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Students Create Bee Habitat on School in South Korea; Beijing Students Design Environmental Projects; Student Environmental Activists Hope to Make Difference in Hong Kong; Fourth Group of Hostages Released by Hamas; Elon Musk Visits Israel Amid Antisemitic Posts on X. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired November 28, 2023 - 00:00   ET

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

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JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. Ahead this hour on CNN. Let's make a deal. Israel agrees to day-long pauses in fighting, but only if Hamas releases 10 hostages each day. A pause in fighting reveals utter destruction across Gaza by Israel's military offensive, described by the UN as the deadliest urban campaign since World War II.

And CNN's third annual Call to Earth Day. This year, our shared home, raising environmental awareness worldwide.

Hamas and Israel have agreed to extend a 4-day-long truce for another two days in return for the release of 20 more hostages being held in Gaza. On Monday, 11 Israelis with dual citizenship, 9 children and two women, were released by Hamas. All were taken to a medical center in Tel Aviv and then reunited with family. They were all taken hostage from the same kibbutz in southern Israel on October 7 by Hamas militants. For families of those Israelis who were set free, the past seven weeks have been a rollercoaster of emotion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IDO DAN, RELATIVE OF RELEASED HOSTAGES: This is a momentous day. This is a momentous day in our lives. We are filled with excitement, but we have not yet fully processed what has happened. I'm finding that it's difficult to go from a state of endless anxiety about their fate to a state of relief and joy. I believe it will take time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Also Monday, 33 additional Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons as part of the agreement. At least 170 hostages are still being held in Gaza, not all of them by Hamas. And under this deal brokered by Qatar, Israel has agreed to pause military operations for 2four hours in return for the release of 10 hostages each day by Hamas. Standing by this hour in New York is Tal-Heinrich spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Thank you for taking the time to be with us.

TAL HEINRICH, SPOKESPERSON FOR ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: My pleasure, John.

VAUSE: So, is there any indication right now that Hamas is willing to agree to those conditions and that Israel will be able to pause fighting for another 2four hours beyond this current extension? So that more hostages could be released?

HEINRICH: What I can confirm at this hour, John, is that Israel received another list of hostages, 10 hostages that potentially, hopefully, we will see released tomorrow by Hamas.

But there are no guarantees here. As you know, we're dealing with a brutal terrorist organization, the terrorist organization that perpetrated the atrocities of the October 7th massacre.

We, on our end, are making the preparations. And we also have a list of potential Palestinian prisoners that we have agreed to release as part of the outline. And you stated correctly, as CNN reported, that we said that for every extra 10 hostages that Hamas would release, we would agree to another extra day of humanitarian pause in the fighting.

We want to see more hostages coming out of the Gaza Strip. We want to see all of the hostages returning to their homes. Keep in mind that the hostages, the 11 that returned today and the ones, a total of 50 overall that were released over the course of the past four days, returned to a very, very difficult reality. Some of them have fathers, husbands, who are still being held captive in the Gaza Strip, or brothers, and some of them lost loved ones.

So, and also keep in mind that they didn't really return home, because what is home? These communities were completely shattered. They don't have a home. Hamas, in some cases, burnt their homes. And we had to evacuate these southern communities, as we did with some communities up in the north. More than 200,000 Israelis have been evacuated due to the war.

VAUSE: It is hard to imagine what these people have gone through over the last seven weeks and how they are coping with all of this. The trauma must be incredible and so difficult for them.

But I want you to listen to the White House National Security spokesman, John Kirby, on Monday. He's announcing the terms for any extension in the current pause in fighting. Here he is.

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JOHN KIRBY, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESPERSON: Now, in order to extend the pause, Hamas has committed to releasing another 20 women and children over the next two days. We would, of course, hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages. (END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: I also now want you to listen to your colleague, Mark Regev, speaking again regarding terms for any extension to the pause in fighting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK REGEV, SENIOR ADVISER TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: For every 10 hostages released, we're willing to give an extension of another day. And if Hamas will release Israeli hostages, as agreed, we will extend. That's the bottom line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: When it comes to the Middle East, words matter. And in these agreements, words matter incredibly are incredibly important. Mark Regev made a point of saying Israeli hostages.

Can you clarify here, is it just Israeli hostages being released that will result in the pause or must Israelis be among those who are being released to ensure the pause will continue in the fighting? What are the conditions specifically for the nationalities here?

HEINRICH: You see, John, unfortunately, I think this is a question that should be referred to Hamas. The ball is in Hamas's court right now. They're the ones holding the hostages. They are the ones who are giving us these lists.

Yes, we prioritize women and children. And as far as I know, two women are also holding an American citizenship. And we what I can say is, is what you know already, that we prioritize women and children and that we don't want to see separation of families in these batches, in these groups of hostages being released.

So, again, we're at this moment of anticipation that our entire nation is waiting to see what will bring the new day. As you know, we've had some complications. It's not that the process has gone very smoothly and every day so far over the course of the four days of the outline. And we will have to wait and see tomorrow. Hopefully, really, we really, really wish to see more families or what is left from these families being reunited. But we never know. We're dealing with brutal, gruesome terrorists. And we didn't want to be in this situation.

VAUSE: I just want to push you on this because it's a very important point, though. Hamas, yes, they control the list. And they decide. Who gets out and who doesn't. Israel controls the military offensive. So, assuming in the next day or so, let's say there are 10 hostages being released, none of them being Israeli citizens, all of them foreign nationals. Will that mean that the pause in fighting continues or is that a break in the agreement?

HEINRICH: We said that for every 10 extra Israeli hostages, as my colleague Mark Regev stated, we will give another day of humanitarian pause in the fighting. But again, let's wait and see. I can't really divulge. I don't have too much information about the nature of the ongoing talks to bring to the release of more hostages behind the scenes for international mediators because human lives hang in a balance here. So, we can't reveal much. And we'll just have to wait and see, unfortunately.

VAUSE: Tal Heinrich, thank you so much for being with us. We really appreciate your time. And I appreciate you clarifying what you know and what you can say to us at this moment about the release of the hostages and the nationalities. I know this is so difficult for everybody there. So, your time is very much appreciated. Thank you.

HEINRICH: Thank you, John.

VAUSE: Well, now the Israeli military assault on Gaza is on hold. The past seven weeks have been described as one of the most intense air campaigns since World War II, which the U.N. says has left more than one and a half million Palestinians internally displaced. So, with this pause in fighting, many have returned to their homes to try and pick up the pieces. Only to find the pieces have been destroyed as well.

More now from CNN's Ben Wedeman.

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BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Gaza City, they collect the dead lying in the streets. And load them onto donkey carts. Hundreds, perhaps thousands more remain trapped under the rubble. The fate of so many still unknown.

REDA AL-JAMAL, GAZA RESIDENT: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

WEDEMAN (voice-over): We can't contact our relatives, says Reda Jamal. We don't know who's died and who's still alive.

According to the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry, the death toll the day before the truce began, reached nearly 15,000, two-thirds of whom were women and children. A few days of relative calm have allowed people to emerge and see what this war has wrought. Destruction on a scale Gaza, which has been through so much over the decades, has never seen before.

According to the U.N., around 1,700,000 Gazans have been displaced, about 80% of the population. Many of those have been displaced. And some have been crammed into the south. The pause has allowed people to resupply but so far, it's only been a drop in the ocean, says the U.N.

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All the while, people are hoping, wishing, today's calm will not be followed by the storm.

ABU ODAI, GAZA RESIDENT: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

WEDEMAN (voiceover): We hope, says Abu Adai, the truce continues and holds permanently, and the Israelis pull out of the north so that everyone who was forced to flee can return to their homes, even if they're in ruins, even if they have to live in tents.

With winter's grip tightening, hundreds wait for a bag of flour from the U.N. More supplies are getting into Gaza, but not enough.

SABRIN-AL-NAJAR, GAZA RESIDENT: (FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

WEDEMAN (voice-over): How many days is this bag of flour supposed to last us, asks Sabrina Najar. One, two, three days?

And how many days before this war flares anew? Ben Wedeman, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Among the thousands of Palestinians in Gaza who've been wounded are hundreds of children who've lost arms or legs. Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah is a world-renowned plastic surgeon who spent weeks treating patients in Gaza. He believes between 700 and 900 Gaza children have had a limb or limbs amputated. And he says at times he was forced to operate on children and others without anesthesia and basic medical supplies.

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DR. GHASSAN ABU SITTAH, BRITISH - PALESTINIAN SURGEON: My estimate is that there are now between 700 and 900 children with amputations of limbs, and some of whom multiple limbs have been amputated.

Dr. Abu Sittah, who is British-Palestinian, is now back in London, and has rejected Israeli claims that Hamas has a command center deep below Gaza's biggest hospital. He describes Al-Shifa Hospital as a typical, barely functioning, third world, governmental hospital.

We'll pause our coverage here right now, a very short break. We'll leave you with live pictures from Gaza, where it is 11 minutes past seven in the morning there on a Tuesday. You can see the truce that pause in fighting is holding. That four-day truce now extended by two days, the very latest on Israel's war with Hamas when we come back.

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VAUSE: One hostage in Gaza managed to escape Hamas for four days, only to be recaptured. But now, 25-year-old Ronie Krivoy, a Russian- Israeli, has been set free in a separate deal negotiated by Moscow. Details now from CNN's Fred Pleitgen (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Israel is rejoicing over the hostages released in the prisoner swap with Hamas, almost exclusively women and children. Only 1 military- aged male Israeli has been set free so far. Ronie Kriboy, pictured in this Hamas video, showing the exchange with the Red Cross. Kriboy is also a Russian citizen, and his brother thanked the Russian government for making the release happen.

IGOR KRIBOY, BROTHER OF RONI KRIBOY: We see what Russians can do. They helped us, and we believe that they can help others, too.

PLEITGEN: Ronie Kriboy's aunt told Israeli media that he escaped his captors after the house he was kept in was bombed, but that he was apprehended by Hamas again after four days. He is released now. Hamas now was not part of the larger prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas. It happened thanks to Moscow's good relations with Hamas' leadership, Russian officials say.

ANATOLY VIKTOROV, RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: His release was possible following direct, intensive contacts between our diplomats and Hamas representatives, Russia's ambassador to Israel says.

PLEITGEN: After Hamas' October 7 assault on southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and leaving more than 200 in captivity inside Gaza, much of the world condemned Hamas, but not Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Instead, the Kremlin invited a high-level Hamas delegation to Moscow for talks. And Putin has ripped into Israel over its military response to Hamas' raid, which has killed and wounded many people across the Gaza Strip. Putin even comparing his invasion of Ukraine to Hamas' war against Israel.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: I understand that this war with Ukraine, death of people, must be shocking. But what about the bloody state coup in Ukraine in 2014, which was followed by the war of the Kiev regime against their own people in Donbass? Is it not shocking? What about the elimination of civilians in Palestine, in Gaza?

PLEITGEN: For its part, Hamas clearly views Moscow as an ally. Hamas leaders making clear Russian hostages captured on October 7th will get preferential treatment and have good chances of getting released faster.

UNKNOWN: This request from Russia, we treat more positively and attentively than others due to the nature of our relations with Russia.

PLEITGEN: Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Still ahead here on CNN, what comes after the truce? Despite hopes of a lasting ceasefire, Israel says its military goals remain unchanged. The elimination of Hamas. That's next on CNN Newsroom.

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VAUSE: Coming up to 23 minutes past the hour, welcome back. You're watching CNN Newsroom with me, John Vause. At least 170 hostages are still being held in Gaza, and eventually this pause in fighting will come to an end, be it a matter of days or weeks. And when it does, Israel's defense minister is warning the renewed fighting will be even more intensive than before. CNN's Oren Liebermann reports now from Tel Aviv.

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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: A nation celebrates. Once again, as more Israeli women and children feel freedom. Fragile truce now extended by 48 hours, sealed with the release of hostages. Already, some of the freed hostages, like Margalit Moses, are being discharged from the hospitals, ready to head home. I need to tell you how amazing you are, really, for everything you have done.

Meanwhile, others rejoice in their first moments of reunion. Maayan Zin waited 51 days to see her two daughters. Among those freed over the weekend, 4-year-old Israeli-American Abigail Mor Edan, still the only U.S. citizen to be released from Gaza. All of Monday's group from the devastated community of Nir Oz.

The truce agreement now set to be extended by two days. Hamas will release another 20 Israeli women and children, and Israel will release 60 Palestinian women and children from prison. Humanitarian aid will flow into Gaza, and the temporary ceasefire will last a bit longer.

YOAV GALLANT, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: We will return to fighting. We will apply the same force. Therefore, this is the mission now.

LIEBERMANN: The pause revealing a hellscape in parts of northern Gaza, with barely a building left untouched. A few days of quiet in the devastated Palestinian territory does not mean any peace.

ABDEL QADER MOHAMMED Al-KAHLOUT, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN: I came from the north. There is nothing left in the north. The north has become a large plain. Nobody knows where their houses are. We don't know what happened to us. Overnight, we became displaced from the north to the south.

[00:25:19]

LIEBERMANN: Aid trucks are bottlenecked at the gate to Gaza, an eager relief for the crushing humanitarian crisis beyond the border. In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians have rallied as women and children have been released. But according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society, nearly twice as many have been detained as have been set free since Friday.

At best, this remains an uneasy truce between two sides that vow to keep fighting as the sun sets on the first stage of this agreement. Oren Liebermann, CNN in Tel Aviv.

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VAUSE: At least two American women are still being held in Gaza. And a senior Biden administration official says the White House does not believe Hamas has intentionally held back their release. Details now from CNN's MJ Lee at the White House. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MJ LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: A big disappointment for the White House that no American hostages were released on Monday. The White House had said that 3 American citizens were released. They were believed to be among the initial 50 women and children hostages to be released by Hamas during a 4-day truce period. Abigail Edan was one of them. She, of course, was released on Sunday. And then two additional American women, but day four of the truce, coming and going without those two women being released.

We can't say anything at this point about the condition of those women, their whereabouts, or if and when they may end up being released. But this is a part of the big reason why the White House has been pushing for this truce to be extended beyond those initial four days. The longer the truce obviously means that more hostages can hopefully get out. And what we are told is that senior White House officials on Monday made a whole bunch of phone calls to the Qatari prime minister to work on getting this truce extended. CIA Director Bill Burns, we are told, was also intimately involved.

And National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was keeping the president apprised the entire time. So we are about to learn, probably in the next 48 hours or so, whether these two American women will end up being released as a part of the next group of 20 or so women and children hostages to be released over the course of two days. And then after that, the question, of course, for this White House very much turns to the 7 other hostages. For the White House, as you know, they are men. We are told that they are unaccounted for Americans. We know that they are men, according to the White House. But we, again, don't know anything about their condition as well.

MJ Lee, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Well, ahead of the U.N.'s annual climate change summit, leaked documents show the host country, the UAE, may be planning to use its role as host of the COP28 climate talks to strike new oil and gas deals. Documents published by the Center for Climate Reporting appear to be briefing notes for Sultan al-Jabar. who will preside over the UN event, which begins on Thursday. Among the documents are several suggestions to offer oil and gas projects with the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, which is headed by, yep, Al-Jabar.

A COP28 team spokesperson says the documents are inaccurate and were not used in meetings. Still to come, CNN marks its third annual quarter Earth Day. We'll take you live to schools in Beijing, Hong Kong, as well as Seoul, where students are raising awareness and taking action to try and protect their environment.

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VAUSE: Well, today is CNN's third annual "Call to Earth Day" to raise awareness of environmental issues and to promote conservation education across the globe.

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This year's theme is "Our Shared Home," focusing on our impact on urban areas, as well as wilderness environments around the world.

We have CNN's Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong, with our Beijing bureau chief, Steven Jiang, where he belongs in Being. And we will start with CNN's Paula Hancocks, who is in Seoul -- Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, John.

Well, you join me in a city of almost 10 million people, 3 million cars, and it is a busy, bustling city. It is a place where nature, wildlife, and insects have to be invited to come in, and have to be convinced to move into an area. And that is exactly what is happening here at Dwight School.

Now, I'm joined by Ella Park. She is the head of the student Eco Council here at Dwight.

So we're surrounded by boxes here, which I understand in the spring, there will be something planted in there. It's two degrees centigrade here at the moment, so nothing's going to survive at the moment. But what will this look like in the spring?

ELLA PARK, STUDENT ECO COUNCIL, DWIGHT SCHOOL: In the spring, we're going to have native flowering plants. So we have mint, sage, zinnia, lavender. And all these flowering plants will be good for the bees that are going to be here in the spring, as well.

So we have a hydroponic system on the fourth floor, and we're going to transport them when they grow as tall as they can, and we're going to transport them in the springtime.

HANCOCKS: So the plan is to encourage the bees? Why -- why did you decide you wanted this particular project? Why pollinators?

PARK: Because pollinators, as you know, are bees, butterflies, ants, insects that help us produce more crops and fruits. And almost 90 percent of all flowering plants and a third of crops are dependent on pollinators.

So -- and the problem is that pollinators are going down. They're not -- the population is declining. So it's very micro level, but we want to help address this problem as best as we can as students.

HANCOCKS: I want to show the bee hotel over here. These are great. So you can see that there's an awful lot of different plants that are going to be brought into this area. And you can see just how built-up it is. This is right in the heart of Seoul.

But talk me through the bee hotels.

PARK: So the bee hotels are different from beehives. Beehives are for honeybees that actively pollinate. But for bee hotels, they're for solitary bees and wasps that will inevitably come if there's a pollinator garden full of delicious-looking flowers and plants.

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So these are places where they can nest and rest while they also pollinate for the world.

HANCOCKS: So the beehives, I understand, will be here.

PARK: Yes.

HANCOCKS: Obviously, too cold at the moment. How many are you going to have? How many bees will we see here in a few months?

PARK: We're going to have five beehives, and each of them have 22,000 bees.

HANCOCKS: Twenty-two thousand?

PARK: Yes.

HANCOCKS: Wow, close to 100,000 bees. Wonderful.

Ella, thank you so much. This is brilliant.

Now, let's pass over to my colleague Steven Jiang in Beijing -- Steven.

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Thanks, Paula.

We are at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. They have a very diverse student population here, and these 10- to 11-year-old students behind me coming from some 15 countries.

But for most of them, there's one thing in common, though. They are city kids. But already, they're learning even a sprawling a metropolis like Beijing, mean more than just bustling city streets. It also has farms, mountains, and rivers and with a lot of biodiversity, right, Zha-zha (ph)?

ZHA-ZHA (ph), STUDENT: Yes.

JIANG: What is this? What are you trying to show?

ZHA-ZHA (PH): So this is a map of Beijing, and we think that we can add some wildlife corridors from the mountains to the middle of Beijing.

JIANG: Right, and for a lot of them, it's really not much of a debate in terms of climate change, because some of them have already experienced the negative impacts firsthand. I think they're trying to show it here.

All right, Sarah (ph). What is this?

SARAH (ph), STUDENT: This is the work that we have been making in Humanities. And this is a 3-D set -- 3-D model of sediment in a coastal region.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As you can see, it is very prone to flooding, because the city has not developed any flood defenses yet.

JIANG: Right. But they are not just focusing on the present, but also the future, using the latest technology, trying to show what they can do now to -- to have a brighter future when it comes to the cities, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, so we use A.I. technology and type in the words like "greener cities," and "sustainable cities" and "green worlds." So -- and the A.I. generated this image, which is very sustainable and futuristic.

JIANG: Yes, so all of these activities and projects, in a way, are very reassuring, despite the alarming trends. They're also illustrating here these kids are really trying to take the future into their own hands.

Now let's go to the Harrow School in Hong Kong, where my colleague Kristie Lu Stout is.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Steven, thank you.

That's right. I'm here at Harrow International School, Hong Kong, one of hundreds around the world that are marking "Call to Earth Day," a day of action to protect the planet.

And this year, the theme is "Our Shared Home," as you put focus on the crucial link between cities and the natural world.

Now, earlier today -- we'll share the video with you -- we were able to see the Sustainability Charity Drive, the fair that just wrapped up minutes ago, where students here were raising awareness, as well as funds for environmental NGOs, including the Hong Kong-based Elephant Foundation.

Joining me now are two sustainability prefects at the school. This is Kate and Frank, and they are environmental champions at Harrow, Hong Kong.

So first of all happy Call to Earth Day. May I ask you, how are you marking this day? What are you doing, Kate?

KATE, STUDENT: So in fact, just now in the tent pole (ph), we have our presentation, put up by a team -- a team of students called Environmental Action Party, SCA.

So we presented on four different endangered animals, which are the rhino, elephant, lion and the penguins. So we gave presentations in the temple, and we also sold some charity sells (ph).

So we had guess the candy in a jar. We had baked goods to raise funds for the Elephant Foundation. And the reason why we chose the Elephant Foundation is because they

are a charity that really, like, dive into reducing the illicit trade in wildlife. And Hong Kong, a city, a really big city, it can act as the hub of illicit wildlife trade.

STOUT: Yes.

KATE: So it is really important that we get the message to the student body.

STOUT: A very important issue. And Frank, this day, what are you doing to mark Call to Earth Day?

FRANK, STUDENT: Trying to be, like, more sustainable and recycle more. So that this is a big, like, ocean crisis with the sea animals being polluted with litter.

STOUT: Yes, absolutely. And both of your, as sustainability prefects, for you, Call to Earth Day is every day of the school year. So what do you do as sustainability prefects here at the school to raise awareness and to better protect our shared home?

KATE: So we have regular meetings with the Sustainability Council and also the sustainability reps. And in the meetings, we discuss about problems around sustainability in school, and also solutions that the teacher and the students can work together to solve.

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So for example, currently, we are talking about improving our recycling system at our school. So we want to establish a clearer, more effective, and one that everyone can contribute to, into the recycling system.

STOUT: Yes. And Frank, you are contributing, as well. What are you doing as a -- as a younger sustainability prefect?

FRANK: I'm trying to, like, advocate in my house, for sustainability. Because right now, there's only about, like, five recycling bins, near the lunch hall, and a couple in houses. But they removed the one in my house, so I'm trying to bring it back.

STOUT: I love that. That's a really tangible goal and an achievable one, as well, for a better planet and a better community.

Kate and Frank, thank you so much.

In the next hour and hours ahead, we're going to learn more about what students here and around the world are doing to help safeguard our planet, including engaging for the kids here in Hong Kong at Harrow International, beach cleanups, and trail cleanups, as well.

I'll take it back to you.

VAUSE: Kristie, thank you. It looks like a big day for everyone there are all around the world, especially in Asia. Thank you for beginning our day here for the third Call to Earth Day.

That's Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. We have Steven Jiang in Beijing, our Beijing bureau chief. Also, Paula Hancocks in Seoul.

Great kids, great reports. Thank you all very much. I'm sure we'll see you again during the day. I'm John Vause. Time for a short break. For those watching CNN International and CNN Max, WORLD SPORT is up next. For viewers here on CNN U.S., I'll be back with more news in a moment.

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VAUSE: It's just gone 45 minutes past the hour. Welcome back.

The truce between Israel and Hamas is now its fifth day, extended by at least another 48 hours. That should mean the release of more hostages.

Hamas freed two women and nine children on Monday. They were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Tel Aviv. All 11 Israelis have dual citizenship: three French citizens, two Germans, and six Argentines. Here's an update on their condition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DROR MANDEL, DIRECTOR, DANA-DWEK CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: We can say at this point that all our children and mothers are in stable medical condition. And we will further on continue with medical evaluation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: In return, Israel has released another 33 Palestinians who were being held in Israeli prisons. All of those set free so far by Israel are women and children. No men over 18 have been released. Many were detained, but never charged.

We'll stay with the release of hostages from Gaza for a little longer and bring in Dan O'Shea, a former Navy SEAL who also specializes in hostage release.

Dan, thank you for being with us again. We appreciate your time.

DAN O'SHEA, FORMER NAVY SEAL/EXPERT IN HOSTAGE RELEASE: Of course.

VAUSE: So apologies if this sounds callous, but if you were to do a cost-benefit analysis here right now, who gains the most from this deal to released hostages? Is it Hamas, through the pause in the fighting, or is it Israel through the return of their citizens?

O'SHEA: Well, you know, it depends on who you ask in Israel. Obviously, if you're talking to Netanyahu and his cabinet and the IDF, the ceasefire was a very strong, powerful win for Hamas. And this extension over four days that has been -- surprisingly gone well, considering the tinderbox situation we have. But it's a victory for Hamas. Every day that the ceasefire continues,

is an ultimately victory for Hamas. They're getting 3 to 1 of their citizens back that have been held in Israeli jails.

But if you ask the average Israeli on the streets, especially one who had a family member taken hostage, they're going to say today they came out on top. No easy answer, to be honest.

VAUSE: Yes. So in terms of intelligence, will the hostages who have been set free, you know, most of them children so far, but you know, ,there are 69 hostages who have been set free in total. Will they be much use in terms of intelligence gathering for the Shin Bet or Mossad?

What will be they hoping to gain in what these people have seen, just sort of what may be mundane to them but could be of vital importance, too, in terms of intelligence?

O'SHEA: Well, a collection of reports, even from the young children, will give an indication on what the conditions are of the rest of the hostages. And more importantly, most importantly, the fact that they hope we can get an accounting of other hostages and their conditions and their status.

So it will be valuable information, but you know, the bottom line is that we know they were held, presumably, all in the tunnels. They're not going to have a lot of, quote, "actual intelligence," because they were probably completely disoriented the entire time. Probably in darkness for most of it, and they had no natural light.

So their sense of perspective, where they might have been held, maybe they'll give information on how close the IDF airstrikes or if they heard tanks and whatnot.

But, for the most part, the most important is that hopefully, we will get an accounting of the other hostages and their status, as well.

VAUSE: So in terms of who makes the list for release and who doesn't, I want you to listen to White House national security spokesman John Kirby. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, SPOKESMAN, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: Now, it's difficult to know and to ascertain specifically how they go about making up these lists. We are working very, very hard to keep this flow of hostages going. We're glad to see that there's a two-day extension, and we certainly would hope that, in the next two days, in this next couple of installments, that we'll see some Americans coming out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: So from your experience, and obviously in very broad terms here, any theories on who makes that list and why? What is the play here by Hamas? And do you expect this to continue beyond this 48-hour extension? [00:50:00]

O'SHEA: Well, everything is calculated here. Hamas realizes the importance that America has played. The U.S. administration, in particular, has made a very public statement about the president himself getting involved, and the emir of Qatar as we all know. Qatar has turned out to be the Switzerland of the Middle East these days doing all the coordination behind the scenes negotiating and whatnot.

But that's dangerous, and when Kirby makes a statement about, We're hoping Americans are going to be released, you're raising expectations for those families in America.

And more importantly, you're raising the value of these hostages to Hamas directly, which actually makes it -- them more likely to hold on. Because the moment they give up these reportedly nine remaining American hostages, there will be no more leverage on Netanyahu from the international community coming down on him as the pressure he's felt.

So that -- I do not agree with the emphasis and the constant reporting of senior level involvement from the U.S. administration. I think that puts -- extends the plot (ph), because Hamas, their survivability is maintained on holding onto these hostages.

And there will be a countenance (ph) on holding onto the ones that are more important those arrival, and right now those Americans are key to that.

VAUSE: What does it say about their current position in this war? That Hamas are willing to release at least 20 more to try and regroup, re- arm, and resupply, if you like?

O'SHEA: Well, of course. That's why, you know, every extra day is a day of survival. But it gets them, again, as you said, two more days to rearm, rethink, and prepare for the next wave of the IDF offensive.

That arguably they've secured the North, from what, you know, they're reporting, on and the next phase will be going into the South, which will be even more challenging because, as we know, the refugees from the North, a million-plus Hamas, Gazan residents, have moved now South to the South of Gaza.

So the phase two of this IDF offensive will be even more challenging than the first phase.

VAUSE: Dan O'Shea, thank you for your time, sir. Thank you for your service. We really appreciate you being with us. Thank you.

O'SHEA: Thank you.

VAUSE: Elon Musk seems to be mending fences on his visit to Israel on Monday. The owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, sparked outrage earlier this month for endorsing an antisemitic tweet.

Musk was given a personal tour by the Israeli prime minister of sites targeted by Hamas militants on October 7th. He also met one-on-one with Israel's president. More details now from CNN's Nick Watt.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK WATT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The world's richest man taken by Israel's prime minister to a kibbutz attacked by Hamas, October 7th.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The terrorists infiltrated into the kibbutz itself.

WATT (voice-over): There were umbrella bearers. Musk took some pictures.

The editor of a prominent Israeli newspaper calls this a P.R. visit, calls Musk a blatant antisemite, accuses Netanyahu of amoral sycophancy.

The backdrop to this visit? Well, Musk recently replied, "You have said the actual truth" to a tweet espousing antisemitic tropes that Jews push hatred of whites and promote minority immigration to Western nations.

That theory also espoused by the man who murdered 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.

Many accused Musk of overseeing the descent of X into a cesspool of hate, particularly since October 7th. A self-described free speech absolutist, Musk bought Twitter, now X, for $4four billion. That investment is now in danger.

There's an exodus of heavyweight advertisers over the hate.

Musk has said claims he's antisemitic could not be further from the truth. Today we could not reach him for comment, but Musk and Netanyahu had a chat live on X. They agreed on a lot.

ELON MUSK, OWNER OF X: Those who are intent on murder must be neutralized. Then the propaganda must stop. And then making Gaza prosperous. And if the -- if that happens, I think it will be a good future.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Well, I hope you'll be involved in it.

MUSK: I'd love to help.

ISAAC HERZOG, ISRAELI PRESIDENT: Welcome to Israel, Mr. Musk. Your visit means a lot to us.

WATT (voice-over): Israel's president implored Musk to help fight antisemitism.

HERZOG: You have a huge role to play, and I think we need to fight it together.

MUSK: Right. HERZOG: Because under the platforms which you lead, unfortunately, there's a harboring of a lot of old hate, which is Jew hate, which is antisemitism.

MUSK: We will actually do whatever is necessary to stop the -- I mean, essentially, these people have been fed propaganda since they were children.

AVI MEYER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "JERUSALEM POST": We in the Jewish faith believe in repentance and atoning for one's sins. Perhaps that's what's going on right now. But the proof will be in the pudding. We'll have to see what happens on his platform.

[00:55:09]

WATT: Elon Musk also controls Starlink, a satellite Internet service. And he had pledged to make that service available to aid organizations in Gaza.

The Israeli government was not happy about that, suggesting that Hamas would use the service for terrorist activities.

Well, today, an Israeli minister posted on X that they had reached an understanding with Musk that Starlink units will only be used in Israel and Gaza with the approval of the Israeli government. We have not yet confirmed that understanding.

Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is expected to attend a memorial service for his late wife, Rosalynn, here in Atlanta in the day ahead.

U.S. President Joe Biden also expected to be there. The former first lady passed away last week at 96 years old. Her body is lying in repose at the Carter Center.

Rosalynn Carter is being remembered as a tireless advocate for mental health reform and her dedication to humanitarian causes. A private funeral service is set for Wednesday in the Carters' hometown of Plains, Georgia.

Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Please stay with us. I'll be back with more news after a short break. You're watching CNN.

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