thursday night in his Oval Office address making his case for a $105 billion national security package he is sending to Congress. That includes $61 billion to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, and another $14 billion for Israel as it seeks to dismantle Hamas in Gaza. The president urging Americans to live up to their ideals and principles as defenders of democracy around the globe.

But President Biden's plea comes as some public support for Ukraine funding has lagged with the war dragging on. Joining us now, CNN presidential historian, Tim Naftali. Tim, President Biden says America is still a beacon in the world and the indispensable nation, his words. How important was this, not just for the U.S., but for Ukraine and Israel as well?

TIM NAFTALI, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: It is extremely important for our allies around the world to see that we are willing to put our money where our mouth is. It is extremely important to both Kyiv and Jerusalem that at this moment of peril for both of these nations, that we live up to our commitment to support international security and especially the security of their regions.

The president faces, as you mentioned, Wolf, an enormous challenge in Congress. We only have one house of Congress that is functioning. This is the first time in our history, during the Civil War, during World War I, during World War II, we had two functioning houses of Congress. We don't now. So there is no way for us, in fact, to pass legislation for the president to sign to provide to put money where our mouth is.

So this week the House decides who the speaker should be, it will be very important to watch whether the pro-Putin MAGA wing of the Republican Party forces the two appropriation issues to be split. In other words, for there to be a vote on Israel separately from a vote on Ukraine. If the two appropriation issues can be together, I suspect that money will pass. If the pro-Putin wing succeeds, we may find that we support Israel financially, and we won't be supporting Ukraine financially. Of course, both need to be supported financially for international security and for American national security to be defended.

BLITZER: This is a national security package that President Biden is proposing, $105 billion in all, is a significant ask, obviously, from the White House, and it comes as President Biden sees his own approval ratings right now fall to the second lowest point of his presidency. Take a look at this. A CNBC poll this week put it at only 37 percent with 58 percent disapproval. How does all this complicate things for the president asking for billions of dollars when his approval numbers are this low?

NAFTALI: Wolf, Harry Truman was not popular when Congress passed the Marshall Plan and support for Greece and Turkey, and supported NATO. So presidents do not have to be popular for the United States to do the right thing in the international community. It just makes it easier.

President Biden's approval ratings do not seem to make sense given the amount -- the numbers of achievements this administration has had. But keep in mind, for many Americans, inflation is still biting, and interest rates are very high. So it is understandable why Americans, on one hand, are feeling the pinch at home, and therefore, on the other hand, are not supporting the president despite the president's commitment to traditional American values abroad. It's going to be a tough sell for the president. What he really needs are allies in Congress. And we know that in the Senate, Senate Republicans want to pass this package. The issue is the House. That's the key. And that's what we'll see next week.

BLITZER: Very quickly, before I let you go, you are the presidential historian right now. Will these two issues, the two conflicts in Ukraine and Israel ultimately, do you believe, be seen as the Biden presidency's signature moment?

NAFTALI: No doubt about it, Wolf. The president's actions regarding Ukraine, and those just recently in support of Israel and also in support of the humanitarian rights of Palestinians. Let's not forget the U.S. has a complicated, multilayered approach to the Middle East at the moment.

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I believe these two will be remembered as very much a part of his legacy. No question about it.

BLITZER: Yes, important point, indeed. Tim Naftali, as usual, thanks very much for joining us.

NAFTALI: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: And to our viewers, thanks very much for joining us as well. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington alongside my colleague and good friend Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. Fred and I will be back live tomorrow afternoon for our special coverage beginning at 2:00 p.m. eastern.

For now, our coverage of the war between Israel and Hamas continues right after a quick break.

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