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IDF Strikes Intensify As Ground Operations Expand; White House: Still Working to Free Hostages in Gaza; U.S. Gaza Officials Spar Over Death Toll; Suspect Found Dead 48 Hours After Killing 18, Wounding 13; U.S. Carries Out Airstrikes in Syria. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired October 28, 2023 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:44]

KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Live from CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber.

Let's get straight to our top story. And we begin in Gaza where Israel has been ratcheting up the military pressure with expanded ground operations.

Explosions were heard reverberating across the enclave through the night. The IDF says it struck 150 underground targets overnight. It is said to be the most intense Israeli bombardment since the war started.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REAR ADM. DANIEL HAGARI, IDF SPOKESPERSON (through translator): In addition to offensive operations we have carried out over the past few days, the IDF ground forces are expanding their operation this evening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: All communications, networks in Gaza are reportedly out of service and have been for many hours. The mounting death toll led the U.N. General Assembly to vote for an immediate ceasefire on Friday. Israel's foreign minister angrily denounced it as despicable in light of the Hamas massacres.

CNN's Eleni Giokos joins us now from Dubai.

So, Eleni, what more are we learning about Israel's incursion into Gaza in the last few hours?

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, what we do not know is how many troops entered Gaza, whether they are still there, and then what the next plan is. On the ground operation, the IDF says that is expanding Israeli government official and spokesperson saying that they can't confirm whether this is the incursion, or the invasion, but certainly the next few days will be difficult and will be very long.

From what we have been seeing on the ground in the early hours of the morning, intense rocket fire and missiles and strikes into Gaza. Tank fire heard as well. And things got a bit quiet for a while, but we hear now that things are ramping up again.

From inside of Gaza, we're hearing that these are the most intense strikes since October 7th. And, of course, you mentioned the communications blackout, we also heard the Palestinian authority telecommunications minister saying that the two international connection points with Gaza have been struck by Israel, making it more difficult to get information in and out of the Gaza Strip. In reality, we heard from our sources on the ground that this is what is happening, this is affecting hospitals, that because they cannot respond to strikes, people are either bringing bodies, as well as the injured by using bicycles, car, even walking. Then ambulances are deployed.

So, this is the impact of the communications blackout. When you cannot get assistance to people who need it most.

Now, the IDF is also alleging that Hamas is easing hospitals and I quote, to wage war. It is now adding the added fear of hospitals being targeted, and the biggest hospital al-Shifa, the largest in Gaza spoke to the DG of Gaza health ministry. I want you to take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEDHAT ABBAS, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: So, al Shifa is the biggest hospital in Gaza Strip. Some more than 50,000 civilians are sustained within the premises of the hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Fifty thousand civilians are within the premises of the hospital. So, look, these have been sort of safe spot for people trying to flee and get to safe areas. He also described a very miserable situation that is playing out with resources depleting fast. U.S. defense secretary said this overnight as well, to the Israeli government, the importance of protecting civilians during their ground operations. And also the importance, and the emphasized the need to get aid into Gaza.

What this new ground offensive means, this increase in intensity means for aid, as well for protection of civilian lives cam, is a big question.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, the other question is, what these ground operations could mean for the safety of the Israeli hostages? What more could you tell us about the latest negotiations?

GIOKOS: Yeah. Look, Friday was an important day. We heard our sources in Qatar were telling us that there was momentum had been built to try and release a big number of hostages which the IDF now says stands at 229 people.

[03:05:08] This includes foreign nationals, as well. There was a lot of hope, momentum. The IDF has responded in saying that we should ignore those rumors, saying it's -- calling it psychological terror, by using the potential release of hostages. But what we hear and the Qataris have been mediating a lot of these discussions to get hostages to get them released. We've only had four hostages released in just a week. The question is, can this continue -- can a mediation continue? When you've got the Israeli ground operations intensifying, and what then potentially what that would look.

Look, the U.N. passed a resolution that was led by the Jordanians about sustained, an immediate humanitarian truth, which, of course, includes the release of hostages. Important to note, Israel as well as the U.S. voted against this resolution. You have 120 countries voted for this resolution, it just brings into question what the state, and the calculus will be going forward, and the potential of release of more hostages as we see a communications blackout, an incredible pressure coming through for the people within Gaza.

BRUNHUBER: Yeah, absolutely.

All right. Our thanks so much, Eleni Giokos, appreciate it.

Now as Eleni just reported there, Gaza is largely under a communications blackout, amid the looming the threat of an Israeli ground offensive as they continue targeting Hamas. A local service provider says most of the phone and internet links have been decimated, as Israeli airstrikes pounded the enclave and as a result communications inside Gaza, and with the outside are severely disrupted.

Multiple humanitarian groups say they cannot get in touch with their teams on the ground. Some Palestinians who managed to maintain connection, reached by CNN so they have split their family so that at least some members would survive in case of an Israeli strike. They talk about hearing explosions, but without communication they cannot check on their families are okay.

The leader of the U.N. in charge of Palestinian refugees sent a dramatic message about the humanitarian situation. Let's listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILIPPE LAZZARINI, COMMISSIONER GENERAL, UNRWA: As we speak, people in Gaza are dying. They are not only dying from bombs and strike, soon many more will die from the consequences of siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. Basic services are crumbling, medicine is running out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza has responded to U.S. President Joe Biden's public questioning of the reliability of Palestinian casualty figures in the conflict with Israel by publishing the names of what it says are thousands killed since the start of this conflict. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz reports on the controversy around the death

toll. We just want to warn you some of the images in her report are graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Families are mourning and counting their dead. Near endless stream of funerals echoes throughout Gaza. And as Palestinians bury their loved ones, doubt is cast by the U.S. and Israel on the death toll being released by Hamas.

Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007, no elections have been held since. The militant group is the political military power here. It controls the government and, therefore, all ministries including the health ministry.

President Biden says that's why he has no confidence in the reported Gaza death toll.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I'm sure innocents have been killed and it's the price of waging a war.

ABDELAZIZ: This is how the Hamas-run health ministry responded, publishing this document, 212-page report listing the ID numbers, names, sex and age of more than 6,700 Palestinians it says have been killed since October 7th. Among them, nearly 3,000 children.

The total figure is expected to be even higher because of hundreds of unidentified bodies, it says. The ministry says it is committed to accuracy and accused some of dehumanizing Palestinian victims.

Our people are not anonymous entities that can be ignored, it said.

The Palestinian Authority which rules the West Bank also hit back.

MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRIME MINISTER: There are certain leaders who don't want to see reality. The numbers are correct. They are our numbers. These numbers are fed to us from the hospitals of Gaza every single day that are received by our ministry of health.

[03:10:06]

ABDELAZIZ: Skepticism over the death toll spiked after the explosion the Gaza City's Al Ahli Hospital. Within hours, the Hamas-run health ministry said at least 471 were killed. The U.S. gave the more conservative estimate of 100 to 300 killed.

JOHN KIRBY, NSC SPOKESMAN: It was least a couple of hundred, and that's terrible, and atrocious and sad and all grieve with the families and loved ones who are affected by that. But the numbers are not reliable.

ABDELAZIZ: News outlets, U.N. agencies, rights groups and even the U.S. State Department have cited the Hamas-run ministry of health in the past, but the U.S. now says recent statements and figures from Hamas are unreliable.

Human Rights Watch, an independent body, responded.

OMAR SHAKIR, PALESTINE DIRECTOR, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: We've done research during multiple rounds of escalations and we've always found the ministry of health data to be generally reliable. The conversation should focus on how world leaders can stop further mass atrocities and not nitpicking whether a number that's generally proven to be accurate may be a little bit off.

ABDELAZIZ: And access is limited. Foreign media has been denied entry into Gaza and for local journalists, conditions on the ground make reporting difficult.

CNN and other news outlets cannot independently verify the figures.

And while some argue over the death toll, bodies keep piling up.

Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Israelis claiming the largest hospital in Gaza is the site of a major Hamas command center. It appears to be a significant time to prepare public opinion ahead of a major ground offensive in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REAR ADMIRAL DANIEL HAGARI, IDF SPOKESPERSON: The red buildings as I mentioned are buildings that Hamas is using. Meaning, he does his command and control in different departments of the hospital, like the re/gen room, and others. He uses these places in order to do command and control. For terror activities, launching rockets, et cetera, et cetera.

It is here in al Shifa Hospital where Hamas operates some of its command and control cells. This is where they direct rocket attacks, command Hamas forces, Hamas terrorist operate inside and under al- Shifa hospital, and other hospitals in Gaza with a network of terror tunnels. Hamas also has an entrance to those terror tunnels, from inside the hospital wards. Meaning, from different places of the hospital, you can go into an underground tunnel, that will provide you shelter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: The Palestinians rejected Israel's claim, the director general of the Hamas controlled Gaza health ministry tells CNN hospitals are used to treat patients only and they are not hiding anyone. Hamas also rejected the allegation calling on the U.N., an Arab and Islamic countries to immediately intervene to, quote, stop the madness of bombing and destroying the medical system.

The White House says it's still working to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, after Israel announced it is expanding ground operations there.

CNN's Alex Marquardt and has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Efforts to get Hamas to release the almost 230 hostages being held captive in the Gaza strip took a blow on Friday when Israel's significantly stepped its operations up in Gaza.

Sources tell CNN that the talks to release hostages, which have been led by Qatar, had been going well and that they were nearing the release of a large number of hostages.

Then, after Israel launched the expansion of their operations, U.S. officials insisted that the talks will continue. One U.S. official telling CNN quite firmly that there is no scenario in which, until these hostages are free, the U.S. would stop pursuing talks.

The White House is saying they are having active conversations with Israel about humanitarian pauses, as they call them, because the U.S. believes that those pauses could help get hostages out. Well, Israel on the other hand argued that more military pressure is what helps free hostages.

Now, the growing Israeli campaign will also make many people more desperate to get out of Gaza, including hundreds of foreign nationals who have been trapped in Gaza and are trying to escape. The U.S. and Israel have accused Hamas of not opening the gate at the crossing into Egypt, which is called Rafah.

Egypt has also shown some reluctance that letting people out and allowing foreign officials to be on the Egyptian side of the border in order to process the people coming out. There is little doubt that as Israel ramps up its further complicates the situation for both those hostages and those trying to flee.

Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[03:15:01]

BRUNHUBER: Now, sources told CNN that there has been, quote significant progress on negotiations to release hostages held by Hamas. There are still issues remaining.

Here is CNN's Becky Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Clearly, this expanded operation, as the Israelis have described it in Gaza, until the dust settles on that, and we see how long it lasts, and what happens on the back end of it. Difficult to say that the same momentum still exists for these talks. What appeared we were looking at was a significant number of civilian hostages, on the verge of possibly being released.

But, Jake, at this stage, I mean, clearly, we will just have to wait and see what happens and the hours to come overnight, certainly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Two days after the deadly mass shootings in Maine, the suspected gunman's been found dead. So, for the families of the victims now comes the long process of healing and mourning those they lost. We will have the latest from Maine coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: A tight-knit community in Maine is now beginning the long road to healing, and mourning the loss of 18 people killed in Wednesday's mass shootings. State's governor confirmed late Friday that the suspected gunman is dead, ending a two-day manhunt had residents on edge.

[03:20:06]

Officials say the body of 40-year-old Robert Card was found at 7:45 p.m. local time Friday night, 48 hours after police say Card went on a rampage at two locations within a matter of minutes. It is not clear how long the suspect's body had been there, or when he had died.

Here is the Lewiston police chief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF DAVE ST. PIERRE, LEWISTON POLICE: Our work again is not down here. I was very elated tonight when I got the call from Commissioner Sauschuck, advising me of the revelation of what took place, and that Mr. Card is deceased and no longer a threat to our community, or any other community. I just don't want to forget the families that are grieving, and will continue to grieve. I don't want to forget the law officials that worked tirelessly throughout this whole event to come to a good conclusion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Officials say Card's body was found with an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound in a wooded area about eight miles from where the shootings took place in a neighboring town.

CNN's Omar Jimenez has the latest from Lewiston.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After a more than 48- hour manhunt, the suspect in the mass shooting of both of these locations in Lewiston, Maine, has been found dead by apparent self- inflicted gunshot wound, according to law enforcement. Now, look, this is the end of what has been a very tense chapter for many in this community, wondering where this person may be, especially given the violent nature of what he was accused and what police believe he did. Now, to give people an idea of where this body was found we are

outside the bar and grill, which was the second location of the mass shootings that happened on Wednesday night. This body was found just about ten minutes away from here in the town over from Lewiston, which is where we are, in Lisbon, Maine. And it was found near it recycling plant where, as we understand from law enforcement sources, a plant where he was fired from recently.

And so, at this point, this now begins the next phase of the investigation for officers to figure out, okay, what led up to the actions that they say he carried out over the course of Wednesday night and why did this happen? So, that is one aspect of the investigation that continues. However, the main priority that everybody has been looking for of trying to locate this person is now over, it is a sigh of relief for many in this community, it's a sigh of relief for many of the leaders in this community as they laid out in their latest press conference.

We also learned that they found the body at to 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time Friday night. It wasn't until hours later that they announced, what they said they were doing in the meantime was they were notifying the families of victims. They also said they notified the family of the suspect as well, the family, they said, had on the whole been cooperative throughout this entire process.

And, while there are still more investigative work ahead, there is a lot more grieving ahead for many of the families here affected. At least 18 killed in total, but so many more lives shattered based on the lives that they touched and, as one resident told us, they are not just numbers, they are people. And it is those people that are going to live on in this community for much longer than this 48-hour manhunt.

Omar Jimenez, CNN, Lewiston, Maine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: CNN's Shimon Prokupecz interviewed the police chief of Lisbon, Maine, where the suspect's body was found Friday evening and spoke with our Abby Philip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF RYAN MCGEE, LISBON, MAINE POLICE: It has been a long day for all of, you along day for all of my officers. But as far as all the details, tomorrow --

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: For your community, and the people in Lisbon, I was there this morning at the supermarket had finally reopened. People were in tears inside, just out of fear. What have you been hearing from your community?

MCGEE: What I have been hearing from the community is that we have a great community, that is going to stick together. And, I have personally been on numerous calls people in our community care what is going on. I don't think it's just Lisbon. It's Lewiston, it's Thompson, it's Bowdoin, it's all the counties, surrounding towns.

I mean, we -- Maine is a great state. I think now you're going to see Maine pulled together, and not be known for this horrific act but actually come together as, you know, a family and take care of each other.

PROKUPECZ: This location, we were at this -- sort of at this area yesterday.

MCGEE: You have been everywhere around, every backyard I've been. I don't know how you do it, but --

PROKUPECZ: Well, thank you. But I have a question for you. This area -- your team search some of this area.

MCGEE: I'm not going to get into any details. The commissioner was very, very forthcoming about that.

So, I'm just going to leave it at this, the last thing I'm going to say is --

PROKUPECZ: OK, the relief, talk just quickly --

MCGEE: Everybody just be thinking about the families of the victims, keeping them in your thoughts and prayers.

[03:25:02]

You guys have a good night, get some rest.

PROKUPECZ: All right. Thanks, Chief. Okay, I appreciate it.

So, Abby, as I was saying earlier, this is -- this is an area that we were out yesterday with the chief. We actually saw him. We had a little interaction he and I because he was throwing us out of the area, that is what he was talking about here. He told us to leave, because we were in this area that they were searching, where they found the suspect dead today.

And as you can hear from him, there is this sense of relief, not only here in Lewiston where it happened, but also in Lisbon, because the people living there, have been stuck in their homes for the past two days. The supermarkets closed. Banks, pharmacies, they cannot go to their doctors. It has been a very difficult two days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: We have breaking news from Iran or state media is reporting that the teen who was allegedly assaulted by the country's morality police has died. Armita Geravand fell into a coma after activists say that she was assaulted at a metro station for not wearing a head scarf. The report says the 16-year-old died today, after being declared brain dead earlier in the week.

The alleged assault happened just weeks after Iran passed legislation imposing much harsher penalties on women who breached the already strict hijab rules. Iranian authorities have denied the assault allegations, saying that she was hospitalized due to an injury caused by low blood pressure.

All right. Still to come, the attack on Hamas and southern Israel has put the military on high alert in the northern region as well. We'll have details on the increasing tensions with Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon. That's coming up.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:12]

BRUNHUBER: And welcome back to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. And this is CNN coverage of Israel at War.

A top Israeli official tells CNN that the country is, quote, beefing up pressure on Hamas, as Israel says it's expanding ground operations in Gaza.

Have a look here. This is new video just into CNN showing the aftermath of new airstrikes in Gaza City. And as you can see, buildings are decimated, and people are surveying the damage, and in some cases digging through the rubble. Israel says its warplanes hit 150 underground targets in the Palestinian enclave overnight. Communication links are down in much of Gaza as well.

Meanwhile, air raid sirens blared across Tel Aviv on Friday as rockets were seen in the sky.

Now, the U.S. defense secretary stressed the importance of protecting civilians in Gaza when he spoke with his Israeli counterpart on Friday. Lloyd Austin also said aid delivery into the Palestinian enclave is urgently needed.

CNN's Oren Liebermann has more from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The Pentagon watching the situation in Gaza very closely as what appears to be a larger ground incursion is taking place on the part of the Israeli military into Gaza as it goes after Hamas.

But, the Pentagon and the White House have been clear this is Israel's war to fight and they will not dictate or instruct or order the Israelis on how to fight it. Instead, they will offer advice and have offered counsel on their best practices -- for the U.S.'s best practices from decades of war, including a recommendation that instead of conducting a large scale ground incursion, Israel goes with precision guided munitions as well as smaller special operations forces raids.

Is that advice the Israelis have heeded? That's answer that will be very clear in the hours and the days ahead.

Meanwhile, the U.S., a bit concerned there is whether the conflict in Gaza, now that would you appear to be seeing what appears to be a larger scale ground incursion, if that spreads to the rest of the region. We have already seen some spillover, even if the U.S. does not see a connection between Gaza and Iraq and Syria. Other groups do, and that is a key concern here.

Take a look at this map. You'll get a sense of the attacks on U.S. forces over the course of the past 11 or 12 days. Four different sites in Iraq, four different sites in Syria, many of those have had more than one attack including the Al Asad Airbase in Iraq, which has had at least seven attacks there.

The U.S. carried out strikes in eastern Syria against groups that says are affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, and affiliated groups there. The U.S. said those strikes did not result in casualties, but distort ammo for storage facility as well as a weapon storage facility.

The U.S. was clear in carrying out the strikes that there were narrowly aimed at, essential, protecting U.S. forces and the U.S. does not want the conflict to escalate beyond Gaza or be connected in any way to what the U.S. is doing in Iraq and Syria against ISIS there.

It's a very fine line the U.S. is trying to walk, will they be successful? That is what everyone is looking at with all eyes on Gaza right now.

Oren Liebermann, CNN, at the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And northern Israeli town, right next to the border with Lebanon has become a ghost town. Civilians have been replaced by Israeli soldiers, as the town faces increased risk of attack from Hezbollah militants.

CNN's Jim Sciutto reports from northern Israel.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST (voice-over): Main Street, Metula, Israel, normally the busy center of town, now abandoned.

Metula's 2,000 residents fled in the wake of the October 7th attacks. Part of a mandatory evacuation of communities too close to Israel's border with Lebanon and too close to Hezbollah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The problem is that there's for many -- from too many windows, we are under threat.

SCIUTTO: Now based here are hundreds of IDF soldiers. We don't identify them due to security. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were attacked here and in other places in the

area. So we need to keep ourselves undercover to make sure that we won't be exposed.

SCIUTTO: Metula is exposed on three sides by Lebanon, by territory controlled by Hezbollah. And that is why the town has been evacuated because of that threat. And soldiers based here now say they face three threats from Hezbollah, sniper fire, rocket fire, but also the possibility of ground incursions. What happened here several days ago, and they're on constant alert for the possibility of the next one.

The town's mayor has the job now of relocating residents to safer areas further south and keeping Metula ready for residents to return. The when is far from clear.

What is clear is that the old status quo is no longer sustainable for those living this far north.

[03:35:02]

Not with Hezbollah fighters on their doorsteps.

MAYOR DAVID AZULI, METULA, ISRAEL (translated): We don't want a war, we just want to end the current status quo and move Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon. You can either make a pace deal through the Iranians and Americans, or if not, we will have war.

SCIUTTO: The Israeli military does not comment on it plans for the north. For now, this is an operation designed to defend and deter. And the threat is real. We are advised not to linger too long in Hezbollah's line of fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can find more than 400 to soldiers looking at you.

SCIUTTO: For the soldiers, their job now is to make sure that someday, Metula can come alive again.

Do you believe people will be able to come back to a town like Metula again, or is it just too close to Lebanon, to Hezbollah?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that we will do everything to make them feel protected, to make them feel safe. Someone who packed his luggage, with tears in his eyes and asking why, and he told me, I don't know if I will -- if I will return here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO (on camera): That is a new reality here in northern Israel, but also in the south. Communities emptied by the threat from Hamas, in Gaza, and Hezbollah here in the north. Many people demanding increased military action across the border, but that portends costly exercises and operation for Israeli forces with an uncertain military outcome.

Jim Sciutto, CNN in northern Israel. BRUNHUBER: All right. From a military perspective, let's break in

Malcolm Davis, senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Thanks so much for being here with us again.

So, this -- you know, what we are seeing from Israel right now, do you think this signals the start of the main invasion?

MALCOLM DAVIS, SENIOR ANALYST, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE: Look, it could. I think that what you are seeing is certainly a ramping up of artillery, and air strikes against Hamas positions across Gaza. And that generally does suggest that the preliminary stages of an invasion.

You prepare the battle space. You attack known targets. You clear the fences before you send in ground forces, because the last thing you want to do will be sending ground forces into fully prepared positions. If you can wear down those positions as much as possible, prior to sending in ground forces, then there is less likely to be friendly casualties in the process.

BRUNHUBER: So, that might explain what we are being told here, according to the IDF they have been targeting 150 underground targets. What they call terror tunnels, and underground combat spaces. What do you make of those specific objectives?

DAVIS: Well, I think that is sensible. Hamas is using the tunnel network to move around the battlefield in Gaza. And, to basically position themselves so that if the Israelis move and, they can exploit the tunnels to attack the Israelis from the rear. It actually makes sense for the IDF to attack those tunnels and destroy those tunnels, ideally with Hamas inside them. So that they cannot use those tunnels, it makes then more difficult for Hamas to defend and against an incoming Israeli incursion on the ground.

BRUNHUBER: Now, just before you came on, we heard from the family or someone held hostage in Gaza, and Israeli, what about the hostages? If this is the precursor to a ground invasion, does these incursions, all of these attacks, airstrikes, does it help or hurt their chances of coming back alive, do you think?

DAVIS: Look, I am sure that the Israelis are doing their very best to get the hostages out. And, there may be possibilities that intelligence operations can locate some of the hostages and special forces go in and rescue them. But I think that once the ground invasion begins, the chances of rescuing those hostages dropped dramatically. Hamas want to use them as human shields, secondly they wanted to use them as bargaining chips to try and delay the Israeli offensive.

I think that the Israelis, and the Americans have woken up to this cynical tactic by Hamas. They are drip feeding hostages out, over a period of days and weeks, to try and delay the offensive. That gives Hamas more time to prepare defenses. So, I think the Israelis are going to go in, irrespective of the situation with the hostages. We will do our best to get the mail, but there is no guarantee, sadly.

BRUNHUBER: Looking ahead, let's say Israel does crush Hamas, something they have promised before and failed. I mean, what then?

DAVIS: Well, that's a key question for the Israelis.

[03:40:01]

They have to defeat Hamas. They have to defeat them decisively. Not just in the past like mowing the lawn, they have go in and destroy Hamas's organization.

Then, they have to win the peace. And that is going to be challenging, because Gaza is an urban environment that is extremely dense in terms of population. There are large numbers of civilians in harm's way. Even with the most advanced precision strike weapons available, civilians will be killed and injured.

So, it's going to be very difficult for these Israelis having defeated Hamas, to go in and talk with the Palestinians in Gaza and say look, we have to come in with a durable security solution that prevents the radicalization of future Palestinian groups.

That is going to be really difficult for the Israelis, particularly if the war escalates to bring in Hezbollah, and Iran, and Israel is fighting a multi-front war. They have to win the peace. They can't just see another generation of Palestinians radicalized.

BRUNHUBER: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRUNHUBER: The communications blackout in Gaza is now making the crisis even more complicated for people trying to help. Earlier, I spoke to Dr. Zaher Sahloul, the cofounder and president of MedGlobal, an organization that's on the ground in Gaza helping with the dire medical needs there. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ZAHER SAHLOUL, PULMONARY & CRITICAL CARE PHYSICIAN: With the blockade and prevention of food and medicine, and medical supplies, and water, clean water, the situation -- I cannot imagine what is happening right now to the civilians in Gaza. Now with a ground invasion, that will complicate it further and cause more attacks on civilians, more bombs, more injuries.

Unfortunately, two third of the injuries are women and children, a very large number of children who were killed and injured.

[03:45:05]

And also, it will probably collapse what's left of the medical system, which is last two-thirds of its capacity because of the consumable -- consuming large number of medical supplies every day and during this crisis, it was consumed in the hospital worth one month before the crisis.

And you can add to it, the lack of clean water that is causing a lot of waterborne infection. Lack of electricity that mean many core functions of the hospital will stop function, including ventilators, incubators, labs, dialysis units, 1,000 patients in dialysis will probably die if there is no urgent supplies of dialysis kits. Besides that 135 newborns who are on incubators, the situation is going to be unimaginable and beyond catastrophic.

BRUNHUBER: As doctors try to help those children who have been hurt with the medical system, as you say, close to collapse. You've been to many different disaster zones yourself. From what you're seeing, I mean, is this the worst you've seen?

SAHLOUL: I've been in Ukraine, I've been in Syria, I've been in Yemen. Actually, I just came from Ukraine a month ago. And this is the worst that I have seen.

I've been in Gaza four times before, and Gaza has witnessed wars before. This is the fifth large war in the last 20 years. But this is the worst I've seen in the whole world. And I think the consequences of this war will continue to affect the people in Gaza, and beyond, for the next generations.

It's not only the physical wounds and the death and the injuries among the families, but also the mental health wounds that will last forever among the children who are witnessing bombing, who lost many of their family members. Dr. Kassam Sofiya (ph) is our lead pediatrician, his last message was 36 hours ago.

He told me if I stayed alive, I would like to talk more about my last patient. Her name is Dima. She's a child. She's only ten years old. She lost all of her family members, her two parents and six brothers and sisters.

And she had a fracture in her skull, and a fracture in her limbs, and injuries in her liver and spleen. And they don't have enough supplies to treat her. And he was very sorry and he told me the saddest thing that he has in his life, that he witnessed many children that he saw in the neighborhoods that now are dead and mutilated. And this is something that should not happen in the 21st century.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: If you'd like information on how to help with humanitarian relief efforts for Gaza and Israel, please go to CNN.com/impact and you can find a list of vetted organizations that are providing assistance at CNN.com/impact.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:51:46]

BRUNHUBER: Israel's foreign minister is calling for the U.N.'s call for a cease-fire, despicable. In a social media post, he said, quote, Israel intends to eliminate Hamas just as the world dealt with the Nazis and ISIS. The U.N. improved a new resolution on Friday calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, 120 countries backed it while 14 countries voted against it, including the U.S. and Israel.

The new U.S. House speaker says he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday. Mike Johnson posted a photo of himself on the phone, calling it a privilege. He wrote, quote, the House of Representatives stands with Israel and there reaffirmed our strong support. The congressman from Louisiana was just elected as speaker on Wednesday after weeks of Republican Party infighting left the House in chaos.

Thailand is calling for the release of 18 of its citizens believed to be held hostage in Gaza. Thirty-three other Thai nationals were killed during the Hamas attack on October 7th, some of the highest foreign casualties that day.

CNN's Ivan Watson traveled to remote villages in Thailand to meet with families of some of the victims. I just want to warn you, Ivan's report includes graphic images that some of you may find disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The empty back roads of northeastern Thailand feel a world away from the raging war in Israel and Gaza. But even here, in one of the country's poorest provinces, there are victims, scarred by the violence in the Middle East.

Do you think this man wanted to kill you?

WITHAWAT KUNWONG, SURVIVED OCT. 7 HAMAS ATTACK (through translator): He tried to cut my throat after I passed out. But, because the knife is broken, he couldn't finish the job.

WATSON: Thirty-year-old Withawat Kunwong spent years working as a migrant laborer at this turkey farm in Israel, in kibbutz Holit, located within sight of the security fence that encircles Gaza.

On the morning of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th, Kunwong streamed this video live from the turkey farm. Kunwong says he hid for hours, but was discovered by a Palestinian man in civilian clothes, armed with what looked like a kitchen knife. Kunwong says he refused to surrender, they got into a savage fight.

He bit you?

KUNWONG (through translate): When we were fighting. He bit my arm.

WATSON: Kunwong says he was left for dead and later cared for by other Thai migrant workers. Now, after more than four years working in Israel, he is reunited with his family in Thailand recovering from deep physical and psychological wounds.

At the start of the latest hostilities, there were nearly 30,000 Thai citizens working in Israel, many of them from poor farming villages in this region. Families here say their men signed minimum five-year contracts to work

in Israel, a period during which most would not come home to visit their loved ones. But they say the sacrifice is worth it because the salaries you could earn in the Middle East dwarf the money that you can make in the rice paddies of northern Thailand.

[03:55:01]

A proud father shows me the house his son's Israeli wages built. His 29-year-old son Mani Jirajat (ph) was expected to come home next year after half a decade of work in Israel.

This is the bunker?

This video shows Jirajat and other Thai workers on the morning of the October 7th Hamas attack, taking shelter in a bunker. It is the last they heard from their son.

This is Mani right here.

Until this image emerged on social media. He and several other men held hostage by armed militants. His father and mother now desperate for their son's safe return. I have no words, he says. I want my son back.

In a statement to CNN, Thailand's deputy prime minister called for the release of all hostages adding, quote, our Thai nationals who have been killed and kidnapped are mostly farmers earning a living to support their families in Thailand and really have no involvement in the conflict.

As Israel continues its deadly bombardment of Gaza, these parents anxiously watch and wait, praying for their son's freedom.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Udon Thani, Thailand.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUNBER: Hundreds of people from our group called Jewish Voice for Peace gathered in Grand Central Terminal in New York Friday night calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

The demonstration was peaceful, though there were reports of dozens of arrests and some passengers were delayed. The protest of this scale is unusual for Grand Central.

That's it for me. I'm Kim Brunhuber. My colleague Max Foster picks up CNN's special coverage after a quick break. Please do stay with us.