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CNN International: Israel's Cabinet Approves Hostage Release Deal; IDF Releases Images of Tunnel Under Al-Shifa Hospital Complex; UNRWA: Almost 1.7M People Displaced Amid Conflict in Gaza. Aired 4- 4:30a ET

Aired November 22, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:23]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and warm welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and all around the world. I'm Max Foster in London, with our continuing breaking news coverage of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has signed off on a deal to release at least 50 hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, in the move that's bringing hope to families awaiting the return of their loved ones. The government overwhelmingly backed the deal after six-hour-long cabinet meeting.

The hostages to be freed are expected to be women and children. In exchange, Israel will pause its campaign against Hamas for four days. Hamas says 150 Palestinian prisoners, also women and children, will be released from Israeli jails as part of the deal.

Qatar delivered the proposal following weeks of continuous negotiations and says the start of the humanitarian pause will be announced within the next 24 hours.

More now from CNN's Matthew Chance in Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, more than 50 hostages held in Gaza could be freed over the coming days. After the Israeli cabinet approved that controversial deal to pause its military operations against Hamas and to release some Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

The Israeli government statement said it approved a pause in the fighting for four days, during which hostages, women and children, would be released. The statement added, the release of every additional ten hostages would result in an additional day's pause. It's the first time that Israel has agreed to ease its deadly assault on Gaza, which is estimated to have killed nearly 13,000 Palestinians since military operations there began following the October 7th Hamas attacks, during which more than 1,200 Israelis were killed and nearly 240 were abducted. Israel insists it will resume military operations to destroy Hamas

after the hostages are released. Hamas says Israel has agreed to release 150 Palestinian prisoners as part of the hostage deal, and to allow hundreds of trucks carrying relief, medical supplies, and fuel into the Gaza Strip.

In a six-hour cabinet meeting to debate the deal, the Israeli ministers voiced concern that a pause in the fighting would allow Hamas to regroup and prevent Israeli forces from achieving their goal of destroying Hamas. But an Israeli government source told CNN that the deal was eventually approved by a significant majority.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Joining me now, Ory Slonim, a former special adviser to Israel's defense minister.

Thank you so much for joining us. I wonder what your sources are telling you about, a bit more detail about that deal. Do you understand anymore of the detail?

ORY SLONIM, FORMER SPECIAL ADVISER TO ISRAEL'S DEFENSE MINISTER: I think that if you know all the details and nothing is secret nowadays after the cabinet has approved it. I hope it will go quite smoothly as I was from the beginning of this month, I was against the stages. I insisted on having one stage for everything and not for long, this process for Hamas or even more. I think prolong the process is something very risky and I was against it by as it is now, I am blessing -- I am blessing the government for having a consent, not hundred percent, but having consent for deal.

I think that bringing back children, babies, and their mothers is much more important than any other risk that we can -- I believe, we can afford.

FOSTER: It did take hours, though, for the cabinets to finally approve it. There was opposition to this within the cabinet, presumably because there are some members who feel you should never, ever negotiate with terrorists. That has been a long historic philosophy, hasn't, it within Israel? So, there has been some compromise there.

SLONIM: You know, there is a Hebrew -- a Jewish essay which says, one who saves one soul as if he saved the whole world. It's a very known Jewish proverb.

[04:05:03]

I believe that from my point of view, it is the majorities is my favorite side. And for the time being, I don't care about the minority, but I would love to say about it.

FOSTER: This is obviously wonderful news for the families of the hostages and the hostages themselves who will be released, but we did see earlier in the week, families of hostages calling for all of the hostages to be released. So, this is going to be a huge frustration, obviously, for the ones that are left behind, but also a big compromise, should not a deal have been done which released all of the hostages?

SLONIM: I think -- I think that everything you have described is natural and my heart is with those who are not coming in the first stage, and for those who suffered -- one and a half months and will suffer some more weeks or, I hope, not more than that. But in order to save kids and their mothers and their old men, you can imagine that all these people they are not -- will not arm, they were not fighting, were caught while sleeping early in the morning. Some of the girls there, were taken, kidnapped, they were raped, raped many times in front of their friends, something which is awful.

It is not the simple exchange of prisoners, no. It is something which is awful and I believe that all we can save, we'll do it, and if we have to fight, we will fight.

FOSTER: What happens if rockets are fired from Gaza into Israel during the truce?

SLONIM: I believe that anything which will be against this agreement will be answered in the most severe way --

FOSTER: So, the truce will be over.

SLONIM: Yeah.

FOSTER: Sorry, the truce will be over, is that what you are saying? It won't be a four-day truce if rockets are fired by Hamas?

SLONIM: You know, I'm very optimistic guy. I hope it won't occur. If it will occur, it can destroy whole agreement.

FOSTER: Okay. Ory Slonim, thank you very much as ever for joining us.

Now, Israel's military says it has pushed further into a tunnel underneath the Al-Shifa hospital complex in Gaza. Images released by the IDF show what they believe to be a blast door after it was breached, as well as a tunnel passage beyond the breached doorway, and what looks to be to further doorways off to the sides, there.

Despite Israel and Hamas reaching a deal on a four-day truce and a swap of prisoners and hostages, and IDF spokesperson said the army would ensure its military achievements will be maintained in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the IDF deployed what appeared to be a heavy smoke screen around Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, amid other explosions.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

FOSTER: CNN crews captured this video of the blast that shook windows and doors across the border in Israel. Israeli military claims it has completely encircled the northern city of Jabalia, as well. Airstrikes hit the city on Tuesday as hospitals struggle to accommodate new patients, despite shortages of fuel, electricity, food, and water.

Now, the destruction in Gaza has displaced nearly 1.7 million people, according to the U.N.'s main relief agency. About 930,000 of them were sheltering in overcrowded U.N. facilities, sharing one shower for every 700 people, on average. Some are just children trying to escape the danger with their families, their lives now forever changed by war.

More now from CNN's Nada Bashir, and a warning, her report contains images you may find disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Bandaged and sore, still healing from emergency surgery, for 11-year-old Asef Abu Hadi (ph), this wound is a constant reminder of the trauma he and his friends have faced. They had been playing outside near his home in Gaza City when they say an airstrike hit.

I was walking with my friends, and then suddenly the missile fell, Asef says. I found myself on the ground, lying on my right side. I kept trying to stand up, but there was rubble on top of my leg. When they removed the rubble, I saw that my foot had been ripped off.

A huge soccer fan, he played at the local academy and had dreams of becoming a professional soccer player.

[04:10:02]

I've been watching and playing soccer since I was a little boy, it is still my favorite sport, Asef tells us.

Now, the Israeli occupation has destroyed my dreams.

Down the hall is 12-year-old Malek al-Kufarna (ph). His family fled their home in Beit Hanoun after receiving a warning from the Israeli military. They moved from city to city, searching for safety, followed each time by yet more airstrikes.

I wanted to take photos, to become a photojournalist, Malek says. How can I hold a camera now with one arm? My whole life is ruined. All of my life, I have not had a chance to live happily.

While some here are now slowly coming to terms with their new reality, more wounded children arrive at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital every day. It is now the main working hospital in Gaza, others left in a state of complete collapse. Just Monday, more wounded were rushed to this hospital after an U.N.-run school, used as a shelter for Palestinians displaced from Bureij refugee camp was hit, the resulting death toll still unknown.

It is unclear who was responsible for this specific attack. Hamas claims the Israeli military bombed the school, though CNN cannot independently verify this claim. The IDF yet to respond to CNN's request for comment. But as airstrikes and shelling intensify in the north, Gaza's children are, as is so often the case, paying the highest price, with thousands wounded or killed, and hopes for the future, lost.

Nada Bashir, CNN, in Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: More turmoil in the tech world. OpenAI founder -- cofounder Sam Altman is returning to the company as CEO less than one week after being fired by the board of directors. The company behind ChatGPT posted on X that it has reached an agreement with Altman and will be adding new members to its board.

Microsoft hired Altman to run a new artificial intelligence group on Monday, he says he is looking forward to returning to OpenAI and building on his partnership with Microsoft. More later.

Qatar was instrumental in mediating the hostage release deal. We'll talk about earlier what Qatari officials say their top priority officials are now. A report from Doha coming up.

And, the U.S. worked closely with Qatar to brokered the deal. More on how President Biden is reacting to the news.

Also ahead, she is only three years old and is being held by Hamas. Now, there are hopes that the American toddler, Abigail Idan, maybe released. We'll hear from one of her family members.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:16:42]

FOSTER: More on our breaking news this hour.

World leaders welcoming news that Israel's cabinet has approved a deal for the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas, which comes in exchange for a pause in fighting in Gaza. The agreement would see the release of at least 50 hostages, women and children, in exchange for a full day truce and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, also women and children, being held in Israeli jails. The families of the hostages now face an agonizing wait as they hope their loved ones will be freed.

Qatar's lead negotiator says the deal if helped negotiate shows pushed international community to increased diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Qatar also says it priority now is to ensure the agreement is followed while it works to secure a long term cease-fire and lasting peace.

More now on Qatar's role in the negotiations from CNN's Becky Anderson in Doha.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Some hours after it was confirmed that Israel's cabinet had approved the hostage deal, Qatar announced the success of its joint mediation efforts with Egypt and the United States. The details of the deal as we now understand them are 50 women and children released from captivity with Hamas for the exchange of Palestinians, women and children, held in Israeli prisons, and the opening of the Rafah border for more fuel, including more aid, including fuel, as we brought back across that border, crucial for humanitarian efforts, of course.

And in a statement from the lead negotiator in Qatar, Dr. Mohammed Al- Khulaifi, he said, and I quote, here, Qatar's aims since it started this escalation, has been to find ways to reduce tensions, stop the bloodshed, protect civilians, and protect a regional spillover. The international community must now seize the brief window of opportunity to generate further momentum for the diplomatic track, recognizing it as the only viable route to ending the conflict in both the short and long term.

Qatar's statement earlier suggests that the pause will start within around 24 hours. And a statement from the lead negotiator went on to say: Qatar's priority now is to ensure that the terms of the agreement are respected, and this statement includes the term, redoubling our efforts to secure a long term cease-fire, end the war, and work towards lasting peace through a comprehensive political process.

Perhaps not a surprise that Qatar would be seeking a long term cease- fire in this statement. After all, that has been its position from the outset of this conflict.

Becky Anderson, CNN, Doha.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: U.S. officials say three Americans could be released as part of the Israel Hamas deal. Ten Americans are still unaccounted for in Gaza, including two women and a three year old girl.

[04:20:00]

U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement tonight saying he welcomes the deal to secure the release of the hostages. He also said, quote, Jill and I have been keeping all those held hostage and their loved ones close to our hearts these many weeks. I am extraordinarily gratified that some of these brave souls who have endured weeks of captivity in an unspeakable ordeal will be reunited with their families once this deal is fully implemented.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is traveling with President Biden and filed this report from Massachusetts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The White House is welcoming the deal between Israel and Hamas to release about 50 hostages after weeks of painstaking negotiations from top administration officials, including conversations President Biden himself held with leaders involved in these talks.

Now, the U.S. believes it is possible that three Americans could potentially fall into this category of the 50 women and children that could be released in the coming days. That could also potentially include three year old Abigail Idan. She is an American citizen whose parents were killed in that October 7th attack by Hamas. The U.S. says they are working tirelessly to ensure the release of all American citizens who have been held hostage and they are hopeful that after this initial release, that this could provide incentives for Hamas to release more hostages as well.

But this all comes as the administration, the White House, has been in constant contact with leaders in the region as they have been working through these negotiations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that President Biden himself had gotten involved and he believed the president had improved these negotiations.

The president had spoken with the emir of Qatar twice last week, Qatar, of course, acted as a key mediator in these talks between Israel and Hamas. And now, the U.S. will be closely watching to see how many Americans will be included in this initial release. Officials say it will take about 24 hours to implement the deal before they can begin seeing these hostages released, but the White House certainly welcoming this news as they are hoping to get some of these hostages back home with their families.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, traveling with the president in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: And as Arlette mentioned just there, one of the youngest known hostages taken by Hamas is just three years old. There are hopes that Abigail Idan, who is an American citizen, will be one of the 50 people released as part of this deal.

Abigail's great aunt spoke to CNN earlier, saying she has a cautious sense of optimism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LIZ HIRSH NAFTALI, GREAT-AUNT OF THREE-YEAR-OLD HOSTAGE: We have spent the last seven weeks worrying, wondering, praying, hoping. Abigail has a sister who is six, a brother who is ten. These two children sought their parents both be murdered. They spent 14 hours in a closet on the 7th of October, hiding.

The one thing we all hold on to is that hope that Abigail comes home, she comes home by Friday, Friday is her fourth birthday. And that's -- there is nobody that is giving up hope, it's just that we actually need to see Abigail come out and then we will be able to be -- to believe it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, we will have much more on our breaking news out of Israel and the deal for Hamas to free dozens of hostages, a live report from Istanbul is just ahead for you.

Plus, a day of remembrance in Ukraine as the country marks 10 years since the beginning of a revolution that would've changed the course of history.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:27:25]

FOSTER: Welcome back.

Recapping our breaking news. Israel's cabinet has approved a deal to secure the release of at least 50 hostages, women and children, whom Hamas is holding in Gaza. In exchange, Israel has agreed to a four-day truce in its air and ground campaign against Gaza.

Hamas says Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners, also women and children, held in Israeli jails. In addition, Hamas says the deal calls for hundreds of trucks to deliver aid to all parts of Gaza. It is not clear when all of this will start, though. Israel says it plans to resume its military campaign once the hostage releases end.

CNN's Scott McLean following developments, joins us live from Istanbul.

So, those are the two -- that's one of the key questions, isn't it? When this starts, but we also don't know what hostages will be released or how.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct. We do have part of the answer on the Palestinian side, but on the Israeli side, those hostages being held in Gaza, we don't know beyond the fact that they are going to be focused on women and children and all of them, Israelis say, will be Israeli citizens. Some of them have dual nationalities, but all of them will hold Israeli citizenship, at least and that initial 50.

Now, on the Palestinian side, Israel has just published a list of 300 names. People, women, and children, who will be part of this deal or could potentially be part of this deal. Most of them are teenage boys, convicted or accused of relatively minor crimes, throwing rocks, reaching security areas, things like that.

There are also women on that list in their 20s and 30s, and some people have been accused of more serious crimes, some having pretty lengthy prison terms.

Now, why are the 300 names on that list, given that only 150 will be released? Because the steel actually provides a mechanism to get more than the initial amount of hostages exchanged. So, Israel, for every ton hostages that Hamas is willing to release, Israel is willing to extend the pause for one day.

So, that's why you have more than 150 names on that list. There is also a 24-hour period under Israeli law, that has begun already, that allows people to challenge the release of those Palestinian prisoners at the Supreme Court. Now, it's not clear whether that has happened or will happen, it also is not clear whether the court will actually hear that case. So, there are some -- there is some level of complexity involved, here. The Israelis, broadly speaking, Max, are also worried that Hamas will

simply use this opportunity to regroup, to resupply themselves. But the Prime Minister Netanyahu says.