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Freed Hostages Arrive In Israel; Qatar Says 39 Palestinian Prisoners To Be Released Today; 17 Hostages Released On Day 3 Of Truce. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired November 26, 2023 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:48]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. And welcome. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta, alongside my colleagues Wolf Blitzer and Fareed Zakaria. We'll get to them in a moment.

We begin with this breaking news. The third group of hostages released by Hamas is now safe in Israel, ending an excruciating 50 days of imprisonment for them.

And here they are, in all, there were 17 handed over to the Red Cross a short time ago, including 13 Israeli citizens and, for the first time in this-limited four-day truce, an American was also among the freed hostages. Four-year-old Abigail Edan is now safe. She was the youngest of the Americans captured by Hamas on October 7th.

Let's send it over to Wolf Blitzer in Tel Aviv.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Thanks very much, Fred. This is an important day indeed. We have a team of our correspondents covering all the latest developments.

First, I want to go to CNN's Jeremy Diamond. He's joining us from Urim in Israel.

Jeremy, I understand you saw this convoy of the hostages pass through your area very quickly, but only a little while ago. Tell us more about how this transfer actually took place?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, that's exactly right, Wolf. That is the first night that is really civilians were recently freed from captivity with Hamas actually entered Israel, not via that Kerem Shalom crossing where we've been the past two nights near the Israel- Gaza-Egypt's border, but instead, coming in through central Gaza directly into Israel, not passing through Egypt. So, our understanding is the reason that happened, because of the medical emergency involving one of those newly-freed hostages who is actually medically evacuated by helicopter, directly to a hospital.

But the other 12 of those recently freed hostages, Wolf, we saw them come straight down this road here. Coming from that point along the Israel Gaza border, and headed in this direction straight towards that Hatzerim airbase, where on the first night of hostage release, we also saw those newly-freed hostages going to that airbase, from there, Wolf, we expected there would be taking helicopters to hospitals across Israel.

These hospitals have been preparing for days for these newly-freed hostages to arrive. Their families are waiting for them at those hospitals. We've seen, over the last few days, as they have stayed there with their families in many cases, surrounded by medical, psychological, social support, a whole range of services being offered to them after this very traumatic experience of nearly 50 days for many of them of captivity with Hamas.

Of course, Wolf, among the 13 hostages who were freed today from captivity, those Israelis were part of that deal between Israel and Hamas, nine of them are children or teenagers. One of them, of course, is little Abigail Edan, the four-year-old Israeli American citizen, who, of course, we hear the president earlier tonight speaking about her case directly, talking about the efforts that his administration in the Israeli government underwent to try and secure her release.

Finally, tonight, Wolf, she is freed from captivity. She is now back firmly on Israeli soil. Unfortunately, Wolf, it's important remember, she is also orphaned because Hamas terrorists killed her family on October 7th. But, nonetheless, Wolf, finally freed from the nightmare that she faced over these last 50 days of captivity.

BLITZER: Jeremy Diamond, thank you very much. We'll get back to you. I know you're working the story very, very closely.

I want to go to CNN's Matthew Chance right now. He's over the Schneider children's Medical Center here in Tel Aviv.

Matthew, we understand the hostages will go there, that's where you are. Tell us what you know about what is about to happen?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Wolf, we think some of the hostages are going to be coming here, there can be flown here, we understand, by helicopter. What we've learned over the past couple of days, it's very complex logistical operation. Things can change. Until they actually arrive here on a helicopter, we'll have to keep an open mind.

But we are standing here outside the Schneider Children's medical facility. You can see the flashing lights right behind me, the green lights on the floor.

[13:05:04]

You might have to make up the ambulances as well. That's the helipad. And so, if they are coming in by helicopter, we will see them right here.

And, of course, according to the hostage forum, Hostage Family Support Forum, rather, we're told that Israeli U.S. citizen Abigail Edan is one of the hostages. Four-year-old who will be brought to this Schneider Children's Hospital, but others as well.

There have been nine children, of course, that are being released as part of this third group of hostages under this hostage deal that have been set free. They are coming into a remarkably different world to the one that was so violently torn out of. For instance, Abigail Edan, that U.S. Israeli citizen, just four years old, her family have said that it's not clear to them that she is even aware that she is now an orphan. Her family, her parents, her mother and her father, were killed in Kfar Aza, the kibbutz where they lived anywhere from which she was snatched back on October the 7th.

There's another family as well, the Almog family, one of those, the adults, Chen Goldstein-Almog and her three children were also be coming out. They've lost family members as well. The father of those children, one of the sisters, of those children, have also been killed., wre also killed on October the 7th. We're also waiting to see the broad itch family.

I've spoken to the father, Abbe Brodutch, also from Kfar Aza, most of these hostages, all of, them being released, there from that one settlement close to the border with Gaza.

You know, he lost both of them has lost his wife and his three children were abducted by Hamas -backed over the seventh. He is very relieved, he told us earlier by text message, that they are on that list. They will now be coming home this evening. So, yes, a lot of good news, a lot of positive news that we're waiting for here. It's going to be, as always, changed with the tragedy and the sadness that many of these lives, many of these families, have been shattered -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Matthew Chance, we'll get back to, you thank you very much.

CNN's Oren Liebermann joining us right now, just north of Tel Aviv, where we are.

Oren, what do we know more about the today's release of hostages? You're getting an update?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I'm going to pick up right where Matthew Chance left off, speaking of the community just outside -- where many of those released today were from, this, the kibbutz were at north of Tel Aviv, is where members of that community have come since they can't return to their own homes. This is where they've set up in a hole here behind me with a big screen, watching the release of their friends, their community, the members of their loved ones from the hands of Hamas in captivity in Gaza.

We spoke with one woman who described the last seven weeks as a hell. She said, 61 people from the small community of Kfar Aza were buried. She had to go, at one, point to eight funerals in one day. Because of the amount of people murdered there on October 7th in the Hamas terror attack. That list, she says, includes her husband.

Today, finally, after seven weeks of darkness, seven weeks of what she called hell, this was a bit of joy, a bit of light for all these people here. All of these families, who have waited to hear word of what happened to their friends, their loved ones, their families who are held inside of Gaza. They had no updates over the course of the past several weeks. They set up here, first, to be together, second, also to see the latest updates from Israeli news, as the pictures, as the videos came out. We have repeatedly heard applause from the room behind us.

The joy here finally to see these families, finally coming out of Gaza, the hostages released, and it is such a relief and a reason for rejoice after so much darkness for the communities and the families of Kfar Aza -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And, it's important for us to point out, Oren, I want you to do this, it's not just Hamas. There are efforts underway to return hostages held by other groups as well, right?

LIEBERMANN: Correct. This is one of the true complicating factors in these negotiations. It's unclear to us, and that includes Israeli, the U.S., even the Qataris, don't have a solid answer on how many hostages in Gaza are in the hands of Hamas. How many are in the hands of other organizations or other groups. That makes these far harder.

In fact, one of the reasons Hamas needed more time, at least according to what they say, is because they needed to round up the hostages to be able to release them. That raises the question of how much leverage does Hamas have over the other groups in Gaza holding these hostages?

[13:10:02]

Is it able to secure the release of all of them? That's a key question to watch here, especially if the mediators here, the Qataris, the U.S., are able to extend the pause in the fighting, does Hamas have trouble rounding up and being able to secure the hostages to be able to release them? That's a fundamental question that has not been answer with certainty, Wolf.

BLITZER: Oren Liebermann, thanks very much. Oren is in Shefayim, Israel, not far away from Tel Aviv.

I want to go to Larry Madowo right now. He's in Cairo for us.

Larry, there's word that Egypt, Qatar, and United States are working now to extend this temporary truce. I know you're getting more information. What's happening on that front?

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESOPNDENT: That is a possibility, Wolf. We've also reported on CNN, it was always a chance that this temporary truce could be extended. And a spokesperson for the foreign ministry in Qatar telling CNN, they're hoping they could use the momentum from this past three days to extend this truce for a longer period.

In the last hour, we got some confirmation that it is really ambassador to the U.S., telling Dana Bash, that was always part of this deal. If Hamas can release ten more hostages, they could get another extra day in a truce. For every ten more hostages they can buy another day.

They need this. I'm sure they suddenly do, because of the suffering that the people in Gaza have gone through and for the Israelis, they would welcome this, that means hostage hot more hostages can be released. There's still about 200 hostages that remain in Hamas. These other groups, like Oren which is talking about.

So, I think both sides would welcome an extension of this truce, but as we've seen, especially what we saw yesterday, when it was delayed because of some disagreement that Hamas was not happy about, it's not done until it's done. Even if they do agree to it, they will always one side of the other accused the other of violating it.

This Qatari ministry of foreign affairs spokesman saying so, it's a tenuous troops, but still a glimmer of hope that it could be extended, if Hamas can agree to it, and Israel can agree to it, Wolf.

BLITZER: Big ifs, indeed. Larry, I understand if hundreds of aid trucks have actually entered Gaza since this truce, this temporary truce, started. Humanitarian groups say that much more is needed to address the enormous humanitarian crisis that's underway in Gaza right now.

Tell our viewers we are learning about that?

MADOWO: Wolf, the U.N. agency in Gaza says they would need at least 200 trucks coming into Gaza for two months to meet the needs of the population there. So far, the quota as part of the temporary truce, a lot of 200 trucks to come in. And they've almost, they hit almost that on Saturday, 187 trucks came in. The Egyptians told us today that at least 120 trucks were allowed into Gaza, and the Palestinian Red Crescent has confirmed that at least 100 trucks made it to northern Gaza, which is the sticking point during the disagreement with Hamas yesterday.

And Northern Gaza is where the most in need is. There's a fear that dehydration could be breaking out there. Some diseases could be breaking out there because food has run out. Water has run out. And in a country where 1.7 million people are displaced, this -- every amount of food, and fuel, and water, and cooking gas coming in is in Italy snapped up. That's why you see people scrambling to pick up whatever pieces they can get as soon as the trucks drive into Gaza.

But at the same time, with the pause in fighting, you see people go back to the markets, long lines outside fuel stations to try to get some cooking gas or fuel, people going back to the markets, hoping to pick up essentials that they have not been able to do it almost 50 days because of that fighting. So much relief, as you can see, from this one individual.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UM IHAB, GAZA RESIDENT (through translator): For 47 days of war, we were living in fear. Our kids were terrified. This was the first time we went out. We were afraid to go out, because of the missiles and the airstrikes. Since the first day of the cease-fire, we have been able to go out, to buy our needs safely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Larry, we're going to get back to you. Standby, I want to CNN's Arlette Saenz right now. She's joining us

from Nantucket, Massachusetts, that's where President Biden has been spending this Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Arlette, an American citizen, a little four-year-old precious little girl, Abigail Edan, is among the hostages released today. This is such great news. Tell our viewers, first of, all of the president in the White House are reacting to this news?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, President Biden celebrated the release of four-year-old Abigail Edan, telling reporters here in Nantucket that she is she's finally free and safely in Israel. President Biden spoke about what she endured in her captivity, but also on October 7th, when her parents were killed by Hamas, her two siblings also there, but survived.

[13:15:06]

The president said that she has gone through terrible trauma, and what she's experienced is unthinkable. She added that he and the first lady will be praying that she will be okay. Now, this comes as the White House had been working around the clock, trying to secure not just her release, but the release also of other Americans currently still being held hostage in Gaza.

There are two women that the U.S. has been hopeful that they would also be able to get out as part of this negotiated release to release about 50 women and children over this four-day pause. The president told reporters today, he's still hopeful to get those Americans, those two women American citizens out. He did not have anything for him to offer on whether he believed they would be part of the release, that is expected to move forward tomorrow.

President Biden also used this speech as an opportunity to state that it is his goal that this pause be extended even longer. He talked about how Israel had initially agreed to the fact that they would extend the four-day pause one day for every ten hostages that Hamas would release. Officials this morning said that, ultimately, the ball is in Hamas's court.

But take a listen to President Biden outlying why he thinks this plan is working.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's still structured so that it can be extended to keep building on these results. That's my goal, that's our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow. So that we can continue to see more hostages come out, and more humanitarian relief into those who need it in Gaza. We've seen, this is a day-by-day approach, hour by hour process, nothing is guaranteed, and nothing is being taken for granted.

But the proof that this is working, and worth pursuing further, isn't every smile and every grateful tear we see on the faces of those families who are finally getting back together again. The proof is little Abigail, more than 20 other children, 18 years and younger, have been released. They've been released through this deal as well.

They have endured a terrible ordeal. They can now begin the long journey towards healing. I'm going to continue working with the emir of Qatar, President Sisi of Egypt, and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, to do everything possible to see the hostage freed, all the hostages.

I'm grateful for the personal partnership, as we pursue this deal from each of those men I just mentioned. As we work together to see all this implemented, and now, to try to extend it further. I'll continue working with all our partners to take the hard but necessary steps to build an integrated, more prosperous and more peaceful future in the region.

A two-state solution it's the only way to guarantee a long term security of both Israelis and Palestinian people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, President Biden also said he would be speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today on the next steps, for, now the White House is welcoming and celebrating the release of four-year-old Abigail Edan.

The president vowing that the U.S. will continue to do all they can to get those remaining hostages out.

BLITZER: Let's hope that happens, and happens soon. Arlette Saenz reporting for us, Arlette, thank you very much.

Right, now I want to bring in CNN's Fareed Zakaria, the host of "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS".

Fareed, thanks so much for joining us today.

Today's hostage release seem to go so much more smoothly than the one yesterday did, which was delayed for hour after hour after hour. What do you make of this new development, much more encouraging development?

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST: I think, in general, it seems as though the three countries that President Biden mentioned, negotiating through Qatar with Hamas, have managed to work out some kind of practical arrangements that involve some of the reporters said, some of these hostages may not have been taken by Hamas, but by Islamic jihad. They may have had to be rounded up. There were issues about whether the aid convoys were actually getting into Gaza, whether they were getting all the way to the north, which Israel still regards as a war zone.

So, those were all kinks. I think if you look at the history of the truces between Hamas and Israel, this one is holding pretty well, and is delivering results. The real challenge, of course, it really is simply a temporary, very, very much needed and humanitarian pause and every sense of the word, you see the joy of the families being reunited, but where does it leave things? You know, at the end of the day, after three, four, 57 days, you're

back to where you were, which is Israel has a strategy where it says it wants to eliminate Hamas, which means a ferocious military campaign will begin again.

[13:20:01]

Large numbers of Palestinian civilian casualties. Where does that take us?

BLITZER: As you know, Fareed, there is an American finally among the latest group of hostages who are released. Little four-year-old, very precious little four-year-old, Abigail Edan. Why do you think it took until this third round of hostage releases for an American finally to be included? And what do you think the prospects are for other Americans who are still being held captive?

ZAKARIA: I've been trying to figure out whether there was any rhyme or reason to the nationality of the people who have been released. It's not clear that there is. A group of Thai hostages were released. But some of the Israelis, I think, some of the Americans are dual passport holders, so they may be being viewed in differently. But it's not even clear what that would mean, because they are releasing a lot of Israelis.

So I have not been able to figure out whether there is a rationale, as you know, Hamas holds the United States responsible because of all the military aid it gives Israel. So, perhaps there's some desire to, quote/unquote, punish the American hostages more by holding the back.

But honestly, Wolf, this is part of the challenge of dealing with Hamas, which is a terrorist organization with which very few countries have relations. So you're getting everything third hand through Qatar. Even the Qataris do not have very strong relations with them.

So, it's part of the challenge here, the lines of communication are not that clean.

BLITZER: Good point.

As you know, Fareed, President Biden, when he spoke just a little while ago, he said he wasn't sure when more Americans would be released. What do you think the fine line that the president is trying to walk right now involves?

ZAKARIA: It's a very fine line. President Biden has staked his political capital on a strategy. Which is to be very supportive of Israel, hug the Israelis, be there in their hour of need and trauma. But then quietly, and I emphasize quietly, counsel them to take a wiser course than the one they're taking.

We have good reports that suggest that President Biden told Prime Minister Netanyahu not to go for an all out massive ground invasion of Gaza. Not to use as much firepower as they have used. To be more targeted, more discreet, to make getting the hostages back, the primary goal. Prime Minister Netanyahu has, so far, not, as far as I can tell, who

really listened. He's pocketed the support and pushed back on the pressure. How President Biden would handle that has things go forward, you notice in every conversation President Biden has, every statement, he mentions that he wants to get to a political strategy here, which is a two state solution.

What he's trying to say, look, we want to be very clear. A violent militant armed resistance that Hamas represents is completely off the table. And will be dealt with brutally. We want to keep alive the political hope, the political aspirations for the Palestinian people, and the political track.

Now, that is not a view that Prime Minister Netanyahu holds. For 15 years, Prime Minister Netanyahu has tried to do everything he can to make the two-state solution impossible, in part, by among other things, building up Hamas to divide the Palestinians. He led in more workers from Gaza through a tacit agreement with Hamas. He allowed the Qataris to fund Hamas.

So there's a real contradiction coming up between American strategy and political strategy and Prime Minister Netanyahu's approach. And for a while, with all these temporary pauses, this can can get kicked down the road, but it won't get kicked down the road forever.

BLITZER: Important point. Fareed, I want you to stay with us. I have more questions for you. We're going to talk about where the conflict could be headed. That's coming up next, as our live special coverage of today's hostage release continues.

And later, my exclusive sit-down interview with the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog. More of that interview coming up. Stay with us. You're watching our special live coverage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:28:52]

BLITZER: I'm Wolf Blitzer in Tel Aviv, along with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, the host of "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS".

Fareed, when President Biden spoke just a while ago, he reiterated his call for a two-state solution, a new state of Palestine for the Palestinians to live alongside the state of Israel.

Are we in a political climate right now where that could even be put on the table?

ZAKARIA: That's a terrific question, Wolf, because on the one hand it seems the worst possible time to be doing it. Israel is genuinely traumatized I think they feel that their core security has been violated by act of brutality and barbarism.

On the other hand, Palestinians also have lost hope, because for the last 50 years to 60 years, these right-wing governments in Israel have built settlements, arrested Palestinians, confiscated a land, and shown no interest in trying to partner with the Palestinian authority, for example, to find some path to a Palestinian state. So both sides are at a moment of great despair.

[13:30:02]

On the other hand, what all this violence, and the eruption of violence shows, is that you can't kick this can down the road forever, that there is a problem here that you have five and a half million Palestinians who live between the West Bank and Gaza and there has to be some political path for them to have political rights to have what they want which is their own state, and if you don't do that, it's -- you know, life is not going to go on as normal.

So in a sense, what President Biden I think is hoping is. That that reality, this is been a wake up call on many dimensions. A wake up call about the brutality of Hamas, and the need to confront it, and really deal militarily and forcefully with it, but of also the reality that you need to deal politically and diplomatically with this other issue.

President Biden is hoping that in some ways, the wake up call allows for some kind of reset. Whether or not that will happen largely depends on whether the Israeli public is willing to listen to that message. Richard Haass on my program, veteran American diplomat, suggests that President Biden go to Jerusalem, make a speech at the Knesset, go over the head of the prime minister to the Israeli people, look, your long term security depends on some resolution to this problem.

It would take something like that, because certainly Prime Minister Netanyahu has had ample opportunities to move down this path, and he hasn't, and the left in Israel is in tatters. I mean, the party, you know, the labor party that dominated for the first four or five decades of its existence, I think is under five or six seats in the Knesset.

So you have to find some kind of centrist coalition to appeal to, and the reason I say it depends on Israel fundamentally is that Israel has all the power in the situation. Israel, on the ground, is vastly (INAUDIBLE). It is Israel's decision whether or not to do something like this, keeping in mind that Israel has extreme fears, concerns, about a Palestinian state, and about its own security in that context, as has been amply illustrated by what happened a month ago.

So, it's a very thorny situation but I think the Biden strategy is that in a strange way, the crisis produces perhaps an opportunity.

BLITZER: And it reminds me, Fareed, and you'll remember this as well, because we both lived through that era, when Israel was surprised in 1973, what was called the Yom Kippur War, when Egypt and Syria launched out surprise attack on Israel, what happened after that war? Israel managed to survive, obviously.

But Anwar Sadat, made a dramatic announcement that he was ready to make peace with Israeli and go to Jerusalem, addressed the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and talk about establishing peace between Israel and Egypt. What happened? Even after that war, when Egypt, the largest of all of the Arab countries, potentially at that point the greatest threat to Israel, announced that they want to make peace with Israel. They made peace with Israel, the Camp David Accords, Jimmy Carter was involved in that, and there's a peace treaty that still exists to this very day between Israel and Egypt, even after that war.

And so, some Israelis have been saying to me over those past couple days that have been here, maybe now, even after this horrible Hamas attack, there could still be some sort of reconciliation, some sort of arrangement that potentially could lead to what President Biden keeps talking about, this two-state solution. Let me get your thoughts on that?

ZAKARIA: I think you outlined it very well, Wolf, and you know that history very well. And one thing that underscore is that people forget now, but as you said, Egypt was the principal threat to Israel in those days. The Egyptian army was the, great army, the great Arab army that they Israelis worried about, and war-gamed against.

So the fact that you are getting peace with Egypt, which was in those days a sort of pre-oil money days still, was seismic. Egypt was the natural leader of the Arab world. What made that possible was that you had an Arab leader who is really willing to take a chance. Sadat was really as an extraordinary leader.

I think I've been pointing out that Israel has been riddled (ph) by right wing leaders who have not wanted to make peace. It is important to point out that the Palestinians have not been led by a Sadat, and that's one of the great tragedies, perhaps there are some -- they say, as you know, some people say that Palestinian Marwan Barghouti who sits in jail in Israel, might be a person like that.

[13:35:08]

But for the last 20 or 30 years, one of the great tragedies for the Palestinian people is that they have not had a Sadat.

BLITZER: Yeah, Anwar Sadat was an amazing, amazing man. I remember -- I went to Cairo right after he addressed the Israeli Knesset, it was one of the momentous moments in my career.

Fareed, thank you very, very much. We'll continue this conversation, to be sure.

I want to take a quick break, but our special live breaking news coverage of all of these historic events unfolding right now, will continue right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. I'm Frederica Whitfield. We'll get back to Wolf Blitzer in a moment.

You're looking at images from just moments ago in Ramallah. These are some of the Palestinian prisoners released today. Qatar says Israel is releasing 39 Palestinian prisoners.

[13:40:03]

CNN's Nada Bashir has more on the reaction to the homecoming, and in the occupied West Bank.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Carried to the crowds, celebrated by thousands of Palestinians. These boys are among 33 teenagers released from Israeli prisons on Saturday.

This is, for many here in the occupied West Bank, a moment of hope. And for those now freed, a moment of utter relief.

IBRAHIM WALID TAAMRI, FREED PALESTINIAN PRISONER (through translator): I'm so happy. I can't believe this is real. I don't even know what to say.

BASHIR: This scene, a product of a delicate four-day truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, set to see 150 Palestinian prisoners and detainees released, and at least 50 Israeli hostages free from Hamas captivity in Gaza. There are many Palestinian families who will still be waiting anxiously to hear if their loved one will to be freed.

That Tamimi family, seen here on Saturday, has rallied for months, calling for the release of 17-year-old Wisam (ph). He was seriously injured by Israeli forces, and later arrested in June, accused by Israel of offenses, including possessing a weapon. But he was never charged. Now he and his family are finally together again.

HUNAIDA TAMIMI, MOTHER OF FREED PALESTINIAN PRISONER: I can't describe to you how I'm feeling right now. I honestly can't believe it. I feel like I'm in a dream.

My son is finally with me. I think God and pray that every mother will be able to feel this joy. I pray God grants the Palestinian people this happiness. We just want to be able to smile and laugh together of.

BASHIR: Many of those now released are among the over 3,000 Palestinians held under administrative detention, meaning no charges have been made against them, and no ongoing legal process. Israel says some of those released were being held on terror or weapon charges.

But in a list published by Israeli authorities, of 300 women and children eligible for release, throwing stones in the harming regional security were among the most common charges.

DR. MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, PALESTINIAN POLITICIAN: There are children here who have been in jail for eight years, for five years, six years. It's unacceptable. Many of them now have huge psychological (AUDIO GAP) because of the torture, at least psychological torture, because of the way they were interrogated. It is a terrible atrocity that is practiced against these children.

BASHIR: For the crowds gathered here in the occupied West Bank, this celebration, they say, is a symbol of justice, bringing thousands of Palestinians together to share in the joy of now reunited families.

But for many, that joy is coupled with grief, with pain felt deeply here, for the people of Gaza.

JANNA JIHAD, COUSIN OF FREED PALESTINIAN PRISONER: We are extremely happy, but still overwhelmed, and extremely saddened by everything going on here in Palestine. At the same time, still resilience, to keep going with whatever we can do, in order to hopefully achieve a cease-fire, and hopefully later on a full liberation.

BASHIR: Nada Bashir, CNN, in Ramallah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much, Nada, for that report.

CNN has reached out to the Israeli prison service for comment on allegations of abuse in detention.

We're also following developments out of Gaza. A third group of hostages was released today. We are live in the region, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:48:02]

BLITZER: We're back following all the breaking news in the Israel- Hamas war.

Earlier today, I had a chance to sit down in Jerusalem with the Israeli President Isaac Herzog, for an exclusive interview where he shared what other nations around the world must do in order to achieve regional stability here in the Middle East.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Given the stakes involved, do you see Israel effectively reoccupying Gaza?

PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG, ISRAEL: So, it's not effectively reoccupying Gaza, because there must be, and there will be also international involvement, Palestinian involvement, Israeli involvement.

These things have to be worked out, and they are only now starting to discuss these things. Basically, starting from the United States of America, Europe, the relevant Arab countries will have a say in the ability both to mediate as well as to help, and regional forces, and the Palestinians, and the Israelis. I'm not now painting the exact solution. It's not under my domain. I'm the head of state, but I don't have executive powers.

But my own vision of the way it has to be dealt with, this is some sort of formation that is effective enough, but also represents the various interests. This is a vision, it has to be an interim process, until there will be an exciting, where we are all sure that Gaza is not any more of terror base. And we don't go back to the same merry- go-round of wars, of suffering, of terror, et cetera, et cetera.

BLITZER: So, what I hear you're saying, and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. President, is that you want an international coalition, together with Israel, the United States, other countries, effectively taking charge of Gaza.

HERZOG: There has to be something in that line. There has to be something that make sense, and I would say further that this idea of a coalition, or joining forces, also has to look as to the future of regional stability.

[13:50:12]

If you look at the future of regional stability, it means fighting and making sure that all the enemies of peace in the region must be defeated. If we look in the grand picture in our region, you see nations that have gone to peace, who decided to go to peace together, who had peace agreements with like Israel with Egypt, with Jordan, with the United Arab Emirates, with Bahrain, with Morocco, and so forth and so on, a whole movement towards peace, hopefully Saudi Arabia next.

That's a coalition which is also supported by the United States of America and its allies, as opposed to a coalition of terror and hate and jihadism, which emanates from terror. It has its proxies, Hezbollah, in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Syria totally controlled by them, and Hamas in Gaza.

This is the story, in Iraq, out there as well. This is extremely dangerous toward world stability. This is extremely dangerous to world stability, and it's extremely dangerous to American national security interests.

This is the grand picture. And that's why the coalition that I'm speaking of has to be strong. President Macron of France, for example, made an interesting suggestion. He said take the anti-ISIS coalition, because Hamas is basically ISIS, and copy-pasted to anti-Hamas coalition, together with Israel, and think about it. These ideas have to be discussed, put on the table, and discussed.

How do we ensure not only the political process, but most importantly the security process, so that people both in Gaza and definitely in Israel, and on the border and elsewhere, can live in peace.

BLITZER: But you're basically blaming Iran as the leadership of this -- this coalition.

HERZOG: It's absolutely clear. I'll give you another example, which your viewers must realize and understand, because it's a key question in world affairs. We were educated throughout the ages that piracy is abolished. Piracy is gone. Piracy is dead, meaning you cannot hijack anymore a vessel in the high seas. Well, just a few days ago, the Houthis in Yemen, totally proxied by

Iran, instructed by Iran, aided by Iran, have announced publicly, and celebrated the fact that they took a ship, a Japanese ship which has been en route between Turkey and India with certain commodities, they took it, and is now in Yemen. And another ship was attacked.

Guys, we are in a regional battle. And this battle affects world order. And if we are not tough enough, and strong enough, and if we don't alert nations to understand the battle, this is extremely dangerous. That's why I'm so disappointed that there could be Western countries, who are kind of indifferent to this risk, and this enormous pain of ours.

I saw leader from another, and distinguished European country, tweet as to the release of one of the girls who was released last night, saying that she got lost, and thank God she was back home.

No, sir. She wasn't lost. She was kidnapped by terrorists of the worst kind that humanity has seen since World War II. She was kidnapped, and suffered, and tortured, and was released in this prisoner exchange last night.

BLITZER: You're talking about Emily Hand?

HERZOG: I'm talking about Emily Hand, and I was very disappointed by the remarks the prime minister of Ireland.

BLITZER: For tweeting what he tweeted?

HERZOG: Because he should have said, and I think nations have to realize that they must say an Israeli citizen, she had also an Irish passport, and Israeli citizen, a girl, eight years old, was taken away from her home to Gaza by terrorists, who came actually to kill her, her neighbors, and their entire families, in this peace-loving kibbutz, which was one of the biggest advocating communities for peace in the region.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: You're going to hear much more of my exclusive interview with the Israeli President Isaac Herzog. That's coming up in the next hour. We'll take another quick break, right now.

Much more of our special coverage, coming up after this.

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[13:59:03]

BLITZER: Welcome back. I'm Wolf Blitzer, in Tel Aviv.

Right now, I want to take a moment to read the names of the 13 Israelis released today. Here they are.

Four-year-old Abigail Edan, the American, 4-year-old Abigail Edan, American-Israeli, 40-year-old Hagar Brodutch, 10-year-old Ofry Brodutch, 8-year-old Yuval Brodutch, 4-year-old Oria Brodutch, 49- year-old Chen Goldstein Almog, 17 year old Agam Goldstein Almog, 11- year-old Gal Goldstein Almog, 9-year-old Tal Goldstein Almog, 84-year- old Alma Avraham, 62-year-old Adrienne Aviva Siegel, 8-year-old Ela Elyakim, 14-year-old Dafna Elyakim.

There also four foreign nationals now free from Hamas captivity, three Thai nationals, and indeed, a Russian Israeli dual citizen, according to the IDF now freed as well.

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