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Convoy Of Egyptian Ambulances And A Bus Now Moving Toward Gaza; Delay In Second Batch Of Israeli Hostages Resolved; Israel-Hamas War; Conflict Settled And Hostage-Taking Has Resumed, According To Qatar; Interview With UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder; Interview With Former CIA Operative Bob Baer. Aired 3-4p ET

Aired November 25, 2023 - 15:00   ET

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

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[15:00:00]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta alongside my colleague Wolf Blitzer in Tel Aviv.

And we're monitoring breaking news. CNN has learned a convoy of Egyptian ambulances and a bus are now moving toward the Gaza side of the Rafah Border Crossing. They are set to transport 20 hostages expected to be released by Hamas. That exchange is set to happen at any moment now.

These late developments follow an anxious hours-long dispute that delayed the transfer of this second group of hostages. Officials say the group will contain 13 Israelis, including eight children and five women. Qatari officials say an additional seven foreign nationals who fall outside the framework of the agreement between the two sides will also be released.

And we're learning Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt helped to smooth over tensions after Hamas disputed the amount of aid being delivered from Gaza and the selection of the 39 Palestinian prisoners set to be released by Israel as part of this brief four-day truce. Let's send it over to Tel Aviv and Wolf Blitzer. Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Fred, thank you very much. CNN has, of course, our eyes and ears on the ground, covering all of the late breaking developments in this hostage exchange. CNN's Matthew Chance is here with me in Tel Aviv right now.

Matthew, I know you're working your sources, especially you're learning that Qatar was playing a very significant role behind the scenes in trying to get this deal back off the ground.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Qatar, which has been essential in the mediation of this hostage deal, has been intervening again tonight, along with Egypt and the United States as well, to try and make sure it stays on track. Hamas had been holding back the release of this second group of hostages. Of course, it said it hadn't had sufficient aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip that were promised by Israel. It also said that the prisoners that had been released from Israeli jails, the Palestinian prisoners, were not the mixture of prisoners that they had anticipated and they had agreed.

Those problems appear now to have been resolved. The Qataris coming out with a statement not long ago saying that the issues have now -- you know, the obstacles have been overcome. And so, we are now expecting for a second group of hostages, including 13 Israelis and 7 foreign nationals, remember as well, to be released shortly.

We don't know the time frame of that. It's obviously a very complicated logistical series of operations that have to be performed. And that's why there's been so many delays because so much could go wrong.

But at the moment at, what, you know, just past 10:00 in the evening here in Tel Aviv local time, it seems like the second group of hostages will be released tonight, but we will see.

BLITZER: You know, I'm just wondering if this threat that came out earlier a few hours ago, you're familiar with it, so am I, from the Israeli defense ministry that the Hamas has until midnight local time. What is it now? It's after -- just after 10:00 p.m., midnight local time to make sure this hostage release goes forward. Otherwise, Israel is going to resume its military action against Hamas targets.

[15:05:00]

I wonder if that played a significant role as well in convincing Hamas right now that it's time to get this deal back in action.

CHANCE: Well, I mean, it potentially could have. I mean, all along the Israelis have been saying that, look, it's military pressure and military pressure alone that has forced Hamas to the negotiating table and has resulted in the releases of the hostages so far. And so, that would speak for that.

Fortunately, it looks like we're in a situation right now where that's not going to be tested and that we're not going to be seeing a resumption of hostilities or the military operation in Gaza now, as long as this operation -- as long as these releases go ahead. And that's a good thing because even though there are obstacles, everybody wants to see more of these hostages released. And hopefully, that will happen tonight and over the next few nights as well.

BLITZER: All right. There's a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Ministry Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. He's doing a briefing right now. I want us to listen, hear what he's saying.

REAR ADMIRAL DANIEL HAGARI, ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON (through translator): Nothing is sealed until it's actually happening. Egypt and Qatar acting towards fulfillment of the agreement with terrorist Hamas. Dear families, the very high -- the huge pressure that you're standing is standing in front of us all the time. Our hearts are with you. We have -- you have to be patient. Despite all the pressure, we will first update you and afterwards the public via the media. We will update you on any stage and via the media, we will later update the public. We will update you until the hostages are back in Israel. Please stay tuned only to the official reports.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Is tomorrow's hostage in jeopardy? True to what happens today. Before the delay today, it was a report that Hamas was ready to extend the ceasefire in return for more hostages. Can you confirm that?

HAGARI (through translator): We are determined to fulfill the framework of tonight by tonight, this is why things have been delayed. You need to be patient. Things will happen and we will update. Now, there is progress as we speak. Things will happen and we will update for every stage -- on every stage. We also prepare for the fact that tomorrow the outline continues to happen as it should be. Once there are details about the list, we first update the families and only afterwards the media. This is by (INAUDIBLE) regarding tomorrow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): There was a report that Hamas said that there will be more hostages released, more than the 50 that were agreed upon.

HAGARI (through translator): For anything that will happen after the fulfillment of the agreement, we will update the public only after things will be verified. At the moment, we need to focus night by night, in small steps. There's a long way effort to bring the hostages back with high priority and we will get them back any way we can either by the outline or the next stage of the war.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The rest of the agreement in doubt, and what happened? Is the -- are the released gave you any intelligence?

HAGARI (through translator): There is an agreement on behalf of the IDF. We fulfill the agreement as Israel agreed. There are mediators, very serious ones, Egypt and Qatar, they insist that it'll happen the agreement as agreed.

There is a terrorist organization, a murderous one called Hamas and we need to make sure that the agreement is fulfilled. If not, we will get back. We stopped it in order to fulfill the outline, and that because of the hostages releases high priority. And yesterday there was huge excitement and we wanted to continue.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): What's the red line about the IDF if Hamas cannot -- will not fulfill his part of the deal, will you go back to maneuver? And whether the release gave you any intelligence on the rest of the health issues.

HAGARI (through translator): In this agreement, we are in full operational preparation. This is why I recommend not to speak about red lines. We manage according to the deal. We don't need to update Hamas, but we will do. There are countries who are mediators of this agreement and are obliged to it. If there is -- agreement is not being fulfilled, we will do our own estimation. And we will update separately the media as we did until now in the war.

Each hostage who has been released we meet them, collect all the intelligence. There's a world -- for each of them there's a world and their memory for each of them whatever they learned, whatever they remember, we will not update on anything like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What can you say about the progress? What was the gap between Israel and Hamas? What did Israel agree to give in return for progress? Are the IDF continue operations which are not about (INAUDIBLE) fire?

HAGARI (through translator): There is an agreement. Nothing has changed tonight. We are going with the agreement. There is the humanitarian side. I'll give an example. It was agreed that there is going to be a humanitarian aid. And the IDF, if we check the lorries, the trucks that are coming here via American aid and Egypt. There is humanitarian equipment. The U.N. and you -- and an international organization are leading towards Gaza. Checking these tracks are going according to what's been agreed. The IDF is assisting according to the deal, according to the agreement.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): What was the solution?

HAGARI (through translator): There was a talk about the length of time that the prisoner has served. I'm telling you what is on the agreement and we are fulfilling our part of the deal. This is the entering of trucks and prisoners. There are mediators. If there are gaps, we are talking about them and we will talk again tonight. We are progressing towards what's been agreed.

I'd like to clarify one thing, entering the trucks towards the south or the north of Gaza, this is according to the capabilities of the international organizations.

We are prepared in the operational spots regarding the ceasefire. Apart from that, our forces are preparing, refreshing towards next stages of the war. Regarding the tunnels, we are following intelligence, we are looking at high priority on Hamas leaders, wherever -- whoever they are.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Did Israel have any advanced intelligence about delaying the release by Hamas? Are the Houthis and Hezbollah shocked towards Israel or was it false alarm?

HAGARI (through translator): Regarding the alerts in the south, the information I have is that it was false alarm. We have intercepted and we are very cautious towards threats.

[15:15:00]

I'll tell you, it's important that the public understands, yesterday was the first 24 hours of this complex event of bringing back the hostages and there's an anticipation that everything will be as same -- the same every day. We need to be patient. This is a complex incident. Each 24 hours, such as this is an operation.

We have intelligence and operational headquarter, which the IDF led together with the Shin Bet and the Mossad. We are dealing with it 24 hours a day, leading these headquarters. The chief of staff appointed commanders, our intelligence, our operational people. We follow all the data in order to see that the hostages go through each stage. And only then we are updating the public.

We regard it as an operation and it doesn't necessarily mean that each day will be the same. You have to be patient. As much as I understand that the families are in huge pressure and hardship, this is why I urge to be patient. Each verified information we will give, but we will not give information which is not verified.

We commit to you that once things happen, we will deliver them officially.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Is the delay going to impact next stages of the deal? Are there any gaps left regarding the next days?

HAGARI (through translator): I said again, nothing is not -- is finished until it's actually happened. Despite yesterday events and the excitement, you need to be patient because each such 24 hours is an operation, talking about something that happens in Gaza with all of its complexities, which means the Red Cross, each -- the Egyptians, the Hamas, this is a complex event, complicated, and it doesn't happen like a precise clock. It doesn't mean anything about tomorrow or the day after.

We will do everything in order for things to happen as should the best they can so that people can get home. We will create the conditions for that, but it's a complicated thing with complicated players headed by a cruel terror organization with its own goals to create psychological pressure and other things.

Therefore, we need to be patient until things are happening, and we will update officially. Thank you very much and have a good week.

BLITZER: All right. So, there you heard Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, briefing us on this delay, this delay in the second batch of Israeli hostages and foreigners who were expected to be freed, but so far, they have not yet been freed.

Matthew, we were listening very closely to what he had to say, and his basic message was be patient. We're watching this very, very closely. We'll let you know what's going on. But clearly, he was accusing Hamas of engaging in what he called psychological pressure to try to get what they want. But he was also making it clear, I think, abundantly clear between his words, that Israel is getting ready for more military action if that is required to get the deal done and to try to destroy Hamas.

CHANCE: He definitely said that, and of course that's the Israeli position that once this deal is done, the military operation will resume. And he also, you know, said that if this deal breaks down, I mean, they're ready. They're standing ready to resume military operations in the Gaza Strip.

He didn't specifically repeat the threat that we were discussing earlier that at midnight tonight in just under two hours if the hostages aren't released that the military action will resume. So, that's a good thing, I think, in the sense that he was talking about significant progress. Yes, nothing's done until it's done, but there is a significant progress.

And he said that, you know, as far as he was concerned a deal is still in place, which I thought was also significant.

BLITZER: He said things are happening, and he was expressing his gratitude, I think, to both Egypt and Qatar for trying to make it happen, to make sure these Israeli hostages are about to be released.

CHANCE: Yes. But that's clearly what everybody wants. Everybody wants, as we were saying earlier, for this deal to continue night after night for as long as possible. Even that -- if that means painful releases from the point of view of the Israeli side, of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

[15:20:00]

The delivery of, you know, hundreds of trucks of relief aid into the Gaza Strip. If that means getting Israeli hostages out and the foreign nationals that are held hostages as well, then I think that a lot of people in Israel, the majority of people in Israel, perhaps want to see that continue.

BLITZER: Yes. He said there is an agreement, but at the same time he said, our forces, and I'm quoting him now, are preparing for the next stage of the war. So, he was clearly issuing that threat to Hamas. You guys better do what you promised you would be doing, otherwise get ready for what he called the next stage of this war.

CHANCE: That's right. And he also said, and I've got it noted down here, is that, you know, if they can't release the hostages through negotiations or through the deal, then they'll do it through other means. They'll do it through their operational means as well.

And so, look, you know, even if this deal only results in the release of 50 plus Israeli hostage, which is a lot, but that's what's currently on the table, there are still, you know, 190 more that are still in Gaza. And so, what Israel is saying there is that they will use whatever means are necessary, including military means, to get those hostages out in the end.

CHANCE: Jeremy Diamond is over on the border between Israel and Egypt and Gaza, not far away Kerem Shalom. He's watching all of this unfold.

It doesn't look like there's any traffic behind you. We were hoping we would see Red Cross cars and ambulances and vehicles bringing the hostages to where you are in Israel so they could be transported to hospitals elsewhere in Israel, around Tel Aviv, presumably. So far, nothing. It's empty over there, right?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. There is some press here waiting. There are military officials who are waiting. And what we expect is that once they cross into Egypt via that Rafah Crossing, they will travel less than two miles to the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is just over my shoulder here.

Those flashing lights that you see in the distance, that is the turn that that convoy would take if indeed they do come in tonight via the Kerem Shalom Crossing and they will come down this road, on their way to hospitals across Israel, on their way to meet their families for the first time.

Wolf, if there is such a moment of anticipation across this country tonight, as people are watching the news, are waiting to see if indeed this deal comes through. And it does come after a significant day during which we saw how fragile this temporary truce between Israel and Hamas is, how fragile this deal is for the -- to secure the release of these civilian hostages. We saw hours of negotiations trying to salvage this deal.

And tonight, as you just heard from the Israeli military spokesman, significant progress towards getting these hostages back. The Qatari government, of course, has said that there is indeed a deal that it will move forward tonight. But you also heard there from Daniel Hagari how fluid and how tenuous the situation is. He's made very clear that we are taking things night by night as they prepare to receive this latest group of civilian hostages, Wolf. They're also preparing for tomorrow and for the day after that.

But they know that there will be more bumps along the road. They know that there will be demands by Hamas or that there will be provisions in the agreement that one side or the other says are not being properly implemented. And so, there is so much about this, Wolf, that remains fragile. And I think today certainly showed everyone that that's the case.

BLITZER: Very fragile indeed. It's so much at stake right now. We're watching it very closely. Jeremy, stand by. We'll get back to you.

I want to go to CNN's Nada Bashir. She's near Ramallah on the West Bank, where they're watching all of this unfold because those Palestinian prisoners are not going to be released unless the second batch of Israeli hostages are freed. What are you seeing? What are you hearing over there now?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Look, there is certainly a lot of uncertainty here. We have in the last two hours or so seen that list of names finally being released, detailing the names of the Palestinian detainees and prisoners who are set to be released if indeed we do see the safe return of those hostages from Hamas captivity today.

Among that list of 39, it was originally 42, according to officials this morning, now, according to the Palestinian Prisoner Society, 39 set to be released, including 33 teenagers and six women. The vast majority of them are from the occupied West Bank. And we've been hearing from families who were gathering here from the early hours of this afternoon, despite the fact that they didn't have confirmation yet. Many of them desperately hoping that their sons, daughters, their brothers and sisters would be among those listed.

[15:25:00]

Today, we have been speaking to one family who have now found out that their 16-year-old son who was held under administrative detention for seven months, that means no charge laid against him, no ongoing legal process, they have now had confirmation that he is on tonight's list, but that they are waiting to see whether or not he is, in fact, released.

And of course, as you mentioned, Wolf, that release is dependent on the safe return of those hostages tonight. We did earlier this morning, see three buses carrying prisoners, entering the Ofer Prison. That is where they will be held until we get that confirmation of return of those Israeli hostages.

They will undergo checks by the Red Cross. And that Red Cross organization and the teams on the ground will then coordinate a convoy which will transport the detainees and prisoners onwards. Many of them through the Beitunia Crossing into the occupied West Bank where they will be returned to their families.

And of course, yesterday, we saw a huge amount of celebration, of course, from the -- Beitunia neighborhood, many of the families and locals together celebrating the first batch of prisoners and detainees released. We have seen a slightly smaller crowds today because of that uncertainty, but it is certainly beginning to get quite busy here outside the Elvira municipality where we are anticipating some of those detainees and prisoners will be transported to if indeed we do see that release tonight.

BLITZER: All right. Nada Bashir near Ramallah out of the West Bank watching all of this unfold. We'll stay in very close touch with you as well.

Qatar says the hostages in Gaza who are set to be released today, let's hope they are, include eight children. We're going to talk to a UNICEF representative about this and much more right after a quick break.

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BLITZER: Part of this very important truce agreement is an increase in aid flowing into Gaza. A spokesperson for the Rafah Border Crossing, which connects Egypt and Gaza, says at least 133 aid trucks have entered Gaza so far just today. But top aid organizations are warning that is not enough to help the families caught in the middle of this war.

Right now, I want to bring in James Elder. He's a spokesperson for UNICEF, The United Nations Children's Fund. James, thanks so much for joining us. I know you're in Gaza. You've been to the hospitals. You've met with the families. Can you describe for us briefly what life is like for the children in Gaza right now?

JAMES ELDER, UNICEF SPOKESPERSON: Hi, Wolf. It's absolutely ghastly. I knew things were bad here. I didn't imagine they were this bad. I don't go anywhere without hearing a story of someone who's lost a loved one. I was at the hospital today. It's a war zone, Wolf. There are children coming, they've been up in Shifa Hospital in the north and it's taken them days to get down here.

I got onto the bus and it's just a stench because children have had limbs blown off and they spent three days, I'm sorry to have to describe it like that, but that's what it is. They've spent three days on a bus with their decomposing limbs. So, it's just a stench and the scream of kids. The hospital is full of this.

And Wolf, I'm in the South. I'm in the South during a pause in fighting. It's hard to imagine what this is like for people in the North. So, the thousands of children that have been killed and the many thousand more with these horrendous wounds of war that burn victims, I can't get out of my mind. And of course, Wolf, the hundreds of thousands of children who will be sleeping very rough tonight and it's getting cold. This is their reality and this is apparently on a relatively good day.

BLITZER: What kind of work, James, are your teams on the ground, your UNICEF teams, on the ground doing during this temporary pause in the fighting? What is your -- what is the top priority right now?

ELDER: I think there's probably three, Wolf. One is the aid, as you rightly say, getting a lot of aid to the north as much as possible. Big convoy today, you know, biggest convoys we've seen since the resumption of aid more than a month ago. That's critical. That's medical supplies, that's blankets, that's warm, that's water. Water is such a life source here. I can't begin to say the shortages are so critical. So, many children are falling sick. And if this war continues, if it starts again. We risk losing a lot more children from that.

We're trying to reunite children with families, that's really critical. And look, we're trying to use the highest officers and influence around the world to ensure this war does not continue in a few days time. When you see the devastation brought upon children, it feels cold and very --

BLITZER: We think we may have lost our connection with James. Unfortunately, connections between here and Gaza are not that good right now. We'll stay in close touch with him. We'll try to continue this conversation down the road. James Elder is a spokesperson for UNICEF, the United Nations Children's fund. We'll get more from him if we can reconnect.

Meanwhile, Qatar officials are saying everything is back on track with the hostage release process after this unexpected delay by Hamas earlier in the day. Our breaking news coverage will continue right after a very quick break.

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BLITZER: We're monitoring the breaking news that's developing right now. CNN has learned a convoy of Egyptian ambulances and a bus are moving towards the Gaza side of the Rafah Border Crossing. They're set to transport 20 hostages expected to be released by Hamas. That exchange is set to happen, we are now told, at any moment.

CNN's Clarissa Ward is over at Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv for us. Clarissa, what are you seeing there at this late hour? This hostage release was supposed to take place hours ago, but it's now been delayed, delayed, and delayed. What are you seeing there now?

CLARISSA WARD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's been a lot of anticipation here, definitely, Wolf. We know that some of the family members of the hostages who are anticipated to be released later tonight are actually here in the hospital. And you could imagine how agonizing the last few hours have been for them, where it appears to have been sort of touch and go, as to whether this would happen or not. Now, we have a sense that things are apparently back on track.

And you can probably see behind me, there's a heightened security presence here. They formed a barricade. And it's expected that the ambulance with those hostages, once they are freed, will basically pull into this area of the Sheba Medical Center, this is the largest hospital in Israel.

[15:40:00]

And you can see that entrance over there, they have constructed a sort of makeshift screen, if you will, to protect the privacy of those hostages. Of course, at least several of them are expected to be children. We saw this as well last night on the helipad at the Schneider Children's Medical Center, Wolf, when they arrived. They put up screens so that those minors, in particular, could be led off the helicopter with some degree of privacy.

There is a lot of thought and a lot of sensitivity that has gone into the planning for this. We saw that last night as well. We spoke to one of the officials here at the Sheba Hospital who said they have been practicing drills for this for a month now. They didn't know what form it would take. They tried out a lot of different scenarios, but basically it is weeks and weeks that they have been planning and prepping to get this moment right.

They have special staff handpicked, a social worker, a nurse, a doctor for each individual family. The top psychiatrists who specialize in dealing with children and with trauma. And of course, everyone here understands the degree to which some of these children coming here may not yet understand. The full ramifications of what happened on October 7th. They have -- they may have had family members who were murdered on October 7th and not know that -- about that yet. So, a lot of sensitivity has gone into creating guidelines. We also saw those from the Israeli Ministry for Welfare, offering them to IDF soldiers saying, listen, if children ask you, where is mommy, where is daddy, where is grandma? Don't answer them. Just tell them, sorry, sweetheart. I can't answer that question, but I'm taking you to a safe place where you will be reunited with people you know and they can tell you more.

At the same time, Wolf, it's kind of interesting when you talk to some of the psychiatrists and psychologists who are here, they say it is very important not to wait too long to break that bad news to them because as soon as they come back home and they have access once again to media and to, obviously, the public, they are bound to start finding out. So, it's a question of doing it in the most tender way possible and in the most professional setting as possible. And that is what officials at this hospital are focused on right now, Wolf.

BLITZER: So tender, so sensitive, and so heartbreaking at the same time. Clarissa Ward, we'll get back to you shortly. Thank you very much.

CNN's Oren Liebermann is over at what's become known as Hostages Square here in Tel Aviv. Oren, how are people there responding to these late breaking developments?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a massive rally here wrapped up just a short time ago. Thousands, and I feel confident to say tens of thousands of people filled the square here. The road in front of us right near, the Defense Ministry was closed as well. That was packed with people here. And over and over again, the thing we kept hearing from the speakers was, now, now, now. Bring them home now. They were aware that there were delays here. I think they were hoping they could all celebrate together. The release of another 13 Israeli hostages from Gaza and their entry into Israel again.

So, certainly some disappointment that they weren't able to do that as one big, essentially, what has become an extended family. And yet we had the chance to speak with some of the families of the hostages, those who remain hostages. Even now they still say, look, we feel joy because at least this process has begun. And some of us, using that larger family reference again, can celebrate. They wait for the time where they, too, hopefully, can celebrate.

We also spoke with one of the family members of the youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas (ph). And he said, look, he didn't want to come here at first. It's incredibly difficult to see the other families of the hostages and to be here.

But in the end, he felt it was important. Plus, of course, he had the support of thousands of Israelis here backing him and supporting him. We've also seen here over the course of the past couple days the names and faces of those who were hostage broadcast on the wall. The first 13 of those changed to return to Israel. They look forward to the next 13 changing even if it's late, late tonight.

BLITZER: Oren Liebermann reporting from Tel Aviv. Oren, thank you very much.

Our breaking news coverage will continue right after this quick break.

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[15:45:00]

WHITFIELD: CNN has learned a convoy of Egyptian ambulances and a bus are now moving toward the Gaza side of the Rafah Border Crossing. They are set to transport 20 hostages expected to be released by Hamas. And it follows a dispute that delayed the transfer of this second group of hostages for hours. The exchange is expected to happen at any time now.

Let's bring in Bob Baer. He's a former CIA operative who served in the Middle East. Good to see you, Bob. So, Israel blames Hamas playing mind games, Hamas alleges Israel not holding up to its end of the deal by allowing the promised amount of humanitarian aid into certain areas. Are these the kind of wrinkles that you anticipated?

BOB BAER, FORMER CIA OPERATIVE: Yes, with these hostage negotiations, especially since they're done indirectly through three different countries, including the United States. Yes, there's always hitches in it. But at the same time, Fred, it's the advantage of Hamas to spread this out, because the longer this goes on months, for instance, the more the situation will remain, the status quo, as it is now. And in effect, Hamas believes it will have won.

WHITFIELD: So, how is that advantageous when Israel, they just reiterated it today during a press conference that, you know, their objective is to take out Hamas.

[15:50:00]

And if, for any reason, this truce doesn't last in the four days, Israel is in a position to resume what it was doing.

BAER: Well, I think you're right, Fred. What's going to happen is if this comes to a standstill, my guess is Israel will resume its offensive, and in the south as well. There's no way that a government in Tel Aviv can allow the two heads of Hamas, Sinwar and Abu ad-Dhaif, Mohamed ad-Dhaif, to survive this. These are the ones who organized the attack. And politically, it's impossible for Israel. So, one way or another, I imagine this war will continue. It doesn't matter how many hostages are released at this point.

WHITFIELD: Qatar has played a key role in obtaining this agreement and keeping it on track. You know, why are they, or that country, why is that country in a good position to pay -- play peace broker here?

BAER: Well, in simplistic terms, both Qatar is favorable to the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas is the Muslim Brotherhood. Not only that, but Qatar over the years, has rebuilt Gaza time and time again. It's poured money into Gaza. It -- it's trusted by Hamas. The leadership is -- personally knows the leaders of Qatar, the foreign minister in particular. So, they're the only possible intermediaries, to a degree, Egypt, but nothing like Qatar.

WHITFIELD: All right. Bob Baer, we'll leave it there for now. Thanks so much. Great to see you.

Our breaking news coverage continues right after this.

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[15:55:00]

WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back. We're learning that the released hostages did provide at least one Israeli family some proof their abducted loved one is still alive. The freed hostages, the family stress are an urgent reminder that the remaining 213 still captive must be saved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NOAM PERI, ELDERLY FATHER KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS: I can tell you this morning that we have a sign of life from my father. We know he's alive from other people from the community who were released yesterday. It brings a lot of hope and yet together it's -- we feel very urgent to let them all out. We don't know how much time they're going to be able to hold on there.

NADAV RUDAEFF, FATHER WITH HEART CONDITION KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS: I was very happy to hear from Noam that they do have some sort of a sign that her dad is still alive. Unfortunately, I don't have that privilege. And the fact that we are still here 50 days later, trying to convince and demand the communities in Israel and around the world to come forth and help us bringing the pressure for everyone to be released. It's very important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. The woman you heard, Noam Peri, was thankful for the release of her mother, Hana (ph), yesterday. Noam also said she has not received official confirmation about the status of her father.

Our special coverage continues right after this.

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