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IDF Says It Struck More Than 450 Targets Over The Past Day; Communications Partially Restored in Gaza; Musk Offers Starlink Service to Aid Groups in Gaza; Children Increasingly at Risk as Gaza Offensive Intensifies; "Friends" Actor Matthew Perry Dead at 54; U.N. Secy. General Thanks Qatar for Hostage Negotiations; Officials Meet in Malta to Discuss Ukrainian Peace Plan; Concerns About Support as Ukraine War Slips From Headlines. Aired 5-6a ET

Aired October 29, 2023 - 05:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:00:55]

RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, we continue here at CNN, the coverage of Israel at War. You're most welcome wherever in the world you're joining us from. I'm Richard Quest in Abu Dhabi. Here, the time is 1 p.m. It's a few hours earlier in Gaza. 11 o'clock, they're two hours behind in Gaza. And IDF helicopters have been seen flying along the Israeli coastline. These are pictures from Ashkelon. Earlier today.

Now Ashkelon is only 20 kilometers from Gaza. It is there, of course, the day the IDF says Hamas has been holding 230 hostage. And it is there where Israeli military says it's more than 450 targets in the last day. Israel says it includes Hamas command centers, observation posts and missile launch sites.

First, let me update you with events overnight.

These are the pictures Israel says it's been targeting Hamas tunnels and underground spaces continues to urge everyone to go further south in Gaza itself. The near total communications blackout apparently is easing. Hospitals remained to meet overwhelmed and basic needs scarce, there is very little international aid that is being allowed in. CNN's Scott McLean joins us from London. What more do we know from overnight?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Richard. Yeah, it's -- we're trying to figure out precisely the extent that Israeli ground troops are actually inside of Gaza at this stage. Israel says that there were 450 strikes on what it calls terror targets in the past day. It also says that Israeli ground troops are now helping to direct some of those strikes.

We also know from a journalist in central Gaza that, he said that the artillery strikes yesterday were, well, in his words did not stop. He also said that there was gunfire hurt in the eastern part of Gaza near that perimeter wall. And many of the people showing up at the hospital in Deir Al Balah don't have injuries from airstrikes, but from artillery strikes instead.

Obviously, none of this is helping the humanitarian situation. We have video that was shot yesterday by the AFP showing people in Gaza, desperate people obviously, ransacking a U.N. warehouse and carrying out whatever food supplies the candidate looks like bag -- bags of rice, from what we can tell from the video.

But the Israeli leadership is still sort of framing all of this in very binary terms. You have the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, coming out yesterday calling Gaza the fortress of evil, saying anyone who accuses the IDF of war crimes is a hypocritical liar. And then you have the defense minister also warning that this is going to be a long war. He said this quote, "This will not be a short war. It is a long war that will require us to be strong as individuals as a society as leaders. Above all, our security forces will be strong. This is a war in our home. This is a war we didn't choose. It's either us or them."

Now, the Israelis have also tried to stress their warning for people in northern Gaza to move farther south saying that they are trying to intensify those efforts. But here's the reality, Richard. We are still seeing airstrikes, artillery strikes in central and southern Gaza as well. So even if people were to flee south, there is no guarantee that there'll be safe. In fact, there have been strikes, where people who fled northern Gaza had been killed in Central or Southern Gaza as well.

QUEST: Now, over the last 36 hours, the lack of communication, the breakdown, I should say, of communication with Gaza, aid agencies and NGOs saying they haven't been able to get in touch. Do we know if things are now, if not back to normal getting better when it comes to keeping in touch?

MCLEAN: Yeah, I don't think anyone is describing things as back to normal. But things are improving. This was not a total blackout, but it was a mere total blackout. There was some limited kind of activity that people had to the outside world. But many people reported that they weren't able to get online at all.

[05:05:06]

We haven't heard from all of the communications companies but we have heard from two of them who say that they are working to repair their systems and they are slowly restoring the connectivity of the internet, landlines, cell service inside of Gaza. But this this sort of blackout period that Gaza went through, has brought Elon Musk into the -- into the debate suddenly. He own Starlink, the internet satellite internet company, the same company whose terminals have allowed troops in Ukraine, on the front lines to still communicate with -- with each other. And he said that look, Starlink would be available to internationally recognized humanitarian organizations. That prompted a furious response, though from the Israeli communications minister who said, quote, "Hamas will use it for terrorist activities. There is no doubt about it. We know it and Musk knows it. Hamas is ISIS, perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, elderly people, all of them." Now, Musk respond to that saying look, he's not naive. He said that the Americans, the Israelis could carry out their own security checks before the Starlink terminals could actually connect to satellites. He also says that, that look not a single terminal inside Gaza has actually attempted to connect to their satellites thus far, Richard.

QUEST: Thank you, Scott McLean reporting from London.

A top concern for many is the fate of Gaza's children. Lives are increasingly at-risk. Jomana Karadsheh reports on the anguish of families who've either lost loved ones or caring for children. And whose lives will never be the same. The video we're going to show you is graphic, and some of you may find it disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's hard to believe this was Gaza just a few weeks ago. Little Nor (ph) dressed in his finest, dancing with his brother at a wedding. His mother, Wesal, still can't believe her boy is gone.

He was holding my hand as I took him to make him a sandwich, he says. He didn't get to eat it. Shrapnel cut through his neck, he's now in heaven. God, give me strength to deal with this.

The airstrikes that took six-year-old Nor and other relatives left her with injuries all over her body at the unbearable pain so many Palestinian mothers are having to endure.

There's a void in my heart, I can't even cry, she says. I really want to cry, but the tears are not coming out. Why can't I get it out, I want to cry for my little boy.

Recovering at hospital, she just wants to get back to her three other children, now homeless, sheltering at a school.

Hell is raining down on Gaza, Israel says it's going after Hamas, and doing what it can to spare the innocent. But it is the innocent who are paying the heaviest price. A few hospitals still barely standing, some pictures are too graphic for us to show. But faces here tell of the horrors they survived, and this living nightmare they can't escape.

Three-year-old Judy hasn't uttered a word in 16 days. She won't eat or drink, her father says, still in shock, with a piece of shrapnel lodged in her hand.

What did these children do? We have nothing to do with the resistance, he says. They are just targeting Palestinians. They are killing children because they are Palestinians. To them, we're not humans.

They don't know if she will be able to walk again. Judy is one of the lucky ones, if one can call them that, she still has her father by her side.

Arwa keeps asking for her mom, she's too young to understand, her uncle says. Arwa's lost her mother, her brother, and her sister to. She shows the camera her ouchie.

In every corner of every hospital, so many heart wrenching stories of loss, so hard to comprehend.

Tarin (ph) only weeks up to cry, her and says, in a room with her seven-year-old brother Kenan. The two were the only two survive in air strike that killed their mother, father, brother, and dozens of their extended family. Kenan doesn't say much these days.

He asked me if we have internet here, he says I want to call mommy and daddy, his aunt says. Doctors in these overwhelmed hospitals say every day brings a constant stream of children with no parents, injured, they just don't have enough to treat. The little they have they do what they can. How do you begin to deal with so many going through so much? Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[05:10:17]

QUEST: Now, I spoke to Samer Abdeljaber, the Palestinian representative and director at the World Food Program. And asked him if Israel's claim that aid deliveries in Gaza are about to expand, is that claim true?

SAMER ABDELJABER, PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATIVE AND DIRECTOR, WFP: Well, today, we would be able to allow more trucks into Gaza, 40 trucks are expected to -- to be crossing. However, we have to also note that that's not enough compared to the soaring needs that are in need at the moment in Gaza. We need more than that, just for WFP to be able to reach 1 million people. We need 40 trucks a day. If we're going to be supporting 2 million people, we need 100 trucks of food. But of course, you know that the trucks that are going in includes other commodities as well that are essentially needed on the ground.

QUEST: What about fuel, is that going in, any fuel?

ABDELJABER: Not to my knowledge, those trucks are basically mainly for food, water and medical supplies.

QUEST: It's clearly insufficient by a large measure. And as Israel continues, its bombardment on the ground offensive. Do you worry it will become more difficult even to bring the stuff in from the south?

ABDELJABER: I think you mentioned that earlier. And on this report, yesterday was a major challenge for all of us because of the blackout that happened with telecommunication. So even yesterday, we couldn't coordinate on the ground to facilitate for the trucks to go in. Luckily, today, it's gradually coming back. But after 36 have no communication on the ground, with our staff, with our partners, even just to plan for the crossing and transshipment of the trucks was a major challenge and that is something that shows how vulnerable the whole situation is if something as simple as communication is not provided for us to be able to operate.

QUEST: But to clarify, you do have some form of communication with your people in Gaza at the moment?

ABDELJABER: Today, yes. This morning, yes, but in the last 36 hours, it has been a major challenge. We were not able to account for all our staff and their families.

QUEST: In the north, Israel says its fighter jets have hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Saturday. It was the latest in a series of cross border clashes since the crisis began. An IDF statement says the planes hit a military compound and observation posts following rocket and missile fire from Lebanon into Israel.

Staff General also says his troops are maintaining a high level of readiness to prevent possible future military moves by Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE have condemned Israel's latest moves, saying they threatened to destabilize the entire region. Egypt's president says his company's diplomats are working to resolve the conflict and claims some unidentified drones were brought down in Egypt on Friday. He's also warning that the conflict better not spread beyond Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISI, EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Yesterday, drones entered Egypt and were brought down 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)

QUEST: As you and I continue this morning or evening where you may be, Hollywood's reacting to the death of the actor Matthew Perry. We know so far and some of the tributes for the Friend's star, that's coming up next. This is CNN.

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[05:18:15]

QUEST: Actor Matthew Perry has died at the age of 54. Warner Brothers Television Group has confirmed this on Saturday. The Los Angeles Times is citing law enforcement sources and reports the Friend's star was found dead in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles. The time says its sources did not provide a cause of death. There was no sign of foul play. Matthew Perry appeared in countless TV shows and he is best known for playing the role of Chandler Bing on Friends.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW PERRY, ACTOR: 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.

PERRY: I want to quit the gym.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: CNN's Camila Bernal with more on Perry's life career and his desire to help others through his own struggles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Shock and sadness, that has been the reaction from Hollywood and from fans to the death of Matthew Perry. Police here in Los Angeles say that they're investigating his death. And this is according to a law enforcement source that spoke to CNN. They responded to his home at 4:10 p.m. local time on Saturday and the Los Angeles Fire Department also telling CNN that the 911 call came in at 4:07 p.m. for a water rescue emergency.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that he died in an apparent drowning accident at his home here in L.A. and they cited a law enforcement source saying that no foul play is suspected.

[05:20:03]

Now we are, of course, waiting for more details on what happened. But let's talk about him. We know he developed a love for acting in his teenage years. He started with smaller roles and eventually landed higher profile roles but it was being cast as the very funny and sarcastic Chandler on Friends that made him so famous. Off screen the actors became as close as their characters on the show and they famously negotiated together to become some of the highest paid actors on television at the time.

Now, despite the joy he did bring to audiences on camera, he said he struggled with addiction and eventually was able to share those struggles with his fans in his book. And he said he wanted to share those struggles not just in his books but in many interviews because he wanted to help people. Camila Bernal, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Tributes from Paris, friends in Hollywood coming in. In a post on X. The Actress Mira Sorvino called him a sweet troubled soul and said, "May you find peace and happiness in Heaven, making everyone laugh with your singular wit. Maggie Wheeler who played Perry's on and off again girlfriend, Janice on Friends wrote, "What a loss. The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on." For more on Perry's impact in Hollywood here is Emily Longeretta, a Senior TV Features Editor for Variety.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) EMILY LONGERETTA, SENIOR TV FEATURES EDITOR, VARIETY: He has had such an impact as an actor and a comedian. I mean, of course Friends is the thing that everyone thinks of because, again, no one could be a Chandler being friends, wouldn't have been friends without that group of cast. But that really includes him and that's really hard to think of a world that that exists now. TV is very different today. The sitcom world is very different today. And it doesn't exists where people are tuning in every single week to watch a certain group of friends gathered together, and 20 million people turning on their TVs and welcoming him into their living room.

It's an important thing to act as it's to note as well. He was of course on film. He was a really, really big TV actor and a thing that comes along with being a TV star is that you really are welcomed into people's homes so people fell in love with him of course, they fell in love with Chandler being but they also fell in love with his character Joe on the West Wing. They fell in love with him on Go On, a short- lived series that was on the many, many things that he popped up in and the odd couple revival. If the list goes on and on, and that really goes back to what an incredible actor he was with such amazing comedic timing.

I mean, it's really, really it goes kind of to show that the most famous lines of Friends were a lot of his and that's because of his, the way his cadence in delivering those lines of, could I be more excited. That is what -- you know what Matthew Perry brought to Chandler. That wasn't written in. He created that and that's something that is a really, really nice thing to think about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Matthew Perry has died.

Israel is accusing Hamas of using Gaza's largest hospital as its command center. Still ahead, we'll show you the scenes from inside the Al-Shifa Hospital and talk to former staff about that claim.

Also, Qatar says it's hopeful more Hamas hostages will be released. A top Qatari officials speaks to us on the latest efforts to mediate this crisis.

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[05:27:01]

QUEST: Welcome back to you. I'm Richard Quest in Abu Dhabi reporting. Let me update you on the events with Israel's war with Hamas.

Explosions occurring through Gaza as Israel steps up its strikes. CNN crews near Gaza's border are telling us, Israeli fighter jets flew followed by explosions on the horizon. The IDF now says it's more than 450 targets over the past day and that includes according to the command centers and missile launch sites.

On Saturday, Israel announced a new phase of its operations. It doesn't appear though, that the expected all-out ground offensive has begun yet.

Phone and internet service in Gaza has been partially restored to service providers and a monitoring group after the severe disruption that took place on Friday evening, when there was a near total blackout of communications, meaning that no aid group had an idea where their personnel were or even if there was safe. Scott McLean reported earlier, Elon Musk is offering to help meet the communications needs of humanitarian groups in Gaza.

The owner of X formerly, of course, Twitter, offered his Starlink service to support connectivity for internationally recognized aid organizations. Starlink uses satellites to provide internet service.

Israel has resisted the idea. Its Communications Minister posted that Hamas would use the service for terrorist activities. He suggests that Musk should condition his offer on the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The Director General of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry has told us, the hospitals there are used to treat patients only. That's in response to the Israeli claim that Hamas' center for command-and- control center in bunkers beneath Gaza's because hospital. Nada Bashir with more on that situation, and how civilians are increasingly playing the ultimate price. And of course, image, I need to warn you, has -- has images that may be distressing to you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NADA BASHIR, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): 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.

One 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.

[05:30:04]

Israel says it is targeting Hamas, now also expanding its ground operations. A retaliation they say to the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, which left at least 1400 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: 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 know 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 or war 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, 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)

QUEST: The U.N. Secretary General has visited Doha and Qatar on Saturday to express his thanks and support to Qatar's Prime Minister to helping with talks to free hostages currently held by Hamas. A spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Becky Anderson that he remains hopeful more hostages will be released.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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 going, the taskforce 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 escalations that have happened in the region for a long time, is making it centrally more difficult. As I said, on the logistical side of it, or just moving people during a landing incursion, and the increased bombardment.

But also from a political side, of course, you know, 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 -- 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 will be very difficult. You know, right now, 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, talking about 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 -- we have our number 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.

[05:35:12]

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 very clearly that they are willing to facilitate 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 have teenagers held in Israeli prisons. We heard Benjamin Netanyahu say today that that had been discussed in the war cabinet, I want to 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?

AL-ANSARI: Obviously, Becky, we we've been talking about day one about our priorities. And 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, if you start with the women and children, you start with the civilians and then you go to the rest of the of the hostages. And obviously, if we were going to prioritize, 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 altogether.

(END VIDEOTAPE) QUEST: Now, as we continue just after half past hour, there's more to come. The authorities in eastern Ukraine are working to evacuate the families in Ukraine's amid the current -- counter-offensive there, I big your pardon. We'll have that.

And, of course, Israel says its war against Hamas, now it's really a long fight. Analysis on that means.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Dozens of national security advisors from across the world gathered this weekend. They were discussing ways to end the war in Ukraine. The closed-door meetings have been organized by Ukraine and they were held in Malta. Russia was not involved. The officials discussed Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's 10-point peace plan. And said they plan to build a global peace summit later this year.

[05:40:15]

The world's attention firmly focused on the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Ukraine has virtually vanished in many ways from the headlines. Ukrainian forces, though are still pushing ahead with their planned counter offensive and people living near the frontline are being asked to evacuate the area. CNN's Anna Coren with this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Driving past a sign that says, " Avdiivka is Ukraine." The cameraman suddenly stops and takes cover from incoming Russian shelling. For weeks now Russia has been pounding this city in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, known before the war for its large coking plant. It's now a bastion of Ukrainian resistance.

These are rough ordinary days in of Avdiivka, explains the cameraman. The Ukrainian government has ordered the evacuation of families including up to thousand children living near the front line in dozens of settlements in Donetsk and Kherson regions as Russia intensifies attacks. Police are going door to door in what's left of these destroyed apartment buildings, looking for Avdiivka's remaining residents but not everyone is willing to go.

Good luck. Take care of yourself, says the police officer. Thank you. Good luck to you, replies the old woman refusing to leave her home. An incoming shell explodes close by as police tried to deliver supplies to residents willing to take their chances. Good luck, lads. Take care. You've got a difficult job, says this man.

Despite reports of heavy losses on the Russian side, its forces have launched major assaults on areas along the eastern front and intensified shelling in the south, further undermining Ukraine's grueling counter offensive. And while the world's attention has swiftly moved from Ukraine to the Israel Gaza war, there are grave concerns long term funding could also dry up. Earlier this week, the Italian Prime Minister pleaded with Europe not to make the mistake of weakening its support to Ukraine as the Middle East conflict rages on, declaring a world where no impossible red lines exist is an insecure world for everyone.

While she was backed up by leaders attending the European Council meeting in Brussels, Slovakia's new prime minister had other ideas. A day after being sworn in, Robert Fico announced that Slovakia previously one of Ukraine's strongest allies will no longer provide military aid to Ukraine.

For now, Kyiv anxiously waits to see if U.S. President Biden's request for more than $61 billion in additional aid to Ukraine will be approved by a bitterly divided Congress.

In the meantime, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new $150 million security assistance package of Air Defense Artillery, anti- tank and other equipment, prompting this response from the Ukrainian President.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): We are expanding our capabilities and seeing the end of the war with the Ukrainian victory, more clearly.

COREN: Optimistic words that are yet to translate on this battlefield. Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: We have more on the war in Ukraine and how it could be affected by what's happening in the Middle East.

Nigel Gould-Davis is with me. He's the Senior Fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Good to see you, sir. Thank you.

I suppose it is arguably a little on the simple side, just to simply say, well, the world's attention is on the Middle East there for Ukraine doesn't get as much attention and Russia can get on and do what it likes. But what is that the case? Is it as simple as that?

NIGEL GOULD-DAVIS, SENIOR FELLOW, INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES: Yeah, I think it really depends how you sort of understand this issue. So if you see sort of attention as a limited resource that has to sort of be directed at one place rather than another. So there's sort of a kind of zero-sum relationship. Then -- then yes, (technical difficulty) reason to worry.

But I think look at this strategically, understanding actually, the underlying connections between the Russia Ukraine war and the crisis in the Middle East, one should see them as -- as much more complimentary. So think about the sort of the chain of responsibility here. Hamas' greatest supporter is Iran. Iran's closest relationship now is with Russia, the economic and especially military ties between them have deepened very significantly. And of course, Russia is prosecuting this war in Ukraine.

[05:45:16]

So seeing properly, I think the war in Ukraine is fighting against Russia, and the war now that Israel is raising, its waging against Hamas, are ultimately sort of --

QUEST: Right.

GOULD-DAVIS: -- sort of complementary efforts.

QUEST: OK. Now, we saw some evidence of exactly that point, with a Hamas delegation visiting Moscow. Now, if this is -- if I mean, everyone is joining the dots, what's the practical effect of what you're saying?

GOULD-DAVIES: Well, the practical effect is for policymakers in Western countries to understand that you don't have to choose between supporting Ukraine and supporting Israel. It's a little like another larger strategic argument, which has been made in recent months about China. There are voices in the United States that say, well, we don't have enough resources to support Ukraine against Russia, because that means we don't have enough to support Taiwan against China. That's really nonsense strategically, because a weaker Russia means a weaker China, ultimately, because those two countries are now so closely aligned.

There's also a point about credibility, which is a sort of global resource. If you make commitments as the West House to Ukraine, and then you withdraw them and scale them back and say, no, it's too difficult. We're not strong enough, we've had to divert our resources elsewhere. That sends a very strong signal to aggressors everywhere, that emboldened them to try to outlast the West in a contest of results.

And ultimately, the West collectively is far, far stronger than Russia, which, of course, is at the heart of the Ukraine crisis, and ultimately if one remove lies behind the crisis in the Middle East now. The West collectively has at least 12 times the total economic strength, and therefore potential military support for its allies, as Russia does.

During the Cold War, the West had about three times the resources of the old Soviet Union in the Eastern Bloc. The west today is vastly more powerful. So we shouldn't underestimate our underlying capacity to sustain support for our allies on more than one front.

QUEST: Right. I mean, that can sort of be summed up as, you know, we can chew gum and walk at the same time in many ways, which is sort of a relatively simple concept. But it's, you know, this idea that policymakers will be overwhelmed by the agenda. One would hope surely, that at the very highest level of policymaking, they can compartmentalize when necessary, and what and multitask when required?

GOULD-DAVIES: Yeah, compartmentalizing is, I would say, a bureaucratic reflex, understanding their connections is a strategic reflex. And what the nest West needs is proper, deep and sustained strategic thinking based on an understanding of the larger connections between crises across the world.

Other countries, the West adversaries are watching very closely at the West reaction. They are looking to see especially frankly, in the wake of the pilots withdrawal from Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, after a 20-year commitment.

QUEST: Right.

GOULD-DAVIS: They are looking for evidence that the West cannot stomach a long commitment. So again, if you make commitments, and then visibly draw back from that, when that becomes difficult and when -- when other challenges intrude elsewhere, you underline -- undermine your credibility around the world, that's strategic thinking.

QUEST: Sir, I'm grateful for you. Nigel Gould-Davis, I appreciate it. This is CNN. Our coverage continues.

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[05:53:21]

QUEST: Allow me to bring you up to date with other stories that we're following for you at CNN. Actor Michael Perry has died at the age of 54. According to Warner Brothers, which confirmed his death, the Los Angeles Times has reported, citing law enforcement sources that the Friend star was found dead in a hot tub but his Los Angeles home. The Times says its sources did not provide a cause of death. However, no foul play is expected.

In recent years, the actors battle with alcohol and drugs, specifically painkillers has become well known. Perry wrote about his addiction in his 2022 memoir, saying he went to rehab more than 60 times.

The former U.S. President Mike Pence has announced he's ending his run for the presidency, announcing his decision at the Republican Jewish Coalition's Annual Conference in Las Vegas on Saturday.

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MIKE PENCE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: 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.

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QUEST: Now, according to various sources, Pence was struggling to secure donors who was concerned that he might not even qualify for the third and next Republican debate which takes place next month. Recent polls suggested and indicated it's struggle to break into the top tier of candidates, an aggregate analysis of polls puts him up 4% nationally in the GOP rated only 1% support in New Hampshire, where the first primary is going to be held.

South Africa took home the Rugby World Cup for the second time in a row. It beat New Zealand on Saturday. There's the happy fans celebrating the win in Johannesburg. CNN's Patrick Smell -- Snell, I beg your pardon, tells us more on this historic final.

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PATRICK SNELL, CNN WORLD SPORT: A classic epic file in Paris on Saturday amid a truly historic achievement now for South Africa, who are the first country ever to win the Rugby World Cup four times. Two historic rivals, two powerhouse nations when it comes to International Rugby, a clutch moment as New Zealand Sam Cane in the first half crashing head on into Jesse Kriel. Initially the Kiwi Skipper getting the yellow card but it's upgraded to red. Cane now the first man ever to see red in a World Cup final.

South Africa's Handre Pollard is accurate as ever with his kicking for first half penalties from him as his team owes went up a 12 points to six halftime lead. The All Blacks though came roaring back and it would be one of the three Barrett brothers, Beauden who goes over to get his team to within one point. He's now the first man to score in two World Cup finals. That was six minutes to go another Barrett brother Jordie, with a long-range penalty to put New Zealand ahead, but he pulls it wide. South Africa led by their inspirational Captain, Siya Kolisi, sealing their place in history to win it by one single point just as they did in the quarterfinals and the semis as well.

SIYA KOLISI, SOUTH AFRICA CAPTAIN: There are so many people who come to it, all come from one hopeless, but with what we do, and there's so many division in the country, but we show with people from different backgrounds, that it is possible to work together to advocate not just in the Rugby field, but in life in general.

SNELL: And in 2019, Kolisi became the first black captain to leave South Africa to World Cup glory. Now, he's just a second skipper in history to lift back-to-back titles. And with that, it's right back to you.

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QUEST: All right fella, I'm Richard Quest. CNN This Morning comes next.

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