Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Israel And Hamas Battle Inside Gaza; President Biden Talks With Leaders Regarding Humanitarian Crisis In Gaza; U.S. Wants Negotiations For Hostages; Displaced Israelis Near The Lebanese Borders; Detroit Synagogue President Found Stabbed To Death; Israel-Hamas War Continues; CNN Takes A Look Inside An Underground Hospital; American Medic Travels To Israel To Help With War Effort. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired October 22, 2023 - 17:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:00:09]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello again everyone. Thank you so much for joining us in the CNN Newsroom. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta alongside my colleague, Erin Burnett in Tel Aviv. Erin, we'll talk to you in a hot second. So, we begin with our special coverage with the quickly escalating developments in Israel and Gaza. And a warning, some of you might find it very disturbing. These are graphic images coming up.

New fighting today inside Gaza. Israel Defense Forces say they clashed with Hamas fighters, marking only the second confirmed Israeli operation in the enclave since the beginning of this war. But beyond that skirmish, it has been another bloody day across the Gaza Strip. Israeli airstrikes ripping through the enclave with deadly results. One Gaza hospital saying they are being overwhelmed by the number of bodies.

Videos obtained by CNN showed dozens of dead wrapped in shrouds surrounding the hospital. The morgue already filled to capacity. And while in the West Bank, a rare Israeli strike targeted a mosque to thwart what the IDF called an imminent terror attack. The Palestinian Authority called it a dangerous escalation. The IDF is vowing to increase its aerial assaults in Gaza ahead of a potential ground incursion.

And with the bloodshed mounting, this afternoon, President Biden held phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Pope Francis and leaders from Canada and across Europe. The White House says Biden and Netanyahu have agreed there will be a continued flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. And today, more critical aid arrived there. CNN has confirmed at least 14 relief aid trucks carrying urgent supplies entered the enclave a short time ago. I want to bring in now my colleague Erin Burnett in Tel Aviv. Erin.

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Alright, Fred, and you know when Fred talks about that mosque bombing today, you know, Israel admits it and they say that there were rocket launchers, there was a rocket launch site right next to it. So, they admit they did that and they say that it was a target because that's what was happening next to it. And I want to go to our international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, because he's on the ground south of here in Sderot, Israel.

Nic, where you have been for two weeks. So today we saw something that we haven't really seen before in there were actual clashes inside Gaza between Hamas and Israeli forces. So, we knew special forces had been in there, but this is the first time at least I understand that there had been actual clashes. What more are you learning about what happened there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, I'm just looking over my shoulder because we're seeing some tank fire here in the border area right around the border fence line there. I think what we're seeing, and this is an indication of it, the fact that there was a clash just over the border inside of Gaza, an unannounced incursion, a small incursion, a limited incursion to prepare the way for a potential bigger movement of troops into Gaza.

This was a situation where Hamas saying they were able to engage this IDF unit and the Hamas claim that they were able to hit a tank and a couple of the heavy mechanical diggers that typically are used to prepare the way for troops to follow on if there's a larger incursion because there's a border fence. Because there's a border wall you need these big diggers to clear away, make sure that there's no bombs and mines that have been placed obstructing the movement of troops that may follow on.

So, in this situation, one IDF soldier was killed, three were injured. We don't specifically know what the final objective of this limited incursion was going to be, other than to this sort of limited objective to prepare the way for other troops. Neither do we know when a full incursion might come. What we've seen along the border today is an extreme readiness of troops to go in, but it doesn't seem that they're, from what we can see, that they were quite at the border just yet, but clearly this unit was over the border and that was new and that was different.

BURNETT: All right, that's new and different and we know they're in that extreme readiness state, right, waiting for go. We also saw today a rare airstrike in the West Bank, where I know Israel has, over the past few days, right, arrested well over 100, what they say are Hamas operatives in the West Bank. What more are you learning about that though, and the fact that there was an actual airstrike, that's not normal either.

ROBERTSON: It's not. This was in Jenin. There have been a couple of IDF incursions into Jenin this year. I went in shortly after one of them back in, I think it was January, February this year. And that involved a lot of IDF forces on the ground, a couple of hundred. They took casualties.

[17:05:01]

Now on this particular occasion, they didn't send troops in, so it becomes less dangerous for the IDF. It ties up less troops. But what they say they were acting on was some real-time intelligence that inside a mosque in Jenin, in the West Bank, there were a couple of Hamas operatives who were preparing a military attack that they had weapons, ammunition in a tunnel system underneath the mosque and therefore the mosque was targeted and these two operatives, according to the IDF, were killed.

It's an operation that is less dangerous for the IDF, ties up less troops for the IDF at a time when they have a lot of troops deployed elsewhere in northern Israel and also down here around Gaza.

BURNETT: And Nick, one final question here. There had been anticipation that there may be more hostages released today. There had been speculation about that. We know that the negotiations are frenetic and 24 hours a day. But at least at this point, we don't know of any. What do you read into that?

ROBERTSON: I think that we're in a phase right now that the IDF has described where it's increasing its airstrikes on Gaza in the preparation for a possible ground incursion to make their troops safer. This evening in the past couple of hours it has been the heaviest and most sustained bombardment that we've seen in Gaza for at least several weeks. You're just hearing some of the explosions there. It was more sustained, more consistent, perhaps just 15 minutes ago.

But in terms of your question there, I think that it's, you know, I think that for the troops at the moment that are waiting at the border, this is a moment where they don't know when the order's going to come, that they expect it to come, but it's not clear when it will come.

BIRNETT: Right, and of course what goes into that calculus. Thank you very much. Nic Robertson, he has been there in Sderot for the past two weeks.

And President Biden was busy today because he was making a lot of phone calls to leaders around the world. One of them was the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And sources are telling CNN that the United States, because of those hostages, is pushing Israel to delay a possible ground assault on Gaza because they want more time for hostage negotiations. Now Alex Marquardt has the breaking news, all the reporting on these details. So, Alex, what are you learning?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Erin, what I'm being told is that the U.S. would like to see some kind of delay before Israel launches this ground invasion in order to allow for progress, more progress to be made, both in terms of hostage release and getting that aid, that critically needed aid into Gaza. We have seen progress on both of those fronts.

We saw the two American women from Chicago released on Friday. We've also seen today some of those trucks moving towards the southern Gaza Strip. So, I understand from two sources that there has been some pressing from the Biden administration side to the Israelis to get them to allow for more time to make advances on both of those fronts. Now, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked about this earlier today on a Sunday morning show. He said that this is a decision for the Israelis to make. He kind of skirted around the question. President Biden was also asked about this on Saturday. He just said

that he is speaking with the Israelis. Erin, we have gotten denials from the Israeli side. They say that there has been no pressure from the Biden administration to slow their, what appears to be an imminent ground incursion into Gaza. The U.S. and the Israelis are certainly trying to give the impression that the U.S. is not dictating anything, not telling the Israelis what to do. But at the same time, Erin, we have heard repeatedly from the Biden administration that there are significant concerns about the humanitarian issues, that while they support Israel's efforts against Hamas, that they are very concerned about getting those hostages out and getting that aid into Gaza, Erin.

BURNETT: All right, Alex Marquardt, thank you very much with all of that new reporting from Washington tonight. And joining me now, Idit Ohel. Her son alone was one of the many hostages taken by Hamas at the music festival two weeks ago yesterday. And Idit, I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak with you, so that of course the Israeli government and everyone can hear what you have to say. What is the very latest as you understand it from the Israeli government as to where your son is being held?

IDIT OHEL, SON TAKEN HOSTAGE BY HAMAS: We don't know. I have no idea where he is. I know when he left home, I know what he went through until they kidnapped him, but I have no idea where he is now. I know that he was kidnapped when he was alive and well, but that's all I know.

[17:10:00]

BURNETT: I cannot imagine what every day is like for you, Idit. Hoping and the despair and the anger, all of the feelings that you may have. I know you do have images. As you say, you know he was taken hostage. You do know this. You have images of Alon being dragged, dragged by the head. Nobody wants to look at these, but it is for you as a mother, the proof that he was taken alive. Do you know anything else about what happened that day to Alon?

OHEL: Well, Alon went to the Peace Festival with his friends. He got there at like 5:30 in the morning. About 6:00 in the morning there was massive rockets that he heard with his friends and he decided that he had to take cover. So, they ran to the car and started to drive to find a bomb shelter to help them survive this. They didn't know that there were terrorists around. They just thought that there were rockets and they needed to go and find shelter.

Ten minutes going into the bomb shelter, there were 27 people with them, civilians, innocent civilians with them. After 10 minutes, the terrorists came in and threw grenades into the bomb shelter. My son was positioned close to the door or to the opening. So, when they threw out, threw the grenades, I know that from his friend that survived this told us that he threw grenades out with other friends that were there. One grenade wasn't thrown out, and it bombed into the bomb shelter.

After that, the terrorists came in and dragged three of them outside. My son was one of them. I saw the video. It was very hard to see it. It took me a moment to realize what had happened. They were dragging him and pulling him, he tried to resist, but he couldn't. So, I think he was really smart after that. He understood that if you would resist, then they might kill him so he stopped resisting.

And you can really see how he's like, he's dragged, and then they take like, his hair and like, pull him through his hair to the truck. And this was very -- it was hard to see it. Very, very hard to see it. His friends told me afterwards that the terrorists went inside and killed everyone. Out of the 27, three were captured and kidnapped and seven survived. All of them were hurt.

Two of his best friends were murdered that day and two of his other friends lived to tell about it. which is amazing. So that's --

BURNETT: Well, it is, and I know -- I know you just have to -- I know you're grateful to know he was taken alive. I can't imagine watching that video, how that would feel as a mother, but that you have hope that he is alive and that he may come home. When those Hamas -- the hostages were released, the first two, now we're two days past that. Does -- do you have hope that there could be a much bigger release, that Alon could be released soon, or do you not allow yourself to have that hope?

OHEL: Well, Alon has been there for like 15 days now. I must say that Alon is an Israeli-Serbian citizen, and I know that the Serbian government, especially President Vucic is doing everything in his power to get to Alon back home. You know, Alon is an innocent citizen. He was there at the wrong time, at the wrong place. I have no idea what will happen.

I hope the IDF and the Israeli government, with the Serbian government together, will do good and try to get him, not just him, everybody, all the kidnappers that were kidnapped home to us. It's very hard.

[17:15:01]

Sometimes I think, wow, how I'm going to wake up in the morning and start my day and do what I need to do to get him back home. It's inconceivable what had happened. He has another brother and his sister at home. And they have to live with the fact that their brother is not home now.

BURNETT: How do you talk to them about it? And how do you, as a mother, I know -- I'm sure you try to be strong for them, but how do you even manage to do that?

OHEL: I'll tell you how I do it. From the moment I found out that Alon was kidnapped, I could have gone through different trails. And I decided to go on this trail. My faith is this. I am strong and I'm fighting. And the way that I'm fighting is asking for help. I ask my family members for help. I ask my community for help, my national, the Israeli people. And also, you, you know, Americans and Serbians and everybody in the world to help me, to help us fight this.

You know, it's a fight for everybody. It's for humanity. It's a fight that we have to fight to get our lives back. So, when my kids see me fight, asking for help. and doing good for my community and helping my community go through this. With different things that I do at home, my kids see strength in this. And I know that Alon, as I know him, he's very strong, he has good faith, and he will go through this. And I know that he's helping people there. I know that he -- that's what he learned from us. So, I know that he's helping himself and the people around him to be able to go through this horrible thing.

It's something that's hunting -- I'm saying something that's hunting me every night. You know, I am thinking about alone, what he's going through. And I sometimes see myself going through this, you know, suddenly being in, with rockets around me and gunshots and somebody dragging me somewhere, I have no idea where. And when I think about that, you know, I think about my son and where he is and what he's doing. Is he getting food? Is he getting, you know, time to sleep? It's something that is so hard for me.

And I think anybody who can be in my place or in his place and think about how do you cope? How do you act? What do you do? So, I really do.

BURNETT: I hope that -- okay.

OHEL: Yes, I am listening.

BURNETT: You will be in our thoughts and everyone watching. I so greatly admire your courage and your bravery and being able to even speak about it and share something so personal that you are enduring. And thank you very much, Idit.

OHEL: Thank you.

BURNETT: We all, of course, hope for Alon's return and all of the hostages as the world is on this precipice. Coming up, more than 100,000 people have been evacuated from communities now near both the northern and southern borders of Israel. We're going to share some of their stories next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:23:30]

BURNETT: There are more than 100,000 Israeli families now displaced after fighting along the northern and southern borders have forced them from their homes. In the face of so much uncertainty, one ministry mobilized to houses and feed as many as they can. It's basically a volunteer operation, and it's Jews and Arabs working together to serve others. CNN's Rafael Romo joins me live.

And Rafael, what did these families say? I know you had a chance to really spend time with them, and obviously these are people coming together under great duress. What did you find out?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Erin, as you can imagine, they are traumatized, understandably afraid, but at the same time outraged. And let me tell you, the Israeli military and other agencies here in Israel announced a plan last week to evacuate 28 communities living within two kilometers of the Lebanese border. Since then, it has included towns that fall within the vicinity. We visited a shelter in Jerusalem and spoke with people who not only saw missiles exploding right above them, but also others who witnessed the brutality of Hamas militants during the October 7 terrorist attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER KAHANI, DISPLACED MOTHER: We had terrorists all around us.

ROMO (voice-over): Jennifer Kahani says she and her family woke up to the sound of explosions and missiles whizzing by. It was the morning of October 7 in the village where they live in southern Israel, near the border with Gaza. But they soon realized they were under attack.

[17:25:00]

KAHANI: We saw helicopters overhead. We saw -- we heard gunfire near us. The terrorists were not far from where I live.

ROMO (voice-over): Kahani and her five-year-old son --

KAHANI: What would you like?

ROMO (voice-over): Are two of the more than 500 displaced people from Israel's north and south, who are now living at a Jerusalem hotel, turned into a shelter.

MICHAEL MISTRETA, CEO FIRM: We take a hotel, house people inside, feed them, do activities. So, we're trying to create some sort of normalcy. We'll be hosting next week 1,200 people across the country.

ROMO (voice-over): This Christian organization called the Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries, or FIRM for short, has mobilized to help displace people who had to flee their homes.

They want to destroy Israel.

ROMO (voice-over): Nissim Cohen and his wife, Kamelia (ph), live in northern Israel. Their son Joseph warned them a war was coming from the south after the October 7 attacks. Now they're also among the displaced. They say they fled their village located two kilometers from the border with Lebanon because they saw missiles launched by Hezbollah intercepted right above their heads by Israel's Iron Dome air defense system.

(On camera): From your house near the Lebanese border, could you see the missiles, the rockets flying by?

NISSIM COHEN, DISPLACED ISRAELI: All the missiles. I saw all the missiles. We saw the army in the border.

ROMO (voice-over): According to the Israel Defense Forces, about 100,000 people have been evacuated from communities near both the Gaza and Lebanon borders due to the heightened risk of attacks.

MISTRETA: Some of them have lost their homes. A lot of them have lost loved ones. Some of them, I met a family just yesterday, that their 18-year-old daughter, her best friend, is being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. So, the trauma is really pervasive. As a group of Messianic Jews and Christian Arabs really working together, to help we care for as many people as possible.

ROMO (on camera): Many of these families share a feeling of uncertainty right now. When will the war end? When will they be able to go home? Those are questions for which they don't have an answer right now.

(Voice-over): Jennifer Kahani says her husband stayed behind with others trying to figure out how to defend their communities against further attacks.

KAHANI: We didn't just lose Jews. We didn't just lose, you know, Zionists or Israelis that day. We lost tourists that came here for a celebration of peace at a party. We lost caregivers from the Philippines and from India that were caring for elderly.

ROMO (voice-over): For now, Kahani says all she can do is hug her son a little harder, pray for her husband's safe return, and hope that something like this never happens again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMO: And Erin, beyond opening this shelter, FIRM will start delivering 2,500 hot meals a day in central Israel in places like bomb shelters. They will also hand out 1,000 grocery boxes this week to women that are at home with their families that will feed them for a week. Those involved in the effort though, Erin, are Messianic Jews and Christian Arabs working together to help the families in need. Back to you.

BURNETT: All right, Rafael, thank you very much, here in Israel. And coming up, the president of a synagogue in Detroit found stabbed to death outside her home. We are learning more about that investigation. We will share that with you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:32:34]

WHITFIELD: The FBI is now assisting investigators looking for a suspect in the death of a Detroit synagogue president, Samantha Woll. Friends and family remembering her at a memorial service today. Woll led the Isaac Agree synagogue in Detroit since 2022. She was found stabbed to death outside her home. Police say they found a trail of blood leading to her home where they believe the crime happened.

I want to bring in now CNN's Omar Jimenez, who was in Detroit for us. Omar, what more are you learning?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, I think when people initially see that headline, Detroit synagogue president stabbed to death, it's easy to jump to conclusions immediately, but it's what Detroit Police are cautioning against at least right now. They just put out a statement over the course of this afternoon saying that so far, the investigation into the death of Ms. Samantha Woll remains ongoing.

At this time, however, no evidence has surfaced suggesting that this crime was motivated by antisemitism. Now, part of that statement, they also didn't include anything that ruled out that at this point, but we do know that this investigation is ongoing.

Where I'm standing right now is near Downtown Detroit. Just behind me on this block is where the body of Woll was found. She was 40 years old. As we understand from police, they followed a trail of blood to her home where they believe the killing actually took place here. They don't have a suspect in custody as we understand to this point, and they don't know what led up to this killing.

Regardless of how it happened, it did happen and our community is trying to figure out how to move forward. We've been monitoring memorials over the course of Friday, and take a listen to Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA NESSEL, MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL: Samantha Woll may have been the nicest person that I have ever met or will ever meet in my lifetime. Sam did more for our community, our state, our world, our lives in her short time here on earth than most will ever accomplish in a thousand lifetimes over. And her killer will not rob us of the memory of her joy and warmth and kindness that she leaves behind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[17:35:00]

JIMENEZ: And also, as part of those that spoke, a state senator said she was just with Samantha at a wedding the night before her body was found. And obviously, as the community here tries to come to grips with what happened, police are still, of course, trying to figure out why. Fred?

WHITFIELD: Yeah, terribly sad. Omar Jimenez, thank you so much. Next, we'll take you inside a Tel Aviv hospital sheltering some of its patients underground.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BURNETT: Hamas fighters clashing with Israeli troops earlier today, and this time significant because it happened inside Gaza. It appears to be one of the first skirmishes, at least the first that we're aware of within Gaza itself since Hamas unleashed that deadly terrorist attack on October 7th.

The U.S. defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, meanwhile, has voiced concerns over a possible escalation of the conflict.

[17:40:01] Keep in mind the U.S. is now urging Israel, according to multiple sources to our Alex Marquardt, to delay a ground attack on Gaza so that hostages make it out and more aid can come in.

I want to bring in now Ayelet Shaked. She is the former Israeli minister of the Interior and the former Israeli minister of Justice. And Ayelet, thank you very much. I really appreciate your time.

So, we at least have not been aware of a clash inside Gaza yet between Hamas and Israeli forces. We know that happened today. What does that say to you?

AYELET SHAKED, FORMER ISRAELI MINISTER OF INTERIOR: And you know, Israel is making a lot of efforts in order to find more information about the hostages. And currently, you know, the Air Force is mainly acting in Gaza. But apparently, when the time will come, also ground forces in, you know, a large quantity will get in.

BURNETT: And is that what you believe, Ayelet, that it will be a large quantity of ground forces? I mean, certainly, that's what it looks like along the border, but I would imagine that there are many scenarios at play. But you, it sounds like, believe that it will be a very large initial assault?

SHAKED: Yeah. You know, our target is to eliminate the Hamas. They did a crime against humanity, something like ethnic cleansing. And they are, you know, the worst enemy you can imagine. They are like monsters, worse than ISIS, like the Nazis.

So, in order to eliminate them, we don't have any other choice. We didn't want it. We just wake up one morning on Saturday and, you know, meet all those atrocities. And in order to eliminate them and, you know, when we are -- we're meaning to eliminate the leadership and everyone, we will have to get in with forces.

BURNETT: Ayelet, I've been speaking to some people in Gaza, including some in Northern Gaza who have decided to stay. They believe it's their home, that if they leave, they may not be allowed to return. And in that context, I wanted to ask you about the latest IDF leaflets. I know that the IDF has been dropping leaflets warning people in Northern Gaza to evacuate because of Israeli airstrikes, right? That you've been very clear what you're doing. You have telegraphed that.

But the latest leaflet says that if you stay, you -- quote -- "might be considered as a partner for the terrorist organization." Do you think that is, at this point, anyone who stays should be considered a partner of Hamas?

SHAKED: Definitely, we warned them. You know, we told all the -- all the -- all the civilians to go south, south to Gaza River. The Hamas tried to push them to stay because they don't care, you know, to use their own population as a human shield. But, you know, it's up to them to decide. They can be safe in the south if they choose to stay in the north. They know the coincidences, they know what will happen.

You know, the Hamas slaughtered our children, they slaughtered our babies, and they don't care to kill their own children as well. I want to show you something, you know, something that I think the world should see in order to understand who is this enemy. Look, please take a look at this picture. Do you understand what you are seeing here? I want the world to understand --

BURNETT: Yes.

SHAKED: -- who are the Hamas. In the picture, what we are seeing is a pile of -- a pile of burnt babies. This is what they did. They murdered our babies. They burned them. And they don't care to kill their own children as well. So, you understand, you know, it's a fight about humanity, and we will not let the evil win. So, they need to choose whether they want to save their life and go to the south or to be part of the Hamas.

BURNETT: All right, Ayelet Shaked, thank you very much. And Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Erin, Israel is grappling with the consequences of war with Hamas, including finding ways to keep critical facilities safe. CNN's Sara Sidner takes us inside a hospital sheltering its patients underground.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RONNI GAMZU, CEO OF TEL AVIV SOURASKY MEDICAL CENTER: (INAUDIBLE).

SARA SIDNER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A doctor checks in on a patient, just an ordinary day in the hospital, except there's nothing ordinary about where this is taking place.

[17:45:05]

GAMZU: This is the bunker underground hospital. This is a functioning hospital. In the highest level, every service, every technology, everything that they need, we provide them. And everything is being supplied here.

SIDNER: It has the look and the feel of a regular hospital with all the things that you would expect except for when you turn the corner, and you can really see this is an underground parking garage. At least it was.

Vehicle parking spaces are now for patient beds, driveways for push carts. This is how Tel Aviv Swarovski Medical Center is preparing to treat patients in wartime. So, it's as perfectly normal as usual in the most abnormal scenario.

GAMZU: Exactly. This is the right phrase to put it.

SIDNER: This is the result of 14 years of planning for war.

GAMZU: We planned this underground hospital 14 years ago, more or less after the second Lebanon war. Tel Aviv was, for the first time, got missile attack. SIDNER: That was then, before Hamas stormed across the border by land, air, and sea on Shabbat, killing, kidnapping, and maiming men, women, and children.

Several floors above the hospital bunker, 60 hospital beds are now filled with victims from the Hamas attack.

TOMER ZADIK, INJURED AT FESTIVE ATTACK: I went to a party with my friends. It was a music festival. And in 6:30, something like that, alarm started.

SIDNER: He and his friends managed to jump in their car, but then --

ZADIK: There was a squad of four terrorists, just started spraying at us, shooting without conscience.

SIDNER: Just shooting at you, just indiscriminate.

ZADIK: Yes, just shooting without conscience.

SIDNER: His car among those abandoned on the side of the road. He ran and hid for the next five hours, blood pouring from his arm where a bullet smashed through his skin and bone.

ZADIK: There is no one in this world who wants peace more than I do. Trust me. I've been for years in the Army. I got shot over peace. I don't want this. None of us wanted this to happen.

SIDNER: Do you still think that peace is possible?

ZADIK: Wow. I used to believe in peace all the time. But right now, after seeing what I saw, Yitzhak Rabin, who was the prime minister of Israel, said something very important.

SIDNER: (INAUDIBLE).

ZADIK: Yes. He said that peace, you don't make with friends, you make with enemies. But even enemies need to be human beings.

SIDNER: No matter who you are, this hospital will treat you deep below the Earth's crust. It has already moved a whole section of the hospital to get the staff and patients prepared for life below during war.

What do you think about being in a parking garage?

UNKNOWN: He's enjoying every minute of it.

SIDNER: Does this feel different this time?

GAMZU: It feels different because we know that it's not like kind of a limited operation. It's a war time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Incredible. Our Sara Sidner, thank you so much. Still to come, an Israeli-American doctor is leaving everything behind to work as a medic in the war. Why she's choosing to put her life at risk to volunteer at hospitals, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:53:05]

WHITFIELD: A 27-year-old Israeli-American medic is headed to Israel to help victims impacted by the war. Kinaret Levin says she plans to work at a hospital and nursing homes while she's there. CNN national correspondent Camila Bernal joining me live with more on this. Camila, why did Kinaret choose to put her life at risk?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, she says this is a calling. She says she was horrified after seeing the attack on October 7th. And she says she has only been reminded of this feeling one other time, and that was when she was six years old and she watched the September 11th attack. So, she says that after seeing what happened on Oct 7th in Israel, she decided that this was her way as an American of pursuing justice.

She says she will drop everything, leave her home, her father, a job opportunity in Fredericksburg, Texas, to go to Israel and volunteer her time. She says she will do it for as long as she's able to because as an adult now, she says that this is what she's meant to do. Here's what she told me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KINARET LEVIN, ISRAELI-AMERICAN MEDIC, TRAVELLING TO ISRAEL TO VOLUNTEER AS A MEDIC: One of my ways of coping with this loss, this tragedy of what happened on October 7th, is to go to Israel and help. This is doing my part and this is my values and who I am as a person and who I am as a nurse and a medical professional.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: We talked to her on her layover here in Los Angeles. She was actually born in Los Angeles but texted us and told us that she landed in Israel safely. When I spoke to her here in L.A., she did say she has considered a number of scenarios, including death, and she says she has made her peace, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much, Camila Bernal. Appreciate that. And if you want to help the people of Gaza and Israel, go to cnn.com/impact or text RELIEF to 707070.

[17:55:04]

Thanks so much for joining us today. I'm Fredricka Whitefield in Atlanta. Our special coverage continues with Jim Acosta in Washington and Erin Burnett in Tel Aviv right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:00:04]

JIM ACOSTA, CNN HOST: You are live in the "CNN Newsroom." I'm Jim Acosta in Washington joined by my colleague, Erin Burnett.