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CNN International: Gaza Communications Blackout Leaves Families, Medics In Limbo; U.N. Secretary-General Thanks Qatari PM For Hostage Work; IDF Strikes Intensify As Ground Operations Expand; Mass Shooting Suspect In Maine Found Dead; Former United States Vice President Mike Pence Suspended Presidential Campaign; Global Demonstrations As Israel Ramps Up Assault On Gaza. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired October 28, 2023 - 15:00   ET

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

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[15:00:00]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

NICK WATT, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello and welcome. I'm Nick Watt in Los Angeles. We have a lot to get to this hour, including the latest person to drop out of the U.S. presidential race.

But first, to our breaking coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: And I'm Becky Anderson in Doha. Tonight, the second stage of the war against Hamas has begun. That is according to the Israeli Prime Minister, who's speaking in the past hour, said that Israel is in the next phase of the battle to destroy Hamas militarily and politically.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): Our heroic fighters have one goal, to destroy this enemy and to make sure the existence in our country. Never again. Never again is now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, Israel says it has now struck several Hamas targets in Gaza as part of an expanded ground operation.

Inside Gaza, there appears to be a total internet and communications blackout. You're looking at images from Gaza City obtained by CNN earlier on Saturday.

A journalist there tells us that the artillery shelling in Gaza, quote, did not stop on Saturday after the heaviest night of air strikes since war broke out. The World Health Organization and UNICEF are among the groups saying they've lost contact with their staff.

Well, the head of the U.N. says the unprecedented escalation of bombardments in Gaza is undermining humanitarian objectives. Palestinian health officials say more than 7,500 people have been killed in strikes since October the 7th. Hundreds of thousands of people have also been displaced.

With the prospect of an extensive ground operation into Gaza looming, the Director General of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry tells CNN that hospitals there are used to treat -- are used to treat patients only, he said. That is in response to an Israeli claim that a mass is set up a command and control center in bunkers underneath Gaza's biggest hospital.

Nada Bashir has more on the situation inside Gaza and how civilians are increasingly paying the ultimate price. Her report, I have to tell you, contains some images that may be distressing to viewers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A flash of light over the chilling, imposed darkness that engulfs Gaza every night. A glaring promise of more death and destruction. The ongoing siege and a communications blackout plunging Gaza into eerie silence.

What little video has emerged, so far, paints a picture of the devastation wrought by Israel's relentless bombardment. Scenes of incomprehensible loss shrouded bodies the latest amongst thousands of victims.

Israel says it is targeted Hamas, now also expanding its ground operations. A retaliation, they say, to the Hamas terror attacks of October 7th, which left at least 1,400 dead and more than 200 others held hostage inside Gaza. But in the besieged strip of land, the number of Palestinians killed also rises with each and every airstrike.

[15:05:09]

The situation here is dire. Our homes were destroyed in the airstrikes. Six of our family members were killed. What can we do? We are all living through this.

This was the scene on Friday at the Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest in Gaza. Now, not only a lifeline to thousands of patients, but a sanctuary to tens of thousands, including children displaced by the war.

We're not even asking for food. We're not asking for water. We are asking for safety, for security. Our men, women, our children, they've all been killed.

Many have come in the hope that hospitals will remain a safe haven. But this safe haven is now being characterized by Israel with no verifiable evidence as a potential target.

DANIEL HAGARI, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON: The red buildings, as I mentioned, are building that Hamas is using. BASHIR: It is a claim rejected by Palestinian officials in Gaza who accuse Israel of falsifying intelligence and say the hospital is only used to treat patients. But the consequence of such allegations is feared by many.

Any suggestion that this hospital could be viewed as a legitimate target by Israel, for doctors who know the hospital well, is a warning of unimaginable bloodshed.

MADS GILBERT, PROFESSOR, CLINIC OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF NORTH NORWAY: I've been walking in all parts of Shifa, in the basement, in the different clinics, in the different buildings. I've been there night and day, peacetime or time, all over. I have never seen anything that could look like or function as some command center.

BASHIR: On and on, Israel's airstrikes lay waste to this already ravaged enclave. Artillery shelling now adding to the devastation. The people of Gaza ripped by a constant cycle of mourning, still struggling to comprehend this endless nightmare. Death now woven into the very fabric of their lives.

Nada Bashir, CNN in Amman, Jordan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, we just heard from the Israeli Prime Minister and indeed the Minister of Defense, who said we have shifted phases in this war. Those were the words of the Defense Minister. We have soldiers outside Gaza and in the Gaza Strip. We are hitting their main infrastructure and systems from the air, the -- and the sea and the ground. They have never suffered such fire as they are now.

They are specifically referring, of course, to Hamas. Additional ground forces now deployed on the Israeli side in what is as described by the Prime Minister, the second phase of this war with very clear objectives, he said, dismantle Hamas and bring the hostages home.

Well, the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres arrived here in Doha, pat up (ph) earlier today. He met with the Qatari Prime Minister and thanked him for his efforts and his team's efforts here to mediate the release of hostages in Gaza.

In a statement released today, he said, and I quote, "I was encouraged in the last days by what seemed to be a growing consensus in the international community for the need of at least a humanitarian pause in the fighting regrettably instead of the pause. I was surprised by an unprecedented escalation of the bombardments.

Well, hours before, we saw that uptick in bombing across Gaza. Diplomatic sources had told me that Qatar was making significant progress on negotiations between Israel and Hamas to release a large number of civilian hostages.

But by Friday, this time, the Israeli Defense Forces cast doubt on that happening. Have a listen. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAGARI: I suggest to disregard rumors. This is psychological terror and the cynical use of Israeli civilians by Hamas. We will reach and present any credible information, whether it is civilian intelligence or operational. Any relevant information will be given to the families first once it is confirmed and then will notify the public. Until then, don't surrender to Hamas manipulations of psychological terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Dismissing any deal or the potential of a deal as a rumor.

Well, I've -- I'm joined now by Majed Al Ansari, an advisor to the Qatari Prime Minister and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thank you for joining us. It's good to have you with us.

[15:10:09]

What is -- or are the status of the talks, the negotiations that are Qatar led to effort of release of these hostages?

MAJED AL ANSARI, ADVISOR TO THE QATARI PRIME MINISTER: Well, Becky, first of all, thank you for having me.

Of course, the talks, as you just mentioned, were going with all parties. We were working around the clock, the task force. Responsible for this was working around the clock to make sure that we are able to reach a deal.

And we were very hopeful that that might happen. Obviously, this escalation makes it considerably more difficult. But as you heard today, even during this escalation, Prime Minister Netanyahu is mentioning talk of mediation on the release and the prisoner exchange deal.

You have Hamas spokesperson just minutes ago saying that they are willing to conduct the prisoner exchange deal. So although the situation on the ground is becoming more and more and more difficult for a logistical perspective and for a political perspective, but we are still hopeful that the efforts that we are leading will be able to reach a situation where we have a release of more hostages.

ANDERSON: So let me be quite clear. The talks and the mediation to effort the release of civilian hostages, possibly a prisoner exchange at this point, have not collapsed, correct?

AL ANSARI: No. I believe they are still going. The task force is still working on it. And as I said, it's becoming more and more difficult with the current escalation. This escalation that is happening right now, you know, one of the most terrible escalation that have happened in the region for a really long time, is making it certainly more difficult.

As I said, on the logistical side of it, they're just moving people during a landing incursion and the increased bombardment, but also from a political side, of course, mediation only works when you have common periods.

Under this kind of conflict, this kind of confrontation between both sides, it becomes more difficult, but it's still ongoing and we can't give up.

Becky, I can tell you that, really, we can't give up on this on all sides. Nobody in the region can afford to give up on this and just leave it to the military people to decide what happens in the future.

ANDERSON: What can you provide us in terms of the details of these talks?

AL ANSARI: Well, obviously, Becky, I can't get into the details of this because our main concern now is getting the hostages to their families and making sure that this mediation succeeds and that could be very difficult, you know, right now if we share a lot of the -- of the details.

But as you heard today from Prime Minister Netanyahu and from the spokesperson of Hamas, we are talking around the idea of more hostages coming out. We're talking around the idea of a prisoner exchange.

We are optimistic that the talks are heading more towards all civilian hostages, but obviously, it's a fluid situation on the ground. We still don't know what will happen.

ANDERSON: Do we know how many civilian hostages there are held in Gaza at present?

AL ANSARI: I'm not sure, to be honest, anybody knows. We have -- we have our numbers that are -- we're discussing, you know, through the lists we get from various countries about the foreign citizens who have held the hostage. We have the numbers from the Israeli side, we have numbers from Palestinian side, but these numbers are not necessarily always the same.

But the important thing here is that both sides acknowledged that the civilian hostages need to go out immediately and both sides, especially Hamas on this, has said they agree that they are willing to let the civilian hostages go out. So we have to work towards that as soon as possible.

We know that Hamas have been pressing for at least the release of Palestinian women and teenagers held in Israeli prisons. We heard Benjamin Netanyahu say today that that had been discussed in the war cabinet.

Can I press you on whether you believe that that exchange could be for women and children being held in Gaza by Hamas? And if so, are we talking around 50, 60 people here?

AL ANSARI: Obviously, Becky, we've been talking about day one about our priorities in this. It is our main goal and our end goal to release all the hostages and give them back to their families.

But, obviously, when you put it and when you prioritize it, you start with the women and children, you start with the foreigners and then civilians, and then you go to the rest of the -- of the hostages.

And, obviously, if we were going to prioritize it, we're going to start with the women and children. But I believe that right now, the discussions encompass, you know, the idea of civilian hostages all together. And, obviously, priorities will be made when you -- when you have the discussions on the ground.

ANDERSON: As I understand it, one of the problems is Hamas doesn't actually hold at present all the civilian hostages and indeed military hostages, and this would be soldiers and Israelis of reservist age.

Hamas doesn't actually hold all of those hostages themselves. Is that correct?

AL ANSARI: It's a complicated situation on the ground, Becky. There are a multitude of players in Gaza. It's not -- this is not an army to army conflict. This is a very difficult humanitarian situation, very difficult when it comes to the parties who are involved in this.

[15:15:02]

So it's understandable that the situation of the hostages is not organized. It's a chaotic situation right now, and that especially with the current bombardment and the landing cases.

ANDERSON: What I understood as well, as far as the parameters of this deal, we're concerned, is that Hamas have been pressing for a ceasefire. We know at the UN General Assembly yesterday there was a vote overwhelmingly by members for a humanitarian pause, at least, which would help obviously in the hostages.

We haven't seen that pause by the Israelis and you've said that this becomes very difficult when this is an active war situation.

Do you believe that without a pause that's called humanitarian pause or a temporary ceasefire -- do you believe that you will be successful or not?

AL ANSARI: I mean, Becky, we are trying all fronts, all possibilities, all scenarios that might end up with hostages going back home and de- escalation taking place in Gaza.

Obviously, when there is bombardment, you know, constant bombardment on the -- on the sector, you can't even expect from the hostages to be safely moved from one place to another. So the prime and the best situation for us, the best scenario for us would be a period of calm, a considerable period of calm that would allow for the hostages to be taken out of Gaza, but at the same time would allow for humanitarian aid to go in.

ANDERSON: And that is important as well because as I understand it again it was fuel for hostages on the Hamas side, at least aid coming in through that Rafah border crossing.

Do you believe that you will be successful to that degree? Can you genuinely say with your hand in your heart at this point that there is a possibility of significantly more aid and fuel coming in through Rafah --

AL ANSARI: Becky --

ANDERSON: -- as part of this deal?

AL ANSARI: You know the situation as we all do, it's difficult on the ground, talks between two sides that have zero trust in in each other are always difficult. Emotions are running high in this case. You know, it's not rational thinking, it's more reactionary policies when it comes to what's happening on the ground.

So understandably, it's not going to be easy for me to tell you that I'm optimistic that something has happened tomorrow. But the thing is we can't give up, we can't afford to give up, the region can't afford to give up, the world can't afford to give up.

ANDERSON: The U.S. and Qatar have agreed to review the Hamas file here, that file being Qatar, at the behest of the United States, back in 2012, opening an office and hosting Hamas leaders here.

Can you give me the detail of that review? I mean, what more can you tell me at this point? Is this the end of Hamas in Doha once these hostage negotiations are over?

AL ANSARI: I can tell you, Becky, that since 2006, we were approached by various sides to open this channel of communication. And since then, along with, you know, in 2012, the political office moving through here in Doha, this channel has been very instrumental in countless de-escalations that took place including one that happened on the 28th of September, this year, so just days before this recent escalation.

And, therefore, as long as this channel is useful in creating peace, we have to have it. We can't afford to lose it. It is now useful during this escalation. It is the only way that we are mediating for the release of these hostages and for them to get back home to their families.

And as long as our prime minister said in his first conference with Secretary Blinken, as long as it is a channel that makes peace, as long as it's a channel that allows us to bring about de-escalation, it will stay there.

ANDERSON: You've been heavily criticized by the Israeli Foreign Minister at the UN Security Council accusing Qatar of financing Hamas. Ironically, the National Security Advisor has been, you know, very positive, the Israeli National Security Advisor, Hanegbi, has been very positive about the role that Qatar is playing.

What's been your response? What's your response to the foreign minister's outright criticism?

AL ANSARI: We are absolutely appalled by these accusations held towards Qatar, especially when they come from the Israeli side that they've been working with us on this mediation right now, and on many escalations in the past. This is not the first time that we engage them as mediators.

And it's not the first time that they engage us as mediators. And counters times before, they made their request for us to mediate for de-escalation with Hamas in (INAUDIBLE). It's a communication channel they know about. They are working with us on. And the aid that goes into (INAUDIBLE), as it goes through the Israeli side. And, therefore we find this very surprising and we categorically deny these accusations.

And I believe that the contradicting statements by different Israeli officials makes it very clear that this issue is part of only political rhetoric and political polarization. And it's not about the reality of the relationship we have.

ANDERSON: Finally, I have to ask you, tonight, the Israeli Prime Minister was asked, time and again, in the press conference, whether it was a contradiction in suggesting that these two objectives, the dismantlement of Hamas, both politically and militarily in Gaza, and the release of the hostages, whether you could -- whether those two can run at the same time.

[15:20:09]

Is this a contradiction? You sound as if you still have some optimism at this point.

AL ANSARI: I mean, as I said, we are working with all possible scenarios. We might be working with a scenario where the mediation has to go through while this bombardment and the landing care is going at the same time.

But if you ask me what would be the optimum scenario where we can reach the best result as mediators, I'll tell you, that will need a period of calm, which is something that is not realized right now.

The decision -- the resolution by the UN General Assembly yesterday by more than 120 countries to have the humanitarian tools, is something that the international community should be pushing for, should be working towards.

And then the talks today between our prime minister and the secretary general of the United Nations, this was discussed, the need to operationalize the resolution that was taken yesterday to make sure that we have the humanitarian tools that would allow to lessen the suffering of the many to 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, to get the hostages home, and to create a chance for peace within the prospect of our mediation.

ANDERSON: Well, how concerned are you that if we continue to see this escalation that this is a conflict which will spill outside of Gaza, this region doesn't need another conflict?

AL ANSARI: Becky, every day that goes by means more civilians dying, means more carnage, means more radicalization of youth, and means more anger in the Arab Muslim and in the international community. We have seen this as it goes along, and this will have repercussions not only in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It will have repercussions on the region as a whole. This region has faced so many conflicts.

If you just look at the map of this region right now, how many fragile countries do you have? What kind of political turmoil do you have? The number of refugees you have right now. This region can take a new war with a regional perspective towards it.

Anderson: Including Iran, for example.

AL ANSARI: And other players in the region. We've seen escalation in South Lebanon. We've seen escalation in Syria and the West Bank. And this will lead to something on the regional perspective that we can't afford. And this is why, you know, from our perspective on Qatar, this is the dividend for peace that we have to pay, which is finding ways of having the difficult discussions, with the difficult sides and making sure that everybody understands that great leaders are not those who just react to the conflict on the ground, but those who make the difficult discussions, the difficult decisions that are not always popular to go towards peace.

ANDERSON: Majed, it's good to have you. I know you're extremely busy. I know there has been a little sleep here as these media and effort continue. I really appreciate this time. Thank you --

AL ANSARI: Thank you, Becky.

ANDERSON: -- very much indeed for joining us.

Well, let's get more from CNN's team on the ground in Israel now. Jeremy Diamond, joining us from Ashkelon North of Gaza.

What can you tell us about what you understand to be happening as we speak?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, over the last 24 plus hours, since Israel began expanding its ground operations, we have been hearing and seeing the sights and sounds of war on the ground, both the intense thuds of artillery and the bombardment of the Gaza Strip, which has really ramped up over the last 24 hours, particularly yesterday evening, as Israel says that it struck 150 underground targets, including tunnels that Hamas uses to carry out its operations.

But what we have also been hearing today are helicopters overhead. We have been hearing small arms fire near the border with Gaza as it is very clear that this latest expansion of ground operations by Israel is unlike anything that we have seen over the last three weeks and that it is very much ongoing, the fighting between Israeli soldiers and Hamas militants inside the Gaza Strip.

Today, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, standing alongside Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as the former member of the opposition and now a member of this emergency government, Benny Gantz, all three of them making clear the stakes of this war, framing it very much in existential terms, calling it Israel's second independence war and making clear that this will be a very long war ahead, and perhaps even a costly one in terms of the lives of Israeli soldiers.

All of this very much marking a decisive new phase of this campaign and also clearly sending a signal about what will come inside the Gaza Strip.

Becky, over the last three weeks, we have already watched as more than 7,000 people have been killed as Israel has pummeled the Gaza Strip. That includes over 3,000 children, according to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Ministry of Health.

We have watched those devastating images from inside the Gaza Strip. And it is clear that as Israel continues its campaign, intensifies this campaign, it will likely result in more civilian casualties going forward. Becky.

[15:25:10]

Jeremy Diamond, on the ground. Jeremy, thank you.

Miri Eisin joining me now. Miri, you are a former IDF, speaks success to the

Thank you. Miri Eisin joining me now. Miri, you are a former IDF (inaudible) Director of the International Institute for Counterterrorism at Reichman University in Israel. Now, sorry, also a retired IDF colonel. Apologies for my description.

You've just heard Jeremy describing what he understands to be going on, on the ground in Gaza. We heard from the prime minister, the minister of defense and the former minister of defense, who is now in the war cabinet, Benny Gantz earlier.

What did you make of what you heard about what they are describing now, the Israelis, as the second phase of this war?

MIRI EISIN, DIRECTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR COUNTERTERRORISM AT REICHMAN UNIVERSITY IN ISRAEL: Becky, it's kind of amazing to be -- to me to be sitting here in Tel Aviv, listening to the descriptions there and thinking how disconnected right now I feel as an Israeli in the sense that we're at war, and I'm sitting at home. My entire family is mobilized. There are sirens. They're continuing to fire rockets.

It's as if now the Hamas terrorists, not militants, are firing rockets in defense. And then they're in their underground subterranean arena where they have fuel and they have water and they're preparing that for years. That's what we're going after. That's where the hostages are held.

The Hamas did a genocidal attack on October 7th, but it wasn't just the attack, which is so horrific. It is three weeks of continuing firing against Israel, of continuing to call the entire Muslim world to fight against this bill. You don't feel safe as a Jew anywhere in the world. And all of this is not for the Palestinian cause.

Israel has been trying to --

ANDERSON: Let me ask you a very basic question, Miri. Can I -- can I just push you on one point? Because I know that we've got to take a break at the bottom of this hour. Do you see any contradiction in the prime minister and his defense minister saying that there are two very clear objectives here, dismantle Hamas completely and bring the hostages home.

That's going to be extremely difficult. Extremely difficult.

EISIN: This is not -- it's extremely difficult, Becky, and all of us, you and me, that's what we want to have happen. None of us want Hamas to remain as this genocidal terror organization. And all of us want the hostages home.

And I say sadly, and confidently, but sadly, the only way to get to them is through the ground operation. Don't believe Hamas. Don't believe that -- they are a horrific terror organization. That's what they did. And we were all wrong. I'm saying of myself. And we were wrong. We were thought that they were changing. We thought that things were different.

They do not protect the people of the Gaza Strip. They built themselves a subterranean metro. That's where they are right now. And to get there, you have to get into that subterranean arena, which is horrible and it won't be easy. And I think we need to do so.

ANDERSON: We're going to have to leave it there. Miri, thank you for joining us. Director of the International Institute for Counterterrorism at Reichmann University.

And you heard me speaking to the adviser to the prime minister of Qatar here, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Clearly, Qatar have been very involved in mediating these discussions about hostage release.

And as Majed, the adviser to the prime minister suggested tonight, those discussions are still ongoing.

We'll be right back.

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[15:30:08]

WATT: Welcome back. I'm Nick Watt in Los Angeles. We are learning more about the suspect behind this week's shooting rampage that killed 18 people in Maine.

The body of Robert Card was discovered Friday night. Police say he died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He also left a note indicating that he did not expect to be found alive. Shimon Prokupecz has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police releasing more information today. The most information they've released since this happened. They say they're able to do that because the investigation is now essentially over. There will be no one to prosecute. And so they're releasing new information.

They say that they found the body on Friday night at 7:45 P.M. after a call from the recycling plant. A recycling plant manager in Lisbon who told them they needed to go check this area. These trailers, there were 50-some trailers in this one area. And so police did that.

It was off of this tip in this community that they went ahead and checked the trailer. And they found the shooter dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. They say they also found two guns inside the trailer. They also confirmed they found a long rifle in his car which he abandoned and then fled. They believe on foot to this recycling plant.

They also have released more information about the investigation. A note they say that they found at his home. They're releasing more details about that, saying that he left information for a loved one, the detailed bank accounts and the passcode for his cell phone so that a family loved one can get inside that phone.

They say they're looking at all of that. They're going to be going over all of that information as part of the investigation.

And the other thing that they're looking at here is his mental health. The shooter's mental health. They are reviewing information about that. They say that he was going through some difficulty thinking that he was hearing voices. Some other mental health issues.

And one of the things that they're looking at is the reason for why he targeted these locations is because he thought people perhaps were speaking badly about him. And so that perhaps is some of the motivation here.

All of this happening as police here continue to investigate the crime scenes and collect evidence. And then in the coming days, we're going to start seeing vigils here where people are going to be able to get together, the families and the people who live in these communities to get together and share some of their pain and the memories of those who died.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATT: Back in the Middle East, aid is trickling into Gaza, but agencies say it's not enough.

Ahead, we will go back to my colleague, Becky Anderson, for more on the deepening desperation from the Palestinian Red Crescent.

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[15:35:27] ANDERSON: Will never again is now those words from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel expanded its ground operation inside Gaza.

Three weeks after the Hamas attacks, Mr. Netanyahu says Israeli forces are in a new phase of the war. After a night of especially intense strikes on Gaza, the Prime Minister warned the war would not be over quickly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU (through translator): The war inside Gaza is going to be long. This is our second independence word. We're going to save our country. We're going to fight in the air, ground and sea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, meantime, rockets are still being fired out from Gaza into Israel with the strikes intensifying.

I want to get more now on the situation for people inside Gaza. Nebal Farsakh is with the Palestinian Red Crescent, and she joins us now from Ramallah. You have many colleagues working on the ground inside Gaza. What are they telling you, Nebal?

NEBAL FARSAKH, SPOKESPERSON, PALESTINE RED CRESCENT: Actually, since yesterday evening, we have connection with all of our colleagues in Gaza Strip, as well as our emergency, our operation room in Gaza, all of our ambulances centers and hospitals.

Due to the complete communication blackout, internet disconnections, so up to this moment, we are unable even to hear anything from them. We are extremely worried about the safety of our colleagues in Gaza, who are conducting their life-saving services under this intense bombardment that is taking place all over Gaza.

ANDERSON: Where are you most concerned? What are you most concerned about and where?

FARSAKH: So, basically, I am extremely concerned about the safety of our colleagues who are conducting their role under this intense bombardment. I'm also extremely worried regarding the ability of over two million civilians in Gaza to have the emergency medical services.

Due to this completely cut of communication in Gaza, that means people in Gaza now are unable to call the emergency or the ambulances services in order to get emergency medical services. That also means that our colleagues now who are working on the ground are facing great challenges in order to reach the wounded people and to try to save their lives in a timely manner.

Due to this cut of communication, they are most probably arrive late to the location to evacuate those wounded people. No wonder we have been seeing many civilians car over media channels. They are trying to evacuate wounded people to the hospitals. I'm also extremely worried regarding all of these emergency services, I mean, emergency cases while patients with chronic diseases or even pregnant women.

We are expecting around 5,500 women to give birth this month. That means those women or any other emergency cases are now completely denied access to emergency medical service which also put their lives into danger.

[15:40:07]

ANDERSON: Right. Nebal, you've just said that you have been out of communication completely with your colleagues on the ground at the Red Crescent since this expanded operation by the Israelis started this time last night. So that's now 24 hours.

As things stood while you were still in contact with people, did they have anything, like, what -- let me -- let me phrase this in a different way. Had they got fuel to run generators to ensure that these hospitals could still function? Did they have any medical supplies, food, aid? What was left?

FARSAKH: Last thing we have heard from our colleagues before the cut of the communication, they were -- they were extremely worried regarding our ability to continue providing our life-saving services. They were expecting that we have a fuel that could last. They only put a couple of hours that mean at that point, we will be unable even to run our ambulances due to running out of the fuel.

We will be also unable to continue operating our two hospitals in Gaza due to the cut of electricity. Basically, we have also patients who are in the intensive care unit connected to life support machines and oxygen. That means they are also in danger of losing their life due to the cut of electricity.

Although, we have literally tried all kinds of solutions, even trying rationalizing the consumption of electricity as much as we can in order to last -- the last minute to try to continue providing our life-saving services.

ANDERSON: Elon Musk has said that Starlink will support connectivity to international relief organizations in Gaza. Is your organization in touch with Starlink? Is that a facility that you have been offered in order to re-establish communications? Are you one of the international organizations that Elon Musk's organization is reaching out to?

FARSAKH: Absolutely. The Palestine Red Crescent is part of the movement of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent movement. However, this solution is required a kind of router device to be inside Gaza. And this is the main challenge because it is not available now and it needs a permission to get into Gaza from Rafah Crossing border.

So, obviously, it needs permission from the Israelis to allow the entry of this router device. We will be able to use this as a solution. ANDERSON: Is the IDF in touch with you? Are Israeli authorities in touch with the Palestinian Red Crescent? And are they warning you of strikes on potential facilities that you have?

FARSAKH: No. We don't have any direct communication with the Israelis. We always coordinate with our colleagues and our partners in the ICRC, as well as other U.N. agencies who are also now following up on the matter of communication, trying to find a solution for our organization in order to continue providing our emergency and medical services.

ANDERSON: Can I just ask you a question about hostages, finally? I know the Red Cross, Red Crescent has been involved in the facilitation of the first four hostages who have been released.

What do you know about any role that the Palestine Red Crescent might play in any further hostage releases?

FARSAKH: There is no any role for the Palestine Red Crescent. It is the role of the ICRC who are handling this issue. The Palestine Red Crescent is the lead emergency medical service provider in Gaza, as well as we are providing medical services through two hospitals, Al- Quds hospitals -- hospital and the Al-Amal hospital, as well as we are also part of coordinating the efforts to allow the entry of the humanitarian aid through Rafah Crossing border in coordination with the UNRWA.

ANDERSON: And what do you understand to be the latest on the Rafah Crossing? Are you optimistic that it will be open and open for longer going forward?

FARSAKH: So basically, the major challenge that -- was today, as we got a call from the Egyptian Red Crescent, that there is trucks that are ready to get into Gaza.

[15:45:09]

But unfortunately, due to the complete cut of communication, they were unable to communicate with our colleagues in Gaza to let them go and get the aid. We also call the UNRWA and they had the same problem.

They can't even communicate with the UNRWA staff there or even communicate with the truck agency to get the UNRWA trucks where we will be able to transfer the aid from the Egyptian side to the Palestinian side. So, unfortunately, we were unable even to receive the aid from Rafah Crossing border.

Up to this moment, the only number we have been allowed to get into Gaza is only 84 trucks, which is literally a drop in the ocean. It doesn't fulfill the needs of over two million Palestinians who are living in hunger with no food and water.

Nor also find a solution for total hospitals. All hospitals in Gaza are collapsing literally due to extreme shortages of medical supplies and medicine, as well as running out of fuel.

And up to this moment, fuel is not allowed to be (inaudible) into Gaza.

ANDERSON: Yes. And let me ask you that, Nebal, just finally on the fuel of those 84 trucks. Is it -- do you have any details on how many of those were carrying fuel and whether any fuel --

FARSAKH: None.

ANDERSON: -- will be allowed to cross in going forward?

FARSAKH: None, none, none. That's the answer.

ANDERSON: None.

FARSAKH: Yes, the answer is none because Israel authorities refuse to allow the entry of the fuel into Gaza. Although we, the Palestine Red Crescent, according -- along with all the UN agencies have been calling that. We are literally in alarming condition because all hospitals are running out of fuel. And at some point, they will be unable to continue operating.

Plus, this put the lives of many patients, thousands of patients who are connected to life support machines into danger because they will lost their life due to the cut of electricity.

Up to this moment, fuel is totally prevented from entering Gaza. That's why we call on the international community to intervene immediately to allow a nonstop, safe entry of humanitarian aid, including fuel.

ANDERSON: Nebal Farsakh, thank you very much indeed for joining us. You're from the Palestine Red Crescent. Thank you.

Stay with CNN. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WATT: We are just getting word of a surprise development in the 2024 U.S. presidential race. Former vice president Mike Pence has announced that he is out, suspending his campaign for the Republican nomination.

[15:50:01]

Pence's decision comes amid consistently weak poll numbers, small crowds and problems raising money. He made the announcement during a speech to the Republican Jewish coalition in Las Vegas, Nevada.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PENCE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Traveling across the country over the past six months. I came here to say it's become clear to me. This is not my time. So after much prayer and deliberation, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president effective today.

Now, I'm leaving this campaign, but let me promise you, I will never leave the fight for conservative values, and I will never stop fighting to elect principled Republican leaders to every office in the land. So help me God.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATT: Kristen Holmes joins me now from Las Vegas. Kristen, it's obvious that Pence was struggling, but this is still kind of surprising.

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's certainly surprising here at the event. I talked to some of the organizers who said they had no idea he was going to make this announcement.

Now, I will note former president Trump, Pence's former boss, is currently on stage and has not said anything about Pence dropping out of the election. Of course, as you noted, this comes amid Pence struggling to get donors, to get support behind his campaign.

And what's really striking about this, Nick, is just how much the Republican Party has changed. It's in the last two presidential cycles. If you'll remember back in 2016, Pence was brought on to Donald Trump's ticket to essentially be a voice of reason among conservatives to make people feel at ease, to help with evangelicals. He's a big part of the Republican Party.

And now we're looking at two cycles later in which Pence himself doesn't have a lane. Now, of course, we have to mention that Trump and Pence had a falling out after Pence certified the election. Trump had tried to encourage him not to, actually, demanded and put pressure on him, not to overturn -- I mean, not to certify the 2020 election, but he did, in fact, do that. And that led to a fracture.

And I will tell you, I talked to a number of voters on the campaign trail who still hold that against Mike Pence. They say that he should have tried to block the election results. And it just gives you an idea of where the Republican Party is right now.

This is no longer the party that existed in 2016. This is Donald Trump's party. And it was clear when he walked in the room tonight. He got a standing ovation here in Las Vegas. One of the only people to get a standing ovation. And again, it's just a striking moment for where the Republican Party has come.

And I will mention one other thing here. We have talked a lot about donors. Pence had not yet qualified for that third presidential debate in two weeks. We are told that that played a significant role in this, but they just did not believe they could get there, and they did not want to face that embarrassment.

Nick.

WATT: Kristen Holmes in Las Vegas, thanks very much for your time.

Coming up, Becky Anderson will be back with the latest on the Israel- Hamas War.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Pro-Palestinian demonstrations worldwide are intensifying as Israel moves into Gaza.

[15:55:04]

In the West Bank -- in the West Bank, people are protesting, as you can see there. People marching through the streets of Jenin, marches in Istanbul, wave their Turkish and Palestinian flags.

We'll take a very short break. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

WATT: Hello and welcome. I'm Nick Watt. Welcome to our breaking coverage of the Israel-Hamas War.