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CNN International: World Central Kitchen Founder: Israel Systematically Targeted Aid Workers; Growing Fallout Over Deaths of 7 Aid Workers in Gaza; Taiwan Hit by 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake, Strongest in 25 Years; NATO Marking 75th Anniversary in Brussels; Special Counsel Slams Judge's Request in Documents Case. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired April 04, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

[04:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHEF JOSE ANDRES, FOUNDER, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: They were targeted systematically, car by car. This was over 1.5, 1.8 kilometers, with a very defiant humanitarian convoy that had signs in the top, in the roof.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I'm afraid of aftershocks, and I don't know how bad the shaking will be. And then the house is already a mess. How do you get in? There's no way to get in.

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Let's not lose sight of why we created it, or why it has endured these 75 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Max Foster. It is Thursday, April the 4th, 9 a.m. here in London, 10 a.m. in Gaza, where the fallout is growing over the Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers.

World Central Kitchen says its operations in the enclave remain closed for now, and it's not yet reached a decision on when it will resume its vital work. The group immediately suspended its mission there after the death of its workers, and all its aid ships are now back at the Cyprus port. This video shows one boat that left Gaza following the deadly strike without offloading most of its cargo, which added up to about 332 tons of humanitarian aid. That's according to the Cypriot Foreign Ministry.

The founder of World Central Kitchen is calling for an independent investigation and lashing out at Israel, accusing it of, quote, systemically -- systematically targeting his seven team members in Monday's strike.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANDRES: This was not just a bad luck situation where, oops, we dropped a bomb in the wrong place or -- no, this was over 1.5, 1.8 kilometers with a very defiant humanitarian convoy that had signs in the top, in the roof, a very colorful logo that we are obviously very proud of, but that's very clear who we are and what we do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, a CNN analysis of images and video of the aftermath found that Monday's attack appears to have consisted of multiple precision strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his forces unintentionally struck the convoy, but says Israel is taking responsibility for what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAL HEINRICH, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER'S SPOKESPERSON: When we make mistakes, when Israel makes mistakes, even the most tragic ones to admit, we take responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, CNN's Paula Hancocks is following developments and joins us now from Abu Dhabi. You know, a major accusation, isn't it, Paula, that this was a targeted attack, something obviously Israel utterly denies?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Max, I mean, we're hearing anger from around the world after this particular attack, notably by those leaders of the countries that these workers were citizens of. We've heard Biden being outraged and heartbroken.

We've also heard from the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who said that he spoke to Israel's Prime Minister on Wednesday, calling for an investigation. But since we've heard the Israeli Prime Minister respond, saying they do take responsibility, but also saying this happens in war, we once again heard a more annoyed and irritated response from the Australian Prime Minister.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We need to have accountability for how it's occurred. And what isn't good enough is the statements that have been made, including that this is just a product of war. This is against humanitarian law. International humanitarian law makes it very clear that aid workers should be able to provide that aid and that assistance free of the threat of losing their life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Around 200 humanitarian workers have lost their lives in Gaza since October 7th. It's considered one of the most dangerous and difficult places in the world to work at this point as a humanitarian aid worker.

[04:05:00]

Now, as more calls are starting for an independent investigation into what happened, we're also seeing an interesting report from one online publication. This is Plus 972 magazine. It is staffed by both Palestinians and Israelis. And they have cited about six Israeli intelligence officers, saying that Israel's military is using artificial intelligence to identify specific targets that they want to hit.

Now, the IDF has said that they make sure there is human oversight so that they are following international law. But within this report itself, those individuals are saying that it is a cursory review and in some cases only a 20-second check of a target, essentially to make sure that target is male -- Max.

FOSTER: We are expecting Biden and Netanyahu to speak today. Obviously, a very tense time and relationship between these two men.

HANCOCKS: That's right. I mean, we've heard from Biden himself saying that he is outraged and heartbroken. The word outraged is not one that's used lightly, certainly when it comes to talking about an ally. So we are hearing that within the Biden administration, that there will be a very clear-cut show of frustration and anger at what has happened. There was one U.S.-Canadian citizen killed within this attack as well.

But of course, it does come at the same time. The White House is very clear, saying that its policy hasn't changed, that it will continue to militarily support Israel in its fight against Israel. In fact, we do understand that the Biden administration is close to announcing the sale of up to about 50 F-15 fighters to Israel. This according to three officials familiar with the matter, that would be a deal of some $18 billion.

So at the same time as we are hearing from the Biden administration that they will be very strongly criticizing Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration, they are also on the other side saying that they will continue the military support.

But this is a relationship that has been degrading significantly over recent months, and certainly it will be interesting to see what comes out of this call today -- Max.

FOSTER: OK, Paula, thank you.

The U.S. Defense Secretary urging his Israeli counterpart to carry out a quick and transparent inquiry into the attack on aid workers. According to the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin pressed Israeli Defense Minister Yair Galant to share the conclusions publicly and hold those responsible to account. Austin also stressed the need for a rapid increase in aid to Gaza through all crossings, particularly to communities in northern Gaza at risk of famine.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron is denouncing the, quote, dreadful events that led up to the aid workers' deaths. He says more needs to be done to get help to the people of Gaza, and aid workers must be protected. Cameron met with the Israeli ambassador in London on Tuesday. He says Israel is promising to get up to 500 aid trucks a day into Gaza, but that will only work if Israeli military coordinates with humanitarian agencies.

A member of Israel's war cabinet is calling for early elections in September. Benny Gantz is a key rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but joined his coalition government after the Hamas attacks in October. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also says the Netanyahu government should resign as early as possible.

Here's what Gantz posted on Facebook.

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BENNY GANTZ, ISRAELI WAR CABINET MINISTER (through translator): In order for us to remain united and succeed in the tasks we're facing, the public must know that we'll soon ask once again for them to demonstrate their trust, that we won't ignore the October 7th catastrophe and what occurred prior to it. Therefore, we must agree upon a date to hold elections in September as we approach the one-year anniversary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Now Mr. Netanyahu's Likud party says Gantz should stop engaging in petty politics. It claims early elections would lead to political paralysis and fatally damage the chances of a hostage deal.

Wild scenes inside Israel's parliament as family members of the hostages stormed the Knesset's gallery. Some had their hands painted yellow, a symbol now associated with the plight of the captives. Others smeared yellow paint on the gallery's glass-dividing wall. Most of the protesters left soon after they entered, but one man had to be forcibly removed. The demonstrators left pictures of the remaining hostages on the gallery seats.

Rescue teams in Taiwan are searching for more survivors a day after the island was hit by its strongest earthquake in a quarter of a century. A driver's dashcam captured the terrifying moment the 7.4 magnitude quake struck on Wednesday morning.

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But a warning, some viewers may find this video disturbing.

These drivers were on a hillside road when the quake triggered a rockslide. They begin backing up when one of the boulders smashes into one of the vehicles. CNN hasn't independently verified the video and is unaware of how many people were inside and if anyone was injured.

Officials say the quake killed at least nine people and injured more than a thousand. It struck off Taiwan's eastern coast at a relatively shallow depth of about 35 kilometers. Listen to how some residents described the tremors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It was shaking a lot. Many of the decorations at home fell onto the floor. But the people were safe. We were very lucky.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It was like a mountain collapsed. The whole thing collapsed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, CNN's Ivan Watson has more now on the disaster from Taipei.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the ground in Taiwan starts to shake. The island rocked by the most powerful earthquake to hit Taiwan in a quarter century.

In the capital, Taipei, CNN photojournalist John Meese tries to protect his wife and children as the walls of their home lurch back and forth.

An earthquake has just hit, announces the anchor of this morning news show, as she struggles to stay on her feet. But the worst damage is at the epicenter, in the rugged mountains of Hualien County on the island's east coast.

The 7.4 magnitude earthquake triggers massive landslides. Authorities say several people were killed by falling rocks. In the town of Hualien, apartment buildings on the verge of collapse. Emergency workers in action.

Authorities say they've rescued scores of people from toppled buildings and highway tunnels. And rescue teams are still trying to reach others trapped high in the mountains.

The work has continued in Hualien throughout the night. No one's left inside this building, says this firefighter. He adds, people are frightened.

There are constant earthquakes here, says this woman. I've lived here 50 years and never felt one so big. It's really scary.

People in Taiwan are accustomed to feeling the earth shake, but rarely with this much destructive force.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: CNN's Kristie Lu Stout joins me now live from Hong Kong. So we were getting a sense of how many people are still trapped, and these are difficult areas to get to for obvious reasons.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hundreds of people still trapped. So search and rescue continues in Taiwan, despite the fact that aftershocks are ongoing even this day, a day after that huge 7.4 magnitude earthquake, an earthquake that caused rock falls.

It caused landslides and collapsed structures, including those tilted buildings in Hualien. Over 600 people are stranded or unreachable, including tourists, miners, hotel workers. At least nine people have died, more than 1,000 people injured, and rescuers, they are working hard to free the people trapped or stranded by debris.

And they're also working hard just to get to them. You know, the epicenter is on the east coast of Taiwan, Hualien County, and many in this region are remote coastal areas or mountain communities that can be hard to reach. I'm going to show you this drone footage just to show you what rescue workers are up against.

In this footage, you'll see 50 stranded hotel employees, and they're waiting for rescue. These individuals were on minibuses, they were on their way to work early on Wednesday morning when the quake struck, and the rescuers are waiting for roads to be cleared before they can reach and help out that group.

Now, in the next video, you can see first responders on the scene of a major, major rockfall and landslide after the earthquake, and they have to scramble through all of that fallen debris, the boulders, the rocks on this blocked highway to reach survivors.

They do find a man eventually, a man who was found unconscious at the scene, and he was later sent to hospital for treatment.

Now, a day after this earthquake, residents across Taiwan are still very nervous. Some, in fact, slept outdoors in tents last night as aftershocks continue to just rattle the area. I want you to listen to this survivor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WANG QIU XIA ZHEN, QUAKE SURVIVOR (through translator): It's too scary being alone. I took three sleeping pills, but I still couldn't sleep.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: So rattled, so on edge, and authorities say even more powerful aftershocks are expected in the next few days -- Max.

[04:15:03]

FOSTER: OK, Kristie in Hong Kong, thank you.

Still ahead, NATO leaders arrive in Brussels as the alliance marks its 75th anniversary. A look at the challenges that lie ahead for it.

Plus, how NATO is hoping to secure future aid deliveries to Ukraine, even if Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election.

And a New York judge denies a motion filed by Donald Trump's lawyers to delay his criminal hush money trial. We'll have the latest on his legal troubles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FOSTER: At least five people are dead after Ukraine's second largest city took fire -- took more fire from Russian drones, according to Kharkiv's mayor. Officials say at least 10 people were injured on Thursday morning's attack. Four Russian drones reportedly struck the city back to back.

Three of the fatalities were emergency workers who responded to the initial strike when another drone hit the same area and killed them. The attack caused at least one fire and damaged a residential high- rise.

Now NATO is honoring its past and reportedly looking for ways to safeguard its future, in particular when it comes to aid to Ukraine.

A short while ago, the alliance wrapped up a ceremony in Brussels marking its 75th anniversary and at the top of the hour, it's set to kick off a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council.

NATO was created on April 4, 1949, when 12 founding members signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke during the celebrations earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: In the beginning, we had 12 members. Today, we are 32. So we must be doing something right. We have helped to spread peace, democracy and prosperity throughout Europe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about the anniversary on Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: As we celebrate this extraordinary alliance, let's not lose sight of why we created it or why it has endured these 75 years. And let's recommit ourselves to shoring up the foundations of peace as well as anticipating new and emerging threats.

Finally, let us together protect all we built in 75 years under NATO's shield and ensure that it remains strong to keep building for the next 75 years and well beyond that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Well, NATO is also trying to, as one diplomat put it, future- proof its aid deliveries to Ukraine. That means, according to sources, to make sure the aid keeps going even if Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidential election in November.

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CNN's Nic Robertson has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, had started the day by saying there needed to be a change in the dynamics of support for Ukraine, that this needed to be a multiyear process. He spoke, as well, 75th anniversary of NATO coming up the following day, 32 nations for the first time joined by the Swedish Foreign Minister.

But as we began to understand from the Secretary General, this is a meeting about sort of setting up the basis for agreement but not the details about it. So he did lay out some bare bones of what they'd agreed.

STOLTENBERG: Today, Allies have agreed to move forward with planning for a greater NATO role in coordinating security assistance and training.

The details will take shape in the weeks to come. But make no mistake, Ukraine can rely on NATO support now and for a long haul.

ROBERTSON: Even so, Stoltenberg was pressed by journalists for more details. One of them asking about reports that there was a $100 billion commitment he was looking for over five years, as some have reported.

The question was to Trump-proof NATO that if Donald Trump should be re-elected U.S. president, that somehow this military aid package for Ukraine could withstand and sustain during the period of his presidency.

Now, the Secretary General, as he typically does, didn't, again, get into detail, said, look, you've been briefed by someone but not briefed by me. But what he wanted to achieve and what NATO is trying to achieve here is this financial commitment that allows Ukraine to plan for the coming years of the war. Know that it can have enough ammunition, let's say, if it chooses to have an offensive in 2025.

And for defense providers, manufacturers throughout Europe, the United States, to know that there's long-term commitment for them to produce the armaments. So that, of course, is where the devil will be in the detail of those details Stoltenberg hasn't yet spoken about and says will be worked out in the coming weeks and months.

Nic Robertson, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: But NATO may have more reasons to commit to supporting Ukraine over the long haul, and that could have something to do with the question of what will Russia do next if it wins in Ukraine. Here's what one expert told CNN earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAREN DONFRIED, SR. FELLOW, BELFER CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: So when we think about Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, there are at least three impacts of it. The most existential is for Ukraine. There's also an implication for European security, and you are right that many NATO members border Ukraine.

And then there's also an implication for global stability. And our belief in international law and the argument that we respect each other's sovereignty and countries have the right to defend themselves and make their own choices.

So that's what's at stake in the battle that's taking place right now in Ukraine. And NATO's eastern member states are deeply concerned about the implications for them if Putin is not stopped in Ukraine.

So the urgency is felt very clearly in eastern Europe, but I think it's felt throughout the alliance. And what we see right now is unity among NATO allies about thinking about what role NATO can play in this war.

And one idea is to institutionalize at least the coordination of the military assistance going to Ukraine in the alliance, maybe moving the training of Ukrainian forces under a NATO framework, so to try to ensure that that support is longstanding and enduring.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The U.S. shared intel on several potential Russian targets before a deadly ISIS-K attack near Moscow last month, but Russia didn't act on the intel. According to CNN sources, the ultimate target of the attack, Crocus City Hall, was one of the several sites the U.S. shared under its duty to warn policy.

The U.S. ambassador to Russia says the information was given to Moscow in writing, calling it, quote, specific timing credible.

More than 140 people died in the attack. Russia claims the warnings were too general to act upon, but the U.S. ambassador says they, quote, dismissed the usefulness of the information.

Two of Donald Trump's federal criminal cases are making waves this week. One is over allegations he took classified documents from the White House after he left office.

Amid multiple delays, U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith is pushing back against the judge's orders on potential jury instructions. CNN's Paula Reid has those details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

[04:25:00]

JACK SMITH, U.S. SPECIAL COUNSEL: We very much look forward to presenting our case to a jury of citizens in the Southern District of Florida. PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A trial in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case appears highly unlikely to happen before the 2024 election, and Special Counsel Jack Smith expressing frustration with Judge Aileen Cannon.

In a new filing late Tuesday, Smith's team said Cannon had ordered briefings based on a fundamentally flawed legal premise that had no basis in law or fact.

AILEEN CANNON, JUDGE, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA: My sincere thanks go to the president for the honor of this nomination.

REID (voice-over): Prosecutors harshly criticizing the Trump-appointed judge's request for hypothetical jury instructions.

She asked both sides to take into account the former president's claim that he had broad authority to take classified documents under the Presidential Records Act.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Whatever documents the president decides to take with him, he has the right to do so. It's an absolute right.

REID (voice-over): The post-Watergate law covers what documents belong to the government after an administration leaves the White House. But prosecutors have repeatedly said that law is not relevant because Trump is accused of obstruction and storing highly classified material in a bathroom and other unsecure locations at his Florida estate.

Prosecutors also point out that telling a jury that Trump had the authority to take records he wanted from the White House would make it nearly impossible to secure a conviction.

Prosecutors insist that legal premise is wrong and a jury instruction that reflects that premise would distort the trial.

But Trump's attorneys, who were also asked to weigh in here, suggested that the judge tell jurors Trump was authorized to possess a category of documents defined as personal records both during and after his term in office.

The idea that classified documents belonged to Trump, Smith's team said, is pure fiction.

JEREMY FOGEL, FORMER U.S. FEDERAL JUDGE: I was a trial judge for 37 years. I have never seen an order like this.

REID (voice-over): Former federal judge Jeremy Fogel says the government will likely appeal.

FOGEL: If he makes that decision and then the case goes to trial and then he's acquitted as he certainly would be with that instruction, the government has no recourse. There's double jeopardy. But an appeal will likely further delay the trial, something Trump has been seeking in all his criminal cases.

REID: It's been over a month since Judge Cannon had a hearing where she heard arguments about delaying this case. It's currently penciled in for late May but expected to be delayed. She let both sides weigh in on how far it should be delayed.

Now, since she hasn't put a date on the calendar, it's likely this case will not go before the November election. And if Trump is reelected, it is expected that he would have his attorney general dismiss Jack Smith and those two federal criminal cases.

Paula Reid, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: The judge overseeing Donald Trump's New York criminal trial over hush money allegations has denied a motion from the former president to delay the trial. Trump's lawyers called for a postponement until after the U.S. Supreme Court rules on his claim of presidential immunity for alleged crimes during his time in office. Judge Juan Merchan called the motion untimely, noting that Trump's attorneys had months to file something over the issue. The trial has already been delayed once and is set to begin on April 15th.

A new opinion poll from the Wall Street Journal shows a close contest between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the seven swing states that could determine the outcome of the presidential election. The survey shows Trump leading slightly in most of those states, but there is no clear leader in Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin. Meaning the results are within the margin of error.

The poll also found voters in these battleground states see Trump as being better able to handle the economy.

Now ahead, celebrity chef Jose Andres speaks for the first time on camera about the deadly strike that killed members of his aid group. And he doesn't hold back.

Plus, Ugandan judges make a decision about a law that threatens the lives and livelihoods of the country's LGBTQ community. Details on that just ahead.

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