Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

U.N. Aid Chief Calls Situation In Gaza A "Betrayal Of Humanity"; Iranian Military Commander Vows Revenge After Israel Attack; Interview With Former Israeli Ambassador To The U.S. Michael Oren; Countdown To The Eclipse Across America; Gunfight At Florida Bar Leaves 2 Dead, 7 Injured; Police Search For Suspect In Fire At Bernie Sanders' Office; NCAA Men's Final Four Tonight; Iowa To Face South Carolina In Women's NCAA Championship Sunday; Father Of Two Hostages in Gaza Speaks Out: "It's One Long Day." Aired 5-6p ET

Aired April 06, 2024 - 17:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:01:00]

JESSICA DEAN, CNN HOST: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. Hi, everyone. I'm Jessica Dean in New York.

We have breaking news out of northern Gaza tonight where Israel is prepared to reopen the Erez border crossing and to use its port of Ashdod to get humanitarian aid into Gaza just hours before the Israel- Hamas war reaches the sixth month mark.

This, as the U.N. humanitarian aid chief calls the situation in Gaza a quote, "betrayal of humanity" with 33,000 people killed there and many starving. Just this week, a deadly Israeli strike killed seven humanitarian aid workers from World Central Kitchen.

CNN's Nic Robertson is in Jerusalem for us tonight. Nic, gunfire and explosions were heard today at the Erez border crossing. What does this tell us and what are you learning?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, we went down to the border crossing today to see what the preparations were that would be going on for the expected aid convoys to go through the Erez crossing.

We didn't see any preparations. There was a meeting between the IDF and the World Food Programme there Friday, but we didn't see anything.

But what we did hear was heavy gunfire. I could hear heavy explosions in the distance. This immediately tells you that for any humanitarian convoy going in its going to be dangerous. No surprise.

But it is also indicative of the fact that the many hurdles that convoy is going through there will face. Look Erez crossing principally a pedestrian crossing. It was where workers to Gaza would come in to Israel every day and back out at the end of the day or at the end of the week. So it's not really constructed for heavy goods vehicles, aid trucks to

go through. But it can do it. But the road structures, the road networks beyond the Erez border crossing many of those have been hit by bombs, by missiles, by artillery. Some of them were seen on satellite imagery. Those roads completely impassable, the tarmac is completely blown apart.

So it's not clear how the aid convoy and trucks would be able to get in. We don't have any details from the Israeli government yet about how many trucks about what could be on those trucks? It's about how they'll screen the trucks, make sure that the goods on board meet with their requirements.

So there are a huge number of unknowns. What is very clear is that the commitment that's been made by the Israeli government to go ahead and open it.

The expectation from the White House says that the government will make good on that promise. It's something the White House has been asking the Israeli government to do for months.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken here in February asked the government, the Israeli government to open Erez crossing because it's in the north of Gaza. And that's where the worst humanitarian suffering is.

The U.N. says about 300,000 people living there and many of them on the verge of starvation so the need is huge. Precisely how it's going to play out Sunday here really isn't clear to us yet.

DEAN: And Nic, we also learned the body of one Israeli hostage was returned to his family in Israel last night. Tell us more about this.

ROBERTSON: Yes. Elad Katzir from Nir Oz, a kibbutz that's very close to the Gaza border. I spent a lot of time with families from that kibbutz and this is a kibbutz where I think more than 70 people were kidnapped -- a very high number of people were kidnapped.

And his family distraught because they say that the government missed opportunities to bring him back. They say that while he was in Gaza, he was pictured at least twice alive as a hostage as recently as early this year.

And the fact that the government won't prioritize, as so many hostage families are demanding that they do, prioritize bringing hostages back home. Whatever price it is to get a truce with Hamas, these families want the government to do that.

[17:04:50]

ROBERTSON: And they say, this is a case of an absolutely missed opportunity. They said the government might portray him as a victim of the war, but they feel that he's a victim of the government mishandling this war.

And this is why you have protests on the streets of Tel Aviv, of Haifa, of Caesarea this evening and along the coast in Israel. People coming out and calling for this government to step down, that Netanyahu is responsible, and they want him to step down. They want another government in place. And this is obviously a huge pain for Elad's family today.

DEAN: Of course. Of course, and our hearts go out to them, just an unimaginable grief they must be going through as those hostages they still remain in Gaza.

All right. Nic Robertson for us. Thanks so much for that reporting tonight.

Also tonight, vowing revenge, new threats of retaliation from Iran's highest-ranking commander after Israeli warplanes bombed Iran's embassy in Syria this week. The remarks coming at the funeral for seven military officers, members of Irans Revolutionary Guard who were killed in that strike.

And now America is on high alert for a quote, "significant attack" by Iran in the Middle East that could target Israelis or Americans.

CNN White House correspondent Priscilla Alvarez joining us now live from Washington, D.C.

Priscilla, how is the White House reacting to these threats from Iran?

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the White House is in close touch with Israeli counterparts as they both track what potential attack Iran could launch. But they both describe this as inevitable.

Now we should make clear here that the U.S. has conveyed to Iran that they were not involved in that Israeli airstrike that you just mentioned that killed several top Iranian commanders and that they did not have advanced knowledge of that airstrike and warned Iran that they should not use this as quote, "a pretext" to attack U.S. personnel and facilities.

So all the same though, this is something that the U.S. and Israel are on high alert. They expect that there could be an attack as soon as next week. This could target U.S. or Israeli assets in the Middle East, this is specific to that region.

Still, it's unclear when this would happen, how it would unfold. It could happen in multiple parts or in multiple different ways. So the U.S. staying in very close touch with Israel as they track all of this.

Of course, the big concern here is if Iran directly attacks Israel, because that could threaten a much broader regional conflict. And that is something that the U.S. has been trying to avoid.

Of course, the White House has tried to navigate all of this quite delicately because they do not want there to be a wider regional conflict. So how exactly this unfolds is really going to be the key here in trying to contain this. But all the same as of tonight -- as of today, the U.S. and Israel still very much tracking this, as something that could happen as soon as next week in the Middle East.

DEAN: And Priscilla, the Biden administration has also warned Iran against attacking any American assets. Do you know if there's any plan to reposition U.S. forces at this time?

ALVAREZ: Our understanding is that is not the case, but again as I mentioned, this is something that the U.S. is tracking very closely. But they did issue those stark warnings to Iran to again, not use this Israeli airstrike on a consulate in Damascus as a pretext to go after the U.S.. In fact, they've made it quite clear that Iran should not come after the U.S.

Now, of course, whether Iran heeds those warnings, unclear. But for now, it's very much a wait-and-see mode. And also preparing and getting a position for whatever could happen on the horizon.

DEAN: All right. White House correspondent Priscilla Alvarez with that update for us. Thanks so much.

And joining us now is the former Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren.

Great to have you on. Thanks so much for being with us on this Saturday evening.

I want to ask you first, how concerned you are about these threats from Iran and what you think it might mean for Israel's war on Hamas as the U.S. now prepares to protect its own assets there in the Middle East as well.

MICHAEL OREN, FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: Well, it's always good to be with you.

We assume that in striking at Iran, Iran will threatened to strike back. In the past, it hasn't always struck back when the United States eliminated Qassem Soleimani, the head of the -- that's highest-ranking military figure in Iran. Back in 2020, Iran threatened to retaliate and never retaliated and haven't to this day.

But we can't afford to be that certain cavalier about it. And so our forces are on high alert. Leaves were canceled for soldiers over the weekend. Typically, those involved in ground to air defense.

So we're prepared, but that doesn't mean Israel won't continue to defend itself against Iranian aggression. Iranian proxies like Hezbollah in the north have been firing dozens of rockets at Israel.

[17:09:51]

OREN: Our entire northern part of the country, northern Galilee is rendered uninhabitable by Hezbollah missiles, which are made and sponsored and paid for by Iran.

So Israel has to defend itself against Iran, not just against Hezbollah.

DEAN: And we are set to mark the six months of the Israel-Hamas war tomorrow.

I'm curious what you think the chances are that any progress can be made in these talks that are going on in Cairo this weekend, the CIA director is there. But to get these hostages home and also potentially come to terms on a ceasefire of sorts.

OREN: Well, I'm not a spokesman for the Israeli government. I want to be very clear about that. So this is my personal opinion. My personal thing is that the chances are very weak. The United States, Washington, the Europeans have been signaling to the Hamas that all they have to do is hold on for another week or two, to create situations where Israel is killing more Palestinians because Hamas is using those policies as human shields.

And eventually the world will impose a ceasefire, permanent ceasefire. And that's what Hamas wants. Hamas wants a ceasefire that will enable us to emerge from the tunnels and declare victory and prepare the next onslaught against Israel because that's precisely what its -- what its leaders say they're going to do. They said we'll do it a million times over until they destroy Israel. That's what Hamas wants.

And the signal they've been getting from much of the west is just hold on for another week or two. Why then would Hamas want to agree to a temporary ceasefire and give up what they regard as assets, those assets being the hostages themselves.

I think Israel would be prepared to agree to a temporary ceasefire as long as six weeks in return for a number of hostages -- maybe 40, maybe the women hostages, maybe the ill and the elderly hostages. It's been suggested.

And perhaps even release security prisoners from Israeli prisons. But I don't think Hamas is there. I think Hamas understands that time is on its side at this point, and without an Israeli invasion into the southern part of Gaza, the Rafah area that Hamas will not be pressured in any way to give up all the hostages.

DEAN: And Israel is reopening, as Nic Robertson, my colleague was just explaining to us, the Erez crossing to allow more aid into Gaza. What do you make of that move? And what does it mean that its coming on the heels of President Biden's call with Benjamin Netanyahu, in which Biden said the administration's policy on the war could change unless Israel increased aid flow and protections for civilians and aid workers. What do you think about that kind in its totality?

OREN: Good question. I certainly welcome it. Since the beginning of this war, six months ago, I've been an advocate of expanding aid to the Palestinian civilians in Gaza for moral reasons, but also for strategic reasons.

Hamas has an interest in having Palestinians suffer. The greater number of Palestinians who die in this war, who are starved and displacement, that works in Hamas' favorite because Hamas wants a ceasefire.

And the ceasefire, Hamas believes it will get through international pressure on Israel. And the pressure mounts with every day of Palestinian suffering. So it's in Israels interests not just morally, but strategically to reduce that suffering.

Now, it's not -- it's not an easy position in Israel -- many Israelis feel and this is across the political spectrum -- right, left, center -- believe that by withholding aid is the only way that Israel has to assert pressure on Hamas to at least let the Red Cross visit the hostages, at least know which hostages -- let us know which houses are living in and who are dead, much less release the hostages.

But I think that's kind of a faulty logic because that assumes that Hamas actually cares about the Palestinians. It actually doesn't. It wants to see more Palestinians suffer and die. Therefore, it's in Israels interest to increase that aid. And I certainly welcome that.

I think that President Biden's recent conversation with the prime minister, and apparently a very hard conversation, gave Prime Minister Netanyahu a certain amount of leverage to go back to the far-right members of his own coalition and say, hey, what can I do? The president is pressuring me.

Sometimes that works like that in diplomacy, you understand. If that's the outcome, it's a good outcome and I hope more if it continues.

DEAN: And when it comes to that strike on the World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza earlier this week, we had former CIA director Leon Panetta on with CNN's Jim Sciutto talking about the IDF standards and tactics. I just want to play a clip of what Leon Panetta said and then I want to get your reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEON PANETTA, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: Sometimes if you're going to do it and you want to make sure that you're hitting the right target, you have to be able to verify, to take time to make sure that the information that you're getting is accurate with regards to targets.

And I have to tell you that in the past, at least in my experience, the Israelis usually fire and then ask questions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[17:14:51]

DEAN: What do you -- what do you make of those comments from Leon Panetta there?

OREN: I have to react to my friend and former colleague Leon Panetta. I have a high regard for him, but take issue with it.

It was a terrible, terrible tragedy. There were violations of Israeli's standing protocol and two senior officers now have been removed from their positions as a result of that.

But the Israeli news tonight has been reporting about the many instances that is heard in Afghanistan during the tenure, among others as secretary of defense Leon Panetta, where American forces killed large numbers of aid workers and the reaction in the world has not been remotely the same.

And this is not in any way to excuse the mistakes that happened with the murder of these -- the death of these seven workers -- not in any way. It was a terrible, terrible tragedy, unforgivable, unexplainable.

But it happens in a war and Israel is engaged in a densely-populated, very, very complex combat environment where the distinction between terrorists and civilians cannot always be ascertained and the Israeli army goes to a very long process, detailed process of approving every bombing raid. Mistakes happen.

Again, no explanations, no excuses. But the United States experienced very similar mistakes during his terms, during his time those wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

DEAN: All right. Former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, thanks so much. We really appreciate you coming on. We appreciate your time.

OREN: Thank you.

DEAN: And still to come, the countdown to the total solar eclipse is on; how small towns in the path of totality are preparing for their big moment.

Plus the search is on for a man who is believed to have set part of Senator Bernie Sanders' office on fire. We have details on that incident.

You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

[17:16:41]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DEAN: The countdown is on for an historic event. Just two days until a rare total solar eclipse is seen across a large swath of America. Millions are traveling into communities all along the route of the eclipse hoping to get a great view.

CNN's Miguel Marquez is in Cleveland, which is right in the center of the path of totality. Miguel how is Cleveland preparing?

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's hoping for sun. It's begging for a perfectly crystal-clear day like today. And look, Cleveland rocks on a good day. It is going to totally rock on Monday if it's all clear.

Were at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. If you know Cleveland, the science center is right next door. The sun will be just up there when totality hits and they expect about 30,000 people.

But here at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they have the glasses, they have the solar fest. It's like -- we have their backstage pass here. They even have t-shirts that look like concert shirts for the path of totality tour.

And on the backside you can see all the cities where they -- where the total -- where the eclipse is meant to hit but it all now depends on the weather. People from all around the world are expected and look, it's not just the eclipse here. The final four -- the women's final four is here this weekend. International film festivals here in Cleveland. Cleveland is rocking. People from around the world coming to see the eclipse.

We spoke to a few earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLLEEN TIGGES, TRAVELED TO CLEVELAND FOR ECLIPSE: We have decided that were going to meet at all the eclipses from this point forward.

Very important to get to this one because I am an eclipse fan. So I got to see the total one in 2017, went down in Tennessee. And I've been telling them all morning, I'm like, it's such a surreal experience. You can't even explain what it's like to be in a total eclipse.

You think you're going to know and then you're like, oh I wasn't expecting that.

MARQUEZ: Let me see your sun dance. We got to have sun. or no cloud dance, no rain dance

TIGGES: I have no idea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: So the weather right now for Cleveland is looking partly sunny. We are going to do our no-cloud dance and make sure it is fully sunny on Monday. But just tens of thousands of people, not only here across the Cleveland area, but millions not only here across the Cleveland area but millions across the zone of totality. I'm going to be the zona totality from now on.

Back to you.

DEAN: I also think for the dance, I think it's in the wrists, based on what the women were doing there to get the -- get the clouds out of the way. So do that for your no-rain dance.

MARQUEZ: We're on it.

DEAN: Exactly.

Miguel Marquez in Cleveland, big weekend there. Thanks so much. We appreciate it.

Well, you've heard about people traveling from all over the country to experience that eclipse firsthand.

But now were going to actually hear from one. Kate Russo is an eclipse chaser. She's currently in Leakey, Texas and she joins us now.

Kate, great to have you on. I'm told this will be your 14th total solar eclipse. Tell us what it's like to experience and why do you love it so much?

KATE RUSSO, ECLIPSE CHASER: There's nothing like the experience of totality and, you know, just listening to that report, people coming together. So it's not just about being in the path of totality and experiencing something so beautiful and unique.

It's everyone coming together and all at the same time looking up and experiencing something so out of this world. It's such a wonderful experience, very difficult to explain to people who haven't actually experienced it before.

[17:24:55]

DEAN: And it's really an awe-inspiring event and people will talk about the awe they have when they watch this. And it can actually affect our brains.

What have you -- have you learned about the psychological impacts of watching something? Like this being a part of something like this

RUSSO: Yes.

Because not only am an eclipse chaser, I'm a clinical psychologist and I've been researching the eclipse experience for over a decade now. And initially I was using people's words to be able to describe the ineffable. What happens to us, how do we -- how do we put words to something that's so powerful?

But more recently, I've turned to the idea that we can capture the embodied experience of totality by looking at changes in our brain waves. So back in October, we had an annular eclipse. And I was able to get five volunteers and myself and our brainwaves were measured during the annular eclipse and it's really interesting because there were changes in our brain waves that were noticed during the moments of annularity. And also when the clouds part as well, it must be said.

So that's the first time we've been able to really identify during an eclipse that we can actually capture some of the physical responses that we have to it.

And when we experienced totality, we are in such awe of our world around us and the universe we feel so connected. And we feel so insignificant that part of something greater.

And so it's really great that what we store in the field in October matches up with the psychological research that's already out there that shows that when we experience or we do have changes in our brain. And it actually leads to people becoming more altruistic and more pro- social. So it's really exciting times at the moment.

DEAN: It is. It's really, really fascinating stuff. And we know that people have also been kind of changing their plans because of the weather forecasts. My colleague Miguel Marquez there talking about the cloud cover. We know there's a chance of severe storms in central and eastern Texas and along that eclipse path to Arkansas.

What -- are you concerned? Do you have a backup plan. Would you move if you need to, to make sure you can see it properly?

RUSSO: Yes. This is why we call it eclipse chasing because people often don't think about this element of it. Now, I'm in Texas and I picked Texas because out of all the areas in the U.S. in the path of totality.

Historically, Texas had the best chances of clear skies in April. Not as good as Mexico, but it was the best across the U.S. And here we are.

Look, there are other places along the path and how lucky for them that they're going to have a really great experience.

But here we are in Texas now having to make our Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C. So a lot of my chaser colleagues and friends, actually a lot of them relocated a few days ago and they moved further along the coast, along the path of totality.

I am here. My Plan A was to view on in or near Garner State Park. My Plan B or C, I don't really know how I need to initiate that at this point of time. But what we are looking at here in this part of Texas, is cloud cover for sure, but we will have pockets of clear skies during that. So we have to expect cloud.

And so now I'm just looking at the final weather forecast, trying to chase those pockets. And I tell you it is so stressful because you just -- it's so important to see it. It's so important not to be stuck under really thick clouds.

So this is a bit of a nightmare situation for those of us in Texas. But if it's your first time, you will still have an amazing experience. It will be a really amazing experience. It's just that we know what else can happen if we're not under those clouds.

DEAN: Yes. We're wishing you clear skies and a smooth path to seeing it all.

Eclipse chaser Kate Russo, thanks so much for being with us. We appreciate it. And enjoy.

RUSSO: Thank you. Thank you.

DEAN: And be sure to catch CNN's special coverage of the "ECLIPSE ACROSS AMERICA". It starts Monday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. You can also stream it on Max.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:33:25] DEAN: Deadly gunfire erupted early this morning in a Florida bar. Police say a bar fight turned deadly when someone pulled out a weapon at The Martini Bar in Doral, Florida. That's just outside Miami.

Doral police say a security guard and a suspect are now dead. Six bystanders and a police officer we're wounded in this.

And CNN's Ryan Young has been following everything.

What more are you learning, Ryan?

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, early morning shooting, scary situation. There was some sort of disagreement inside that bar. The security guard tried to step in, someone produces a gun, shoots and kills that security guard.

The officers get there very quickly, try to stop things, and then a shootout occurs inside that bar.

We're told six other people hit, two women, four other men. One officer is also hit. He actually used a tourniquet to save himself.

Listen to the police chief talk about this situation that they are still investigating.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUIS COLON, RECENTLY MOVED TO DORAL, FLORIDA: Yes. Especially here in Doral. We just moved in here because they are so safe. I still feel safe here.

But, yes, it is pretty shocking for this to happen right here in this block. Yes, we're, we're pretty -- pretty shocked, yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: Yes, we flipped that from the police chief. You can hear that resident talk about how safe that area is. It is known as a very safe area.

The police chief had talked about earlier how one of his officers had to apply a tourniquet to himself to save his own life.

There's so many questions about this. But this happened early in the morning. What we're hoping for is another update to try to figure out the motive or some circumstances that were all behind this.

But a very troubling situation in an area that's not known for this kind of violence -- Jessica?

DEAN: All right. Ryan Young, with the update for us, thanks so much.

[17:35:02]

Police in Vermont are asking for the public's help after Senator Bernie Sanders' office was targeted in what appears to be a deliberate act of arson.

Police releasing these images of the suspect who they say sprayed accelerant on the entry doors and then set them on fire while staff members we're still inside. But thankfully, no injuries we're reported.

CNN's Polo Sandoval has the latest, though, on this investigation.

And, Polo, where do things stand now?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Jessica, police in Burlington, Vermont, they released that pretty clear photo hoping to generate some lead to hopefully track down this suspected arsonist.

What they know is that he is believed to have walked into that Burlington building that houses one of the offices of Senator Bernie Sanders and sprayed the entrance to that office with some sort of accelerant, according to investigators.

He then lit it on fire with staffers inside. Now, fortunately, the building's fire suppression system, the sprinklers, they kicked in. They we're to eliminate -- they we're able to eliminate most of the flames.

So as you mentioned, there we're no injuries reported. The Senator was actually not in the office at the time.

But this building, as you see there, it is a multi-story, multi-office building.

So as we heard from one of the local fire battalion chiefs, who actually spoke to my colleague, Maria Campinoti, there is still some questions about how he was able to access this area that we're told is not open to the general public.

But the other question, too, about a possible motive in all of this, Jessica, as we send things back to you, this is worth noting that in 2023 alone, the U.S. Capitol Police recorded about 8,000 threats directed against lawmakers.

So that's certainly alarming here, and that was an increase over the year before.

In terms of this particular case, again, there's no clear motive yet, but there is the U.S. Capitol Police, as well as the Senate -- the Senate sergeant at arms that are currently working with local investigators to try to piece this together and get a clear picture as this manhunt continues.

DEAN: Yes, that's a scary situation there.

Polo Sandoval, thanks so much for that update.

And still ahead this afternoon, Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes escaped with a narrow victory against UConn in the Final Four. But to win it all, they're going to have to beat their toughest opponent yet. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:41:45]

DEAN: It's now down to just two teams facing off for the national championship in women's college basketball. Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes clenching their spot in the game after a dramatic victory over UConn last night.

And now they'll face their toughest test yet against the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks.

CNN's Coy Wire is joining us now from Arizona as the men's Final Four a set to begin soon.

But, Coy, back to Caitlin Clark, this is a really emotional win for her and for her entire team last night.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. In one of the most highly anticipated women's games ever, right. Jessica? I mean, the stakes were high. The game lived up to the hype.

But it did not come without, as you mentioned, some controversy. Caitlin Clark, in the first half, held to just six points, stifling defense by UConn.

But Clark and the Hawkeyes would kickstart a surge in this second. She would finish with 21 on the night. But it came down to those final seconds of this game when UConn was down one. and Aaliyah Edwards gets called for an illegal screen and this is how it would end.

LeBron James and many others posting that they did not like that call at that moment in the game. But that's how it ended up.

And so Iowa will get a chance now to move on, as you mentioned, to face South Carolina. And Dawn Staley's Gamecocks are on an incredible run. They are undefeated this season after beating N.C. State last night, 70 to 59.

This is a team whose only lost three games in the last three years. Jessica. But Caitlin Clark says she knows what's about to come next in the final and she's looking forward at a chance and make it more history.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAITLIN CLARK, IOWA GUARD: I think being in this moment before I think gives our group a good understanding of what to expect. You know, we know what South Carolina brings to the table. We know we're going to have our hands full.

The way they played tonight was incredible. But it's the national championship. It's the last game on my career. It's the last game for five people on this team. So I don't think motivation will be hard to come by.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right. Iowa was the last team to beat South Carolina in last year's Final Four, so this rematch is going to be incredible.

Now tonight, tipping off in just minutes, the men's Final Four. We have four incredible leaders of these teams, Purdue's Matt Painter and N.C. State's Kevin Keatts. They are leading their teams here for the first time in more than 40 years.

Alabama's Nate Oats, for the first time ever. UConn, though, they are looking to become the first team to repeat as champs since 2007.

And their head man, Dan Hurley, he's eccentric. He is fiery. And he's superstitious. He wears the same lucky red dragon underwear every game.

We caught up with Coach, his wife, Andrea, and the three other coaches to ask about their superstitions.

Listen.

WIRE: He's a 51-year-old man. Why did you buy them for him in the first place?

ANDREA HURLEY, WIFE OF COACH DAN HURLEY: Because he's a 12-year-old boy at heart.

DAN HURLEY, UCONN COACH: I got my same shinny shoes that I wear for the nine games.

UNIDENTIFIED COACH: I'm not superstitious.

UNIDENTIFIED COACH: I do not really have anything. I take a nap before the game.

UNIDENTIFIED COACH: I love superheroes, I love animals. And I've got a pair for any occasion.

UNIDENTIFIED COACH: I certainly don't want to wear the same clothes.

HURLEY: They're comfortable. I've had them for a while. But the referees think that I'm with them because I've got shinny shoes, too.

[17:45:03]

UNIDENTIFIED COACH: Just a little superstitious, right?

WIRE: Not superstitious?

UNIDENTIFIED COACH: Just a little superstitious.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WIRE: All right. Jessica, you can watch the shiny shoes and the red dragon underwear in action just minutes from now, TruTV, TBS, TNT, and streaming on Max.

This is going to be an awesome Final Four. And I'm going to go in there with this crowd making their way to the stadium.

DEAN: Yes. You, and it looks like thousands of your closest friends, Coy.

All right. Thanks so much. Well see you soon.

We'll be right back.

WIRE: Thank you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:50:12]

It has been almost six months since the deadly October 7th terror attack on Israel. And now the father of two hostages still being held by Hamas is speaking out about what his family is enduring, telling CNN's Melissa Bell he still has hope he'll be reunited with his children.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For Yechiel Yehud, time stopped on October 7th. He shows us into his orange orchard, normally, at this season, his joy.

YECHIEL YEHUD, HOSTAGES' FATHER: This time I can't enjoy the smell of the blossom from the from the trees, yes, like I can enjoy of nothing.

BELL (on camera): It's so strong now.

YEHUD: Yes.

BELL (voice-over): But nothing this year has been normal for Yechiel. On October 7th, two of his three children, seen here at their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, were kidnapped by Hamas.

YEHUD: Six months I didn't touch them, I didn't smell them, I didn't talk with them, I didn't have them. It's not six months. it's one long day.

BELL: This, he says, is now his mission room where he and his wife, Uil (ph), worked for their children's return and try to stay sane.

Partly, he says, by not watching the news at all.

YEHUD: What keeps us alive, that will kept us in our mission of life to get back for the second time for our children. Without this hope, we can do nothing. BELL: His 35-year-old son was last seen leaving the shelter where his pregnant wife and their three children we're cowering to see if the coast was clear. For six months now, he's been without his medication.

YEHUD: In these bills, one pill. Without these pills, the body get weak from day to day. A live danger. If they didn't kill him while they took him or in the prison, I don't know how we will come back to us.

BELL: But it is his fear for his 28-year-old daughter Ardell (ph), who was also taken from the kibbutz that day along with her boyfriend, Avial (ph) that take an even darker turn.

YEHUD: When I'm thinking about Ardell (ph), my soul birth, what kind of sexual abuses past, how fears she's met every minute with men around her.

From time to time, I heard her in my mind, Abba, father, come to release me. Where are you?

BELL: Some of the accounts of former hostages, like Anita Tosanna (ph), who recently spoke publicly of the conditions and the sexual abuse she endured, which Hamas has denied, have only added to Yechiel's fears.

He records them in a journal at night.

YEHUD: Because it's always on my mind. While I'm talking with you now, I'm thinking about Ardell (ph).

If she could hear me talking with you like that, and now she's hugging me from behind and give me power to continue to talk with you, to stay calm.

BELL: Calm that he says he also finds by the tree his son was named for. The plain trees or dollar tree in Hebrew. In its shade, he has waited for six months at once fruitful and fearful of news.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Rischon Lechon (ph).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DEAN: And tonight, more than 130 hostages are still being held captive in Gaza. That's according to Israeli authorities.

CNN's Bianna Golodryga spoke with one former hostage who was freed after more than 50 days in Hamas captivity, Yarden Roman-Gat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YARDAN ROMAN-GAT, RELEASED ISRAELI HOSTAGE: Eventually, I got to a house, like civil house most of the time I was there.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR & SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST (voice- over): No other hostages were held with her.

(on camera): And with someone with you, a terrorist with you every day?

ROMAN-GAT: Every second and all the time.

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): Recounting her experience is not easy.

ROMAN-GAT: It's a very difficult feeling to explain and --

GOLODRYGA (on camera): (INAUDIBLE) OK. let's stop for a little while. I'm sorry.

[17:55:06]

ROMAN-GAT: What is the meaning of being a hostage who cannot speak out. There is no certainty. You have to be alert all of the time. It's very deep aspects of humanity that are taken away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Bianna's full report, "HOSTAGES, THE ROAD HOME," airs tomorrow on "THE WHOLE STORY" with Anderson Cooper. It's at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, only here on CNN.

Stay with us. We'll have more news ahead for you in the next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)