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CNN International: Netanyahu: Egypt Proposes Three-Phase Plan to End War in Gaza; Scores Killed in Central Gaza as Israel Intensifies Operations; Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Deepens as War Intensifies; Thousands Join Migrant Caravan Headed for U.S.; Ukraine Strikes Russian Naval Vessel in Crimea. Aired 4:00-4:30a ET

Aired December 26, 2023 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:30]

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and all around the world. I'm Bianca Nobilo live from London. Max Foster has the day off. Just ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One of the deadliest 24 hours in Gaza in a war approaching its 80th day.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: The Israeli prime minister urges on his troops as their military offensive in Gaza expands.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Whoever talks about stopping, there is no such thing. We are not stopping.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're talking about thousands of migrants who will be here at the U.S. southern border in the next few weeks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Caravan organizers are calling it, quote, the exodus of poverty.

VAUSE: Ukraine's air force commander says a Russian naval vessel carrying attack drones has been destroyed in occupied Crimea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo.

NOBILO: It is Tuesday, December the 26th, 9 a.m. on this Boxing Day here in London, 4 a.m. in Washington, where a source close to a confidant of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with Biden administration officials in the coming hours to discuss the next phase of the war. This as the Israeli leader vows a, quote, long fight that is far from ending.

On Monday, Netanyahu traveled to Gaza where he met with troops, marking his second visit to the enclave since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October the 7th. And a warning to you that the images you're about to see are disturbing.

In central Gaza, drone footage captured these images, dozens of white body bags left outside al-Aqsa hospital as family members mourn. According to the Hamas-controlled health ministry, at least 250 people were killed in the past 24 hours alone, including at least 70 killed by an Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp. CNN can't independently verify any of the numbers released by the ministry in Gaza.

And protesters in the U.S. are demanding an end to the war and what they called a genocide. They turned out Monday in front of the homes of two officials, and they were national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. And those protesters, as you can see, were calling for a ceasefire.

CNN's Nada Bashir joins me now in London with the very latest on this. Nada, good to see you as always. So, a close confidant of Netanyahu is due to meet with Biden administration officials. How far apart are the U.S. and Israel right now when it comes to expectations of the duration and intensity of this war?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, Bianca, we know that the U.S. officials have been keeping close contact with their counterparts in Israel.

This comes just days, of course, after U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at their 17th call since the war began. But, of course, we are hearing somewhat mixed messages from either side. We know, of course, that the U.S. has been putting pressure on the Israeli government to move towards what's being described as a lower-intensity phase of the war.

They haven't outright called for a ceasefire just yet, abstaining, of course, from that U.N. resolution. But there has been building pressure from the Biden administration. Just last week, the White House told reporters that the Israeli government had assured the Biden administration that they would begin to move towards that lower- intensity phase. There's no clear timeline given as to when we might perhaps see that move towards lower hostilities.

But, of course, this isn't the message that we have been hearing from the Israeli government, certainly not over the weekend. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing a long fight ahead. He said that they are not near the end of the war.

And, in fact, over the last few days, we have begun to see the Israeli military now expanding its military operation in Gaza, doubling down on its air campaign, and of course, moving forward and pushing southwards with its ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. And this has certainly raised a huge amount of concern as we continue to hear repeated calls from international allies, in fact, for a humanitarian ceasefire.

Of course, as you mentioned, Bianca, we are seeing that soaring death toll amongst Palestinian civilians. [04:05:00]

There is mounting concern over renewed calls for civilians to move southwards from the Israeli military, calling on civilians in central Gaza and in southern Gaza to move southwards ahead of what is anticipated to be an intensified ground operation by the Israeli military.

Many now questioning, where do Palestinians inside the Gaza Strip turn to? We have already seen some 1.9 Palestinians displaced within the Gaza Strip. And, of course, there is huge concern over the humanitarian situation and the looming hunger crisis. Only a small fraction of the aid needed is actually getting into the Gaza Strip, despite that U.N. resolution. And there is mounting fears around, of course, what is being warned as an imminent risk of famine now in the Gaza Strip.

Now, of course, internationally, there has been some discussion around further peace proposals. We are now seeing reports regarding a proposal put forward by the Egyptian government over the weekend. Now, no comment from Egypt just yet on this.

And CNN hasn't been able to independently obtain a copy of this reported proposal. But, according to two Israeli sources, that would see a three-phase peace plan put forward by the Egyptian government, which would entail a number of factors throughout these phases, including the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and, crucially, in its final phase, including a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the implementation of a government in Gaza with international backing without affiliation to Hamas.

Now, of course, looking at the situation on the ground, it seems we are a long way away from discussing those postwar outcomes. But there is mounting pressure, at least, for a humanitarian cease-fire to allow aid to get in.

NOBILO: Nada Bashir, thank you.

As Israel's military offensive against Hamas continues to ramp up, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise. CNN's Will Ripley is following developments and has more now from Tel Aviv.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Under the constant buzz of Israeli drones, Palestinians in Gaza once again dig through the rubble with bare hands. This is not a rescue mission. What they find, remains of loved ones crushed under a collapsed building.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My nieces and nephews, they were all displaced in al-Barej. They fled the day before yesterday. It was their fate to be martyred here in their uncle's house.

My nieces, Layan, Lana, and Rana, and my nephew, Hamada. Hamada was only three months old. They are still under the rubble. RIPLEY (voice-over): It's one of the deadliest 24 hours in Gaza, in a

war approaching its 80th day. The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry says 250 people died in Israeli airstrikes on the al-Maghazi refugee camp and nearby Bureij and Nuseirat since the start of Christmas Eve.

CNN cannot independently verify the numbers released by the ministry in Gaza.

Responding to CNN questions, the IDF said: In response to Hamas's barbaric attacks, the IDF is operating to dismantle Hamas military and administrative capabilities.

IDF refers to Hamas's surprise attack against Israel on October 7. They killed at least 1,200 people and roughly 240 hostages kidnapped.

Video obtained by CNN shows families still digging through the debris for missing relatives, some saying they're still buried under the concrete slabs of collapsed buildings.

Children, children, children, innocent children, he says. This man says he lost 10 members of his family. And over the collapsed building, he bids farewell to his beloved Dina, the 10-year-old he says was the playful one.

In the mangle of debris, glimpses of the lives that sought safety from one place in Gaza to the other. It's up to the neighbors to find the bodies of the families trapped beneath.

The injured rushed to Al-Asqa Hospital through the night, the hospital already struggling with an influx of injuries and bodies from other airstrikes. By daylight, the community came together for the ritual of mourning. Bodies were what remained, readied for burial.

I was waiting for you to grow up, he says. The family moved from one shelter to another in pursuit of safety, this man says. My eldest son.

Around every corner, families grappling with the scale of the loss.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): My daughter was martyred. My five brothers, their children, and their wives, all gone. They were displaced from Beit Hanoun. There were 96 people in that building, all gone.

[04:10:00]

RIPLEY (voice-over): Survivors of previous airstrikes come to the aid of the new survivors.

Khalid lost his grandchildren last month.

KHALID (voice-over): This is utmost criminality. We are in festivities celebrating Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. People talk about human rights, mercy, the Security Council, the Red Cross and humanity. Where are these human rights?

RIPLEY (voice-over): That is the question Gazans keep asking. Where is safe?

RIPLEY: And that is a question that so many people in Gaza are asking right now. Where is safe? Another question people are asking, how will they survive, given that the entire population of Gaza is believed to be suffering from acute food insecurity, and this war shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

The question now, how many people, how many more people will die, not necessarily from airstrikes, or not necessarily from bullets, but starvation?

Will Ripley, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: In Khan Younis, Gaza, artillery shells have hit the upper floors of the Palestine Red Crescent Society headquarters. There are reports of several injured among the displaced people sheltering in that building.

Joining me now to discuss that and more from Ramallah in the West Bank is Nebal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Thank you so much for taking the time to join us this morning. Myself and my team, so sorry to hear about the strike on your headquarters. What more can you tell us about the circumstances of that, if there have been any injuries? And we're also hearing about a strike on one of your hospitals as well.

NEBAL FARSAKH, PALESTINE RED CRESCENT SOCIETY SPOKESPERSON: Good morning. Thanks for having me.

Earlier, an hour ago almost, artillery shelling targets the upper floors of the Palestine Red Crescent headquarters in Khan Younis, which has resulted in a number of injuries among the internally displaced people. We have inside our headquarters and Al-Amal Hospital, which is right next to our headquarters, around 14,000 civilians who are taking shelter inside our facilities. And those people have no place to go to.

They thought they will be in a safe place, but unfortunately, it sounds it's not the case. This is not the first targeting. And even two days ago, a 13-year-old boy was also targeted by an Israeli airplane with live ammunition, a drone, which has resulted in the killing of that boy.

Unfortunately, as you just highlighted in the report, there is no safe place in Gaza, and people are just desperate, looking for a safe place to go to. The past couple of days was extremely intense shelling in the area of central Gaza, whether in Deir al-Balah or Al-Maghazi refugee camp. The Palestine Red Crescent evacuated dozens of people who were killed and dozens of others who were injured due to the intense shelling.

People still don't know where to go. They are still under constant threat of being bombed at their homes. And it's just a continued circle, moving from a place to another while there is no safe place. People also who have evacuated to Rafah, where Israel is forcing people to go to, also have been bombed in Rafah as well.

NOBILO: And given everything you've just outlined, the horrors that have been inflicted on Gazans, the death, the starvation now, what was your reaction when you heard Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say that he was preparing for a long fight and that he would be intensifying his campaign?

FARSAKH: I mean, the situation in Gaza, it can't be even described. It's already worse and worse. So, we hope this continued war, that the civilians are paying the high price of it, will end immediately because there is no way to wait anymore. The situation is just worsening and worsening. And the humanitarian suffering is just unprecedented. It's literally unprecedented. The total population now are starving and they have no access to food or water or even medicine. And families are just moving from a place to another looking for a safe place.

The health system is just catastrophic, with most of the hospitals went out of service. And hospitals who are still operating in south of Gaza are also overcrowded with wounded people and suffer from the lack of medicine and medical supplies. While the north have been left without medical services at all, since all hospitals went completely out of service.

[04:15:05]

And even us as humanitarians, we're facing great challenges implementing our humanitarian missions, whether in terms of evacuating the wounded people and those who were killed due to the bombing, or even delivering the aid to the people who are in desperate need of it.

NOBILO: And Nebal, your focus is rightly and naturally on the humanitarian catastrophe facing the civilian population within Gaza. But help our viewers understand how dangerous it is for humanitarian workers, the sacrifices, and the calculus that they are making by continuing to do this work.

FARSAKH: Unfortunately, our colleagues in Gaza are just facing impossible conditions that no one, no doctor, no nurse, nor a paramedic, no humanitarian in this world should come through. Four or five days ago, our ambulance center in Jabalia have been raided, and Israel occupation forces arrested all the male workers from inside the ambulance center, who were released later, while up to this moment, eight of them are still under arrest. And unfortunately, those who were released, they told us horrible stories regarding how they were treated and beaten.

It is just hard conditions and dangerous conditions that our teams are working and just trying to save people's lives. Up to this moment, for over a month, our colleague Awni Khattab, who was part of evacuating critically wounded people from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to the south, was arrested while the convoy was passing through the checkpoint that separated Gaza from the south. Up to this moment, four colleagues were killed while they were on duty trying to save people's lives. 28 others were injured.

Still, every single day, our colleagues, when they leave our EMS center, they even don't sure if they are going to come back or not. Yesterday, one of my colleagues, he's a paramedic, he was targeted while he was in his home with his family. And unfortunately, both his parents were killed because of this bombing, and he miraculously saved him and his wife, along with his four children, who now don't know even where to go since their home was completely damaged.

NOBILO: These stories that you're recounting, like you say, certainly should be unthinkable, and it is just unimaginably tragic that we're hearing them more and more. Nebal Farsakh, thank you so much for joining us and for taking the time to talk to me this morning.

The U.S. has struck three locations in Iraq used by Iran-backed militants to carry out attacks on American forces. The group, Kataib Hezbollah, claimed responsibility for a drone attack Monday morning that wounded three U.S. service members. One is still in critical condition.

U.S. Central Command says early assessments show the retaliatory strikes by the U.S. likely killed a number of militants, but they say there's no indication of any civilian casualties.

Right now, thousands of migrants are walking from southern Mexico to the U.S. border. Many of them are from Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean, Cuba, and Haiti. Organizers are calling the caravan a, quote, exodus of poverty.

CNN's Rafael Romo has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This holding area behind me was empty when we arrived here this morning, and now there are hundreds of migrants waiting to be processed after surrendering to immigration authorities once they the Rio Grande.

All those shiny spots you see behind me are Mylar blankets. Border patrol agents have provided them, and it appears this new migrant search is going to go on for a while longer. There's a new caravan that departed on Christmas Eve from the border city of Tapachula, Mexico, at the border with Guatemala.

We're talking about thousands of migrants who will be here at the U.S. southern border in the next few weeks, in addition to the ones that have already arrived here.

We are in Eagle Pass, Texas, at the border with Mexico. This is a community of less than 30,000 people that has to deal with thousands of immigrants arriving every week.

Federal officials say the influx of migrants they're currently seeing across the southwest border is presenting a serious challenge to CBP personnel. This new migrant search is also putting a lot of pressure on local law enforcement. This is what Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber had to say about this great challenge.

[04:20:00]

SHERIFF TOM SCHMERBER, MAVERICK COUNTY, TEXAS: Last week, the border patrol called us to see if we could escort the buses that they're being bussed, those immigrants they're apprehending and processing, to bus them to Laredo, Texas. So, I'm having two units, two vehicles with my deputies escorting those buses to Laredo.

ROMO: And who are these people coming to America? We met a woman who flew from her native Cuba to Nicaragua and then traveled by land to Mexico before seeking asylum in the United States, claiming she was targeted by the Cuban government for speaking openly against it. Being in America, she said, it's a wonderful Christmas gift.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): That I'm going to spend it with my family, that I'm going to live in a free country, that at least, I don't know, I'm going to be happy. Because I'm going to live in a free country where the rights of citizens are respected. That wasn't the case where I lived. I was under a lot of pressure.

ROMO: How many immigrants have entered the United States recently? According to the latest figures released by Customs and Border Protection, nearly a quarter of a million people were detained at the U.S. border with Mexico during the month of November.

In a statement, CBP said that U.S. border patrol apprehensions so far in fiscal year 2024, which started on October 1st, are lower than at this point in the previous fiscal year. It remains to be seen if that changes once December figures are included.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Eagle Pass, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: Still to come, lawyers for Alexey Navalny say they finally met with the Russian opposition leader after two weeks of not knowing where he was.

Plus, a blizzard is continuing to wreak havoc on parts of the U.S. A look at where it's headed and how it could impact holiday travel. That's coming up next.

[04:25:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: Now to the war in Ukraine, where the Ukrainian air force says it has struck a Russian vessel carrying Shahed drones in Crimea. This video apparently of the blast was shared by the Ukrainian air force commander, but CNN can't independently verify its authenticity. Russia acknowledged an attack on Tuesday but said the fire was under control, and state media is reporting that Russia's defense ministry says its navy ship has been damaged in the strike.

CNN Portugal Helena Lins joins us now from Kyiv. Helena, good to see you. So, Crimea, obviously, is strategically vital for Ukraine. Now, what do we understand about this strike, and also how much of a success does this mark for the Ukrainian forces?

HELENA LINS, CNN PORTUGAL INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: So tonight, as you were saying, there were explosions in the occupied town of Feodosia in Crimea, on the port. And Ukrainian forces say they have hit this Russian navy ship Novocherkassk, which was reportedly carrying Iranian Shahied drones.

These Iranian Shahed drones have been largely used by Moscow on attacks in the past months here in Ukraine. Only last night, Ukraine reportedly shot down some of those drones, but yet there were still some sites that were hit in Odessa region, and also in Mykolaiv.

So, for Ukrainians too have hit this Russian navy ship is actually a big deal. From the Russian side, there's only confirmation of some damage to the ship. So far, Russia has confirmed one dead and two injured, but the crew of the ship is known to be much more than that. So, we'll have to wait to see if new numbers will show up.

There's also from the Russian side, reportedly, some houses damaged, mostly shattered windows. Also, some people were evacuated to shelters or family and relatives' houses.

As I was saying, for the Ukrainians, striking this Russian navy ship, it is a big deal. They have strike Russian navy ships before, but for the past few months, you know, most of the strikes here in Ukraine have been with these Shahed drones.

Just now, the sirens were heard here in the city center of Kyiv. And many times, when we hear these sirens, it's because there is a danger of strikes with these drones.

So, for Ukrainians, this might be an achievement at this time of the year to actually be able to strike this Russian navy ship.

NOBILO: Yes, especially after the counter-offensive, not bringing gains that shift the dynamic necessarily. Thank you so much, Helena Lins. Really good to speak to you.

Now, the mystery surrounding Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny's whereabouts has been solved. The Russian opposition leader posted on social media that he's in a penal colony in Siberia. That's two weeks after his lawyers say that they lost contact with him.

Navalny says one of his lawyers has already visited him and that he is doing well. The so-called Polar Wolf compound is one of the most remote in all of Russia, more than 2,000 miles from Moscow.

Navalny claims the fraud and extremism charges against him are meant to silence his criticism of Vladimir Putin who is now looking ahead to an election.

Still ahead for you, the race for the White House and a major shift in focus for Ron DeSantis weeks before the Iowa caucuses, when we come back.