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CNN International: IDF: 240 Hostages Currently Held by Hamas; Stanford Students on Edge After Suspected Hate Crimes; Heads of 18 Humanitarian Groups Call for Ceasefire; Queen of Jordan: Destroying Hamas Won't Kill Their Cause; Parts of India Blanketed by Hazardous Smog. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired November 06, 2023 - 04:30   ET

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

[04:30:00]

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, now in Turkey, the latest stop on his tour of the Middle East. He's meeting with the country's foreign minister, but he's not expected to see Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has condemned Israel's actions in Gaza, saying they are crimes against humanity.

Israel denies targeting civilians with its air strikes, but hospital officials and eyewitnesses in central Gaza say a blast inside a heavily populated refugee camp late on Saturday killed dozens of people and injured many more. Those officials blame Israel. The IDF says it's looking into the circumstances surrounding the blast.

The IDF now has -- it now says that 240 hostages are being held by Hamas. They say the number can fluctuate based on updated intelligence. That news comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells Air Force members there will be no ceasefire unless all hostages are released, adding quote, we will continue until we beat them.

Ofri Bibas Levy believes her brother and sister-in-law were kidnapped by Hamas on October the 7th, along with their two young sons. She says she's seen a video of her sister-in-law and the children being taken. Ofri joins us now from the Golan Heights. Thank you so much for joining us.

OFRI BIBAS LEVY, SISTER OF HAMAS HOSTAGE: Thank you.

FOSTER: I mean, it's hard enough to imagine relatives being kidnapped. But you've got this added worry, which is you're not sure where they are or whether the Israelis know where they are.

LEVY: Now tomorrow will be already a month since they've been taken, since we lost contact with them. And we know nothing about where they are. Are they alive? Are they dead? Are they getting food? My nephew is 9 months old. He's a baby. I don't know if he's getting his formula. And my brother was taken injured. I don't know if he was taking care for his injury. We have, we basically know nothing about what's going on with them. FOSTER: So what then do you make of these images you see of Gaza and

the, you know the ground and air campaign ongoing there?

LEVY: I think after the brutal attack of Hamas on Saturday a month ago, Israel has to do whatever she can to defend itself. My hope is during the -- our invasion to Gaza, I hope they will get some information about the hostages, about the families and any kind of information that we'll have to bring them as soon as possible.

FOSTER: You speak there of how Israel has to do what it has to do, but obviously that creates a risk for the hostages, doesn't it? How do you balance those two things?

LEVY: I'm really worried for my family. Of course they -- there is the chance that they will get hurt as well during the attacks of the Israeli army. I know they are probably somewhere underground hearing all the bombing and the fighting. Not knowing exactly what's going on and they must be terrified. And it's a really complicated situation and I'm not sure what's the -- what's the right way to solve this. And I just know that Israel has to defend itself and bring the hostages back. And this is -- the two missions she has in front of her eyes right now. But yes, it's a really complicated situation doing both of the things together.

FOSTER: I can't imagine what it's like, you know, combining the worry of your relatives, combined with seeing these images of Gaza so destroyed. But you effectively saying that you do accept that there will be a risk to relatives in order for the IDF to try to resolve this situation as you see it.

LEVY: Sorry again, sorry.

FOSTER: Do you accept that they're, you know, you accept the risk to hostages your relatives, with this campaign, you know you feel the country has to do that.

LEVY: Look, obviously. Obviously, if there was any other way of bringing them back safe, I would prefer it, but I have to trust our government. That they are taking care of our families over there and doing whatever they can to prevent them from getting hurt during their attacks. It's just -- it's just the feelings I have to -- I have to live with at the moment. Unfortunately, there's no other way at the moment.

[04:35:00]

We and the families are trying to push for a limited time ceasefire, which will be only in order to negotiate releasing all of the hostages. And if Israel goes to any kind of ceasefire, it's only for this purpose, and that's what the families here wants. We don't want Israel to go in to any ceasefire if it's not in, in order to bring our families back.

FOSTER: Antony Blinken, obviously travelling the region, also pushing for not a ceasefire, but a pause in the fighting to allow aid to get in, but also for hostages to get out. Is there frustration amongst families who have hostages there that Israel isn't allowing a pause to allow, you know, potentially some negotiation around hostages.

LEVY: At the moment, our biggest frustration is that Israel has done several of humanitarian steps towards the Gaza residents, the civilians there. At the moment, Hamas is using those humanitarian aid that Israel is trying to do. They have been -- they were hiding inside the ambulance and supposed to take injured people out. They shot at Israeli army defending Gaza civilians from evacuating to the south. And Israel is still doing all of these steps while we know nothing about our families.

Well, the Red Cross still hasn't visited them. And we don't know where they are. We don't know their condition. And so, this is the most frustrating thing for us. I think that Israel is doing the best she can and it's very, very complicated situation.

And I think -- I think that all the critique and the protest against Israel is really -- I don't know how to call it. I think people yelling in the street, Hamas and free Palestine, they don't really understand what who they're supporting. Hamas is a terrorist organization. I've been living under -- I'm 37. I've been living my whole life under terrorism, threats from all kinds. It was bombing. It was missiles. It was shooting in the cities. It was out stabbing people in the cities. I been living in this kind of atmosphere my whole life. And Israel has to defend itself and people yelling Hamas in the street. They're not -- they're not yelling any good for the Palestinian people. Hamas has done nothing good for the Palestinian people ever since they went inside Gaza.

FOSTER: OK.

LEVY: So it's just hearing all those protests is really, really hard for us. Because I think Israel is really trying to -- trying to do the best for our country in a really complicated and difficult situation against an unhuman and un -- against the terrorist organization, against ISIS, it's the same. I never heard somebody screaming ISIS in the streets.

FOSTER: OK, Ofri Bibas, thank you so much indeed. We should probably say as well that people, you know, protesting for a free Palestine, not necessarily supporting Hamas as well. So they're two separate things probably, but we hope you get your --

LEVY: I heard him screaming Hamas and Jihad and if they want Palestinians free, they have to understand Hama has to -- has to be diminished and nothing else.

FOSTER: Yes, I'm just saying that you could support Palestinians and not necessarily Hamas. That's just the point I wanted to make. So thank you so much for joining us today.

LEVI: Thank you.

FOSTER: The Government of Thailand, meanwhile, says it's been proof that Thai hostages taken by Hamas are alive. The country's Prime Minister says there's photographic evidence, but he didn't specify whether he had seen one or multiple images or exactly how many hostages were actually shown. Thailand says 24 of its citizens were taken hostage by Hamas during its attack on Israel last month.

California law enforcement officials say they are investigating a hit and run incident targeting an Arab Muslim student as a hate crime. Stanford University is also investigating four other potential hate crimes that have occurred on campus since the October 7th mass attacks in Israel. CNN's Camila Bernal has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FARIS BDAIR, ARAB STUDENT ASSOCIATION MEMBER, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: I've been feeling sad, I've been feeling anxious. I've been feeling worried.

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is how Faris Bdair says he and others are feeling as Palestinian Americans, as Muslims, and as students at Stanford University.

[04:40:03]

BDAIR: It's scary that this kind of hate can happen in a place where I'm supposed to feel at home.

BERNAL (voice-over): Fear as a result of what he believes are hate crimes. The University's Department of Public Safety now investigating five incidents since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. Four appear to have targeted Arab students, while one was reported as antisemitic vandalism.

The most recent potential hate crime incident happening Friday. The university says it was an apparent hit-and-run crash involving an Arab Muslim student on campus.

BDAIR: It's hard to fathom that that could even take place. And the problem is not only could it take place, it's now a reality that we all have to live with.

BERNAL (voice-over): In a statement, the university saying that Stanford considers anti-Arab and Islamophobic acts to be abhorrent.

The university also said the driver is reported to have made eye contact with the victim, accelerated, and struck the victim and then driven away while shouting "f*** you and your people" out the lowered window of the vehicle.

BDAIR: The fact that it's so quickly already turned into something of this magnitude is again scary.

BERNAL (voice-over): Other incidents included a group of students being shoved, a student being spat on, and someone running over a tote bag, which contained a computer and other valuables.

BDAIR: What's going on abroad shouldn't have an impact on the health and the lives of students on a campus in a country thousands of miles away.

BERNAL (voice-over): In the antisemitic incident reported, a mezuzah adorning the door of a Jewish student was removed from their residence. In a statement, the school said:

This removal of a sacred religious symbol is deemed a form of intimidation targeting the Jewish community.

Overall, groups representing students on both sides say they're concerned about these incidents and students like Bdair say they worry about the future.

BDAIR: We have to be constantly alert. We have to be constantly on edge. I mean, it's exhausting having to watch over your shoulder 24/7.

BERNAL: And authorities are still searching for the suspect in the hit and run. He's believed to have been driving a Toyota 4Runner.

Now in terms of the victim, he is still at the hospital, told me he's not ready for an on-camera interview, but said he wants to advocate for love, for understanding and inclusivity. The other students I talked to told me that they agree and support that message but are also extremely concerned.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Also to come, Queen Rania of Jordan explains her support for a ceasefire in the Israel Hamas war and what she believes are the root causes of the conflict.

[04:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: The heads of 18 international humanitarian groups, including several with the UN, have signed a joint statement calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Israel and the Palestinian territories. It reads in part:

It's been 30 days. Enough is enough. This must stop now. They say an entire population is besieged and under attack and denied access to the essentials for survival. calling it unacceptable.

The group also described the Hamas attack on Israel, which killed more than 1,400 people and displaced 10s of thousands, horrific and the killing of civilians in Gaza and outrage.

Queen Rania of Jordan supports the idea of a ceasefire in the Israel Hamas war. She spoke with Becky Anderson on Sunday about that and what she believes are the root causes of the conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUEEN RANIA AL ABDULLAH, QUEEN CONSORT OF JORDON: There has to be a collective call for a ceasefire. And I know that some who are against the ceasefire argue that it is it will help Hamas. However, I feel that in that argument they are inherently dismissing the deaths. In fact, even endorsing and justifying the death of thousands of civilians. And that is just morally reprehensible. It is also short sighted and not entirely rational. Because as I've

said before, you know, if you manage to eliminate all of Hamas, what next? The root cause of this conflict is an illegal occupation. It is routine human rights abuses, illegal settlements, disregard to UN resolutions, and international law. If we do not address these root causes, then you can kill the combatant but you cannot kill the cause. So on the rubble of these destroyed buildings will emerge another group more determined and more motivated to do what Hamas did.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Well, just ahead, India's residents, tourists and even World Cup athletes are struggling to cope with the country's toxic air, and officials warn it could last for weeks.

[04:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: Welcome back. We have a look at some of the other top stories we're following today. Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressing concern that the Israel Hamas war is taking the focus off the battle within his own country. There are also reports of a rift between President Zelenskyy and his military chief who said that the conflict with Russia is at stalemate. President Zelenskyy insists that's not the case. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I don't think that this is a stalemate. They thought that they would checkmate us, but this -- it didn't happen. And on the other -- on the contrary, we took the initiative in our hands. Now Russia wants to do -- to check us. They will are attacking us in the east of out county while losing thousands of people and hundreds of units or pieces of weaponry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, Mr. Zelenskyy also said the damage that Ukraine's forces have inflicted on Russia's Black Sea fleet shows that Ukraine can win the war.

Parts of India are yet again dealing with hazardous smog. Schools in New Delhi will remain closed this week as the capital continues to grapple with the toxic air quality. Residents, tourists and one of the country's favorite pastimes are all suffering from the persistent pollution which government officials warn could stick around for a while. Our Michael Holmes reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): India's iconic monument almost lost in the smog in the city of Agra. It's not the site tourists nor the businesses which depend on them want to see. NIRANJAN SINGH, PHOTOGRAPHER (through translator): We are facing

difficulty in taking pictures of the Taj Mahal due to pollution. The Taj Mahal is not clearly visible. Tourists are also facing issues.

HOLMES (voice-over): Every year, when the temperatures drop and farmers burn their fields, the air turns toxic in many Indian cities. Delhi is notoriously ranked among the world's most polluted cities and the current air quality there has once again reached hazardous conditions, forcing primary schools to temporarily close. And many people to work from home or just stay indoors altogether.

PRAKASH TOKAS, DELHI RESIDENT (through translator): The situation is very bad here. There is a lot of coughing, colds and a burning sensation in the eyes. The kids are also sick. We could not take the kids out and we also step out far less than we used to because of this pollution.

HOLMES (voice-over): The problem is so serious a recent Air Quality Life Index report says poor air quality could shorten an average Indians life expectancy by more than five years if World Health Organization guidelines on curbing pollution aren't met.

And it's even affecting one of the country's favorite pastimes. India is currently hosting the Cricket World Cup with Bangladesh set to play Sri Lanka in a match in Delhi. But the air quality is so poor, some players are wearing masks and both teams have cancelled training sessions.

[04:55:00]

The coach of Bangladesh's team says, the conditions have not been ideal.

CHANDIKA HATHURUSINGHA, HEAD COACH, BANGLADESH CRICKET TEAM: Our doctor has people close eye on players, even for practices we're very conscious. We train what we have to train and they go back into the dressing room.

HOLMES (voice-over): Unfortunately for cricket fans and Delhi residents alike, officials say pollution levels are expected to be high for the next two to three weeks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Well, it was a record setting finish on Sunday at the New York City Marathon. Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia pulled away from the pack and set a new course record. He won the men's race with a time of two hours, four minutes and 50 seconds. For the women's race, it was a sprint to the finish. Helen Obiri of Kenya crossed first, wrapping up the marathon in just two hours, 27 minutes and 23 seconds. She won the Boston Marathon earlier this year.

Now a moving moment on the pitch here in the UK for a football player whose father is being held by kidnappers. Liverpool's Luis Diaz came off the bench to score a key goal. He helped the Reds secure a 1-1 draw against Luton Town. Diaz's father is being held captive by a Colombian rebel group. After celebrating the goal, Diaz raised his shirt to reveal a message which translates to "freedom for dad."

Thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster. "EARLY START" with Kasie up next.

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