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Israel: New Phase Of War As Gaza Ground Operations Expand; Qatar: Hamas Hostage Talks Still Ongoing; Humanitarian Crisis Worsens As Israel Steps Up Gaza Strikes; "Friends" Actor Matthew Perry Dead At 54; Iranian FM: We Don't Want The War To Spread Out; Authorities Release Information About Suspect In Maine. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired October 29, 2023 - 00:00   ET

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

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[00:00:45]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome to all of you watching here in the United States and around the world. I'm Paula Newton with the very latest on Israel at war. It is 6:00 a.m. and Gaza which has endured another night of intense airstrikes and artillery fire, and what Israel's Prime Minister calls the second stage of the war against Hamas.

Israel says it's been hitting Hamas targets including Hamas tunnels and underground combat spaces. All this, all Israeli ground forces are expanding their operations inside Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is predicting victory against Hamas. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Our heroic fighters have one supreme goal to destroy this murderous enemy and ensure the existence of our country. We always said never again, never again is now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Now inside Gaza, meantime, ports indicate cellular and internet communications have been partially restored. But hospitals are at full capacity if they're functioning at all. There's not enough food, water, medicine or fuel to go around. The president of the Palestinian Authority which controls the West Bank offered his dire assessment of the situation in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT: Our people in the Gaza Strip are facing a war of genocide and massacres committed by the Israeli occupation forces in full view of the entire world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: CNN crews inside Israel near the Gaza border have been observing the heightened military activity throughout the past day and night. Our Nic Robertson has the latest now from Sderot, Israel.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You know, it's only when the intense artillery barrages the tank fire, the heavy machine gun fire, the missile strikes, it's only when they ease off that you can actually hear what's happening on the battlefield. Right now, we can just about hear, well, that was another artillery strike. We can just about hear the tracks on some of the tanks and armored fighting vehicles that are down there right at the border, right at the Gaza fence.

They're less than a mile from where we are right now. But through the night, it has been very, very intense at times, multiple missile strikes lighting up the sky, huge detonations. We've heard helicopters come in close heavy machine gunfire from those helicopters in a way that we haven't heard before along the front line here. We've heard heavy tank fire being fired out from close to here, so heavy so sustained going on for long periods of time that this building was shaking as well.

We've heard multiple artillery rounds going in from artillery batteries to the north and to the south of where we are, huge detonations from those. Flares we've seen in the sky as well. The whole indication of the whole tempo here through the night is one of continued military confrontation of this buildup of what the Prime Minister has talked about, has talked about more commanders and warfighters being inside enemy territory, that this is going to the next phase to another phase of the operation.

And that's what we've been witnessing play out here through the night. Intense, very intense at times. And that the sound of the impacts, the sounds of the -- of some of the artillery and tanks firing out so strong here, it's hard to imagine just how intense that could be on the ground in Gaza.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Sderot, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now Saturday, meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with some of the family members of the hostages taken by Hamas. They gathered in Tel Aviv, where people held up photos of the missing and wrote messages on a giant banner, joining together to call for a comprehensive deal from the government to ensure the safe return of their loved ones. But there's also a growing sense of frustration, as you can imagine, with some saying they feel left in the dark about whether or not a ground operation in Gaza could endanger the wellbeing of the hostages.

While the Israeli Prime Minister has declared a new phase of the war with Hamas, he also promised that every effort would be made to retrieve more than 200 hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups. But ground offensive will complicate efforts to negotiate their release. For more on what the chances are now of the hostages making it home, CNN's Wolf Blitzer spoke with Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the United States.

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[00:05:26]

MICHAEL OREN, FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: Israel is adopting an interesting military strategy, one we haven't used before. They're actually calling it the American strategy, which is you -- its target a certain neighborhood or a village, you bombed that village to clear it out the best you can. You move forces in there, and then you establish that village as a bridgehead to the next village and to the next neighborhood.

So it's not a mass of soldiers moving in as we did in 2014. Remember, we moved the army all at one time. We suffered a tremendous amount of casualties. So Israel is going to try to do as cautiously as possible, and slowly, slowly close that cord and close the noose if you will around Hamas, also giving more Palestinian civilians more time to flee to the south.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: And I will add that the former U.S. ambassador there added that he believes that this kind of aggressive military posture in his estimation may lead to the release of hostages.

Now the U.N. Secretary General meantime visited Doha on Saturday to express thanks and support to Qatar's Prime Minister for helping with talks to free hostages held by Hamas, the spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs told CNN's Becky Anderson, he is still hopeful more hostages will be released.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

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

MAJED AL ANSARI, SPOKESPERSON, QATARI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: No, I believe they are still doing, 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, when the most terrible escalation that have happened in the region for a long time, is making it sexually more difficult, as I said, on the logistical side of it, or just moving people during a London incursion, and the increased bombardment.

But also from a political side, of course, you know, mediation only works when you have karmic baggage, 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.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: What can you provide us in terms of the details of these tools? 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 will be very difficult, you know, right now to share a lot 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 about the idea of a prisoner exchange, we are optimistic that the tasks 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 that are held in Gaza at present?

ANSARI: I'm not sure to be honest, anybody knows. We have our numbers that we're discussing, you know, through the lists. We get from various countries about the foreign citizens who are held hostage. We have the numbers for the Israeli side. We have numbers on Palestinian side. But these numbers are not necessarily always the same. But the important thing here is that both sides acknowledge that the civilian hostages need to go out immediately. And both sides, especially Hamas on notice, has said that they are willing to let the civilian hostages go out. So we have to work towards that as soon as possible.

ANDERSON: We know that Hamas had 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 press you on whether you believe that that exchange could be for women and children being held in Gaza by Hamas and if so we talking around sort of 50, 60 people here?

ANSARI: Obviously, Becky, we've been talking about they're worried about our priorities in this. This is our main goal and our end goal to release all the hostages and get them back to their families. But obviously when you put it and when you prioritize it, if you start with the women and children, you start with the foreign civilians and then you go to the rest of the hostages.

And obviously, if we were going to quote, biohazard, we have to start with the women and children. But I believe that right now the discussions encompass, you know, the idea of civilian hostages altogether.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now, the Director General of the Hamas controlled Gaza Health Ministry tells CNN the hospitals there are used to treat patients only. Now that's in response to an Israeli claim that Hamas has set up a command and control center in bunkers underneath Gaza's largest hospital. Nada Bashir has more on the situation inside Gaza and how civilians are increasingly paying the ultimate price. The reports I will warn you contain some images that may be distressing.

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[00:10:19] NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER (voice-over): A flash of light over the chilling imposed darkness that engulfed 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.

The situation 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're 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.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The red buildings, as I mentioned, are building that Hamas is using.

BASHIR (voice-over): It is a claim rejected by Palestinian officials in Gaza, who accused 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 knew the hospital well, is a warning of unimaginable bloodshed.

DR. 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, peace time, war time all over. I have never seen anything that could look like or function as some command center.

BASHIR (voice-over): On and on, Israel's airstrikes lay waste to this already ravaged enclave, artillery shelling now adding to the devastation. The people of Gaza gripped by 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 VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: For more now on the growing humanitarian crisis on the ground, we are joined by Lucia Elmi. She is a UNICEF Special Representative for the Palestinian territories. And she is speaking to us right now from Jerusalem. I'm Glad to have your input here as we continue to worry for the situation on the ground in Gaza. Have you had any communication with your staff or others in Gaza because we are hearing that perhaps some communication is being restored there?

LUCIA ELMI, UNICEF SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: Good evening. Yes, we have just in the early hours of today being able to see some of our colleagues coming back online. We don't know how many will be able to communicate today because he's touching in different areas of the Gaza Strip. But we are starting to have some communication that we don't know for a lot of communication with our team on the ground will be will be regular.

NEWTON: And what have they told you about what they've been facing now that we have seen this stepped up military campaign in the last 48 hours?

ELMI: First of all is important that we are starting to see them online again, that is a sign of relief for the UNICEF team who has continued over the past few weeks to focus on the humanitarian response for children. We're hearing the heavy bombardment continue throughout in the past 48 hours as well with very heavy casualties among these areas, and really they need to protect children to respect international humanitarian law, and to bring the so much needed humanitarian aid to choose and wherever they are in the Gaza Strip.

[00:15:24]

NEWTON: You know, we just ran the report from Nada Bashir and the suffering of children is truly unspeakable. Oh, what are they facing, especially since so many now are suffering in such profound ways as this conflict continues?

ELMI: We need to remember that half of the population in the Gaza Strip are below the age of 18. So we're talking about approximately 1 million children that for 22 days have been under heavy bombardment, as opposed to a very high level of violence, lost their loved ones, family members, peers. So it's really the very high impact on children who need the medical aid, who need food, who need water was been one of the main challenges throughout the last three weeks.

First and foremost, children protection, children need to have to be able to receive the special protection they are entitled to.

NEWTON: And in terms of that protection, we are hearing from different corners that perhaps some kind of a humanitarian corridor can be established. What more is UNICEF hearing about that?

ELMI: UNICEF is part of a wider U.N. operation together with the World Food Program, with the World Health Organization, with (inaudible), with Archer (ph), has been trying over the past few days, to bringing the so much needed humanitarian aid. There have been a number of trucks that UNICEF had 14 trucks in the past seven days, but it's just a drop in the ocean. We need sustained regular flow of key essential humanitarian items such as water, food, medicine, and everything that those children are in need.

So there's been some monetary trickling, but it's really not sufficient. We need sustain, regular and massive scale up or the humanitarian operation wherever children are in the Gaza Strip.

NEWTON: How concerned are you that even in the last few hours, Israel has again repeated that anyone in the northern area of the Gaza Strip needs to evacuate to the south. But again, whether it's your staff or others, they seem not to be safe in the south anyway. I mean, how concerned are you that Israel again, emphatically continues to repeat that people need to evacuate.

ELMI: Our focus is on children and to bring protection to children wherever they are, we need also to understand that there are many people who they cannot leave. There have been a number of hospital, they cannot leave their patient. The medical doctors, including children in neonatal units that are in incubators cannot be moved. So children need protection wherever they are.

NEWTON: This conflict is now entering its fourth week, as this continues to go on, this is could last for not just days, or weeks for that matter, perhaps months. When you talk about protecting children, how acute will their needs become in the days and weeks to come.

ELMI: It is clear that there is no safe place for children to go at this point in time. And so everywhere is a danger, endangering their lives, we're seeing high level of reported casualties. We're seeing high level of children with sustained injuries that will have long lasting implication in their life. We're seeing children having to have access to very limited amount of water, of food or medicine, and the impact on the psychosocial and mental health status.

Already before this escalation as a result of the 16 years of closure and very frequently, escalation of hostilities, at least half of children being one out of two in the Gaza Strip needed mental has a specialized psychosocial support. So the level of psychological trauma is something that is very concerning, is something that needs to be addressed in every level unfortunately long lasting implications for these children.

NEWTON: Yes. And it is always a good reminder as well that the health of children under the age of five is quite precarious and can change within 24 or 48 hours. Lucia Elmi from UNICEF, I really want to thank you for the update. Appreciate it.

ELMI: Thank you.

NEWTON: Now, if you would like information on how to help with humanitarian relief efforts for Gaza and Israel, please go to CNN.com/impact. You'll find a list of vetted organizations providing assistance. That's at CNN.com/impact. And our coverage of Israel at war continues throughout the hour.

[00:20:04]

Just ahead for us, we take a look at the incredible career of actor Matthew Perry who was found dead Saturday at the age of 54. We will be right back with more on his life.

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NEWTON: American Canadian actor Matthew Perry has died at the age of 54. Warner Brothers Television Group has confirmed his death. The Los Angeles Times quoting law enforcement sources is reporting the "Friends" star was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. "The L.A. Times" reports sources did not cite a cause of death, but said there were no signs of foul play. Perry appeared of course and countless T.V. shows but a bus known for playing the role of Chandler ing on "Friends."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW PERRY, ACTOR: I want to quit the gym.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to quit?

PERRY: I want to quit the gym.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do realize you won't have access to our new full service, sweet spa?

[00:25:03]

PERRY: I want to quit the gym.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: We can't help but have a smile on your face when he delivered those lines, a sitcom ran for 10 seasons and think about this Perry appeared in every episode. The actor's battle with alcohol and drugs, specifically painkillers was well known. Perry wrote about his addiction in his memoir saying that he went to rehab more than 60 times. Extra's Billy Bush spoke earlier with CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILLY BUSH, HOST AND MANAGING EDITOR, EXTRA: Instantly I thought, oh, no, how horrible. And then I started thinking about what a difficult life he led. He struggled so much off camera for a guy who was so effortless on camera, his timing and his, you know, his good nature, always just upbeat and quick, and then you realize it's the exact opposite when he's not. I mean, he just struggled, struggled, struggled so hard with painkillers and addiction.

And I think, you know, what we're hearing there's no foul play. But immediately you think what, wear and tear that poor heart of his took, you know, over these years. So while I'm crushed and sad, and I've just sent a text over to Lisa Kudrow, with whom I'm friends to be with, you know, send her my condolences. The cast is really tight. There is a part of me that's like, I'm not overly surprised because I thought something was off with him and that he is hurt for too long.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Warner Brothers Television Group says it's quote, devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry, an incredibly gifted actor and an incredible, indelible part of me, part of the Warner Brothers Television Group family. Now we will have more on Matthew Perry later in this hour.

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MIKE PENCE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: 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. 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)

NEWTON: That's former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday ending his run for the presidency. He was speaking at the Republican Jewish coalition's annual conference in Las Vegas. Sources tell CNN Pence was struggling to secure donors and there was concern that he might not qualify for the third Republican debate next month.

Now recent polls indicate Pence has struggled to break into the top tier of Republican candidates just have a look at this, an accurate analysis of polls puts him at 4 percent nationally in the GOP primary race. He only had 1 percent support in New Hampshire, where the first primary will be held.

Former President Donald Trump still holds a commanding lead for the Republican nomination in this CNN poll. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is trailing far behind in second place with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in third.

[00:28:12]

OK still to come for us, an Israeli community bands together to protect themselves from potential further attacks from Hamas. One family's terrifying story of survival, that's next.

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NEWTON: Welcome back. I'm Paula Newton with the very latest on Israel that war.

Gaza remains under siege and under fire. The IDF says Israeli forces still remain inside Gaza hours. That was hours more than a day after first crossing into the border. Israeli airstrikes have intensified and conditions for civilians inside Gaza are terrifying as you can imagine. But at this hour, we are learning that some communication services have been restored. Israeli communities living near the border with Gaza are now banding together to protect themselves from potential further Hamas attacks. It comes after the IDF said the response to the militant group surprise assaults on October 7th was a quote, military failure. CNN's Rafael Romo has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELI TZUR, SURVIVED TERROR ATTACK: This is the shelter.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): for several long and agonizing hours, Eli Tzur and his family hunkered down in their home shelter built to protect them from air missile attacks. Afraid and unknowing that atrocities were being committed outside on the ground by hordes of attacking terrorists.

E. TZUR: If close it.

ROMO (voice-over): The emergency door meant to be life saving for families can be deadly when holding it close against militants.

E. TZUR: And they shot with the AK-47 --

ROMO (on camera): They shot through the door.

E. TZUR: Yes. Through the door, so it was, you know, people who get help get killed because they hold the handle like this.

ROMO (voice-over): A problem that he has since solved with a two by four.

E. TZUR: You put it like this. And the Hamas cannot come inside.

ROMO (voice-over): The IDF says the response to the attacks with some military failure.

LT. COL. JONATHAN CONRICUS, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON: It's a military failure that we will have to look into. But it's a military failure that will create the possibility for a much better future.

ROMO (voice-over): Now communities are taking the future into their own hands. Tzur says he was one of five men who organize themselves to protect their moshav or Jewish settlement of about 700 people located just a few kilometers from the border with Gaza after police and soldiers in his community were called to the front lines.

(on camera): So that was hit five men in charge of security for this community --

E. TZUR: Yes, yes.

ROOM: -- with pistols.

E. TZUR: With pistols. You cannot do nothing against AK-47. But that's what we had.

ROMO (voice-over): The entire Tzur family survived the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7th, but the emotional wounds are extensive. GAYA TZUR, ELI TZUR'S DAUGHTER: I don't know if I can deal with this situation anymore.

ROMO (voice-over): Eli Tzur's 27-year-old daughter, Gaya, says she always believed peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians was possible.

G. TZUR: I always talking about peace and to be OK with them to live with them. But after that, I learned that maybe there is no people there that want peace with us.

[00:35:00]

ROMO (voice-over): Gaya has friends who were killed by Hamas. She can't begin to understand the hatred behind the brutal attacks but she also finds no hope in trading an eye for an eye.

G. TZUR: I don't know, this is not our culture. This is not what my parents taught me to be happy that Palestinians had never, never.

ROMO (voice-over): Missiles being fired by Hamas right above their heads doesn't help.

(on camera): And this is a situation that families who live here near the border with Gaza face on a daily basis, sometimes hour by hour. This is a way it has been.

CONRICUS: And at the end of this war, all of those deserted communities around Gaza, the kibbutzim that have been burned and ruined, they will flourish again. And they will again be the sound of Israeli kids playing in their backyards.

ROMO (voice-over): The Tzur say the terrorist attacks have shattered any hope they had for peace.

(on camera): Can you make a distinction in your mind between the Palestinian people and Hamas?

E. TZUR: I was one of the people that said that Arabs want to, not all Arabs are bad, they want to live with us. Now I'm not so sure about it.

ROMO: Do you want to still live here? Do you want to stay after everything that has happened.

E. TZUR: I'm going to die here. I'm going to die here. I have a great, lovely plot in the cemetery.

ROMO (voice-over): For some Jewish families who live along the border with Gaza, the October 7th terrorist attacks mark up before and then after. But they say the hard lessons they learned that tragic day about protecting themselves will only make them stronger and ensure their survival.

Rafael Romo, CNN at the Israeli border with Gaza.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And meantime, hospitals in Gaza are struggling to help the wounded. The World Health Organization says hospitals already are operating at their maximum capacity so they can't take new patients. But the WHO says people are still obviously wounded every hour and many can't even be reached by ambulances because communication links are severely restricted. In a new statement, the International Red Cross called the situation in Gaza, a catastrophic failing that the world must not tolerate.

Protesters in many cities around the world are showing their support for the Palestinians this weekend. Coming up, we have a look at some of the demonstrations underway protesting Israel's war with Hamas.

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[00:40:38]

NEWTON: Israel says its fighter jets hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Saturday. That was the latest in a series of cross border clashes since the latest crisis began. An IDF statement says the planes hit a military compound and observation posts following rocket and missile fire from Lebanon in Israel. Now its top general says his troops are maintaining a high level of readiness to prevent possible future military moves by Hezbollah.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE are condemning Israel's latest moves in Gaza saying they threatened to destabilize the entire region. Egypt's president says the country's diplomats are working to resolve the conflict. Now, he claims some unidentified drones were brought down in Egypt on Friday and warns the conflict should not spread beyond Gaza. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISI, EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Yesterday, drones entered Egypt and were brought down with regardless of where they came from. I previously warned that the expansion of the conflict is not in the interest of the region. The region will become a ticking time bomb that harms us all. This is why I'm saying please, Egypt is a sovereign country, and I hope we will respect its sovereignty and status. What I'm saying now is not to brag, but Egypt is a very strong country that shall not be touched.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: President Biden says Washington is ready to take further action to defend U.S. forces in the Middle East. The Pentagon says it hit Iran-backed targets in Syria Friday with airstrikes. It says that was in response to attacks by those groups on U.S. forces in the region.

Now, CNN's Bianna Golodryga spoke to Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, denied his country's involvement in those attacks. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: I want to talk about your time in New York, because you spoke at the U.N. and I want to quote what you said for our viewers. You said I say frankly to the American statesman, we do not welcome expansion of the war in the region. But I warn, if genocide and Gaza continues, they will not be spared from this fire. Is that a threat? Is Iran prepared really, to go to war against the United States?

HOSSEIN AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): We don't want this war to spread out.

GOLODRYGA: But with all due respect, your actions don't seem to match your words. You say that you are playing a constructive role in helping peace and security. But according to the Pentagon, groups affiliated with Iran have targeted U.S. forces or bases in the region at least 15 times now, since October 17th, injuring at least 20 U.S. military personnel. A U.S. carrier strike group shot down 15 drones, four cruise missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen that was aimed towards Israel. President Biden said this yesterday. He said --

AMIR-ABDOLLAHIAN (through translator): Any attack that is carried out in the region and if the U.S. interests are targeted by any group, you know, link again to (inaudible) without offering any piece of proof is totally wrong. You see, two weeks ago I was in Iraq, also in Syria and Lebanon. I could see up close and personal that the people of the region, they are very sensitive about the developments in the Palestine. They were angry. They are not receiving orders from us. They act according to their own interest. Also, what happened what was carried out by Hamas, it was totally Palestinian. They decided to take responsibility for that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now you can hear that full interview on GPS airing later Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Now as Israel steps up its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been rallying in cities right around the world. A crowd of Palestinian supporters gathered Saturday in Istanbul. They heard from the Turkish president who condemned the war, calling its support of the Palestinians, a defense of its own independence and future. Demonstrators also took to the streets of Rome Saturday marching in front of the Colosseum, thousands also gathered in Berlin calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. And in London thousands turned out holding Palestinian flags and calling for Israel to stop its military operation in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:45:17]

CROWD: Israel bombs, USA, hey, how many kids did you killed today?

(END VIDEO CLIP) NEWTON: Meantime, a wave of protesters marched through the heart of New York City Saturday to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Pro- Palestinian protesters held signs waved flags and chanted as they marched from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The Brooklyn Bridge was closed due to that demonstration.

After the break, we take a look at the incredible career of "Friends" star, Matthew Perry, who was founded on Saturday in Los Angeles. We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: "Friends" T.V. star Matthew Perry has died. He was just 54 years old. And the news has been confirmed now by Warner Brothers Television Group. "The Los Angeles Times" quoting law enforcement sources reports, he was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. Now in a recent memoir, Perry opened up about his struggle with drugs and alcohol. Here's entertainment journalist XiXi Yang with more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[00:50:12]

XIXI YANG, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: He released his memoir last year, friends, lovers and a big terrible thing. And he wrote about his long speculated ups and downs with the drug and alcohol abuse and all the lessons he learned in life. And, you know, the biggest takeaway that I think we have to notice from the book was that this was a man who has overcome tremendous odds, he faced some of the brightest moments in his life during some of the biggest battles, some of the darkest moments.

And he was, overall not only grateful to be alive, but he really wanted to show the fans who he truly was behind one of the most iconic characters in sitcom. And I do want to point out that one of the last posts he made on Instagram, the last one was just six days ago, of him in a hot tub, enjoying the beautiful view and night, and it's really eerie to look back on it now and think that this will be the last place he'd be.

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NEWTON: Now tributes from Perry's friends in Hollywood of course, pouring in. Maggie Wheeler, who played Perry's on again, off again girlfriend, Janice, on "Friends" wrote, what a loss, the joy you brought to so many in your short lifetime will live on. Actress Selma Blair says she's heartbroken sharing on Instagram quote, all of us loved Matthew Perry and I did especially, every day I loved him unconditionally.

Matthew Perry was known to be a funny guy on any set he grace that includes when he filled in to guest hosts on Piers Morgan tonight on CNN back in 2013. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PERRY: Hey, this is going to be really fun. It's a new experience for me. It's exciting. It kind of reminds me of -- what, yes, kind of reminds me of when I won my first Emmy. We were -- I'm sorry, what? Oh, right. I haven't won a damn thing. Well, maybe today's today, you know, maybe I guess host this show so well. Huh? What? Not a chance. Who is talking into my ear?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEWTON: Matthew Perry was 54 years old.

Now in Lisbon, Maine, a candlelight vigil was held for the victims of the mass shootings in nearby Lewiston. At least 18 people were killed in two separate shootings on Wednesday. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 76 years old. It's the deadliest mass shooting in the United States this year. Now the man accused in this horrific attacks was found dead Friday. Now authorities are releasing more information about the suspect and the attack, which claimed the lives of so many people. CNN senior crime and justice correspondent Shimon Prokupecz is in Lewiston with more.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE 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. There was also this tip in this community that they went ahead and check 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 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, that detailed bank accounts and the passcode for his cell phone so that a family, a loved one could get inside that phone. They said 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 shooters mental health, they are reviewing information about that. They say that 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.

[00:55:12]

NEWTON: The death toll in Mexico has now climbed to 39, following the devastating landfall Tuesday of Hurricane Otis, the category five storm battered parts of Mexico's Pacific coasts, including the resort city of Acapulco. Gustavo Valdes reports.

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've made it to Acapulco, but just barely, because once you get into the city, there's some big traffic jam that is preventing us from advancing, but the story you can see is behind me. All these people, the residents, the people you don't usually associate with a tourist town are trying to go and find whatever they can to get by because so far we have not seen any help from the government. We have not seen a centralized location where people might be distributing water or food.

And you can see people we're hearing reports of looting. We saw it on Thursday. Now we're seeing all these people. And this is the problem, the cars just come from wherever they came but let's see we can talk to this guy, this gentleman over here.

(Speaking in Foreign Language). What do you have here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in Foreign Language).

VALDES: (Speaking in Foreign Language).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in Foreign Language).

VALDES: There's no food, there's nothing. (Speaking in Foreign Language). What do you have?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking in Foreign Language).

VALDES: Food and water and some toilet paper and some dishes. They aren't meeting that they went into a store and they got what they needed because they can't find it anywhere. So you see everybody is complaining. They're asking, they need help. They need help. So that destruction is one thing in the tourist part. Now the residency just begging for help.

Gustavo Valdes, CNN, Acapulco.

NEWTON: I'm Paula Newton, thanks for watching. Kim Brunhuber is up next with the very latest in the Israel-Hamas war.

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