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Israel Offers Hamas One-Week Pause In Fighting As Part Of New Hostage Deal; Houthi Attacks On Commercial Ships Have Upended Global Trade In Vital Red Sea Corridor; Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump From 2024 Ballot; China Quake Death Toll Climbs To 131 As Rescue Efforts Continue; U.N. Security Council Vote on Gaza Resolution Delayed; Settler Confrontations in the West Bank; League Play Resumes with More Dissent Against Referees. Aired 1-2a ET

Aired December 20, 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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[01:00:26]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN next. I'm Rosemary church. Just ahead. Israel proposes a week long pause in fighting in Gaza, in exchange for the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas. We are live in Jerusalem with details.

Donald Trump could be kicked off Colorado's ballot after that state Supreme Court rules the former president violated the U.S. constitutions insurrectionist ban and attacks against cargo ships in the Red Sea of forcing companies to find another route potentially leading to long delays and higher prices.

UNIDENTFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN Newsroom with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Thanks for joining us and we begin with new developments out of Israel, where we have learned officials are proposing a new deal to pause the fighting in Gaza in exchange for the release of more hostages held by Hamas.

CNN political and foreign policy analysts Barak Ravid broke that news just hours ago, saying Israel has proposed a one week pause in exchange the 40 hostages. Here's Ravid explaining just how this came about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ANALYST: To aliens came to this meeting for the first time with a proposal for how to relaunch those talks that were not taking place for several weeks since the last ceasefire collapse. And the Israelis came with a proposal that says we ready that for the release of 40 hostages that are as you said, the women, the elderly, the sick ones, to agree for at least one week of ceasefire, maybe even more by the way, and you know all sorts of smaller stuff like more humanitarian aid, and other things. The Qataris are now taking this proposal to Hamas, Hamas until now refuse to even relaunch talks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: This news comes after Israel's President suggested his country would be willing to agree to a new temporary truce with Hamas in exchange for more hostages, and as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the families of hostages, telling them he was personally committed to the release of all those being held.

Meantime, sources say the U.N. Security Council is now expected to vote in the coming hours on a resolution calling for a suspension of hostilities in Gaza. This follows a delay amid negotiations to finalize that resolution, which aims to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad has released a video of two Israeli hostages. The footage shows the two men speaking in front of a camera. We have decided not to air it because they're likely speaking under duress.

In the video they asked the Israeli government to do quote everything necessary to secure their release. They say their lives in Gaza are extremely dangerous. Islamic Jihad released the video a day after Hamas released similar footage showing three elderly Israelis in captivity. Israel's military said that video reflects Hamas is cruelty against innocent civilians in need of medical care.

Joining me now from Jerusalem is Yaakov Katz, a senior columnist for The Jerusalem Post. Appreciate you being with us.

YAAKOV KATZ, SENIOR COLUMNIST, THE JERUSALEM POST: Thank you, Rosemary.

CHURCH: So let's start with the report that suggest Israel is offering to pause the fighting in Gaza for at least one week maybe more as part of a new deal to get Hamas to release more hostages. What's your reaction to this a pound offer made through Qatari mediators and source to two Israeli officials and a third source with knowledge of the situation.

KATZ: Israel as we know has had two goals two primary objectives during this war. The first is to degrade Hamas's capabilities to topple its regime over the Gaza Strip, and to prevent it from ever being able to carry out the October 7 massacre style attacks again.

The second objective has to secure the release of the hostages.

[01:05:00]

There's now about 130, who are still being held in Gaza after 100 were released a few weeks ago under that previous pause in the fighting. Israel is trying to get those hostages home part of that has to do the strategy is the ground offensive putting the pressure on Hamas on the ground. But I think there are no illusions here, Rosemary.

The government understands that at the end, they are going to have to make a deal with Hamas, similar to the one a few weeks ago, that would include a pause in the fighting would include maybe the release of additional Palestinian prisoners like last time, and would also then see the release of some of the hostages that are still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

CHURCH: And of course, meantime, a U.N. vote on a resolution is set to take place in just a few hours from now. The U.N. Security Council apparently trying to get the United States on board in calls for humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Would you ever expect the U.S. to support that resolution?

KATZ: I think it's possible that the U.S. might support that resolution if the conflict and the war on the ground continues at the high intensity stage like it is right now without a horizon of it moving from the high intensity stage with three to four divisions thousands and thousands of Israeli soldiers on the ground, continued operations at a very high intensity level.

And it doesn't move to a different phase. The Americans are giving Israel several more weeks at least maybe four, maybe six it's the timeline or the window is not exactly clear. But the IDF, the Israel Defense Forces does talk about requiring another four to six weeks to be able to continue and get done what it needs to in terms of hopefully reaching more of Hamas' central bases, more of the Hamas leadership taking out some more of its key assets that will take time.

So, I don't see that the Americans turning on that so quickly. But that could happen if they don't feel that there is a horizon that will change anytime soon.

CHURCH: And Benjamin Netanyahu again met with the families of hostages on Tuesday, many still convinced the Prime Minister is not doing enough to get their loved ones freed. What does he need to do to change their minds and show that the lives of their loved ones are a top priority here?

KATZ: You know, Rosemary, what happened last over the weekend on Friday was a real tragedy when three Israeli hostages who had been held in Gaza for about 70 days, walked out of the building just about 30, 40, 50 meters away from Israeli troops who are operating in the central Gaza Strip. And tragically, they were misidentified and they were shot and killed by those soldiers. So the families are definitely and I would say legitimately so very concerned.

On the one hand, the government allowed to some extent for the failures of October 7th to take place and for Hamas to take their loved ones hostage. And at the same time, the operation on the ground is not yet bringing them home. And we see how close they are, right? They were just a few dozen meters away. And unfortunately, it ended with a tragic conclusion.

So, if you -- the families of the hostages want to see the government do more. They don't necessarily believe that it's just the ground offensive on its own that is going to see their loved ones returned safely. They want a deal and that is what this pressure is about. That's why they met with the Prime Minister last night is all aimed at getting him to give the green light for a new deal with the Qatari mediation to somehow in some diplomatic way bring their loved ones back to them.

CHURCH: Yaakov Katz in Jerusalem. Many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.

KATZ: Thank you.

CHURCH: Well, meantime the conflict is expanding beyond Gaza into the Red Sea where attacks on merchant vessels are at a level not seen in at least two generations according to a senior US official. We are told Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are trained and funded by Iran have launched at least 100 attacks on 12 commercial ships over the past month. Many of their drones and ballistic missiles have been intercepted.

The Houthis claimed they are supporting Hamas and the Palestinians by targeting vessels that are linked to Israel. And Houthi forces say they won't stop until Israel lets more food and medicine into Gaza. CNN's Natasha Bertrand picks up the story from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: The U.S. and its allies are scrambling to respond to a series of attacks by the Iran backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who have launched over 100 attacks according to a U.S. military official using missiles and drones on commercial vessels in the Southern Red Sea over the last four weeks alone causing a dramatic impact to international shipping and international commerce because of the impact that these attacks have had on these vessels operating there.

Many companies have said that they're actually pausing their operations in the Red Sea because of the threat of coming under fire by these Houthi militants.

[01:10:03]

So the US and its allies now trying to find a way to respond that does not involve striking the Houthis directly in Yemen, something that the U.S. has been trying to avoid over the last several weeks. And as a response to the attacks to date, the U.S. now says that they are going to be setting up an international coalition of maritime forces that will essentially be in the region and in the Red Sea available to respond and help commercial vessels if they need it.

Some of the vessels or some of the ships, I should say, they will be escorting these commercial vessels if the situation warrants it. And of course, we've also seen the U.S. shoot down a number of the missiles and drones that the Houthis have launched, targeting these commercial ships in recent weeks.

But it remains unclear whether the Houthis are going to be deterred by this new maritime coalition. They have said that they are going to continue their attacks on these commercial vessels in solidarity they say with the Palestinians and an opposition to these rallies. However, it's important to note that many of these ships that they

have attacked, if not most of them, actually have no ties to Israel at all and the U.S. says that the Houthis have just been attacking these ships opportunistically and they have been taking advantage of course of the U.S. and allied presence in the area.

They want to try to bolster their international reputation and presence there and they think they will be able to get attention by continuing to target these vessels. So the U.S. facing a very big problem here growing calls for them to strike the Houthis directly. But at this point, this maritime coalition, according to the Secretary of Defense, they say is going to hopefully help ease the problem. Natasha Bertrand, CNN at the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And while Houthi rebels may not be able to pose a direct threat to Israel, their actions could cause a shock to the global economy. BP announced this week that it's pausing operations in the Red Sea and Maersk and other shipping giants are already rerouting their vessels, sending them along the coast of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. That's expected to add weeks of transit time while driving up energy and insurance costs.

Want to bring in Jorgen Lian from Oslo, Norway, he is the head of Shipping Equity Research at DNB Markets. Appreciate you joining us.

JORGEN LIAN, HEAD OF SHIPPING EQUITY RESEARCH, DNB MARKETS: Thank you so much. And good evening or good morning.

CHURCH: So these ramped up attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial vessels are causing big disruptions in global shipping in the Red Sea with major companies now having to reroute vessels around Africa. What impact will this have on global trade in terms of cost and supply of goods?

LIAN: So this is one of the most important ways naturally for global trade. What we've seen so far is that the especially on the container side, the owners and operators have been very vocal to redirect their volume outside of Suez Canal and south of the Cape of Africa.

The main effect this has on shipping is of course, adding the sailing distance of that extra voyage and depending a bit on where the cargo is coming from, and where they're headed to. You can say the average distance added from that voyage could be between 30 to maybe 50, 60, or even up towards 100 percent added distance from this. So of course, that takes a long time.

The main the main cost component when it comes to moving this this cargo, the further away around Africa is naturally fuel costs in the first point. And if you start to account for that, for a typical container headed from the Far East into Europe, for instance, you quickly get to around maybe five, six to eight, 9 percent of added cost just purely from the fuel side of things.

And then you get the secondary effects here, which ties have a lot of capacity in the shipping fleet and therefore tightens the shipping markets, and that in itself would drive -- would drive an increase in freight rates and therefore costs for the for the end consumer .

CHURCH: And the United States has responded to these increased missile and drone attacks from the Houthis by setting up an international coalition of maritime forces to bolster safety and security in the Red Sea. How might this change the equation as shipping companies compare the cost of rerouting vessels as opposed to taking the risk up the Suez Canal once this protection force is fully in place?

LIAN: I think this -- this is supposed to ease some of the tensions and I think it will as well.

[01:15:00]

There's a question of how long this will take before you get to safe passage through the Red Sea once more. And I think the news out yesterday from the CEO of Maersk, which expected this could take a few weeks until everything is in place to make that safe option probably illustrates how long this can take.

And until someone can guarantee the safety of the seafarers onboard these vessels, I think they will be looking to reroute this around Africa instead. So that's the big question here. How long will this take? And that's still a bit up in the air.

CHURCH: Yes, that makes perfect saying, and of course these major shipping companies, as we've been discussing will pass along the added cost of rerouting to consumers. So, how much more will we all likely end up paying for this trade disruption? And when will we start seeing those price hikes on goods?

LIAN: Yes, some, again, we're looking at how transitory this effect will be. But for a typical container, which perhaps is the most, the most interesting to look at in terms of costs for the end consumer. We're seeing somewhere between probably six and 8 percent direct costs on fuel. And then because of the insecurity of how this will happen, and how available freight will be, we've already started to see the freight rates and box rates for this type of transit to increase quite a bit.

Over the weekend, we had the far eastern Mediterranean rates of roughly 20 percent. And that is set to continue as long as there is a risk to disruption here, which I think is the main driver from the logistics provider side.

Now, that's on the container side. I think it's also very interesting to mention that, of course, there are other types of cargo that pass through the canal. For the time being, it has been the containers that have been leaving the move outside of Suez, but you've also had some of the main tanker companies and also the energy tech companies saying that they want to redirect their ships outside of the Suez Canal.

And that, of course, has a direct impact on the cost of oil or oil products and the security of such into, for instance, Europe. And that in itself could also add additional costs to this and just comparing to the average cost of crude oil today. We see that the direct implications on the current freight markets would maybe be two to $3 added cost I think about lowering (ph) the cost into Europe.

CHURCH: All right, we'll see if it impacts demand as well, I suppose. Jorgen Lian joining us live from Oslo. Many thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.

LIAN: My pleasure. I'm happy to be here.

CHURCH: Ukraine's President says he is confident the United States will keep its promise to provide wartime support, even as U.S. conservative lawmakers block a new aid package. Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on Tuesday about the state of the war. He says he has faith despite the waffling in Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Talking about financial aid, we're working very hard on this. And I'm certain that the United States of America will not be trade (ph). And that on which we agreed in the United States will be fulfilled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Mr. Zelenskyy is also addressing his military's request to draft up to 500,000 people to join the war. He says it's a complicated issue and is asking for more arguments from military leaders to convince him it's a wise decision.

President Zelenskyy also saying the challenges his military faces on the battlefield are immense. But when a reporter asked if he thinks there's a danger Ukraine is starting to lose the war, Mr. Zelenskyy answered firmly no.

Well, back here in the United States. Donald Trump's campaign is vowing to appeal a stunning decision by the Colorado Supreme Court disqualifying him from the 2024 presidential ballot. The justices ruled Trump is not eligible to be a candidate because of his role in the 2021 insurrection. CNN's Paula Reid has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: This is a remarkable case from the Colorado Supreme Court. They even acknowledged a right in the top of their opinion, the magnitude and the weight of the questions that they are analyzing here.

And here this Court found that former President Trump should be disqualified from being on the ballot in that state because they say not only did he engage in an insurrection, that they believe that the 14th Amendment which bars certain officials from holding office, if they engage in an insurrection applies, even to presidents.

Now, a lower court or oversaw a trial in this case the lower court found that Trump engaged in an insurrection but he said presidents are not specifically mentioned in that Section 3 of the 14th amendment. [01:20:10]

So they said it didn't apply. But here the Supreme Court, looking instead at the intent behind this amendment, looking at the overall objective of what they were trying to do, when they were working on the language of this specific section.

Now, the issue there is that the Trump campaign, the Trump team, they've made it clear, they're going to appeal this to the Supreme Court. This decision will likely be on pause until the Supreme Court weighs in one way or another. But this decision, which is largely based on intent, and larger objective, is likely headed to a Supreme Court that is dominated right now by originalist, textualist judges who pride themselves on looking at the specific literal words in the constitution. So it may not be the most favorable environment for this Supreme Court of Colorado decision.

But again, it's unclear if the Supreme Court will take this up, they likely will want to resolve this issue, because otherwise, you're going to have this hanging over all 50 states and undecided and if the Supreme Court weighs in, that decision would be binding across the country.

But the Trump team says they're going to appeal swiftly and as soon as they do, this decision is on hold until the Supreme Court rules one way or another. Paul Reid, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Still to come, hundreds did and tens of thousands evacuated as one of the deadliest earthquakes in years hits Northwest China. We'll go live to Beijing for the latest.

Plus, an update on the volcano erupting in southern Iceland. What authorities are saying about the potential threat to air travel into and out of the country. Back without and more in just a moment.

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CHURCH: Rescue workers in China are scrambling in sub-zero temperatures to reach survivors after one of the deadliest earthquakes to hit the country in nearly a decade. State media says at least 131 have been killed and hundreds of others injured.

Tens of thousands of people had to be evacuated and others spent the night in temporary shelters. For more we want to go to Steven Jiang who joins us live from Beijing. So Steven, what is the latest on that deadly earthquake in northwestern China?

STEVEN JIANG, CNN BEIJING BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, Rosemary that casualty figures you've just mentioned including the death toll having revised upwards slightly since we spoke yesterday. But the relatively small number may be a reflection of the remoteness of the quake zone.

As we've been saying it's mostly rural, often mountainous and sparsely populated despite the epicenter of being only 100 kilometers or so away from the provincial capital city of Gansu.

[01:25:00]

And after the rescuers digging through the debris for the second night the authorities have just said the search and rescue effort is quote unquote basically over, but there might still be some small scale operations ongoing according to stay media focused on some remote villages not only hit by the quake but also by subsequent mudslides because officially there are still more than a dozen people missing.

But the officials say their focus is now switching to post disaster relief, treating the injured for example, because nearly 1,000 people didn't get injured in this quake, but also resettling the tens of thousands people forced to evacuate from their homes and farms and after those structures either got destroyed or severely damaged in this quake.

Now, this is no easy task in the best of time. But the current harsh winter condition as you mentioned, with the overnight temperatures in some areas reaching as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. That's obviously making things even more difficult. And it may also take some convincing for those people to leave because they're mostly farmers and according to state media, they say they are not only concerned about their own safety, but also the fate of their crops and livestock.

But overall authorities say they have restored electricity communication signals as well as road access to most parts of this area hit by this very powerful quake. Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Steven Jiang joining us live from Beijing.

Authorities say there's little threat of the volcano in southern Iceland will impact international air travel. Lava flows are down significantly since Monday's eruption. But some areas including the capital may experience gas pollution. CNN's Fred Pleitgen has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): The Arctic night illuminated as the Earth breaks apart from the fissure burst its molten core. Weeks of earthquakes led to this display of our planet's fire and force.

It's never possible to say exactly when or if a volcano like this one here the town of Grindavik will erupt. Officials took no chances though evacuating the population after weeks of tremors. Thousands of shakes were felt in November and all knew what they could bring.

Thankfully, none were in Grindavik town when the volcano around two miles away finally did erupt. This crack in the surface of our world close to four kilometers or more than two miles long spewing lava.

PLEITGEN: This is as close as the authorities are going to lead us to the volcanic eruption in the south west of Iceland. It's a so called fissure eruption that means an eruption along a crack that can be several miles long, rather than on a volcanic cone.

Now, one of the good things about these eruptions is that actually usually they don't spew ash into the atmosphere very high, which can it has in the past disrupt air travel internationally of course in a place like Iceland that can have massive effect.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Previous eruptions in Iceland have lasted weeks or even months. In the town of Grindavik the earthquake damage is clear the lava may follow.

HALLGRIMUR INDRIOASON, JOURNALIST: If this activity goes on. Then the big question is, will Grindavik be inhabited, inhabitable in the long run.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Whether people can ever move back here depends on a new set of geological circumstances being created right now. Fred Pleitgen, CNN near Grindavik, Iceland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Coming up next, a U.N. vote on a resolution calling for a suspension of hostilities in Gaza has been delayed once again a look at why just ahead.

Plus, the judge's ruling that could blow the lid off Jeffrey Epstein's Little Black Book, the names of dozens of his alleged victims and associates will be made public.

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[01:31:32]

CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

The United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution meant to get more aid into Gaza has been delayed again. Sources say it is now expected to take place in the coming hours.

The resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates calls for a halt in hostilities to allow much-needed aid to enter the besieged territory. But member nations have been struggling to agree on language that could get a yes vote from the U.S. or at least an abstention.

Meantime, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process is once again stressing the Gaza urgently needs humanitarian assistance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOR WENNESLAND, U.N. SPECIAL COORDINATOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS: The dignity of humanitarian aid in the Strip continues to face nearly insurmountable challenges amid displacement, (INAUDIBLE) active facilities (ph), the humanitarian response system is on the brink.

The limited steps by Israeli to allow the entry of more fuel, food and cooking gas and (INAUDIBLE) Kerem Shalom, Kerem Abu Salem (ph) crossing on the entry of humanitarian supplies are positive but falls short of what is needed to address the human catastrophe on the ground.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now from southern Gaza is Stephen Ryan, rapid deployment coordinator with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Thank you so much for talking with us.

STEPHEN RYAN, RAPID DEPLOYMENT COORDINATOR, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Thank you Rosemary.

CHURCH: I do want to start with that report of a new offer from Israel to pause the fighting in Gaza for least one week as part of a new deal to get Hamas to free more hostages in exchange for humanitarian aid and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

What is your reaction to that Israeli deal, apparently made through Qatari mediators?

RYAN: Well certainly, from the point of view the International Committee of the Red Cross anything that's going to bring some respite to the millions of people that are suffering here in Gaza is something that's going to be very welcome.

Of course, these agreements are not something that the International Committee of the Red Cross is involved in. This is something that is between the two parties to this conflict. And while fighting is continuing, the suffering is continuing here as well. So this is something that I'm hopeful is going to bring some ease for people that are here in Gaza right now.

CHURCH: And meantime, a vote on a consequential U.N. resolution has been delayed and will now take place in the coming hours with the U.N. Security Council trying to get the United States on board with the majority of members in calling for humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.

What is your message to those U.N. member nations voting today particularly to the United States?

RYAN: Well, I think it's important that all of the states who are at the U.N. recognize that they also have a responsibility to do whatever they can, to exert whatever influence they that have, to try and reduce the level of suffering that's happening here in Gaza.

[01:34:44]

RYAN: Tens of thousands -- hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, many people are living under plastic sheeting. The weather is getting a little bit colder. There's very little access to food. There's very little access to water. And while this conflict rages on, while the fighting rages on, so too the suffering.

And I think it's important that people recognize that this can't go on forever, that some action needs to be taken. While it's between states to try to (INAUDIBLE) and between the parties of the conflict to recognize that they have responsibilities to civilians, we the International Committee of the Red Cross would welcome any agreement that's going to bring any respite to people who are suffering here in Gaza, as well as any agreements which allow people to return home safely to their homes in Israel.

CHURCH: And as you explained, the situation is dire for so many Palestinians dealing with the Israeli bombardments, scarce humanitarian aid, as well as wet and freezing weather conditions.

So what needs to be done to help alleviate these nightmare situations for so many people and how much aid is getting in right now?

RYAN: Well, certainly there is aid coming in, a relatively small amount that's compared to the need. More needs to be able to come in, and that means we are also happy if there's action taken that allows a greater amount of aid to enter Gaza.

But it's not so simple as just sending aid across the border. There also needs to be conditions in place that allow organizations such as the ICRC to do our work while fighting is continuing in areas where civilians are present. It's not possible for us to deliver the aid to those locations.

It's not a simple idea to just push more trucks in. There also needs to be the ability for us to do our work, people need to be able to access assistance wherever it is. And we, organizations such as ours, we're neutral. We are not part of the fight. We need to be able to reach those people wherever they are in Gaza.

CHURCH: Stephen Ryan in southern Gaza, many thanks for joining us. We appreciate it.

RYAN: Thank you.

CHURCH: The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is leaving Nicaragua at the request of the government there, closing its office in the nation's capital.

The group concluded humanitarian operations after the local Red Cross was shut down by lawmakers earlier this year. The organization received permission to operate in the country in 2018 as waves of anti-government protests left hundreds dead. But in May of last year, President Daniel Ortega's government expelled the committee's Nicaragua chief of mission. The Red Cross says it's delegation from Mexico and Central America will still be available to assist in Nicaragua as needed.

A U.S. court has sentenced a former Haitian senator to life in federal prison over his role in the assassination of Haiti's president. Jovenel Moise was killed during an attack on his private residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 2021.

Joseph Joel John pleaded guilty to three charges including conspiring to kill and kidnap a person outside the U.S. An affidavit says John admitted to helping find vehicles and guns used in the plot. Still to come, CNN visits the West Bank to witnessed firsthand the

conflict between Palestinians and Israeli settlers. And the measures making everyday life more difficult.

[01:38:24]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: The U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Office have recorded more than 300 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 7th. Nearly 100 Palestinians have been injured in those attacks with at least eight killed by settlers.

CNN's Nima Elbagir visited the West Bank to speak with Palestinians living in fear of settler attacks. Here's what she and her crew experienced while there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We stopped at a service station in the occupied West Bank. A man in military fatigue demands to check our IDs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have the right to secure this area, to ask who you are and what you are doing here.

ELBAGIR: He has no identifying insignia, won't tell us who he is, but he's got a gun. So we oblige. We are confused and we are not the only ones.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are a settler.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shut your mouth, I'll start shooting.

CNN obtained this video from inside Hebron, a divided city, filmed a few days after the Hamas October 7th attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not a soldier,

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want me to shoot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anyone who's not clearing out, I'll shoot.

ELBAGIR: The Palestinian man won't comply. he says he recognizes the man with a gun as a settler, not a soldier.

In this tense climate, if a soldier issues an order, you comply. But is everyone with a gun and fatigues a soldier?

The West Bank is under Israeli military occupation. It's also believed to be home to almost three-quarters of a million settlers, Israeli civilians living in the occupied territories.

Settlers consider this part of their biblical homeland and are expanding into the Palestinian territories, even though the U.N. Security Council considers their presence illegal. Yet settlers are integral to Israel's security plan in the occupied

territory. As Israel Defense Force reservists and settlement security squads responding, the IDF says, to security threats in settlements, towns, and villages.

Palestinians told CNN they consider armed settlers a greater threat than ever before. Their remit from the IDF is blurring the lines as settlers encroach on Palestinian land.

Like here, in the Palestinian village of Towannee (ph), where there is a settlement at the top of the hill. In this video, you see men in military fatigues. The IDF equips both civilian settlers security squads and soldiers in the region, as you can see here.

It's almost impossible to differentiate. They point their rifles at residents and then they shoot, according to eyewitnesses.

CNN shared the images we gather in the West Bank with a senior IDF official who was unable to tell us who here is in the IDF and who is not. We asked how then are Palestinians expected to differentiate?

The official told CNN there have been cases of reservists who did not act in accordance with army standards, adding there is no place in the IDF for such behavior. Every case that breaches army standards will be investigated. Palestinians, the officials said should contact their local brigade.

But Palestinian rights activist and local resident Basel Adra (ph) says settlers in military fatigues are forcing Palestinians off their land.

BASEL ADRA, RESIDENT AND ACTIVIST: These settlers with their guns and they're pointing to the head of the residents and they tell them if you don't leave in 24 hours we will shoot you.

So the family will understand that they are not playing, that it is a serious threat of killing if you don't leave your home. That led for like 35 families to leave. And these settlers have been wearing uniforms also.

ELBAIR: Settlers have heavyweight support in Israel's far-right government. Itamar Ben-Gvir, minister for national security -- settler. After the Hamas October 7th attack, Ben-Gvir loosened gun permit regulations, making it easier for tens of thousands of Israeli civilians to bear arms.

[01:44:43]

ELBAGIR: Bezalel Smotrich, minister of finance -- settler. Also post- attack pushed through over $100 million for West Bank security, including funds for training and equipping settler security squads.

But it's not just arming and equipping. We witnessed firsthand some of the restrictions the IDF imposed on Palestinians.

Itzidal's (ph) house is not even five minutes away from the other side of this checkpoint, but she can't get through.

Every day they tell her to go back. And every day she has to do this extraordinary long loop to try and get in. She says they are intentionally making it difficult to cross, making it so we have to cross through areas that are hostile to us to get to our homes.

Itzidal (ph) picks up a few more things before she sets off for home but not too long. It's a long walk uphill.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've closed off the road for the sake of a five-minute walk. Now I have to go around a one-hour journey.

ELBAGIR: Since the 1990s, the city of Hebron has seen many curfews. The day we visited there was a curfew in places from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Itzidal has to go through this checkpoint. Palestinians have to be searched. Settlers aren't normally checked. Itzidal has to walk. Settlers can drive. Palestinians need permission for visitors. Settlers don't.

The IDF says all these measures are in accordance with their security assessments, to provide security for all residents. Settlers and Palestinians live side by side, but the rules for each are very different.

Fisa (ph) and her husband have lived in this house for 14 years. They inherited it from her husband's grandparents. Their houses is overlooked by an IDF sentry post, yet they fear for their safety.

"The scene is so inappropriate and depressing for our home. You can see up here what we have had to put in place to protect ourselves from settlers."

ELBAGIR: As we leave Fisa's house we get stopped by an Israeli soldier. He says we are not allowed to walk along the main road. We have to go back to the checkpoint to be searched again because we have been inside a Palestinian home.

I would just point out a lack of logic, which is that these Palestinian houses, the Palestinians have come through that checkpoint so they can't possibly have brought in anything.

Sorry, just so I can understand, I'm really confused, as usual. So even though we went through the checkpoint, even though we went through that checkpoint, because we have been in the house of Palestinians, we now have to go jumping over people's garden walls? So we can't walk in the streets?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, you can't go straight down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you go through the checkpoints and you stay here it's great. But if you continue to move in different areas, then you have to go again.

ELBAGIR: Yes. Now do you understand? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh.

ELBAGIR: Yes. So we need to get rechecked. We're going through the roof.

(CROSSTALK)

ELBAGIR: Ok. Let's just go. Thank you. We'll see you in a bit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See you soon.

ELBAGIR: But we can't get down. The access to the garden is closed.

So the parts I can see is the other side of that fence. But if you can see when I can't.

We can't walk on the street because we've been in a Palestinian house. And now we are deemed a security risk. So we are stuck. Eventually the soldier has to call into his superior to give us special permission to walk on the main road.

Thank you so much. We head out. And back to the checkpoint where we are searched again.

A tiny glimpse into what Palestinians navigate every day.

The U.N. says that post October 7th, over a thousand Palestinians in the West Bank have been displaced, forced from home by security restrictions and settler violence. The U.S. and U.K. are now sanctioning extreme settlers.

But Palestinians say it's not enough. Not when settlers can cloak themselves in the authority of the Israeli.

Nima Elbagir, CNN -- Hebron.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Turkish football players return to the pitch but with more anger directed at officials. Ahead how last week's attack on a referee could change the game forever.

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CHURCH: The names of more than 150 of Jeffrey Epstein's allege associates and victims will be made public next year after a ruling by a U.S. federal judge. Epstein was indicted in 2019, accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. He died by suicide while awaiting trial.

CNN's Jean Casarez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This order is borne out of the civil suit that was filed by Virginia Giuffre that according to legal documents was settled in 2017 but names have continued to remain redacted until this point.

So what names are we now going to learn? Well, according to the order, and let's show everybody, first of all alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Now, the court says the reason they are going to be public now is because they already have been public. People have done interviews, there had been testimony by some of these alleged victims, some documents have had these names in them.

Also, alleged associates of Epstein's that once again gone public already, testified in the trial, detectives, assistant state attorneys, their names have been redacted in some documents.

A public figure, who according to the court order, is one of many names in Epstein's address book. That will become public. Journalists whose names have been redacted will become public. An individual who allegedly recruited young women to give Epstein massages will be released.

An individual whose role has been widely reported in the media, the court order says that they have been prosecuted overseas for sex trafficking. That name will be released.

But the overall theme is that these people have already been named in documents or named in the trial. So there is an availing of to the public already.

Who will not become public? Victims of Jeffrey Epstein's who were minors, who have remained private, who have not come forward at all, they will maintain their privacy rights.

According to the order, there is a number of days that all of the John and Jane Does will be allowed to appeal this if they want. Following that, if no one appeals it, then everything will get an order and in early 2024 these names will be public, along with the documents that previously had all those names redacted.

Jean Casarez, CNN -- New York.

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CHURCH: Football in Turkey resume Tuesday after last week's shocking attack on a referee. But they did not last long. The Super Lig match between Istanbulspor and Trabzonspor was stopped after Istanbul's chairman told his players to leave the pitch when the team was denied a penalty.

Some players seemed reluctant to do so. One can be seen kneeling down and pleading with the chairman to reconsider but to no avail. Trabzonspor was leading two-one when the match was suspended. The Turkish Football Federation will have to decide if and when the match will resume. Well, the Turkish Football Federation has already imposed a permanent

ban on Faruk Koca after the club president punched a referee in the face last week.

Our Scott McLean attended one match in Istanbul on Tuesday and has this report.

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SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In this match, Basaksehir won 3 to 1 against Sivasspor but the focus for many in football wasn't on this highly entertaining match, but on the officials.

This was the first game back since professional football was suspended in Turkey last week after a club president punched referee in the face. That incident has prompted a lot of soul-searching in this country.

[01:54:50]

MCLEAN: The aggressor was given a lifetime ban from football. He is also facing criminal charges and possible jail time.

Turkish football has for years been trying to crack down on bad fan behavior. But now, plenty say that crackdown needs to also extend to players, coaches, and even team presidents.

In this match, ironically, the home team manager was not on the touchline. He was suspended after receiving four yellow cards in prior matches, in part for bad behavior toward the referee.

Referees were not an insignificant part of this match, either. There were two penalties given and goal called offside was later ruled on side by VAR.

After the match, the losing manager had plenty of criticism for the referees. I asked him whether Turkish football culture has a problem when it comes to respect for officials.

SERVET CETIN, SIVASSPOR COACH: We try to approach all referees with respect and love. Sometimes, we get angry. But this comes and goes. Today, for example, I hope the referees were correct in their decisions because otherwise they will get the reaction from Sivasspor fans. If this accumulates, this turns into anger.

MCLEAN: I also spoke with the Polish Basaksehir who scored two goals in this match. He said the officiating in this one could've been better. I also asked whether he thinks major changes are needed to prevent violence from happening again.

KRZYSTOF PLATEK, FOOTBALLER: I don't think so. I think we are like humans, football is only emotion. We need to keep calm sometimes and I think this cannot happen again.

MCLEAN: The Turkish Football Federation has promised tougher penalties for those who abuse referees. One former Turkish professional referee told me that this is a critical moment for football in this country, and that the decisions made by the football federation, expected next month, will ultimately determine whether any changes will actually be lasting.

Scott McLean, CNN -- Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And thanks for your company this hour. I'm Rosemary Church.

I will be back with more news in just a moment. Do stay with us.

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