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Seventeen Hostages Released on Day Three of Truce; Hamas and Israel on Extending Temporary Truce; Thirty-Nine Palestinians Released on Sunday; Three Palestinian Students Shot in Vermont; Aid Trucks Enter Gaza; Life Inside Gaza Told by Aid Worker; Source: Israel War Cabinet Discusses Possible Truce Extension; 17 Hostages Freed by Hamas on Day Three of Temporary Truce; 39 Palestinian Teens Released from Israeli Prisons on Sunday; White House: Biden, Netanyahu to Continue Working to Release Hostages; Plains, Georgia Residents Pay Tribute to Former First Lady. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired November 27, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

[02:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN HOST: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world as we continue our coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. I'm Rosemary Church. It is 9:00 in the morning in Gaza where the fourth day of a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas is now underway. And in the hours ahead, we are expecting the release of more hostages.

Monday is set to be the final day of this agreement. But Hamas says it wants to extend the pause in the fighting beyond the four-day deal. A source tells CNN Israel's war cabinet also discussed that possibility Sunday night. Day three of the truce saw the release of 17 hostages, including Israelis and foreign nationals. The group included mothers and children and range in age from 84 to four years old.

The youngest being Israeli-American Abigail Edan, marking the first successful release of an American hostage since the start of the truce. As part of the deal, an additional 39 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released from Israeli jails on Sunday. All were males, 18 years old and younger.

CNN's Clare Sebastian is following developments for us. She joins us now live from London. Good morning to you, Clare. So, as we head into the fourth and possibly final day of this truce agreement, how likely is it that the Israeli government will extend the truce to allow for the release of more hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and of course humanitarian aid for Gaza?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Rosemary, first of all, I should tell you that we're hearing this morning from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office Coordinator for the Hostages and Missing, that they have now received a list overnight of potential hostages. That list is now under discussion, is being reviewed, and they will put out more information when they get it so as we wait to see what unfolds today. In terms of whether the truce could be extended, you know, it's

complicated. Israel, we know, according to a source, the war cabinet discussed the possibility of this. It was already, by the way, written into the deal that if Hamas released for every additional 10 live Israeli hostages that they released, the truce could be extended for another 24 hours. So that certainly is what's being talked about.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, in discussions with Biden, said that he would welcome that, certainly, if more hostages were released. And we've separately heard from Hamas that they are also keen to extend the truce, they say, through serious efforts to increase the number of those released from imprisonment as stipulated in the humanitarian ceasefire agreement. So again, a reference to that clause in the agreement that would allow for that extension.

Now, there's pressure, of course, from outside Qatar, which is the main mediator in the talks, has made it very clear that they want to build momentum towards something more lasting, perhaps even a ceasefire. And we also heard from President Biden on Sunday that he would like to see this continue further as well. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: That's our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief into those in need in Gaza. We've seen this is the 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 is in every smile and every grateful tear we see on the faces of those families who are finally getting back together again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: Now of course the complicating factor here is that Israel has a secondary war goal and that is to completely dismantle Hamas, a job that they say they have yet to finish. Prime Minister Netanyahu was according to Israel in Gaza on Sunday and said that they would continue to push on until the end. He was pictured wearing a helmet and flak jacket a clear sign that Israel, you know, the optics of that showing Israel continues to want to pursue the military aims of this and they may well be harder after this pause.

Hamas will have had time to regroup. The IDF has already said that it has seen signs that they are moving the hostages around. Israel has had to pause over flights of drones surveillance drones during this time. So, it is likely that the fight will be even harder.

[02:04:56]

But in terms of that surging aid, you know, that is also an issue, the reason why many people want to see this extended, because we heard from the U.N. Relief and Works Agency in Gaza on Sunday that what is being delivered, even with the surge that we've seen over the past three days, is a drop in the bucket of what is needed. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right, our thanks to Clare Sebastian with that live report from London.

The Palestinian prisoners released Sunday were all 18 years old or younger, the youngest being 14-years-old. According to information from the Israeli Prison Service and the Palestinian Prisoner Society, some of them were detained without knowing the charges they faced. And as CNN's Nada Bashir reports, many of those released say they were abused while in custody.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Carried through 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.

I'm so happy. I can't believe this is real, Ibrahim (ph) says. I don't even know what to say.

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 freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza. There are many Palestinian families who will still be waiting anxiously to hear if their loved ones will too be freed. The Tamimi family, seen here on Saturday, has rallied for months calling for the release of 17-year-old Wissam.

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.

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, Wissam's mother, Huneida (ph), says. My son is finally with me. I thank 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.

Many of those now released are among the over 3,000 Palestinians held under administrative detention, meaning no charges have been laid against them and no ongoing legal process. Israel says some of those released were being held on terror or weapons charges, but in a list published by Israeli authorities of 300 women and children eligible for release, throwing stones and harming regional security were among the most common charges.

MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, PALESTINIAN POLITICIAN AND ACTIVIST: There are children here who have been in jail for eight years, five years, six years. It's unacceptable. Many of them have now huge psychological problems 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 (voice-over): 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 WISSAM TAMIMI: We're extremely happy, but still overwhelmed and extremely saddened by everything going on here in Palestine, but at the same time still resilient to keep going with whatever we can do in order to hopefully achieve a ceasefire and hopefully later on a full liberation.

BASHIR (on camera): Look, many of the teenagers we spoke to who have been released as part of that truce agreement told us they had experienced abuse and mistreatment while in detention, and we have now received a response from the Israeli Prison Service spokesperson who has said that all those who have been released were serving time for serious offences and that all prisoners are detained under the provisions of Israeli law.

But of course, as we know, many of those detained are held under administrative detention, meaning no charges laid against them, no clear legal process. Many are hopeful, of course, still that they will see their loved ones, their children, their relatives released on that final day of the truce agreement as it currently stands. Many families waiting to see if their loved ones are on that list of prisoners and detainees set to be released on Monday.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Back here in the United States, three Palestinian college students were shot in Burlington, Vermont on Saturday evening. Police say they have now arrested a suspect, 48-year-old Jason J. Eton, who lived in an apartment building near where the shooting took place.

[02:10:02]

CNN's Carlos Suarez has details of the attack.

CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN CORREPONDENT: Authorities in Vermont are looking into the possibility this was a hate crime. According to police in Burlington, the three Palestinian students were walking on a street on their way to visit a relative on Saturday when they were confronted by a man armed with a gun. All three students were shot.

Now at the time of the shooting, we're told two of the three victims were wearing a keffiyeh, that's a traditional Palestinian scarf. We're told the photo of the three students was taken earlier in the day on Saturday. All three victims are being treated at Vermont Medical Center. Two of them were told are in stable condition. The third suffered more serious injuries.

Now according to the Institute for Middle East Understanding, that's an organization that is in contact with the victim's family, the students were identified as 20-year-old Tahseen Ali Ahmed, Kinnan Abdalhamid, and Hisham Awartani. We're told all three graduated from a private school in the West Bank before coming to the U.S. to attend different colleges.

Awartani's great uncle, a former Palestinian Minister of Education, said Awartani was visiting his grandmother. Here now is an attorney representing one of the victim's family on why they're certain this was a hate-motivated crime.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABED AYOUB, LAWYER OF VICTIM'S FAMILY: The suspect walked up to them and shot them. They weren't robbed, they weren't mugged. It was a targeted shooting and a targeted crime, and they were wearing the keffiyeh. They are known in the area, you know, for being Palestinian. You know, that's a very well-known symbol.

It's a very well-known cloth that's very symbolic of the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian culture and history. So, the fact that they were wearing this and then fell victim to a shooter leads us to believe that played a role, their identity played a role in them being targeted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SUAREZ: Sunday night, a crowd gathered outside of the Burlington City Hall and called on police to investigate the shooting as a hate crime. Now, earlier in the day, the chief of police has said no one can look at this incident and not suspect it may have been a hate-motivated crime. The FBI said it is aware of the incident and they're ready to investigate the shooting. Carlos Suarez, CNN, Atlanta.

CHURCH: Dozens of trucks carrying much needed food and supplies have reached northern Gaza, but many more are still waiting to enter Gaza via the Rafah border crossing. Details just ahead.

And we'll hear from one aid worker living in Gaza on what life has been like during the temporary ceasefire and what Palestinians are hoping for and fearful of after the truce ends.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:15:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Well, at least 120 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza on Sunday. That's according to the Egyptian government. And the Palestinian Red Crescent says 100 of those trucks delivered food, water, relief items, first aid supplies and medicine to Gaza City and the northern areas to thousands of people in desperate need. CNN's Larry Madowo is in Cairo with the latest.

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After aid to northern Gaza almost derailed the entire temporary truce on Saturday with Hamas dissatisfied with the amount coming in, more trucks getting into northern Gaza on Sunday. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirming Sunday evening that at least 100 trucks had come into the territory. They are bringing in relief supplies, emergency medicines, food, water that's badly needed there.

And Monday being the last day of this temporary truce, we already saw on Sunday evening trucks lining up again and the Rafah border crossing in Egypt hoping to get in. And the understanding here that it's a difficult process to try and clear this aid coming into Gaza because it goes straight (inaudible) goes into Gaza and then gets unloaded and reloaded into trucks to distribute them across the Gaza Strip.

The needs are overwhelming and all across the Strip according to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency there. People need cooking gas, people need fuel, people need food, people need water, and in some parts the risk of dehydration, of diseases breaking out are becoming very real. But also, this temporary pause in fighting has allowed for some return to normalcy, especially in southern Gaza.

People going to the market, picking up some supplies and in the midst of these extraordinary circumstances some bit of regular everyday life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UM IHAB (through translation): 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. But since the first day of the ceasefire, we have been able to go out to buy our needs safely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADOWO: Monday will be a crucial day to see if this truce will be extended or not. Eight organizations, the U.N., everybody working in the Strip, want this to be extended for a much longer period. The U.N. Relief and Works Agency says they'll need at least 200 trucks going in every day for two months just to meet the need for that. And if it ends on Monday, a lot of people will be back to suffering greatly. Larry Madowo, CNN, Cairo.

CHURCH: Earlier CNN's Alex Marquardt spoke with Youssef Hamash, an aid worker with the Norwegian Refugee Council who lives in Gaza with his family. They discussed what life has been like in Gaza three days into the temporary ceasefire and why he feels the international community needs to do more to help find a permanent solution to the crisis there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

YOUSEF HAMMASH, NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL (via telephone): We lived these three days and tomorrow we are going to live the fourth day, but we are preparing ourselves that we might die in the fifth day. That's the situation in Gaza. This is for the first time since seven weeks we were able to walk safely in the streets, sleep safely, be in the streets without having that feeling that you might get bumped in any (inaudible).

[02:20:04]

And that's what's going to make it really hard for people to go back into this cycle of violence because even for three days now, people have tasted the sense of safety. A lot of people were using this opportunity to reach for other people who are in the north of Gaza City to check if their house is still there or if it's been destroyed.

And also, a lot of people use it as a chance to feel sad and sorrow for their loved ones who lost them, while we didn't have even time to feel sad for our beloved ones that we lost during these seven weeks, seven weeks of madness.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN HOST: What have you done during these three days? What have they meant for you?

HAMMASH: So at least for three days, at least I managed to reach out for my relatives who, some of them were injured during the bombardment. Now we are going to the winter and the winter have arrived and people are not prepared because I'm from the northern part of Gaza. When I fled to the southern part, I fled without anything. So, I use it also as an opportunity to go and at least find proper clothes for my children because the weather is going to be harsh and we have nothing.

I have a roof to cover my head but a lot of people, thousands of people, doesn't have that option. People are -- we never seen homeless people in Gaza in our lives. Now it's really common to see people who sleep in the streets and people just looking for any place and consider it as a shelter without any means of protection. And with this weather, it's going to be really, really hard on them to cope with it.

I work for a humanitarian organization. And if you combine us all as a humanitarian organization, international organization, U.N. agencies, and the national organization, we cannot cover the need for the people in the South. And these four days are not enough and it's an impossible mission that we can cover the need.

All the aid that gets in, it did change something, but in terms comparing to the need, unfortunately, it's not covering the scale of need that we have. The aid is changing something but you cannot -- it's not tangible, you cannot feel it because the amount of need is massive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: When asked how he and his family are doing, Hammash said they are in survival mode. He says his two young children are now experts in war and his five-year-old daughter can even understand the difference between a missile and a tank shell. Much more to come here on "CNN Newsroom" including details on the third exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:25:00]

CHURCH: Welcome back everyone. Well, a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister's office says Israel has received a list of hostages expected to be released on Monday by Hamas and discussions are underway about it. That is after a third exchange of hostages and prisoners on Sunday. CNN Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond is in Israel monitoring events for us and has this report.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Thirteen more Israeli civilian hostages freed from Hamas's captivity as part of this deal between Israel and Hamas that has resulted in a fragile truce between the two warring parties. We actually were standing right at this intersection as a convoy with 12 of those hostages, newly freed hostages, actually came right down this road on their way to the Hatzerim Airbase.

One of those newly freed hostages was actually medically evacuated by helicopter directly from the Gaza Strip to a hospital in southern Israel. Her name is Elma Avraham. She is 84 years old and the hospital where she is being treated reports that she is in serious condition saying, quote, "her life is in danger."

Now, this evacuation, the release of these hostages actually happened differently than these last two nights. It's coming directly from the Gaza Strip into Israel rather than going through the Rafah crossing into Egypt first, and we're told that it is because of that serious medical issue with Elma Avraham.

Now the process other than that went relatively smoothly. We saw the fairly quick release of these hostages and their entry back into Israel. That was a big contrast with what we saw on Saturday on the second day of hostage release where the release of those hostages was delayed by hours by Hamas over disputes about the number -- the amount of aid that Israel was providing to the Gaza Strip.

And also, I'm learning that there was another serious dispute over one of the hostages being released without her mother. We've typically seen children and mothers who were taken hostage together being released together, but that was not the case with one of those hostages on Saturday. The question now is whether or not this pause in fighting can be extended, whether or not we will see more hostages released.

In order to extend that pause in fighting, Hamas will need to release 10 more Israeli hostages per day for an additional day's pause in the fighting. Israeli officials have already indicated that they want to see that pause extended, they want to see more hostages released. And Hamas on Sunday now saying in a statement that they are also seeking to extend this truce.

The fate of more than 180 hostages, as well as hundreds more aid trucks entering into Gaza, hang in the balance. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Urim Israel.

CHURCH: Joining me on the phone now from Bethlehem in the West Bank is Abdallah Alzeghari. He is the chairman of the Palestinian Prisoners Society in Bethlehem. Thank you so much for talking with us.

ABDULLAH ALZEGHARI, CHAIRMAN, PALESTINIAN PRISONERS SOCIETY IN BETHLEHEM (via telephone): You're welcome.

CHURCH: So many of the Palestinian prisoners being released under this hostage and truce agreement have been held in Israeli prisons under administrative detention, some not even knowing why they were being held.

[02:29:59]

Your organization is in contact with the prisoners and their families. What had most of these teenage prisoners done to end up in prison? Can you tell us?

ALZEGHARI (via telephone): Look, Israel arrested thousands of people in jail since the 7th of October, and before that also, there was more than 5,200 Palestinian political prisoners inside Israeli jails.

And those people lose their hope to be released from the Israeli jails, while Israel stopped all negotiations in the past, especially in 2014, when there was an agreement in the umbrella of the United States to release the prisoners who were arrested before the Oslo agreement, until there was 120 Palestinian political prisoners inside jails. At that time, they will be released in four stages. Israel released three stages of they stopped to release at the fourth stage at that time.

Because of that, the Palestinian political prisoners in the Israeli jails lost all the hope to be released in any way, especially, there's no -- I mean, open doors to the peace at that time for -- because of that, Israel still arrests the people in Israeli jail. Why -- when this war started on the 7th of October, after more than 50 days, you know Israel still continues bombing Gaza all the time. And they didn't accept any truce in that time.

When they have the deal to release prisoners, you know (INAUDIBLE) they released prisoners from under age people, and the women, in the three -- in the last three days. Today, we hope that it will continue to release more prisoners from the Israeli jails and more hostages and from Palestinian resistance in Gaza. What we are looking for --

CHURCH: Right, we are -- we are going -- this is the fourth and final day, as far as we know at this stage, unless we hear of an extension of a-- of another day, and maybe more.

But I did want to ask you, what are the conditions like inside the Israeli prisons? Particularly for these young Palestinian teenagers, and some are even children?

ALZEGHARI: Yeah, the situation inside the Israeli jail is very, very tough, you know. Israel transferred all the jail from the 7th of October to be as isolation jails. The prisoners are beaten all of the day in the prisons. They are isolated from all over the world. They didn't know what is happening outside. Israeli jail is cutting electricity and water.

And they didn't allow for the lawyers to visit the prisoners. Also, there (INAUDIBLE) were not allowed to visit the prisoners. So, the situation is very, very bad.

According to that, you will see that six of the Palestinian prisoners were killed in Israeli jails just since the 7th of October. It's the jail when some of the young people released from the Israeli jails, they say that how much Israeli troops, units inside the jails, entered the rooms of the prisoners and beating them until they die. So, we can't find how much the tough treatment from the Israeli jails from the Israeli troops.

This will make a threat for the lives of Palestinian people who are still in the prisons, especially those who are arrested before the 7th of October, some of them have been 30 or 40 years, there is no hope for them to be released because everything is closed. And we called from this meeting, in the United States and the international community who stand with Israel and this war against the Palestinians in general because this war is not against Gaza or against Hamas, this war is against all of the Palestinian people. While the people are still arrested, killing in the streets, many hundreds of check points in the West Bank, the students could not go to universities. Life is complicated.

Because of that we are looking for a cease-fire at all. And we think that the main problem for what happened now, even in Gaza or the West Bank is the Israeli occupation. This occupation should be stopped and end.

[02:35:00]

Palestinians are looking for real peace. What is a real peace? Real peace is to establishing a Palestinian state and developments and the withdrawal of the occupation from all of the land which was occupied in 1967. Israel still --

CHURCH: All right. Abdallah Alzeghari --

ALZEGHARI: -- wants to control the Palestinian people and this is not accepted from all over the world. We are in the 21 century, where is the democracy, where is the human rights? You saw how much the killing of people, the civilians in Gaza, the bombings, the houses, the universities, the hospitals.

This is not acceptable for over the world. You will see how much the people in all over the world is standing with Palestine, not just because to stop the war, also to stop the occupation because the occupation is the main problem for the Palestinian people.

CHURCH: All right. Abdallah Alzeghari, thank you for joining us from Bethlehem. Appreciate your perspective on this issue.

And still to come, the families of Chinese victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are getting their long awaited day in court. Their battle for answers and closure are far from over.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: A quick look now at some other stories making news around the world.

Sierra Leone's president says most of the leaders responsible for an attack on military barracks in the capital city of Freetown have been arrested. The president says a group of people had attacked the armory early Sunday morning, but managed to escape after coming up against security forces. On Sunday, a nationwide curfew had been imposed and officials are continuing the investigation. Compensation hearings are now underway in Beijing, four of the

families of Chinese victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. About 40 families are suing the airline, the insurer, Boeing and the manufacturer of the plane's engine.

[02:40:02]

The plane disappeared over the Indian Ocean nearly ten years ago, a mystery that's still never been solved.

Of the 239 people on board, 153 were Chinese nationals. Plaintiffs in the hearings who turned down previous settlement offers, saying it not only deprived them of their loved ones but also left them in financial distress.

The U.S. Navy intervened Sunday to prevent an apparent attempt to hijack a chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden. The Navy says that two ballistic missiles were fired later from areas controlled by Houthi rebels in Yemen toward the general direction of the ships. No damage or injuries were reported.

And in northern India, rescuers are facing technical challenges as they try to save 41 construction workers trapped in a tunnel that partially collapsed two weeks ago. The rescue operation stalled again over the weekend after their drill was damaged beyond repair. They had drilled about two-thirds of the way through the rubble as of Wednesday. Food, water, and oxygen are being sent to the trapped workers through a pipe.

And I want to thank you for joining us this hour. I'm Rosemary Church.

For our international viewers, "WORLD SPORT" is coming up next. And for our viewers here in the United States and in Canada, I'll be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a moment. Do stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:45:34]

CHURCH: A warm welcome back to our viewers in North America. I'm Rosemary Church.

The end of a four-day temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is approaching amid discussions of a possible extension. Sources tell CNN that on Sunday, Israel's war cabinet discussed the possibility of prolonging the pause in fighting, something Hamas says it wants as well.

The third exchange of hostages and prisoners was conducted Sunday, 17 hostages held by Hamas were freed, including a 4-year-old American Israeli dual citizen.

Later in the day, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, all male teenagers. The White House says U.S. President Joe Biden remains in close contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the release of hostages. Mr. Netanyahu told President Biden that the possibility of extending the truce with Hamas would be welcome in return for the further release of ten hostages per day from Gaza, according to a statement.

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has more now from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Biden on Sunday celebrated the release of Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old American hostage who was held by Hamas and released as part of the negotiated deal between Israel and Hamas. She had been held in captivity for seven weeks, and both of her parents were killed in those October 7th terror attacks. The president calling what she went through a terrible trauma and also calling the experience, quote, unthinkable.

Now, the president did speak with her family in both the U.S. and Israel on Sunday, though he did not have details on her condition when speaking to reporters earlier in the day. But the president making clear in those remarks that it's not just about the release of hostages but also getting additional humanitarian aid into Gaza. And expressing some hope that there could be more pauses in fighting in the days to come to again get more of those hostages released.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That's our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief into -- into those and who in need in Gaza.

ALVAREZ: Now, U.S. officials have said Israel is prepared to continue pauses in fighting in exchange for Hamas releasing ten hostages for each of those days. The president spoke about that with the prime minister of Israel on Sunday, as well as getting aid into Gaza and making sure that they can secure the release of more hostages.

What is clear tonight is there is still intensive negotiations and discussions ongoing about getting those hostages released by Hamas after this four-day pause.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, at the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he plans to bring a national security package to the floor which ties Israel and Ukraine funding together as soon as next week. In a letter to his Democratic colleagues Sunday, Schumer explained the multibillion-dollar funding bill is needed to make sure America's, quote, friends and partners in Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region have the necessary military capabilities to confront and deter the nation's adversaries and competitors. Even if the measure passes in the Senate, it could face opposition in the House since some conservative lawmakers say they don't want aid for Israel and Ukraine tied together.

Meantime, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy says he is open to placing conditions on aid to Israel with the goal of reducing civilian casualties in Gaza. The Connecticut Democrat, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has previously called on Israel to work to reduce civilian casualties and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

On Sunday, he told CNN that returning Senate lawmakers will discuss how to structure aid to Israel to ensure it is used in line with human rights laws.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): We regularly condition our aid to allies based upon compliance with U.S. law and international law. And so, I think it's very consistent with the ways in which we have dispensed aid, especially during wartime, to allies, for us to talk about making sure the aid we give Ukraine or the aid we give Israel is used in accordance with human rights laws.

[02:50:04]

And that will be a conversation we'll all be engaged in when we get back to Washington on Monday.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Some major cities saw massive protests related to the Israel/Hamas war on Sunday.

In London, tens of thousands rallied against antisemitism. Protesters called for the release of hostages and some carried signs that read, act against hate before it's too late. According to U.K. media, several well-known figures joined the demonstration, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Police say hate crimes have spiked in London ever since the Israeli/Hamas war began last month, and according to one protester, that is fueling concerns within the U.K.'s Jewish community.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We, the Jewish community, are worried about the current situation here in the United Kingdom, the rising wave of anti- Semitism. And we worry about the future. So together with all the people here today, we are protesting against the rise of antisemitism. We're hoping that the British government will support the Jewish community in their efforts to suppress the antisemitism that's rising and taking over the society.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: And in New York, on one of the busiest travel days of the year, the Manhattan Bridge was shut down for almost four hours by a massive sit-in with protesters calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. The bridge reopened late Sunday afternoon.

Well, this week in Atlanta and cities across Georgia, many people will pay their final respects to former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter who died last Sunday at the age of 96. CNN's Eva McKend is in Carter's hometown of Plains, Georgia, where

parishioners gathered just hours ago to celebrate her life and her legacy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EVA MCKEND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At the Maranatha Baptist Church Sunday morning, a hopeful tone, a spirit of gratitude as congregants reflected on the life of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. At one point, former President Jimmy Carter's niece, Kim Fuller, asking congregants to sing "Morning has Broken" as loud as they could, as if Rosalynn could hear them. That was one of her favorite songs.

She thanked congregants for readying for this week by redoing the flower pots. At one point, the Parishioners all praying for the Carter family. We had the opportunity to catch up with one of the deacons of the church, and he spoke about the significance of servant leadership, something that he said Rosalynn truly embodied.

Let's listen.

ZACH STEELE, DEACON, MARANATHA BAPTIST CHURCH: I personally heard the food ministry, she would give just loaves of bread into the windows of cars. That's all she could hold. This was even last year. She would serve until she absolutely couldn't serve anymore. So many people are worried about themselves these days. It's a different generation of servant leadership what we saw from the Carter family. So, we're forever grateful for her.

MCKEND: A number of celebrations of life will take place this week, including Tuesday in Atlanta, a memorial service that President Biden and other dignitaries are expected to attend. Wednesday will be the funeral service here in Plains. Tomorrow in nearby Americus, a wreath- laying ceremony.

And a question in many folks mind is, will President Carter be able to attend any of these events this week? The short answer is, we don't know for sure. But we do know from a walk-through we were at today in Americas the preparations are under way in the event he is able to come.

Eva McKend, CNN, Plains, Georgia.

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CHURCH: An end to the thanksgiving holiday weekend in the U.S. came with thousands of flight delays. These were lines at the airport in Atlanta on Sunday as travelers waited to board their flights. More than 7,000 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. were delayed on Sunday, according to tracking website FlightAware. But less than 50 were reported canceled. American Airlines says Sunday was their busiest Thanksgiving ever, servicing nearly 6.5 million customers and more than 6,100 departures.

Well, more travel delays across the U.S. may be coming this week thanks to winter weather. The U.S. National Weather Service reports more than a foot of snow fell across some states on Sunday. Even more is on the way for states in the northeast.

Meteorologist Elisa Raffa has the latest forecast.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELISA RAFFA, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Since snow showers could slow you down on the roads as you get back to work after the Thanksgiving holiday. We have a couple of warnings in effect for snow, some lake- effect snow warnings off of Lakes Erie and Ontario.

[02:55:01]

Advisories stretching up into Maine.

You can see where some of that travel slows from Minneapolis to Chicago and Detroit as some of those lake snow showers really start to pump. From New York and Boston, the last of that rain and even some snow showers getting into New England. Even late in the day on Tuesday.

Some totals for rain could be up to an inch. The snow totals zeroing in on some of these communities right off of the lakes as that cold air really starts to pump some of that lake-effect snow. We have arctic air coming in behind that front. That very cold air is going to swipe across the lakes.

When that happens, the lakes are relatively warmer than that cold air. So the cold air is able to pick up some moisture from the lake. It starts to hit into the land, rises quickly, and gets that snow machine to pop. And man, will it pop.

We're looking at some totals well over a foot for some communities near Cleveland and Erie, some 12 to 18 inches of snow possible. As we go to tug hill, could be looking at some totals, maybe two or three feet. So, getting pretty treacherous as we start the workweek after the holiday. Temperatures are going to stay below average. We'll keep that arctic air in play through Tuesday and Wednesday with quite a bit of a chill in the air.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And, finally, Formula 1's Max Verstappen ends a stellar season with a win at the Abu Dhabi grand prix. His Red Bull team won a record 19th victory on Sunday. Verstappen led start to finish for his fourth win in Abu Dhabi. He admitted 2023 would be a tough year to top.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAX VERSTAPPEN, FORMULA ONE SEASON CHAMP: It was emotional end lap, last time I was sitting in the car which has given me a lot of -- yeah. Of course, very proud to win here also at the last race. But yeah, I have to say a big thank you to everyone at red bull. It's been an incredible year. It will be hard to do something similar again, but we definitely, yeah, enjoyed this year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Thanks for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church. I will be back with more CNN NEWSROOM in just a moment. Please stay with us.