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Israel Has List Of Hostages Expected To Be Freed Wednesday; Israel Releases 30 Palestinian Prisoners; U.S. Urges Israel To Change Tactics In Gaza; Ukraine Spy Chief's Wife Undergoes Treatment For Suspected Poisoning; At Least 10 Dead After Snowstorm Sweeps Across Ukraine. Israel-Hamas War; Freed Hostages, Families Experience Range of Emotions; Released Hostages Face Mental Health Challenges; India Tunnel Rescue; Fintech Becomes Fast Growing Sector in Africa; Mother of Palestinian Student Shot: He May Never Walk Again; Remembering Rosalynn Carter. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired November 29, 2023 - 01:00 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 ANCHOR: Ahead this hour here on CNN, hostage negotiations continue as the clock ticks down to the end of a pause in fighting in Gaza.
Well, clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the West Bank escalate the city of Jenin the latest deadly flashpoint. And alive and well and trapped no more. Dozens of construction workers rescued in India after more than two weeks in a collapse tunnel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: Gaza is now into its sixth and what could be the last day of relative calm with an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a temporary pause in fighting set to end within 24 hours. The pause has already been extended for two days in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Sources say Hamas has now given Israel another list of names of hostages, who are expected to be released in the coming hours. Hostage negotiations in Doha are ongoing, with all sides agreeing to work towards extending the current truce.
A senior official with Hamas told CNN they're pushing for a longer lasting ceasefire, which Israel has already described as a non- starter.
On Tuesday, the fifth day of the current pause, Hamas released 12 hostages. 10 of them Israelis. All of them women, one a 17-year-old girl. The handover took place at the Rafah crossing on Gaza southern border with Egypt.
Large crowds lining the streets cheering as the women were paraded by Hamas before taken away by the Red Cross.
And a separate deal with the Government of Thailand, two Thai nationals were also released by Hamas Tuesday. So far, 86 of an estimated 250 hostages have been set free. And for those who are either at home or on their way there, the return to normality will take time and will not be easy, especially for the children who have been held in captivity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. EFRAT BRON-HARLEV, CHIEF EXEC., SCHNEIDER CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER IN ISRAEL: They came from different places in Gaza and in different times and of course, different ages. But in general, I can say that they all came very skinny, very pale, last maybe 10 to 15% of their weight sometimes and not only them but their mothers as well, the ones that came with them. Other than that they have some minor wounds. But they will overcome all that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: As part of this deal, 30 more Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons Tuesday, some arriving in the West Bank by bus, or 180 Palestinians were released by Israel are women and teenagers. Many have been detained without charge.
While fighting in Gaza remains for the most part on hold, clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians continue in the West Bank. Overnight, the city Jenin and its sprawling refugee camp where the focus of what the IDF says was a counterterrorism operation.
During that raid, the head of Doctors Without Borders says for two hours he was trapped inside a hospital along with other medical staff prevented from leaving by Israeli troops who also blocked access to the facility for ambulances and others. They say that led to the deaths of at least two Palestinians who are in need of urgent medical care.
The Palestine Red Crescent says Israeli forces surrounded all three major hospitals in Jenin searching every ambulance as they arrived and left and it says they took a special needs man with a bullet wound in his leg from one ambulance and the rest of them. Israel will not comment it says until these operations are over.
The fragile truce in Gaza is holding despite both sides accusing the other of violating the agreement. Israel says a number of troops was slightly wounded by three explosive devices detonated in northern Gaza. There was also a brief exchange of gunfire between the Israeli soldiers and Hamas militants.
Hamas blames Israel for those clashes, calling on the international mediators to pressure Israel to comply with the agreement.
When the fighting in Gaza resumed be it within hours or days, Israeli officials stress the military objectives have not changed. But U.S. officials are urging Israel to be more precise when targeting Hamas militants at Hamas infrastructure with growing outrage over a soaring death toll.
Almost 15,000 killed mostly civilians and at least in less than two months, that's according to the Hamas controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza.
[01:05:03]
As CNN's Alex Marquardt reports, senior Biden administration officials have been in daily contact with their Israeli counterparts, urging more caution.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: With the pause between Israel and Hamas expected to continue into Wednesday a six day. The question is what happens then? What does day seven look like? Could Israel start its military operations up in Gaza again, or will Hamas continue to release hostages?
The hope by the Biden administration is that the pause does continue and more hostages continued to come out. The quiet goes on for a bit longer, they hope and more aid goes into Gaza to deal with the really catastrophic humanitarian situation.
Tuesday saw the CIA director Bill Burns in the Qatari capital Doha to work on just that he has become President Biden's point man on all hostage issues meeting in Doha with Qatari officials and his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts.
Burns's goal was also to try to broaden the negotiations to more than just women and children, and to try to get men and Israeli soldiers out which everyone agrees will be much more difficult.
The Biden ministration is also urging Israel that if they start their operations up again, militarily in Gaza, which they say they will to be much more careful, to be more cautious, more surgical and precise, to try to minimize the often deadly impact on Gazan civilians, most of whom are now displaced. Alex Marquardt, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Right now Gaza's medical system has all but collapsed. Most hospitals have closed because they're out of fuel for generators or have been damaged by Israeli airstrikes or artillery fire or three.
And unless that medical infrastructure is restored soon, the World Health Organization warns the death toll from infectious diseases will soar. And the prognosis is not good for thousands of patients who are being treated for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cancer before the war started, because they no longer have access to medical care.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARGARET HARRIS, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SPOKESPERSON: Eventually, we will see more people dying from disease than we're even seeing from the bombardment if we're not able to cut back this health system and provide the basics of life food, water, medicines, and of course, fuel to operate the hospitals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Now we'll head to Cairo, Egypt, Rick Brennan, Regional Emergency director for the World Health Organization. Rick, thank you for being with us once again.
RICK BRENNAN, REGIONAL EMERGENCY DIRECTOR, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Thank you.
VAUSE: OK, so Gaza's health system wasn't great before the war, but it was a lot better than nothing. So, it's restoring what was there two months ago, even realistic right now, even if the fighting ended completely tomorrow.
BRENNAN: Actually, John, the health system in Gaza prior to the conflict was a reasonably well functioning system. In fact, the health outcomes, you know, life expectancy, child deaths, maternal deaths were about a middle range for the Middle East region.
So under very difficult circumstances, you know, the medical staff and the public staff of Gaza were doing a remarkably good job. But as we've indicated, that system has been degraded enormously since the start of the conflict. From 36 functioning public hospitals, were now down to 12. There's only four facilities functioning in the north now, one of them, Al-Ahli Hospital has only around 30 functioning beds. The other hospital Al-Sahaba is a maternity hospital. And it's primarily providing services for women.
The other two facilities are basically providing outpatient care. So we've gone from around 3,500 beds down to 1,400 beds, those remaining facilities will remain -- will be very vulnerable, if there is, you know, a further escalation and another IDF military offensive.
VAUSE: So right now we're looking at a death toll of around 15,000, that's according to Hamas controlled health ministry in Gaza. So nothing is done. If this downward slide and medical services continues, which, by all accounts, by all possibility looks like that's what's going to happen. Will the number die ever really been none?
Right now there are thousands unaccounted for under the rubble? How do we know how many people will actually be dead by the end of all of this?
BRENNAN: Yes. Well, the numbers you're providing there, the estimates for the numbers have been killed through the conflict itself, but direct deaths from injury. So, you know, we can never have a fully accurate number for deaths from injury or for from deaths from any cause of war.
What my colleague, Margaret Harris, who you had on earlier was referring to is the indirect consequences.
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Indirect health consequences of conflict, that is increased rates of infectious diseases because of the breakdown of the public health system, and also increased deaths from chronic diseases, such as diabetes and kidney failure and high blood pressure and heart disease, because people no longer have access to that -- to their normal medications, and health care providers.
So, we are extremely concerned with the overcrowded conditions, the unsanitary conditions that many of the -- close to 1.7 million displaced people are living under the situation for the risk of large scale disease outbreaks is very, very high. We're already seeing increased rates of worsening death -- worsening illness and death due to the chronic diseases.
So as she's indicated, those indirect deaths, if you like, could be higher at the end of this conflict than those caused by injury. So, your other reporter called the situation catastrophic, it already is, it's going to get worse unless there's a sustained ceasefire.
VAUSE: I understand right now the focus is on triage. You know, you guys kind of freak those who are willing to move on to the next one. But at any level, has there been any kind of meaningful discussion about what happens once the fighting stops? Who rebuilds Gaza? Who pays for it? And in the meantime, what happens to more than 2 million people? Where do they live? What do they eat? Where do they get medical treatment? Where do they bathe?
BRENNAN: Yes, well, the situation right now is incredibly desperate, absolutely desperate, because as you've indicated, you know, 1.7 million people displaced close to a million the crowd, you know, living in these incredibly overcrowded schools and collective centers with limited access to food and fresh water. The sanitary conditions are just appalling. We're seeing increased numbers of respiratory infections, diarrhea, jaundice, which would indicate hepatitis. So again, big risks of infectious disease outbreaks.
What do we do at the end of this conflict? How do we rebuild? We get -- we're going to need a huge infusion of international aid to reestablish those hospitals, get them functioning, again, get the public health system, the disease surveillance, the disease control, the waste management systems, the clean water, the water treatment plants, all those up and running.
It's going to take a massive effort to respond to the needs right now. And it's going to take an incredibly massive effort to rebuild at the end of this conflict.
VAUSE: Yes, clearly, that is such a long way off. You know, right now, I guess it's not one of those priorities. But it's something which just kind of have to be done. I mean, it's just currently 2 million people where they are right now. Rick, we really appreciate you being with us, sir. We appreciate your time. Thank you.
BRENNAN: Thank you very much. Thank you. VAUSE: Well, pausing fighting between Israel and Hamas has also given
some families a chance to return home. Some have gone home to retrieve belongings. Some have returned home to retrieve bodies. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has the tragic story of a grandfather returning to his destroyed home in Gaza. He's a story.
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JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): (INAUDIBLE) were inseparable. Her grandfather was her whole world. Her favorite game pulling his beard and he would pull her piggy tails.
I'll let go she says if you let go. Khaled just can't let go of his little green. Now searching for memories and the rubble of his home.
This was reinstall, he says. The family was asleep when an airstrike nearby brought down their house in southern Gaza last week. Khaled woke up screaming for his children and grandchildren struggling to walk in the dark and through the wreckage to find them.
I couldn't find anyone. They were buried underneath all this rubble, he says. My daughter Mesa was here. Her children Reem and Tarek were here in her arms. Mesa and her sister barely survived. After a few days in intensive care, they're now recovering at a relative's house.
I felt something heavy on top of me. I started screaming, Mesa says. I heard dreams screaming next to me. I told her there's something heavy on top of me. I can't reach you. I said my final prayers and next I will woke up in the hospital.
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Mesa woke up to the news her three and five-year-old children work on their lifeless bodies found together under the rubble. They slept next to each other that night. They slept early, she says. I told them to stay up a little longer, but they said they wanted to sleep.
At the hospital, I was just numb, she says. I hugged them. I wanted to get as many hugs as I could. No matter how much I hugged them, I didn't get enough.
Their final days lived in a war they were too young to understand why they no longer could dress up, go out and play or get their favorite treats. With their father abroad working, they lived with their grandfather, but he was so attached to him and he spoiled her.
They kept asking for fruit but there's no fruit because of the war, he says. I could only find them these tangerines. Khaled holds the tangerine he gave Reem, the one she didn't get to eat and pinned close to his heart her tiny earring.
He breaks down as he remembers their final evening how his grandchildren begged him to take them out to play. But he couldn't, airstrikes were everywhere. Khaled says he's not a fighter. They had nothing to do with the war.
But like so many in Gaza, his family paid the price. Khaled held Reem in his arms for one last time. He hugged her motionless body, opened her eyes and kissed her goodbye.
I was asking her to kiss me like she used to. But she didn't, he says. I used to kiss her on her cheeks, on her nose and she would giggle. I kissed her. But she wouldn't wake up he recalls.
I helped Tarek, I fixed his hair the way he liked it. I was wishing hoping there were only sleeping he says, but they weren't sleeping. They're gone. Gone a month before her fourth birthday. The birthday Reem shared with her grandfather. She was the soul of my soul, Khaled says. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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VAUSE: Wife of Ukraine's top military intelligence official is in hospital with apparent heavy metals poisoning, according to Ukrainian and Western officials. Marianna Budanova is the wife of GUI Kyrylo Budanov, who had been deeply involved in Ukraine's efforts to oust Russia from Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine says other intelligence staff members are also sick. Sources tell CNN Western officials are suspicious that Russian agents may have paid off a staff member to carry out the poisoning.
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But so far the U.S. has not been able to independently verify the incident.
When Vladimir Putin began his war of choice on Ukraine, the Russian military was believed to have the upper hand when it comes to drones and other smart weapons. But now as CNN's Clare Sebastian reports more than a year and a half into this conflict, Ukraine is starting to level the playing field.
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CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It looks like little more than a cluster of TV aerials. And yet this Ukrainian drone has just destroyed a critical piece of Russia's electronic arsenal. The commander who operated the drone says he wanted his video to go viral.
PALVO PETRYCHENKO, URKRAINIAN DRONE COMMANDER (through translator): On this video, other reconnaissance units, we'll be able to see how such antenna looks like in detail, and in the future, identify them on the battlefield.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Palvo Petrychenko is stationed on the most active part of Ukraine's eastern front, his unit helping defend the town of Avdiivka from a Russian onslaught.
SEBASTIAN: Why is it so important to destroy these electronic warfare systems in particular?
PETRYCHENKO (voice-over): I am grateful to our partners to NATO to the whole civilized world to give us these weapons. All these weapons are highly accurate they are guided by satellite systems. Russia tries to counter these weapons with electronic warfare systems.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): For Russia, electronic warfare and invisible battleground where electromagnetic waves are used to jam or even alter enemy GPS signals, as well as disrupting radio waves, radar and even cell signals has provided an unexpected advantage of Ukraine's more sophisticated weapons.
U.S. provided guided missiles even some essential HIMARS rocket launchers had been compromised. And drones the most frequent victims. This published by a pro Kremlin news outlet purportedly shows the moment Russian jam is struck.
KARI BINGEN, DIRECTOR, AEROSPACE SECURITY PROJECT AT CSIS: So GPS jamming is basically brute force power. So think of it if you're -- if your stereos on at home and you've got low music playing and your neighbor is blasting their music next door and you can hear it in it overpowers your stereo.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Ukraine's Minister of digital transformation, who has spearheaded a 100-fold increase in drone production this year, says electronic warfare is now a top priority.
MYKAILO FEDOROV, UKRAINIAN MINISTER OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION (through translator): The new vision for the development of electronic warfare includes protecting every piece of equipment, every trench, every person, comprehensive protection of the entire battlefield and the rear using electronic warfare.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Ukraine is playing catch up here. The head of the country's armed forces admitting in a recent essay Russia has quote significant electronic warfare superiority.
BINGEN: I think what's been interesting is to see these jamming systems being co-located with Russian forces. I think it's really giving insight into how Russia is integrating them into their military plans and their force movements.
SEBASTIAN (voice-over): And Russia is not trying to hide this. Official Defense Ministry TV channel showing off jamming equipment on tanks aimed to prevent enemy drones getting too close.
Then even on state media, an armored train said to be kitted out with electronic warfare defenses.
SEBASTIAN: Do you think that electronic warfare is one of the things that could potentially turn the tide in this conflict?
FEDOROV (through translator): One tool is not enough to achieve a breakthrough. It needs to be a combination of certain actions. We're never going to have as much manpower as Russia but technology can change that. We need to continue scaling it up. SEBASTIAN (voice-over): Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Every snowstorm has swept through Ukraine leaving at least 10 people dead and thousands more without electricity. The severe cold comes as Ukraine's power grid struggles to beat demand that's been continually targeted by Russian airstrikes. More details now from CNN's Anna Coren reporting from Kyiv.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Heavy snow and ferocious winds as a severe winter storm sweeps across Ukraine, putting a nation at war under additional strain. Days of extreme weather here has left at least 10 people dead, more than 20 injured and hundreds of villages and towns without power, according to Ukraine's interior ministry.
The southern region of Odesa taking the hardest impact.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Unfortunately, as of now, there are some deaths. The highest number is in the Odesa region. Five people. My condolences to their families and friends.
COREN (voice-over): The storm was caused by a low pressure system over Eastern Europe over the weekend. On Sunday, wind speeds of up to 65 miles per hour were reported.
1,500 responders were taking part in operations across the country according to officials, and power engineers were working to restore the electricity supply to households.
[01:25:00]
The severe weather also hit Russia and occupied Crimea, where a state of emergency was called for parts of the peninsula. 93,000 there were left without electricity, and the water supply for 245 villages was disrupted, according to Russia's local head of the peninsula.
The residents of Ukraine's capital their thoughts will be those now fighting a war in even harsher conditions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I start crying when I think about the soldiers, it's hard to imagine what it feels like there. These are very heavy thoughts.
COREN (voice-over): A harsh winter getting only harsher still. More heavy snow and rain is expected to hit Ukraine this week, bringing further danger and possible devastation. Anna Coren, CNN, Kyiv.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: We take a short break, when we come back. To a latest on the Israel-Hamas truce, we look at some of the emotional Reunions between newly released hostages and their families and some of their heartbreaking stories. Back in a moment.
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VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone. I'm John Vause,. You're watching CNN Newsroom. Sources tell CNN Hamas has given Israel a list of names of hostages to be released in the day ahead. And the Israeli government has been notifying families.
A temporary pause in fighting is now into its final day. Although there is a chance it may be extended once again. Hamas says it's in constant contact with Qatar and Egypt to help broker the deal. They're looking for a longer ceasefire.
The militant group reached 10 Israelis and two Thai nationals on Tuesday. They promised to free 10 additional hostages for every day of the truce. That's where the agreement stands right now.
Israel released another 30 Palestinian women and children from prisons as part of the agreement. Many of the prisoners being held by Israel had been detained but were never charge.
Barak Ravid is a political and foreign policy analyst for CNN, as well as a politics and foreign policy reporter with a news website Axios. Welcome. It's been a busy first day for you. Good have you with us.
BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ANALYST: Thank you. It's great to be on the show.
VAUSE: OK, so during a visit to an Israeli intelligence base, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to rule out any possibility that this temporary pause in fighting in Gaza might actually be the beginning of a much longer lasting ceasefire. Here's the Prime Minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We are committed to completing our missions, freeing all of the hostages, eliminating this terrorist organization above and below ground and of course to ensure that Gaza had not returned to being what it was, will no longer constitute a threat to the State of Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: You know, since October 7 Netanyahu has talked about Hamas being an existential threat to Israel, you know, a nuclear armed Iran would be an existential threat or Iran-backed Hezbollah based in Lebanon which has 150,000 long-range missiles pointed at Israel, has its own air defense system and commando force.
Does Hamas rise to that same threat level? Because it seems the answer to that question would seem to determine the scope of the rest of this Israeli military operation in Gaza, and the chance of any kind of ceasefire. That is, before you add in the factor of Israeli domestic politics. So where do things stand right now? BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ANALYST: Well, I think
that obviously Hamas is not an existential threat to Israel. By the way, my personal opinion is that Israel does not face any existential threat at the moment.
But I think what we saw on October 7th, that Hamas is a huge threat for Israelis and for Israel, without it being an existential threat because it managed to conduct the most serious attack on the state of Israel maybe since 1948. And the most serious invasion into Israeli territory, and the most serious attack on Israeli civilians since 1948.
And I think that when you ask the question, why does this war continue, it is not because Hamas is an existential threat to Israel, it is because no Israeli will be able to go back living in this area on the borders of Gaza if he knows that on the other side of the border this threat still remains. And that is what Israeli really public opinion is telling the government.
And this is why I don't think any politician right now in Israel will be able to stop this war without dismantling Hamas.
VAUSE: And on Tuesday, the chief of staff of the IDF spoke with troops in the north about ongoing preparations for when the military offenses will resume in Gaza, he told them the IDF is prepared to continue fighting. We are using the days of the pause as part of the framework to learn, strengthen our readiness, and approve future operational plans. Israel's offensive in northern Gaza seemed to go pretty much as planned.
Next comes southern Gaza. So what is known about, you know, Hamas in terms of its capabilities there? Will southern Gaza be more complicated? How much more difficult will it be given the loss of momentum for the IDF over the last few days and add into that mix, 1.7 million displaced Palestinians who fled to the south in search of safety?
RAVID: Yes, I think southern Gaza is a whole different ball game. It has nothing to do with what we saw in the last two or three weeks with the ground operation in northern Gaza.
The ground operation in northern Gaza for example took place when northern Gaza wasn't empty of civilians but it was -- there were far less civilians than before the war. So it was much easier to operate.
In southern Gaza right now there are more than 2 million Palestinians in a very dense area and any operation in southern Gaza will have to somehow take place without hitting those civilians. And honestly, I have to tell you, I just do not know if such a thing as even possible.
VAUSE: Yes. And with the IDF still gearing up for this renewed military offensive, Hamas on the other hand they're pushing for some kind of longer truce here. A senior official with Hamas telling CNN, quote, "we are striving to extend the truce to stop the aggression -- that is what they say Israel is doing -- once and for all, by using the cards we have. We are in constant contact with Qatar and Egypt at the present time regarding the truce and there are efforts being made by other countries to pressure for a ceasefire."
When he says they're using the cards we have and what exactly does that mean? Is that a reference perhaps to what the Israeli soldiers who are currently being held in Gaza?
RAVID: Yes, I think the soldiers, of course, but also, I think the several dozen men and civilians who were kidnapped either from the music festival, around I think 40 men were kidnapped from the music festival and another several dozen men were kidnapped from the Israeli villages, near Gaza and Hamas is still holding them.
And he's trying to use them in order to tell the Israelis, you know what we will release all of them, if you stop the war. This was one of the messages that were given to Mossad chief David Barnea today in Qatar when he met CIA director Bill Burns and the head of Egyptian intelligence and the prime minister of Qatar.
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RAVID: But the head of Mossad, what he told them is that Israel is not going to discuss any future deal on those, so to say, cards or those soldiers and men, before all women and children are released.
And I think when -- if those women and children are not released, we are going to see a resumption of the military operation.
VAUSE: Barak, it's great to have you with us with your insight and your experience is very valuable, very much appreciated. Thank you, sir.
RAVID: Thank you so much.
VAUSE: Four-year-old Abigail Edan is expected to be discharged from an Israeli hospital along with nearly two dozen other hostages recently released by Hamas.
Abigail was set free Sunday, the first American hostage to be released during this almost six-day long pause in fighting.
Well, her cousin says there is now understandable relief that Abigail is free. Keep in mind this little girl, four years old, watched both her parents being murdered by Hamas militants on October 7th.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOA NAFTALI, ABIGAIL EDAN'S COUSIN: Abigail is a little girl who is full of love, of life and to see her again, to see her smiling is really remarkable. Her family is incredible, they are -- they have been through so much. And yet they have everything that they need emotionally in order to be there for this child.
And they are surrounded by the love and support of their community. And we are relieved to see her home.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: These past five days have been a rollercoaster of emotions for dozens of hostages reunited with their families. Relief, mixed with joy, mixed with anguish, with grief.
More now from CNN's Matthew Chance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: The tears are of joy and of sadness. This is the moment Sharon Avigdori and her 12- year-old daughter Noam, kidnapped on October the 7th, are reunited with their family. But they know friends and neighbors were murdered and that others remain hostages. Relief here is bittersweet.
Israel is releasing this emotional footage of hostages freed by Hamas, traumatized women and children returning to shattered lives. Like eight-year-old Nava (ph) and his sister Yahel (ph), just three, now freed with their mother and grandma after weeks in Gaza, but their dad Tal (ph) remains a hostage.
Little Emily Hand, who turned nine in captivity, is reunited with her family, but seems shell-shocked by her trauma. In an interview with CNN, her father spoke of his joy and pain.
THOMAS HAND, FATHER OF RELEASED HOSTAGE: It was beautiful. Just like I had imagined it. You know, coming together, and I squeezed, I probably squeezed too hard.
And so it is only when she stepped back a little that I could see her face was chiseled like mine when before she left, she was you know, chubby, curly, young kid's face.
CHANCE: Freed U.S.-Israeli toddler Abigail Edan, who turned four as a hostage, lost both her parents in the Hamas attack on Kfar Aza. But her surviving family say they are taking good care of her.
ELLA MOR, AUNT OF RELEASED HOSTAGE: My name is Ella. I'm Abigail's auntie. And she just landed in the hospital and she has been checked and taken care of. I want to thank everybody for all your support. It is amazing and thank you so much.
CHANCE: This crisis has shone light on the role of foreign domestic workers in Israel like Jimmy Pacheco, the Filipino caregiver abducted by Hamas after the Israeli pensioner he was looking after was killed. Along with the applause, Israel says he and other foreigners get a lifelong stipend for their ordeal.
At times, news of a released has been overwhelming. This is Hadas Calderon, getting the call in a shopping mall that her 16-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son were being set free. For a moment relief, eclipsing the pain of terrible loss.
Matthew Chance, CNN -- Tel Aviv.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Many of the freed hostages though now face lingering mental and emotional trauma. CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard has more on the psychological effects of being in captivity for so long.
[01:39:44]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: The mental health challenges some people might face when they are released depends on many factors like their age and what they experienced while in captivity. And many of them in this case are not returning to the lives they once knew. Some have lost their parents or loved ones.
But what we know from research is that many people who have been released after being held captive experience stress reactions like depression or anxiety, disorientation or confusion, grief, and sometimes survivor's guilt, and signs of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD as well.
Symptoms of PTSD in adults can included vivid flashbacks, nightmares, or being easily startled.
But symptoms can present differently in young children. Children under six may regress to bed-wetting or not talking. They may act out their trauma in playtime. They may become unusually clingy. And these kinds of signs and symptoms will be important for care teams to watch for.
Clinical psychologist Ayulet Gundar-Goshen (ph) -- based in Israel said that at the hospital where she works, they are seeing more mental health volunteers signing up to help patients recovering from trauma. Have a listen.
AYULET GUNDAR-GOSHEN, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: We have right now more volunteers, more psychologist who are wanting to come even to volunteer and to give aid to the people who survived the massacre.
It is very, very hard, because once again we are not dealing with normal grief. We are dealing with a huge trauma in huge scale.
HOWARD: Also, Israel's military of welfare and social affairs released instructions last week on how to care for released child hostages. The guidelines include asking a child before touching or picking them up, and they stress the importance of building a daily routine of rest, eating healthy, and getting some exercise outdoors once the child is home.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: When we come back, we will change gears with some good news.
Cheers in India as dozens of miners trapped in a collapsed tunnel were brought to the surface after more than two weeks. Details of their rescue and the celebrations -- some good news, we need it. Stay with us.
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VAUSE: In India, a joyful ending Tuesday, after a 17-day ordeal, 41 workers rescued from a collapsed tunnel.
But as CNN's Vedika Sud reports the rescue was not easy and the team suffered a number of setbacks before they eventually reached the trapped men.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VEDIKA SUD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: 17 days after the collapse, amid the applause and cheering, 41 men trapped inside this Himalayan tunnel finally rescued.
Falling into the arms of their families, friends and officials who spent days and night by the site waiting for this breakthrough.
WAKIL HASSAN, NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE RESCUE TEAM LEADER (through translator): All the trapped workers are coming out one by one. There are no challenges now and they're coming out very easily.
[01:44:51]
SUD: Agonizing setbacks came almost by the day. Machine failures slowed the (INAUDIBLE) through 60 meters of rock, concrete and twisted metal. The last stretch drilled by hand from inside an almost three- feet wide evacuation pipe through this huge (INAUDIBLE).
PUSHKAR SING DHAMI, CHIEF MINISTER, UTTARAKHAND STATE, INDIA (through translator): They don't have any symptoms of weakness or fever. They are all healthy. While there were stretchers for them to come out, they chose to come out crawling on their own.
SUD: Amid media frenzy, the 41 survivors were whisked away in ambulances, far from the rocks, debris and uncertainty.
Vedika Sud, CNN -- New Delhi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Financial technology is one of the fastest growing sectors across Africa. Many of the most successful companies are those tapping into the continent's unbanked or unreserved population -- underserved population, I should say.
Launched in 2017, Numida became the first Ugandan company to be backed by the American start-up Accelerator now working to help small businesses access unsecured loans using cutting edge technology.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MINA SHAHID, CO-FOUNDER/CEO, NUMIDA: Small businesses matter in Africa because they are the primary drivers of economic growth and development across the continent.
Hi, my name is Mina Shahid. I'm the co-founder and CEO of Numida.
We said from day one that we wanted to figure out how do we give $500 unsecured, working capital loan to someone who's never borrowed before from a financial institution but they have a shop that's making money, that's supporting their family, that's employing people in their community.
How do you that in an effective way? And I really do believe that we have figured that out.
ROBERT ONGIMAKOL, CEO, ELEGANT DESIGNS: So Numida has been able to help me grow my capital and everything when I want to add in additional stock and I do not have enough cash I am able to access a loan. So long as I have cleared the previous loans, I am able to access a loan.
SHAHID: Numida has a mobile app, very, very simple user interface. Micro and small business owners can download the Numida app. They'll go through a loan application process through the app and they can apply for working capital within a few minutes.
And then if they're approved, they'll receive capital within a day. Super simple, we don't require collateral, we don't have guarantors. We don't need documentation. We have alternative ways of determining each business owners credit-worthiness and are able to provide them credit quotes within minutes and then, you know, actual funding within a day that they can then put into their business to drive growth.
Uganda being a very young tech ecosystem, some of the core talents that we need in order to build this company, it's been hard for us to find. And we spent actually three years building our credit models and our operational tools before we really went in to scale up mode.
We've dispersed roughly $40 million in unsecured working capital loans to 47,000 businesses in Uganda to date.
We have proven that there is alternative ways to underwrite semi- formal micro and small businesses. And every time we give a loan to somebody and they come back to us and they tell us, you know, I used this loan and I bought this inventory and I was able to make this additional revenue, and my business at this point a year ago and now it's here. You know, that is the most validating thing for me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: When we come back, a touching tribute to a former first lady, Rosalynn Carter.
[01:48:50]
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VAUSE: The mother of one of three Palestinian students shot in Vermont, says her son Hashim Awartani (ph) may never walk again. Elizabeth Price tells CNN he has an incomplete spinal injury, meaning he can feel his legs but he cannot move them.
More details now from CNN's Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From the relatives of three young Palestinian victims, jarring new accounts of Saturday night's shooting in Burlington, Vermont, and a disturbing prognosis for one victim.
The mother of the college student Hisham Awartani told CNN that doctors say that he has lost functional mobility in both his legs.
ELIZABETH PRICE, MOTHER OF HISHAM AWARTANI: The prognosis is bad. The prognosis is that he won't not regain it. We are determined to work with him and support him and get the best possible care that he can.
I believe that Hisham the determination, the courage, and the resilience to regain his leg movement but the doctors currently say that it is not possible.
TODD: Hisham Awartani suffered a bullet wound to the spine in the attack, he was wounded along with fellow Palestinian students Kinnan Abdelhamid (ph) and Tasheen Ali Ahmed (ph). Awartani's mother told CNN this attack could well have been fatal.
PRICE: Hisham worried that the shooter stayed over them for a shorter period and then left. Hisham thought that this man was going to continue to shoot them and kill them.
TODD: The suspect, Jason Eaton has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and has pleaded not guilty. Officials say federal prosecutors in Vermont are investigating whether the shooting may have been a hate crime, the victims' families are calling for that.
Police say moments before the shooting, as they were taking a walk, the young men were speaking to each other in Arabic and English. And the relative say this.
RICH PRICE, UNCLE OF HISHAM AWARTANI: They were wearing their keffiyeh, their traditional Palestinian scarves and this gentleman stepped out of the dark and pulled out a handgun and fired four times.
TODD: But even though the Burlington police chief has called this a hateful act, he has indicated it is not clear whether they can cross the legal threshold to charge Eaton with a hate crime. That they have yet to uncover specific evidence to establish his motive.
What would they need to charge him with a hate crime?
JOEY JACKSON, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You're looking at the animus. You're are looking at what precipitated it. Why it began. They will look for the affiliations of this particular person. They will look for who he was responding to and communicating with. They will look at what his beliefs are.
TODD: And analysts say they will look at this crime in the context of the climate of tension in the U.S. connected to the Israel-Hamas war.
ANDREW MCCABE, FORMER FBI DEPUTY DIRECTOR: These events overseas can really be triggers, opportunities for people who harbor racist or extremist views to really set them into motion. All the indicators are that people who harbor racist or extremist beliefs are particularly energized right now, and that is a very volatile situation.
TODD: The Burlington police chief told CNN that to get some insight into Eaton's possible motive, they will work with the FBI to analyze devices taken from his apartment.
Court documents say those includes five cell phones, an iPad, and a backpack full of hard drives.
Brian Todd, CNN -- Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: A privates funeral service is scheduled in the coming hours in Plains, Georgia for former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter. A long list of dignitaries attended a memorial in Atlanta on Tuesday, including her 99-year-old husband, former president, Jimmy Carter.
CNN's Nick Valencia has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On a brisk Atlanta day under the beaming Georgia sun, family and friends of the former first lady, Rosalynn Carter, gathered to celebrate her life.
At 96 years old, her death was far from a life cut short. Her husband of more than 77 years, who was rarely seen without her, the former president Jimmy Carter, was there by her side, for one final time, despite his frail health.
The 39th president has been receiving hospice care since February. He's appearance was visibly diminished but he reportedly was so determined to be there. He had a new suit tailor made for the service.
Also in the front, all of the living former first ladies, along with President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and former president Bill Clinton. Melania Trump sitting on the end of the row in a rare public appearance. She has largely avoided the public eye since her husband left office. She was seated next to Michelle Obama, their husbands did not attend.
Three generations of Carters were also present there. All four of their children and 11 of their grandchildren who served as honorary pallbearers.
[01:54:52]
VALENCIA: Their marriage described by so many, especially their own children, as one of the greatest love stories of all time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They've given us such a great example of how a couple should relate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mom spent most of her life in love with my dad.
VALENCIA: Their youngest child and only daughter Amy struggling through tears reading a letter written 75 years ago by her father to her mother when he was serving in the Navy.
AMY CARTER, DAUGHTER OF JIMMY AND ROSALYNN CARTER: When I see you, I fall in love with you all over again. Does that seem strange to you? It doesn't to me. Goodbye darling, until tomorrow. Jimmy.
VALENCIA: Jason Carter, the couple's grandson, recounting some of his fondest memories with his grandmother's.
JASON CARTER, GRANDSON OF ROSALYNN CARTER: We were on a family trip, we were in a flight on Delta from here to somewhere and we were all sitting in the back of the airplane together. It took off and we looked over, my grandmother took out this Tupperware of (INAUDIBLE) cheese and this loaf of bread and she just started making sandwiches. And she gave it to all of us grandkids, and then she started giving it to other people on the plane.
VALENCIA: A touching celebration for a woman who led such a full life and delivered hope to so very many people in this world.
Tuesday's services were poignant, they were somber and even at times lighthearted. They very much so a public celebration of life for the former first lady. On Wednesday a third and final day of memorial services will be held.
Her motorcade will make a funeral procession through Plains, Georgia in a very much more smaller ceremony. The first lady is headed home.
Nick Valencia, CNN -- Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Finally, the cost of riding the Metro in Paris is set to double, just in time for next year's Olympics. Up from 2 euros to a little more than 4 euros.
But residents with monthly or annual passes will be spared the increases. The president of the Paris Regional Council called it fair pricing. The increases will be temporary from July 20 to September 8.
Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm John Vause.
Please stay with us. My friend and colleague Rosemary Church will be in the chair after a very short break.
See you back here tomorrow.
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