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Israeli Military: Bodies of Six Hostages Recovered in Gaza; Biden To Join Harris In Battleground PA For Labor Day Rally; Dozens Hurt, Including 5 Children, After Russian Attack In Kharkiv; Teen Faces Charges After 49ers Rookie Shot in Robbery Attempt. Aired 1-2p ET

Aired September 01, 2024 - 13:00   ET

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

[13:00:32]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN HOST: Well, thanks very much for joining me. I'm Alex Marquardt, in today for Fredricka Whitfield.

And we begin with breaking news out of the Middle East. Protests are erupting across Israel right now as anger and frustration mounts in the wake of six hostages who were just killed in Gaza. Israeli military official said that they recovered the bodies from Hamas tunnel under the southern Gazan city of Rafah on Saturday. The IDF claims that they were killed a short while. They say before troops were able to reach them.

A spokesman for the IDF describing the operation to CNN earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN HOST: Were IDF soldiers actually looking for these six hostages, or did they find them as part of a separate mission?

LT. COL. NADAV SHOSHANI, IDF INTERNATIONAL SPOKESPERSON: Well, we -- we have been operating above and underground in that area, competent terrorist and searching in the underground tunnels as we've done in recent weeks in Rafah, and this is an area I remind you, it's less than, a mile from what we found Farhad Kaid, the hostage that we were able to rescue a live in few days ago.

So there was some idea of hostages being in the area, but this was not specific -- a specific mission to release hostages, but part of our ordinary combat missions against Hamas above and underground.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: This news has triggered a wave of demonstrations all across Israel. You are now looking at live pictures from Tel Aviv right there. The outrage aimed at the Israeli government for failing for months to secure a ceasefire deal that would bring back the remaining more than one hostage home.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the criticism in a televised address. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: In recent days, as Israel has been holding intensive negotiations with the mediator and a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas is continuing to steadfastly refused all proposals. Even worse, at the exact same time, it murdered six of our hostages. Whoever murders hostages does not want a deal.

For our part, we will not relent. The government of Israel is committed and I am personally committed to continue striving towards a deal that will return all of our hostages and ensure our security and our existence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: CNN's Nic Robertson and Kevin Liptak are joining me now as we track all of the reaction, Nic.

I want to go to you first in Tel Aviv.

You are at one of these protests. We have seen these going on for months, demands from the families and everyday Israelis to get these hostages home.

What are you hearing tonight?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, leaders from all the main opposition parties as well, telling people to come out on the streets. I mean, what we're seeing here tonight in Tel Aviv is unprecedented as far as we can tell, so far in terms of numbers.

I'm going to ask Sarah Boxer (ph), who is live photo journalist and producer here just a pan around sound a little bit and as she moves the camera around, you can just see the sea of flags stretching away up the street there and just stop there, that's where the curia is. That's where the main defense headquarters are.

This is where so many of the protests have focus to try to demand and the put pressure on the government. Every weekend, going back countless months to get the hostages home, while the news that people woke up to this morning but six of those hostages, young people, their lives stretching out ahead of them. Young people who've been enjoying themselves at the Nova Music Festival had been held oh, then captivity and until weeks ago, just weeks ago were believed to be alive.

The news that people woke up to this morning, that they were dead has really galvanized than emphasized the deep divisions here in the country. Those who support the prime minister who appeared to be in a minority who want to keep having tough negotiations with Hamas, and all of those stretched out here tonight in the streets, adding their voices, telling him that it's time to get the other hostages home, don't let anymore die unnecessarily, do the deal with Hamas.

Even the prime minister's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, saying the same thing, that it is the prime minister himself, that he's holding up, that is a sticking point on the negotiations for this.

[13:05:05]

MARQUARDT: Yeah, and the Hostage Family Forum issuing a statement in the wake of the six deaths are calling for these protests, saying we will make the country tremble.

Nic Robertson in Tel Aviv, thanks very much.

I want to bring in Kevin Liptak.

Kevin, we've been tracking these hostage negotiations for months now. What are U.S. officials saying? How do you think that this is going to now affect the process?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah, and there's no question that I think when you talk to American officials, they say this will complicate this in some capacity because remember an American delegation had been in the Middle East really for the last several weeks, talking to all the parties and trying to get this deal over the finish line. And certainly when you talk to American officials, they do say, at least on paper, and in principle, the sides are not all that far apart.

I think what this does, according to American officials is called into question in some way, the seriousness of Hamas and towards reaching a deal. But what American officials also acknowledge is that that will create more pressure for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try and come up with some kind of agreement. And certainly, you see that on the streets in Israel today.

Now, President Biden and Vice President Harris have now both spoken to the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin. They talked to the parents today. They have gotten to know them fairly well over the last 11 months or so since their son out went into captivity. President Biden released a statement last night, he said, I am devastated and outraged.

He goes on to say: I've worked tirelessly to bring their beloved Hersh safely to them and I'm heartbroken by the news of his death. It is tragic as it is reprehensible.

Make no mistake, President Biden says, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes and we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages. President Biden last night after it had become clear that these hostages were found underneath Rafah, did say that there were -- there were still on the verge of an agreement. He's not writing off that this agreement will be struck, but certainly, I think it's clear that this will make it more difficult. I think for Vice President Harris, the calculations are also wrapped up in presidential bid.

Of course, we saw the parents of Hersh Goldberg Polin speaking at the Democratic National Convention. It was one of the emotional sort of high points of that, of that event. You know, I was in the arena. You could hear a pin drop as they were speaking. She doesn't mention the hostage negotiations in her statement. She

says that Hamas is an evil terrorist organization. With these murders, Hamas has even more American blood on its hands. She goes on to say the threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel and American citizens in Israel must be eliminated and Hamas cannot control Gaza. The Palestinian people, too, have suffered under Hamas's rule for nearly two decades.

So making being very clear in that statement that any agreement that these sides come to cannot include any scenario that Hamas would come back to control Gaza. But certainly, you know, there's a lot of sadness I think in the White House and the administration writ large today, just given how closely they had been working with this family, how well they had gotten to know them and really how close they think they were to securing their release. Ultimately, that wasn't able to come to pass.

MARQUARDT: Yeah, it is hard to believe that this latest news doesn't impact these talks in some ways, certainly out during adding the pressure that you're talking about at the same time, it does not appear that anything is imminent, despite the optimism from the president certainly have to see how the next few days go in terms of these talks.

Kevin Liptak and Nic Robertson in Tel Aviv, thank you both very much.

Joining us now to discuss this is former Florida Democratic congressman Ted Deutch. He is now the CEO of the American Jewish Committee.

Congressman, thank you so much for joining us on this very sad day. Can I first ask for your reaction to this news of the discovery of these six hostages who were killed in Gaza, several of whom would have been released in the first phase of a ceasefire deal that is still being negotiated?

TED DEUTCH, CEO, AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE: Thanks for having me. This is devastating news. It's devastating news for all of us, all of us who care about humanity, certainly everyone in the Jewish world, it's devastating for Israel and it's important to remember that Hersh was an American, and we got to know his -- his parents because they were constantly speaking about Hersh. We felt like we knew him personally.

This really, really hit hard and I just can't emphasize enough. There are still seven American hostages that Hamas is holding. They've killed over 35 Americans since October 7.

Hamas is a barbaric, awful terrorist organization and right now, what this reminds us is that with the murder of these six, that we have to do everything necessary, everyone, the president, the vice president, the prime minister of Israel, leaders around the world, the U.N., Americans who should all be wearing this yellow pin until every, every hostages home.

[13:10:06] We all need to be doing more, everything -- everything we can to bring them home.

MARQUARDT: Congressman, Hamas's culpability here is without question. At the same time, we're seeing these enormous protests erupt all across Israel. We just spoke with our correspondent there. Those are families as I was saying, those are everyday Israeli citizens demanding a Gaza deal, a ceasefire deal, and they're blasting the Netanyahu government for failing to get one.

What would you like to see the Israeli government do now?

DEUTCH: Listen, Israel -- Israel has to worry about its security and Israel obviously has to ensure that Hamas can't ever be back in power. And that 10/7 can never happen again. At the same time, it is clear that these hostages -- hostages need to come home and, that the decision that choice of either having security or having the hostages come home that we should have to choose between one or another. That's -- that's what's frustrating.

That's why there are so many people marching in Israel. They have a right to march. Of course, they're angry. They're furious.

They're sad. They're devastated. They're crushed and they don't want to believe that this is an either/or.

And as the prime minister and his team look at this, the rest of us, as we look at this, also, don't want this to be viewed as a choice between security or between bringing the hostages home, and that steps need to be taken to bring them home understanding, yes, this is Hamas's fault. This could all end the moment Hamas lays down its weapons. They're murderous, disgusting terrorists.

But ultimately, this has to be -- we have to seize every opportunity to bring the hostages home. It cannot just be a hashtag that we use on social media, that it has to be real. That's what people are feeling in the streets today. It's what they're feeling literally, literally across the world.

And in America, those of us who saw Jon and Rachel at the convention are feeling, if you haven't seen that speech, go watch them again, it drives home the humanity that is at stake here.

MARQUARDT: And in terms of what the U.S. could be doing right now, we just heard President Biden saying yesterday that they are on the verge of having an agreement. What do you think that he and his top officials, the CIA director, those inside the White House, and Secretary Blinken, what do they need to do to get a deal across the line to get these hostages home, to bring about some peace in Gaza?

DEUTCH: Like the president and vice president, national security adviser, his team have worked tirelessly to try to bring the hostages home. They've spent an enormous amount of time getting to know these families. Personally, you saw that in the statements that came out today. The anger that the president expressed in his very powerful statement

I believe is anger that should help guide where we go from here. The United States can continue to do even more to lead the world to express that anger, to demand that a deal is reached to bring in others around the world to condemn and isolate Hamas and to make sure that they're doing -- that the administration, that the United States is doing everything it can to assure Israel that this is not a decision, this is not a choice between security and return of the hostages, that this is not a choice between we need avenging the murders of those six that were recovered, whose bodies were recovered or returning the hostages.

That all of this has to be done in the United States can and must play a critical role in helping to ensure that it does.

MARQUARDT: Even if a deal were struck today and this phase one, which is due to last six weeks, started, the way that this ceasefire agreement is currently set up is that Israel could re-launch the war again in just a few weeks after those 42 days, once the first group of around 33 hostages is out and there's this temporary pause. How likely do you think it is that this truce can be reached, but that it would begin -- then become a more permanent ceasefire?

DEUTCH: Well, I don't want to gloss over the number whether it's 33 or whatever the ultimate number is of hostages who've returned home, which will tragically not include any of the six who were murdered by Hamas, but that piece of it, returning the hostages, starting to show that the return of the hostages is of such critical importance here, every Israeli that I talked to, every moment is thinking about worrying about praying for the hostages. That's the important first part of that deal.

Without the return of hostages, it's impossible.

[13:15:01]

It's impossible to think about what can come next or any extended ceasefire. The hostages need to come home first. That's how this process starts to move forward in a serious way for the long term, in ways that can transform Israel's place in the region, in ways that can -- that can ultimately give the Israeli people the ability to hopefully move back to their homes in the north where 100,000 Israelis can't be and where they can relaunch their lives in the south, where they endure this horrific attack on October 7th.

But it starts -- it starts very much with the return of these hostages.

MARQUARDT: Yeah, and just a reminder that as someone who was wounded on October 7, Hersh Goldberg Polin would have been among those more than 30, we believe hostages who would have come out in this first phase, but he is among those six were just horrifically killed in Gaza.

Former Congressman Ted Deutch, thank you for your time and for your thoughts today. Appreciate it. DEUTCH: Thank you.

MARQUARDT: We'll have much more on our breaking news out of Gaza throughout the hour.

But, first, President Joe Biden is hitting the campaign trail with Vice President Kamala Harris in a push for battleground Pennsylvania with just 65 days to go before Election Day. And Russia launching new attacks on the second largest city in Ukraine, injuring more than 40 people in residential areas.

Our team is live in Ukraine. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:21:03]

MARQUARDT: It is Labor Day weekend, which signals the final stretch of this hugely consequential campaign season.

Tomorrow, Vice President Kamala Harris will be campaigning in the battleground states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, she'll be joined by President Biden who will make a rare campaign appearance with her in Pittsburgh.

That state is a critical must win for both the Harris and the Trump campaigns, they believe. A new national poll is also out today. It's giving us insight into where the race stands with just 65 days to go until Election Day.

The just released ABC News/"Washington Post"/Ipsos poll has kamala Harris, leading Donald Trump 50 percent to 46 percent among registered voters.

CNN's Danny Freeman joins us now from Rehoboth Beach, where President Biden has been spending his past week on vacation.

Danny, what can you tell us about tomorrows Labor Day rally, with both Biden and Harris, not just in Pennsylvania, but its in western Pennsylvania?

DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Alex.

I mean, tomorrow, were going to get the first campaign appearance with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris since the Democratic national convention. And crucially, since Vice President Harris officially became the Democratic nominee.

And notably this will also be the first time the two will be together in any battleground state, campaigning for this particular role. And where are you off to as you noted, arguably the most important battleground state for the Harris campaign, Pennsylvania.

So, they're heading to Pittsburgh. Admittedly, we don't have a lot of details on exactly what they were doing when once they touched down in western Pennsylvania. But I'll note that President Biden has gone to western Pennsylvania a number of times, specifically on Labor Day, as recently as 2022, he was rallying local steel workers there. So I think we can expect to see something similar along those lines, Alex.

And when you think about it, the Harris campaign clearly sees President Joe Biden as an incredible asset in a place like Pennsylvania where white working class voters are so important to winning that particular state. And they see value in having Scranton Joe back there on the stump for her.

But we still shall see what Biden's larger role in the campaign ultimately evolves to be as we get closer to November. President Biden telling reporters, just yesterday that he plans to be on the road basically from tomorrow on stumping for Harris in some way.

Meanwhile, we learned that this coming Tuesday, there's going to be another level of this campaign unfolding Harris campaign is going to be kicking off a bus tour starting in Palm Beach, Florida. It's going to feature a number of surrogates and its going to be primarily focused on reproductive rights.

This tour expected to make at least 50 stops and not only do they hope to get out this message again with surrogates, with celebrities, the campaign is teasing, but they're also hoping that a bus tour like this will help energized supporters and volunteers on the ground.

So, Alex, as you said, this is all going to be a preview for the next two months as this campaign really kicks into high gear -- Alex.

MARQUARDT: All right. Danny Freeman, with the president in Rehoboth, Delaware, thanks very much.

Joining me now to talk about the race for the White House is Amie Parnes. She is a senior political correspondent at "The Hill".

Amie, thanks so much for joining us today.

Let's start with that rally tomorrow in Pittsburgh, with both Harris and Biden. This is a rare joint campaign in event and it is a state as you know, that went for Trump in 2016, went for Biden in 2020.

So what does it say about the Harris campaign now believing that that Biden can help her in that state and perhaps in western Pennsylvania in particular?

AMIE PARNES, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, THE HILL: I think it says that there is a certain demographic that they believe that the president can really speak to and make that point known that kamala Harris is the best person and he is a strong surrogate in certain areas in white working class areas. And so, I think they're sending him in purposefully and with intention because he can speak to these voters and they feel like he's going to continue to do that to be that guy.

[13:25:05]

You know, he was that guy for Hillary Clinton in certain ways in 2016, even though she lost Pennsylvania, but he has the capacity to speak to voters that the vice president cannot.

We have this 50-stop tour of key states that the Harris campaign is launching on Tuesday, focusing on reproductive rights, very notably as Daniel Freeman was just saying starting its first stop is in Palm Beach and Trump's backyard. And this comes of course, as Trump has been facing, all kinds of criticism for flip-flopping on his anti- abortion stance in recent days as he was asked about how he would be voting on a Florida amendment that is on the ballot this fall. That calls for a ban on abortions after six weeks. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT & 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the six-week is too short. It has to be more time and so, that's -- and I've told them that I want more weeks.

REPORTER: So you'll vote in favor of the amendment.

TRUMP: I'm voting that I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks.

REPORTER: Are you voting yes or no on Amendment 4 in Florida?

TRUMP: So I think six weeks, you need more time six weeks. I've disagreed with that, right from the early primaries when I heard about it, I disagreed with it.

At the same time, the Democrats are radical because the nine months is just so ridiculous situation that where you can do an abortion in the ninth month and, you know, some of the states like Minnesota and other states have it where you could actually execute the baby after birth. And all of that stuff is unacceptable. So I'll be voting no for that reason.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: You cannot execute the baby after birth anywhere in this country. So that is just patently false.

But, Amie, how do you think this waffling on abortion has impacted him with conservative Republicans and then women voters in general?

PARNES: I think with conservatives, they're obviously concerned based on his first remarks that, you know, he thinks that it's too early. But I think he knows he has a problem right now with women in particular, he sees that Kamala Harris is growing the number of women, the support by women.

And so, he has a gender problem right now while he is winning with men, he's up by about five points. He's losing with women. And so he knows he's trying to figure out what he should do right now, which is why I think you see him talking about this amendment while why you see him talking? Some about IVF. And this proposed plan that he has.

And so, I think he's -- he's trying to figure that out right now, but the clock is running out on him. And so he's going to need to have a better attack line or a better proposal to court women. And I know the campaign right now feels like they're not doing so well with women.

I've heard this from lots of Republicans. They're happy that he has proposed the side we ask, but they feel like he needs to go a little bit further.

MARQUARDT: The clock certainly is ticking down, 65 days until the election, and we just got a new national snapshot today of where this race stands in the form of new poll, new poll from ABC, Washington Post, and Ipsos. It shows kamala Harris with no bump from the convention, but she is holding her lead over Trump nationally in that poll. You can see there 50 to 46 among registered voters.

So, Amie, what do you think that you campaign should take away from where this race stands now going into this home stretch?

PARNES: It's tight, Alex, and that is the bottom line. I think neither campaign is taking anything for granted. I think the Harris campaign, while they feel good about where they are, they feel good about the momentum coming out of the convention, even though they didn't really get a bounce from it. I convention, they know that this is going to be a tight race and it will be.

It's going to come down to a few thousand votes along the margins. It's always been that way the last couple of cycles. They think that it's going to be that razor-tight this time. And so I'm hearing from both sides that it's the final stretch and there's no time to lose and they're going to be out whole-hog and campaigning and not taking for granted.

MARQUARDT: Sixty-five days, that's why we're seeing this flurry of activity in those critical swing states.

Amie Parnes, thanks very much.

And we're continuing to follow our breaking news out of Israel where hundreds of protesters are demanding a ceasefire deal in Gaza just hours after the IDF recovered the bodies of six hostages were held by Hamas.

Coming up, what we know about those six hostages, including the Israeli American, who were found dead in a Hamas tunnel.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:34:01]

MARQUARDT: We are following the breaking news out of the Middle East. Right now, tens of thousands of Israeli protesters are marching through the streets of Tel Aviv demanding a hostage deal.

The bodies of six Israeli hostages were held, that were held by Hamas, were recovered inside of Gaza tunnel this weekend in the southern city of Rafah. One of them was 23-year-old Israeli American Hersh Goldberg- Polin from California. Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff, also have California this has expressed his outrage and horror over this tragedy earlier today on CNN. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): When I heard the news last night, I felt sick. I am just absolutely heartbroken for his family, for the families of these other hostages that were butchered by these Hamas terrorists and it just is hard to wrap your head around. I think we all came to know Hersh through his family and its just -- it's just devastating.

[13:35:08]

And these sons of bitches who did this ought to be hunted down and brought to justice no matter how long that takes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: A former Israeli hostage who was released from captivity last year is now criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not doing more to bring the hostages home sooner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ILIANA GRITSEVSKY, FORMER ISRAELI HOSTAGE (through translator): Netanyahu says that those who murder hostages do not want a deal, but he repeatedly puts a spoke in the wheel and refuses a deal. He murders the hostages. Every day that passes is a death sentence for our hostages. I know this because I was there and survived this hell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: More than 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, including at least 35 who are believed to be dead.

The parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg Polin spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago just last month. This was their message to their son and to the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACHEL GOLDBERG-POLIN, MOTHER OF HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN: Among the hostages are eight American citizens one of those Americans is our only son. His name is Hersh. He's 23 years old and like Vice President Kamala Harris, Hersh was born in Oakland, California.

Hersh is a happy-go-lucky, laid back, good humored, respectful, and curious person. He is a civilian. He loves soccer, is wild about music and music festivals. And he has been obsessed with geography and travel since he was a little boy.

On October 7, Hersh and his best friend, Aner, went to a music festival in the south of Israel. It was advertised as celebrating peace, love, and unity. They also went to celebrate Hersh's 23rd birthday.

As rockets began to fall, Hersh, Aner, and 27 other young festivalgoers took refuge in a five-foot-by-eight-foot bomb shelter. Terrorists began to throw grenades into the shelter. Hersh's left forearm, his dominant arm was blown off before he was loaded onto a pickup truck and stolen from his life and me and Jon into Gaza.

And that was 320 days ago. Since then, we live on another planet. Anyone who is a parent or has had a parent can try to imagine the anguish and misery that Jon and I and all the hostage families are enduring.

JON POLIN, FATHER OF HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN: We're also profoundly thankful to you, the millions of people in the United States. And all over the world who have been sending love, support, and strength to the hostage families. You've kept us breathing in a world without air.

There is a surplus of agony on all sides of the tragic conflict in the Middle East. In a competition of pain, there are no winners.

We know the one thing that can most immediately release pressure and bring calm to the entire region, a deal that brings this diverse group of 109 hostages home and ends the suffering of the innocent civilians in Gaza.

GOLDBERG-POLIN: Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive.

POLIN: Bring them home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: Very touching words by Hersh's parents there. His family has released this statement saying, quote, with broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.

[13:40:02]

Our thoughts, of course, are with the Goldberg-Polin family and the five others that just got this devastating news.

Coming up, devastation in Ukraine's second largest city after Russia bombs residential areas, injuring dozens of people, including young children. How Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now responding.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARQUARDT: New this morning, Russia launching another round of attacks against Ukraine. These latest were against civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv, the city in the northeastern part of Ukraine.

Today's strikes injuring dozens, including five children after hitting a mall, a sports center, and residential buildings.

Now, Ukrainian search and rescue teams are digging through the rubble to try to reach people who may be trapped underneath.

CNN senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen joins me now, live from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

So, Fred, what more do you know about these strikes in Kharkiv.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Alex. Well, it's a range of strikes on Kharkiv and, of course, it's something that we've seen over the past couple of days and you're absolutely right, more than 40 people were actually injured in these strikes that happened today. It's unclear at this point in time whether the Russians this time used missiles or once again, use those aerial glide bombs dropped by their fighter jets. That, of course, can fly pretty far and then hit targets, including Kharkiv, at which we do have to remind our viewers is actually really close to the Russian border.

So Kharkiv is a town that actually does get hit quite frequently and we've seen in the past couple of days the attacks against specifically the Kharkiv the area really intensified by the Russians on Friday, seven people were killed when the Russians dropped some really heavy munitions on the city of Kharkiv. In fact, there was one bomb that was so heavy that having some 20 apartments in just one go.

And then yesterday, there was another massive attack on the area of Kharkiv, where in one place two people were killed and the Russians there dropped a bomb that had half a ton of explosives in it. So that area definitely suffering a lot. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy obviously irate about this situation. He went on X earlier and he said, quote, give Ukraine what it needs to defend itself.

Of course, the Ukrainians have been lobbying the U.S. to lift some of the restrictions on some of the weapons but the U.S. has given them and allow the Ukrainians to strike deep into Russian territory, for instance, with those ATACMS surface to surface missiles. That has not happened so far.

We do see in general, in that area in northeast Ukraine, in the Kharkiv area, in the Sumy area, a lot of those Russian longer distance strikes really intensifying, hitting civilian infrastructure, but also critical infrastructure in the Kharkiv area. There was also a power plant that was hit as well -- Alex.

MARQUARDT: And, Fred, Ukraine has meanwhile been striking back into Russia itself?

PLEITGEN: Yeah, they certainly have. One of the interesting things by the way that were picking up on is that when these strikes in Kharkiv happened usually pretty quickly, the Ukrainians have an answer, they strike the Belgorod area, which is just across the border on the other side, nevertheless, also on top of that, the Russians say that there was a massive Ukrainian drone attack in several areas of Russia. The Russians saying that they shot down almost 160 drones in 15 areas

across Russia. And now there were several places where there, apparently there were hits. There was one oil refinery three in the Moscow region where smoke was seen billowing and the Russians later acknowledged that apparently there was a hit on that. But there was also an energy facility near the town of Tver.

And of course, we've been in Russia so many times. Tver is north of Moscow. That is very far away from Ukrainian territory. So it seems as though the Ukrainians now quite effective at using those longer distance drones to do damage in that area as well.

So, right now the Ukrainians certainly answering some of those Russian attacks that were seeing here. On critical infrastructure and on cities inside Ukraine and launching drones of their own, Alex.

MARQUARDT: Yeah, those Ukrainian capabilities getting more and more sophisticated when it comes to striking Russian soil.

Fred Pleitgen in Kyiv, thank you so much.

49ers rookie, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is in serious condition after being shot in the chest during an attempted robbery. What we know about these 17-year-old suspect who's now in custody.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[13:52:55]

MARQUARDT: A 17-year-old boy is facing charges this week after he allegedly shot and injured and NFL player. Twenty-three-year-old Ricky Pearsall is a rookie wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. Authorities say that the teen tried to rob him Saturday afternoon in the heart of downtown San Francisco. The two got into a scuffle. The suspect's gun went off and a bullet hit Pearsall in the chest.

CNN's Camila Bernal is following this story for us. Camila, tell us more? Camila, if you could please tell us more about the victim's condition and the 17-year-old suspect?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. So, the 49ers saying that Ricky Pearsall is in stable, but serious condition despite being shot in the chest. And I want to go back to what happened. It was in Union Square yesterday at around 3:30 p.m. this is a very popular shopping area in San Francisco.

And authorities saying that he was walking alone when a 17-year-old tried to rob him at gunpoint, you mentioned the scuffle this altercation the gun goes off and hits both the 17 year-olds and the football player. And the San Francisco chief of police saying that the gun actually went off multiple times.

That 17 tried to run away, but he was quickly arrested by San Francisco police. Again, he is 17-years-old, so he will be charged in juvenile court. The district attorney there in San Francisco saying she'll make a charging decision probably Tuesday or Wednesday. So we are waiting to hear on that, but because he is a teenager, there's not a lot of information there is no name released because of his age. Now, this does raise a lot of questions in terms of that national narrative in San Francisco.

And the mayor, London Breed, actually address this in a press conference saying, this is a step back for the city. Take a listen to what she said.

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MAYOR LONDON BREED (D), SAN FRANCISCO: We are glad that the victim will be okay, but this incident does set us back from all the hard work that we've done in order to make changes in public safety in San Francisco. We still have the lowest violent crime rate of any major city.

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We are on track to have record low numbers of gun violence in particular, in the city.

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BERNAL: And I want you to look at some of the numbers that she's mentioning there, the numbers from the city of San Francisco for the first quarter of 2024. It says that property crime is down 32 percent, violent crime down 14 percent, and gun violence down 38 percent.

But that is not enough for a lot of people. The person that is actually running against her for mayor, Matt Feral, saying on Titter that enough is enough and that there needs to be some change in San Francisco -- Alex.

MARQUARDT: All right. A really troubling story.

Camila Bernal, thanks very much.

Much more on our breaking news out of Israel where mass protests are underway. You can see them right there, demonstrators taking to the streets to demand and a ceasefire deal in Gaza following the killing of six hostages who are being held by Hamas.

Our team is live in Tel Aviv.

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