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Israel: Hostage Release And Temporary Truce With Hamas Delayed; Israeli PM: "The War Continues" Until Goals Are Achieved; Israel: No Hostages Will Be Released Before Friday; Israel: Hostage Release and Temporary Truce with Hamas Delayed; Protecting California's Giants; Group of Muslims and Jews Bond at the Dinner Table. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired November 23, 2023 - 01:00   ET

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

[01:00:35]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Paula Newton and we have breaking coverage this hour up first Israel's temporary truce with Hamas and the expected release of hostages held in Gaza now delayed. Israel says that process will not start before Friday. The update came just hours before humanitarian pause and fighting and the initial release of 50 women and children hostages was expected to begin. Now both us and Israeli officials point to what they say are logistical details for the delay while one Israeli official says Israel has not yet received the names of the first hostages to be freed. Now, ahead of the expected truce, Israeli forces continued ground and air operations Wednesday striking parts of northeastern and central Gaza. Though Palestinians say areas further south were also hit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence that the deal would soon go into effect. And he made clear the war against Hamas is far from over.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (voice-over): Citizens of Israel, I like to be clear the war continues. The war continues. We will continue with it until all our goals are achieved. To bring back the hostages, to demolish Hamas and ensure that the day afterwards, there is no source that educates terror to children and they terrorists.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Joining us now from Tel Aviv is retired Colonel Miri Eisin. She is director of the International Institute for Counterterrorism at Reichman University, and I thank you for joining us, someone must be incredibly tense hours there in Israel. You know, you contend that this deal if it succeeds, will be bittersweet. For many reasons, reasons, the obvious one is that not all the hostages will be free. But you also say that when any terror entity uses hostages, and actually get something in return, it makes in your words, hostages be worthwhile for taking. It's sobering, isn't it? COL. MIRI EISEN (RET.), DIR., INTL, INSTITUTE FOR COUNTER-TERRORISM, REICHMAN UNIV.: One of the challenges in today's world is what do you do in such a situation. Think of it right now for both of us, you know, two women talking to each other, where it terrorists come in, take our children, our sisters, our brothers, our parents ourselves, use them as a bargaining card. But if we don't give something for them, we're not going to get back our families, our people, it is the worst of the situations and essentially all of the countries try to avoid hostage situations. And in this case, that failure of October 7, but it's also about what Hamas aspires to, is using people as the bargaining cards. So the bittersweet is, don't we all want to see right now, a nine month really, I have to correct myself a 10.5 month baby who's been there from October 7, come home? What do we do with a three-year-old and six-year-old who were taken where their parents were murdered in front of them? What do you tell them when they come back?

So in that sense, you need to have them back. But you know that the hostages themselves are only used as a pawn. And that's a really challenging situation.

NEWTON: Yes. In fact, challenging doesn't begin to cover it. And it's nearly unprecedented the situation that Israel's dealing with right now. And yet, how difficult do you think it will be for Israel to continue to prosecute the war, as Netanyahu promises, we just heard him, when the majority of the hostages will remain captive?

EISEN: So now think of the additional aspect that the Hamas are using the hostages, they're a bargaining card. They haven't told us who they are, so that we're waiting to know who will be the first time, who will be those first 50. Can you imagine now, the other 190 families whose children, parents, kids are the ones who are not coming back? So when you say about engaging in the war, Hamas is a terror organization. One of the only reasons right now that they've agreed to this pause and to bring in the hostages and to exchange some are because of the military pressure. It's not the only one is going hand in hand with additional pressures. But Israel has to continue that pressure because that is sadly the only language that they understand as a terror organization, hand in hand.

Who else pressures them? Perhaps Qatar a bit maybe a bit more, probably also Egypt. But they need to also understand that their military terror capabilities are also completely under threat.

[01:05:14]

NEWTON: Under threat, and yet some contender in the U.S. perhaps tried at this point to make sure that perhaps Israel postponed or ground assault or perhaps had a more surgical approach to the airstrikes. Is that not, you know, a salient argument to put forward that maybe the hostage negotiations would have gone better and more would have been freed, even if all of them hadn't been freed in that situation?

EISEN: Okay, so Paula, let's take this apart for a moment. I'm now the terror organization. And what you just said to me is, I know now where I'm going to build all of my defenses. I'll build them into the human, into the civilian population, and you, me, the world will then tell Israel, you have to stop. You can't rescue hostages. You can't even destroy the Hamas terror capability, because Hamas built their terror capabilities into the civilian population.

It's like giving the recipe of where the terrorists should build their capabilities. So I'm not saying in any way as a mother or as a human being, that I in any way want ever, and I never will target civilians, but you have to act against that type of terror capability. You can't allow it to grow. That would be a terrible lesson, let alone right now, it won't let the hostages out. It won't help the people of the Gaza Strip. And I agree the price is horrible, and there is no other way to do it.

If we wanted to kill everybody in the Gaza Strip and find our hostages, then we wouldn't have soldiers in the ground operation, working slowly and systematically. You could do it in a different way and sarcasm doesn't work well, on TV or anywhere.

We're working systematically. We're telling civilians to move. You're right, civilians absolutely have been horribly hurt. This is a war that civilians in Israel have been horribly hurt. It is a war. But it's the only way to act against the terror organization.

NEWTON: Certainly difficult hours, difficult days ahead for everyone there. I really want to thank you for your insights. Appreciate it.

EISEN: Thank you so much, Paula.

NEWTON: Now, for the families of the hostages held by Hamas their agonizing wait. It gets ever longer, but some are remaining hopeful that they'll see their loved ones' soon. CNN's Matthew Chance has more now from Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As Israelis await the release of some women and children held in Gaza, a vigil for one of the hostages who may be left behind. 22-year-old Alon Ohel (ph) was abducted at a music festival on October the 7th. As an adult male, he's unlikely to be among those freed under the latest hostage to deal. Steal his mother. It told me she believes her son will eventually be set free.

IDIT OHEL, SON HELD HOSTAGE BY HAMAS: I know in my heart that I want my son home. I believe this is just a start, you know, because if everyone has to get home, then this is just a start. I know they were.

CHANCE: So you're optimistic.

OHEL: Very.

CHANCE: Israeli insists it's keeping up pressure on Hamas, even as the agreed pause in this Gaza war approaches. Under the hostage deal, strikes like this one in Khan Yunis in Southern Gaza will be suspended, while Israel frees Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages are handed over. Hostage support volunteers, like on the Dotan, tell me they're bracing

to cancel dozens of traumatized women and children as they return home.

ORNA DOTAN, HOSTAGES AND MISSING FAMILIES FORUM: Maybe Sharon and her daughter were released today. Maybe, because it's the daughter and the mother. The way they are going to continue is first of all, we have to ask for their permission to go inside and to do the first step together.

CHANCE: And of course, there's a possibility that these people could have suffered terrible trauma whilst in in Gaza.

DOTAN: We are so afraid about the condition and then they will come. So we cannot plan the trauma program. Because first, we have to meet them to understand from the best psychologists, what is the best way you choose to deal with. And then step by step with the family as a family progress to continue.

CHANCE: Step by step down a long road. Matthew Chance, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

[01:10:11]

NEWTON: At a news conference on Wednesday before the hostage delay was announced. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as part of the deal, the Red Cross would be allowed to offer medical support to the hostages who will remain in Gaza after the initial release for a truce would also allow more humanitarian and relief aid to reach Gaza. Hamas meantime released a statement on Wednesday saying the deal involves hundreds of trucks, carrying aid medical supplies and fuel to parts of the enclave. Israel has been very reluctant to allow fuel into Gaza since the Hamas attack on October 7. Some fuel has been allowed in but several governments and humanitarian groups say it's just not nearly enough. They're pushing to get fuel that's critical for hospitals as well as civilians listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TAMARA ALRIFAI, DIRECTOR, DEPT. OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS AT UNRWA: Any halt in the act of hostilities is welcomed by everyone, especially by the people of Gaza, who have been through hell over the last seven weeks now. What we are expecting is if we do get the security guarantees that we need, we want to be able to go over the entire strip, the North, the middle, and the South. For the last few weeks, we've only been active in the middle in the south areas after the northern part of the strip has been completely sealed. We've been able to deliver food, some clean drinking water and to provide medical services, mostly through our mobile clinics and nine of our 25 health centers, because the rest of them are in the north and they've been closed.

We want to be able to scale up to replicate to receive more trucks, more trucks, and supplies and be able to distribute them. We're currently talking about 156 shelters (inaudible), costing around 930,000 people that's more than half of those were displaced.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Now as you can imagine, Gaza residents say they're ready for Friday's expect a truce to begin. Even if it's just for a few days. The IDF continued its attacks on Northern Gaza even after the truce deal was announced. You can see it there. CNN crews in Israel witnessed explosions, flares, and smoke right across the border late Wednesday.

Now with Israel's Prime Minister pledging the war will continue once the truce has ended, Palestinians say they need a permanent ceasefire.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): We have been waiting for it for over a week. We have been waiting for a ceasefire every day. Ceasefire, ceasefire, and nothing was happening. I do not know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): The ceasefire should be comprehensive all over the Gaza Strip. Sometimes the Israelis make false promises and kill children without adhering to anything. We want a comprehensive ceasefire so that people can get their needs from gas to (inaudible).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: So hard for us potential freedom for hundreds of Palestinians jailed in Israel until they're released a Ramallah radio station provides the lifeline.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:15:56]

NEWTON: To be released as part of Israel's hostage release deal with Hamas. While they wait, their family send messages through a Ramallah radio station, CNN Nima Elbagir takes us there

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lifeline, keeping some connection between families torn apart. Caller send in voice notes to radio presenter, Murad Abu Al Sabaa. Radio Ajyal has dedicated its airways for years to the families of the thousands of Palestinians desperately trying to reach out to their loved ones held in Israeli prisons. The young listener aren't a Palestinian activist, was arrested by Israeli authorities along with thousands of other Palestinians after Hamas is deadly October 7 attack. The station is trying to support the families so desperately waiting for any news from inside Israel's prisons.

MURAD ABU AL SABAA, RADIO AJYAL PRESENTER (voice-over): We have three phone lines here to receive messages from damning prisoners. Because of the volume of the calls, people weren't getting through. So we've started making promo announcements. If you can't get through, send us a voicemail to your WhatsApp. ELBAGIR: In the horrifying aftermath of the Hamas attack, Israel not

only carried out mass detentions of Palestinians, but it's denying prisoners all family contact. This is the only way their families can reach out. The sheer volume of messages evidence of the realities of imprisonment here. Israeli law allows Palestinian prisoners to be detained indefinitely without trial or stated charge.

The families don't even know whether the prisoners get to hear their messages. But that doesn't stop them from sending. The Israel Hamas hostage swap exchanging 150 Israeli-held Palestinian prisoners, women, and teenagers for 50 Hamas held hostages means that for now there is some help for both Israeli and Palestinian families. We are going to meet a Palestinian lady who one of her loved ones is coming home. But as ever, in this context, and in this situation, it's never that simple.

Families on both sides, even those who are awaiting the return of those who love are also dealing with the reality of those who won't be coming home. Iman al Barghouti's sister-in-law Hanan (ph) was arrested alongside her three sons. The sons remain in prison. Hanan is on the list to come home. Iman said neither she nor Hanan is involved in the politics of this war. Yet they suffer its consequences.

IMAN AL BARGHOUTI, WIFEOF PALESTINIAN PRISONER: Now (inaudible), she has -- her sons they get married. So they have kids. They are waiting to see their grandmother. You know? She's she has a beautiful relation with them. She loves everybody.

ELBAGIR: In the midst of Iman's joy for Hanan, she is beginning to hope that her husband Nyla Perotti (ph), the longest serving Palestinian political prisoner could also be released in a swap.

[01:20:10]

BARGHOUTI: It is a happy day for us. We know that this is will start because that mean I -- my husband will come. My husband now who's in prison now since 44 years, when he was arrested, it was in the first time in 1978.

ELBAGIR: The Barghouti family is revered by many Palestinians, deemed a threat by the State of Israel, valuable enough to Hamas, that they were included in the 2011 Israel-Hamas deal. Among 1,00 Palestinians for one Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after Hamas held Shalit for five years. Who else was swamped on that day? The man Israel says is the architect of the October 7 Hamas attack. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a fact that haunts every move Israel makes as it negotiates for the release of more Hamas-held hostages as families on both sides, wait, and hope. Nima Elbagir, Ramallah, the occupied West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Joining me now from Geneva, Switzerland, Professor Sultan Barakat is the Director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute and I thank you for joining us. As we just heard from Nima's, report, this release of 150 prisoners held in Israeli prisons, certainly many, they're waiting for this moment. What is this deal more present to you, especially that, as Nima was explaining, a lot of those released are under the age of 18 and some haven't been formally charged with anything.

PROF. SULTAN BARAKAT, CENTER FOR CONLICT AND HUMANITARIAN STUDIES, DOHA INSTITUTE: Yes. Well, it's very important, I think, to include those Palestinian prisoners, because of the moral messages since to the rest of the world, that when we talk about Hamas, having taken hostage hostages from Israel, it's also important to remember that for many decades, Israel has had the practice of imprisoning young people women indefinitely without putting them for trial or having any charges against them.

And I think this is a point that maybe Hamas particularly (inaudible) wanted to score, and has been very successful through this pose to make it. Because right from the beginning, when he came out and tried to explain the reason for the attack on Israel, he caught it two objectives. One was the trying to prevent Israelis from further attacking a lot (inaudible), and the second was to release women and children from Israeli prisons, which, of course, he was particularly concerned about having spent much of his life in prison. And as you reported earlier, he was released only in 2011.

So this is a promise that he has made personally, to the Palestinian prisoners. And I think it will be received very well, particularly in the West Bank.

NEWTON: But the corollary to that is that Hamas is terror attack worked, that it worked brilliantly that he will be heralded hero and Hamas will continue to be strengthened in the Middle East.

BARAKAT: I think I'm not sure about within the Middle East, but within Gaza, yes. I think the original objective that Netanyahu declared for himself is impossible to achieve. He went in, determined to finish off Hamas and release the hostages by force. Now, 48 days later, the death toll has increased to a level where it's the traditional sort of ratio of 1 to 10, between Palestinians and Israelis. And it's becoming impossible for him to defend the objective vision objective with the operation.

I think it's this pose coming is extremely helpful to both sides, and it will offer very badly needed respite for the Palestinians in terms of humanitarian assistance. But also for the Israelis must be very welcome to have their family members going home.

NEWTON: And certainly, from a humanitarian point of view, as we just heard that there's been so much suffering on both ends. On the other hand, I just want to probe a little bit deeper, though, given that Hamas is obviously the terror attack of October 7, 1,200 at least killed. They are holding in Gaza, children, babies, toddlers, teenagers, elderly people, again, I'm just interested to get your perspective on the fact that Hamas will consider this a win and that any of their tactics from October 7 are justified.

BARAKAT: I don't think it's about justifying the tactics. I mean, even the what's happened on October 7, the narrative has been revisited a few times since October the 7th. The recently leaked reports from Israeli intelligence, blame their own air force for having killed a few of those of not many of those who were at the festival, they suspected that they were driving towards the lobby. They suspected these would be -- would include Palestinian fighters trying to penetrate deeper into Israel. So all of them were killed on the road. The narrative that was first put on -- put out about cutting the heads of children was revisited the numbers from 1,400 to 1,200. They discovered that 200 of them were Palestinians only after they said their DNA, which means that they were burned alongside the Israelis. And there was an external force that has actually burned them all together.

[01:25:55]

So things are changing. I think the pressure is increased on the United States and on Israel. The sympathy that Israel had at the very start, which is very much in line with the fact that nobody really endorsed or condone that Hamas is actions, the stock is now eroding little by little. People are starting to understand better what actually took place. And I think it was all made worse, because of the number of innocent people that have been killed in front of all of us on, you know, TV screens. They -- we witnessed the way Israel has devastated Gaza, its infrastructure, the war that went after hospitals, et cetera. And even that when --

NEWTON: Yes. It is clear -- it is clear. Look, the the suffering in Gaza is indisputable. And yet what's also indisputable is the fact that the terror perpetrated by Hamas was absolutely savage and Israelis continue to cope with that. If I can infer to what you're saying, you kind of agree that Hamas will be emboldened by this hostage exchange, and consider their brutal tactics. I'll ask you again. Justified. Is that not a dangerous precedent?

BARAKAT: I'm not sure about the brutal tactics, because I mean, as far as what they've declared the objective was to capture hostages because they understood exactly and this has been the playbook between them and Israel. You cannot release your people without having someone to exchange them with. So I think the original objective was to go for these 15 security points. And I'm sure that things became -- went out of hand and it became very messy. But it doesn't justify taking civilians, certainly children as hostages and so on.

But no one really knows what went on on that day. And what I'm trying to say is that the narrative that was put out by the Israelis itself has changed so many times over the last few weeks, that no one can be quite certain of what went on. But this pose certainly does score a win more towards Hamas than Israel because Netanyahu was very much against any ceasefire. Hamas for it, this is a must be a welcome respite.

NEWTON: Welcome respite, but I do have to counter your point that many eyewitnesses have with both video and their own testimony saw before their eyes the terrible situation that Hamas perpetrated on people on innocent civilians again, on October 7 assault in about a cop. We will leave it there for now. Appreciate it.

BARAKAT: Thank you. Bye-bye. NEWTON: Still to come for us the IDF released what it claims to be evidence of more tunnels under the Al Shifa Hospital complex in Gaza. Details after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[01:32:49]

PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Israel's national security council says the first hostages being held in Gaza will be released before Friday under its deal with Hamas. Israel's pause in the air and ground campaign in Gaza is also delayed.

Hamas is expected to release at least 50 women and children over the next few days. And Israel has agreed to a four-day pause in fighting. Hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli jails are also set to be released.

The White House says, the delay is due to logistical details.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Red Cross will be allowed to visit hostages that remain in Gaza.

Qatar's lead negotiator says the work as hostage mediators was, quote, "extremely intensive". In an exclusive interview with CNN's Becky Anderson, the Qatar minister of state, hailed the agreement as significant. And he offered more details about the hard-fought deal to free hostages and get humanitarian aid into Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOHAMMED AL-KHULAIFI, QATARI MINISTER OF STATE: Within the four days' pause, in each day, there will be an obligation on each side. An obligation on the Israelis and an obligation on Hamas. Making sure that they're going to fulfill those obligations in each day.

So in each day, we aim to have a number of releases because the number is big. So we try -- we've managed to get the parties to agree on the releases systematically.

In other words, there will be an organized schedule, allowing the releases in each day, and each party is quite familiar now with their obligations.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Ten hostages released on day one, for example?

AL-KHULAIFI: A minimum -- a minimum of ten.

ANDERSON: Who will be released?

AL-KHULAIFI: So this agreement, specifically, focuses on civilian women and children in each side -- in both sides. And we hope that within the four days, we will be able to complete the release of women and children on both sides, moving to the safe side, away from this war. [01:34:47]

AL-KHULAIFI: By the first hours of the agreement, we will be notified of the official list of people in each day. And by having that list, we will make sure that we notify either the sides, the parties themselves, or even the countries that have their hostages in the Gaza Strip currently.

ANDERSON: Hamas has said it doesn't have all the hostages, and it needs time to get around to gather information about hostages that it doesn't hold, and find out where they are.

Many have called that just a talking point, a cynical ploy to buy time.

AL-KHULAIFI: The obligation on Hamas on the first day is very clear. They need to provide us with that list. They have been granted that period of calm, and not only that period of calm, but also, preventing any military clashes, ground invasion, air surveillance. That will provide them with the room to provide us with that commitment.

ANDERSON: You have described in the language of this deal. You have described it as a truce in the Gaza Strip. I think that language is really interesting. The use of the term truce which is by naming this ceasefire. And the fact that it is in the Gaza Strip, the main pillar of which, of course, is clearly the hostage release. What happens as far as humanitarian aid is concerned? What is the commitment on both sides as far as that uptick in aid is concerned?

AL-KHULAIFI: Sure. So this agreement has two major components. The first one related to the release of the hostages and the second one is related to providing, not only a quantity but also quality of humanitarian aid and assistance as needed.

One of the most interesting components within that humanitarian aid (INAUDIBLE) is the fuel. And fuel has been a debatable issue in the early times of that conflict. Now, we have managed to secure fuel being provided for a vital infrastructure such as hospitals and others.

ANDERSON: The Israelis have been very specific. They have said, this is a truce period. Before it starts, hostilities will continue. And very specifically, once this pause is over, the war will restart. Is that useful in negotiations -- that sort of language?

AL KHULAIFI: Our work is not done. We're still going to continue to talk more to the parties, to deescalate, to seek a longer period of the ceasefire.

ANDERSON: The Israelis are not talking about a ceasefire at this point. they have categorically ruled out a ceasefire until all hostages are released. And at present, you are not mediating any talks on the soldiers or men, being held by Hamas.

AL=KHULAIFI: Well listen, Becky, even the temporary ceasefire was not being considered in the early times by the Israelis. So we still -- we remain hopeful. Our efforts are not going to stop at this level. Our work is not done. We're going to continue working with both sides, hoping that we can secure this bigger objective.

ANDERSON: If there are families of hostages watching this interview today, families of hostages who are young man of serving age, what is your message about the likelihood that those Israeli soldiers will be released anytime soon?

AL-KHULAIFI: So we are doing everything that we can. As soon as both parties want to keep seeking Qatar's assistance in mediating, we can respond positively to that request. So we know our mission is not finished. And our work is continuous for the better course and as you said, our hope is really that we see a period where we can put an end to this war, and let the people leave, and reduce this humanitarian suffering for the people in Gaza.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: Israeli forces on Wednesday, released what it is claiming is evidence of a tunnel system under the al-Shifa Hospital Complex in Gaza. Now the videos shot and distributed by the IDF, reportedly showed dozens of (INAUDIBLE) of a tunnel system underneath the hospital. The Israeli military also says it located two additional tunnel shafts near al-Shifa.

CNN is unable to verify independently the extent and nature of the tunnels discovered by the IDF. And attempts for comment from doctors, and hospital authorities in Gaza have been unsuccessful.

However doctors and hospital health officials have repeatedly denied Israel's accusations that there is a network of tunnels below the hospital complex.

Turning now to news here in the United States, Kentucky has declared a state of emergency and is urging residents near Livingston to stay clear of the site of a train derailment.

Now, the CSX Railway Company says, at least 16 cars jumped the tracks Wednesday afternoon. Two cars contained molten sulfur which spilled and is now burning which would lead to the release of sulfur dioxide.

[01:39:52]

NEWTON: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says the chemical can cause irritation and breathing difficulties. The railway has sent air monitoring equipment to that area.

Ok. Coming up for us, we visit California's Sierra Nevada where the race is on to save one of the largest living things on earth.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: Between 2010 and 2021 it is estimated 170 million trees died across California due to drought, fire, and an influx of pests fueled in part by higher temperatures.

Today, on "Call to Earth", we visit the state's Sierra Nevada, where the race is on to save the most massive trees in the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTY BRIGHAM, CHIEF OF RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, KINGS CANYON, SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK: When people see these trees, they feel connected to them. They're so big. They're so beautiful. And I think most people feel like they're immortal.

[01:44:53]

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: They're one of the largest living organisms on earth. Giants that can live more than 3,000 years and they are under threat.

BRIGHAM: In 2015, that was the first fire we had where we saw a significant large of large sequoias actually killed. And then the whole thing kind of went off the rails with the 2020 Castle fire.

That single fire burned about 10 percent of all, living, large sequoias on earth.

WEIR: By the end of the 2021 fire season, experts we spoke to say up to a fifth of the population was lost.

BRIGHAM: And when the scientists and fire managers started talking to each other and park managers about this a handful of people said, wow, it seems like we need a call to action. And that is how the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition was born.

WEIR: The coalition includes a range of members from nonprofits and academic institutions, to state, federal, and Native American tribal agencies.

ANTHONY AMBROSE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ANCIENT FOREST SOCIETY: We are trying to get a better understanding of how vulnerable these trees are to drought, and how fire and drought make them vulnerable to beetle attack.

WEIR: Sequoias require up to 4,000 liters of water a day. And understanding where they get the water during drought and fire is important.

WENDY BAXTER, PROGRAM MANAGER, ANCIENT FOREST SOCIETY: We climb up each of our study trees. Over the course of the year, we do this multiple times. And we collect samples of their sap wood, where the water is getting transported up through the tree. We compare the isotopic signature in that sample to the samples that we collect from soil and from the stream water and from precipitation to see where the trees are actually getting their water from.

AMBROSE: Trees are absolutely mind-blowing.

WEIR: (INAUDIBLE) start off at the very top here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The diameter is 9.0. WEIR: Through his measurements, they have also discovered previously

unknown challenges facing sequoias. The group's efforts also include surprisingly, starting their own fire.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So giant sequoias have a complicated relationship with fire. Without fire, you don't get seedlings like this. But it has to be the right kind of fire which, in this system, is frequent, mixed severity fire.

So fire that comes through every 7 to 30 years, and burns mainly off on the ground and Burning up the needles, and the small branches and then creates little openings like this that have a lot of sun.

WEIR: But the coalition says prescribed burning might not be enough. So they are also creating a genetic bank of giant sequoia cones.

LINNEA HARDLUND, FOREST ECOLOGIST, SAVE THE REDWOODS LEAGUE: In the past, there's never really been a need to replant because we haven't had this large patches of high severity wildfire within these growths. And when you have really large, high severity patches like that, there are very few, remaining mature trees to disperse seeds.

WEIR: More than just a majestic sight to see, sequoias play a critical role in the forest ecosystem. With a little help from us, they may stand a fighting chance.

BAXTER: It really does put things into context, and gives you a different perspective on our lives here on this planet and what's important, and I just hope that these trees persist into the future.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: We do too. Let us know what you're doing to answer the call with #CallToEarth.

[01:48:30]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NEWTON: Far from the war between Israel and Hamas and the tensions and distrust that come with it, a group of Muslims and Jews in the U.S. is building a special bond.

As CNN's Danny Freeman reports from New Jersey, they're finding a lot of common ground at the dinner table.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thousands of miles from the fighting, the violence, the conflict --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Focus on a solution.

FREEMAN: -- there is food, laughter, and love in this New Jersey home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first thing you do is you reach out to the other side.

FREEMAN: This is the Bergen County chapter of the Interfaith Encounter Association, a larger organization based in Jerusalem, dedicated to respectful dialogue and support between religions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every time I go to the meetings, all of these things we have in common. I got, wow, you guys believe that too, right?

FREEMAN: This group of Muslims and Jews from several states has met for years through war, peace and a pandemic to listen and learn.

NADIA HOSEIN, MEMBER, INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION: We live in a bubble. And I think when you live in a bubble, this is when the stereotypes and all these isms tend to come out.

RONNIE PERELLS, MEMBER, INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION: I actually think, that the power of a group like this is actually the difference. And we have different ways of thinking about things and that is when I learn something. I can't learn something from someone who is the same as me.

FREEMAN: But that also means frank conversations about pain and discrimination with Islamophobic and anti-Semitic incidents on the rise.

GABRIELLA CARPIO, MEMBER, INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION: They realize like oh, you guys also get also demonized, just as much as we do. And so we are not that different. And learning that from you guys helps me understand that we are in this together.

YITZHAK HANDEL, MEMBER, INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION: You have to stand up to people who may not believe what you have to say. And I'm in the same position, and I appreciate very much, that you've been doing that. And I try to do the same, as well.

FREEMAN: At times, the work feels daunting.

MOHAMMED ALHOMSI, MEMBER, INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION: We are in a position, in a very tough position, that when I introduce myself, that I do interfaith, a lot of people say, I wouldn't want to be you these days.

FREEMAN: But for Mohammed Alhomsi from Pennsylvania and Joan Heffler Goldstein (ph) from New Jersey, these relationships have proved a lifeline since October 7th.

JOAN HEFFLER GOLDSTEIN, MEMBER, INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION: When the hostilities first broke out, I finally stopped crying. I called Mohammed's wife (INAUDIBLE) because I needed to speak to my sister who is looking at everything from a different direction than I am.

[01:54:55]

FREEMAN: That must have been incredibly difficult. It was really hard. It was really hard.

GOLDSTEIN: It was important for me to be able to see if I could see what her view was, and show her what my view was, and see if we could come together. And in fact, we did.

FREEMAN: What went through your mind when your friend, your Jewish friend, Joan, reached out to your wife for comfort?

ALHOMSI: I was happy that Joan reached out to my wife. I think it was over an hour of conversation. I said, you know, I'll take it. I said thank you God. Thank you for this connection that they have.

FREEMAN: This connection was built on nine years of these types of conversations.

GOLDSTEIN: If we're going to talk about politics, we first have to have the love and understanding and the deep trust. It is really a deep trust.

FREEMAN: There is still disagreement. There is still lessons to learn. But, in this room, there is hope.

LEWIS STONE, INTERFAITH ENCOUNTER ASSOCIATION: I really feel that there is hope in the world. And now, we should go eat.

FREEMAN: Danny Freeman, CNN -- Teaneck, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NEWTON: And our thanks to Danny Freeman for that report.

I want to thank you for watching. I'm Paula Newton.

CNN NEWSROOM continues with my friend Rosemary Church. She will be back right after this.

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