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Israel: Sinwar, Hamas Leader Behind October 7th Attack, Killed in Gaza; Harris: Trump 'Has No Idea' about Women's Health Care; Questions Remain in Death of One Direction's Liam Payne; 2 Million in Danger of Famine in Gaza; Weak Consumption and Property Crisis Slow China's Growth; Feeling Frustrated: China's Delivery Drivers Under Pressure; Twins Festival in Nigeria Celebrates Family Pairs. Aired 12- 1a ET
Aired October 18, 2024 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Paula Newton. Ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar the beginning of the day after Hamas.
[00:00:26]
Israel's military released drone video it claims shows Sinwar's last moments before an Israeli tank reportedly took him out.
And the question now: what does this mean for the hostages still being held by Hamas and for ceasefire negotiations for Gaza?
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Paula Newton.
NEWTON: And it is undoubtedly a big win for Israel, but there is also uncertainty after the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader thought to be the mastermind of the October 7 terror attacks.
He was also seen as a major obstacle to a ceasefire and hostage negotiations.
We will warn you now: we're about to show graphic video of what are believed to be his remains. They were found in Rafah in Southern Gaza.
Sources say Israeli forces discovered Sinwar's body during a routine operation after a battle with several militants near a building.
Hamas has not commented on his killing, but Israel says Sinwar's identity was quickly confirmed through dental records and then DNA testing. CNN, though, cannot confirm those details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This man planned, initiated, gave orders, carried out, and I suppose, if we had left them alive, he would have continued to do so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, Sinwar is the latest in a series of Hamas leaders killed this year in the inside and outside of Gaza. But his death after a year-long pursuit, marked something of a crowning achievement for the much-maligned Israeli military campaigns.
Sinwar had long been Israel's most wanted man in Gaza. And there are hopes that his death could inject new life into ceasefire talks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REAR ADMIRAL DANIEL HAGARI, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESMAN: For the past year, Sinwar tried to escape justice. He failed. We said we would find him and bring him to justice. And we did it.
It was Yahya Sinwar who decided to wage war with Israel while hiding behind civilians in Gaza. Since the beginning of this war, that Sinwar started on October 7, we've said our war is with Hamas, not with the people of Gaza. And we mean it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: CNN's Ivan Watson has been standing by for us in Hong Kong. He's been covering all the latest developments.
I mean, Ivan, it hasn't even been 24 hours, and I have to say, the details of this are absolutely incredible. And also, after we learned of his death, after the DNA results were confirmed, the Israeli military then released that incredible drone footage. Can you just walk us through that?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. I mean, it is a pivotal turning point. The man who's believed to have masterminded the October 7th attacks more than a year ago that has really ignited a storm of growing violence across the Middle East, now pronounced dead.
And here in this drone video that the Israeli military released, they say that these are the last moments of Yahya Sinwar's life.
And you can see the drone entering the shell of a badly damaged building that CNN has identified is in Rafah in the South of Gaza. They say this is Yahya Sinwar, wounded, sitting in an armchair. They say he's been shot through the hand here.
And his face is covered with a kufiya. They isolate him in the video, as you can see in the graphics.
And then he picks up what appears to be a piece of debris or a piece of wood, and hurls it at the drone, missing it. The Israeli military say they later fired a tank round that ultimately killed him.
There were at least two other men who were killed alongside him. One of them that the Israeli military has not identified by name but said that he was a battalion commander of one of Hamas's fighting brigades.
They said that he had on his person a gun and around 40,000 Israeli shekels. That's more than $10,000, the equivalent of that.
And as you pointed out, they have since identified his remains. They have lots of records about Sinwar, because he spent years in an Israeli prison before he was released in a prisoner swap.
[00:05:06]
The reaction to this from the Israeli government, from Israel's Western allies, has been to celebrate this, saying that this is the death of a terrorist.
And the reaction from other parts of the Arab world and from Iran, far more mixed -- Paula.
NEWTON: Yes. Pivotal now, though, Ivan, you can only imagine what it feels like to be the families of the hostages at this point in time.
Obviously, they're hoping that this is an inflection point, right? That in some way, shape, or form, this will make it more likely that their family members will come home alive. What more do we know about what kind of effect this could have on the ceasefire talks?
WATSON: Right. Well, first of all, we've heard from the Biden administration that Antony Blinken is headed back towards the Middle East. He's already conducted talks with Saudi and Qatari diplomats.
And he said that now is the time to redouble efforts towards a ceasefire.
As for the families of more than 100 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas, some of them have expressed, you know, that this is kind of a victory, to see the man that they say is responsible for their loved one's suffering, that he's been killed now.
But many of them are also saying now is the time to redouble efforts to get their loved ones released. Take a listen to -- listen of a mother of one of these hostages.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EINAV ZANGAUKER, MOTHER OF ISRAELI HOSTAGE MATAN ZANGAUKER (through translator): We have settled the score with the arch murderer Sinwar, but now more than ever, the lives of my son, Matan, and the other hostages are in tangible danger. Today, especially, when the country briefly breathes in relief, it is important to remember and to remind that the people want the hostages home and that their return is one of the war's goals.
There will be no true closure; there will be no absolute victory if we don't save lives and bring them all back.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WATSON: And Paula, reaction from Palestinians in wartorn Gaza that CNN has talked to is mixed, some calling Yahya Sinwar a martyr and saying he'll inspire future resistance. Others saying that, hopefully, this will bring an end to a war that's led to the deaths of more than 41,000 Palestinians in Gaza alone.
NEWTON: Ivan Watson for us as we continue to cover this developing story. I really appreciate it.
And we will have more Palestinian reaction for you, as well, coming up for us.
Now, a group that represents families of those Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas says it indeed welcomes the news of Sinwar's death. The Hostages Families Forum praised the Israeli military for eliminating Sinwar.
But it says it was deeply concerned about the fate of the more than 100 hostages who are still being held in Gaza.
Now, a cousin of Carmel Gat, an Israeli hostage who was killed by Hamas weeks ago, says her family feels like justice has been served. And the mother of one hostage who is still in Gaza says if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't take advantage of the momentum, it means he's decided to abandon her son and the other hostages.
Here's the Israeli prime minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This is the beginning of the day after Hamas. And this is an opportunity for you, the residents of Gaza, to finally break free from its tyranny.
I call on everyone who holds our hostages. Whoever lays down its weapons and returns our hostages, we will allow him to go out and live. And in the same way, I say whoever harms our hostages, blood on his head. We will reckon with him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Yaakov Katz is a senior columnist for "The Jerusalem Post" and a fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute. He's also the author of "Shadow Strike: Inside Israel's Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power."
And good morning to you.
You know, as this news just sinks in for Israelis, how do you take the measure of the reaction? Do people see it as justice? And do they, perhaps, see it as a turning point?
YAAKOV KATZ, SENIOR COLUMNIST, "THE JERUSALEM POST": Well, it's definitely justice, Paula. Israelis have waited for this day for a long time. And I think the best comparison would be to the killing and capture of
Osama bin Laden a number of years ago. And, you know, it took a long time after 9/11. This took just over a year since October 7.
But finally, the mastermind, the orchestrator, the architect of that massacre, the greatest massacre against the Jewish people and the Israeli people since the Holocaust, probably the greatest attack against our state since its founding in 1948, has been -- has received justice and has met his demise.
So that is a good thing. That's a positive development any day of the year.
The question though, is, what comes next? And here is where Israelis have some concern, because they wonder, is this the beginning of the final phase and stage of this war? Does that mean that may maybe, after such a long war, a war the length of which Israelis have really never known since that founding war, the war of independence back in 1948, are we finally back on a track to going back to something that's normal, the normal life for Israelis, where we're not every day in bomb shelters, where we're not every day attacked on seven different fronts, where we actually have foreign airlines that are flying into our international airport, where the economy is not tanking, and where people are not dying on both sides.
[00:10:40]
Just yesterday, five soldiers announced dead in Lebanon, and of course, the death toll, it's all over this region right now.
So hopefully, and I think there is some optimism, that maybe the death of Sinwar can finally lead to an end to this very long war.
NEWTON: You know, in terms of what it is going to actually bring some of that optimism to fruition, Sinwar is dead. Does that really mean, though, that a ceasefire deal can be brought back to life? Because at this point, even when we start to discuss who might perhaps be a successor to Hamas, there is still a deal with a lot of obstacles here, right?
KATZ: A hundred percent. And I think that, you know, as you mentioned earlier, Paula, Secretary Blinken coming here to the region, the Israeli security cabinet meeting, and the negotiating team for the hostages also convening to start to discuss, is this is an opportunity?
With Sinwar now out of the way, let's remember that, for several weeks, he was AWOL. He wasn't responding to pleas and to requests to resume negotiations from the Qataris or from the Egyptians, the two countries that have been mediating these talks over the last year.
There are still 101 hostages who are being held by Hamas somewhere in Gaza. And as the Israel Defense Forces revealed yesterday, after Sinwar's death was announced, that his DNA traces were discovered in that tunnel where six of the hostages were recently executed also in that same area in Southern Gaza in the Rafah area. So, the fact is that the hostages are still in Gaza. We need to get
them back. And possibly, his removal from the stage could open the door for a possible deal.
Now, the question, really, here is going to be, are the Israelis willing to be flexible? Are -- is Hamas willing to be flexible? I think Israel is. We've seen over the last few months that there just wasn't someone on the other side to negotiate with.
NEWTON: I do want -- I do want to press you on that, though. Some have suggested that, actually, this might be an opportunity for Prime Minister Netanyahu to press even further into Gaza, to be even more ambitious with the campaign. I'm really interested to hear your opinion on that.
KATZ: You know, the possibility, of course, exists. I can't rule it out, and we have to take into consideration the fact that he does have a coalition that has been -- I don't want to say against or opposed to a hostage deal but has put up some obstacles along the way. Because they did want to see Israel press ahead with the offensive.
And they were very excited yesterday with the news that Sinwar was killed, saying that this proved that the continued military campaign and pressure was successful.
But we have to keep in mind that this war has always had its complexities. And because of the existence of the hostages in Gaza, it was always going to be difficult to define exactly what victory is.
Was it going to be the depth of Sinwar? Yes, he's been killed, and that's great, that the leader of this terrorist group is out of the way. But we still have 101 people in Gaza. So, we can't yet celebrate victory until we get our people home.
And if we had just gotten the people home in a deal, but Sinwar was still alive, in control of Gaza, we would have faced the same problem. We also wouldn't have been able to define victory, Paula.
So, the -- the issue remains that we need to find a way that, on the one hand, brings the people home, prevents Hamas from reconstituting itself and retaking control and keeping its control over Gaza.
And that requires more than just a military campaign. It requires a deal with Hamas or what's left of Hamas to get the people back.
And it also requires working with our international allies here in the region, as well as the Americans and the Europeans, to prevent Hamas from being able to continue to govern the Gaza Strip.
NEWTON: Yes, and I have to say, Yaakov, in those desperate pleas from the family members, you could see they were gaming out all of these complexities, you know, almost instantly when they heard of Sinwar's death and wondering what it meant for their family members.
Yaakov Katz for us in Jerusalem on another sobering morning. Appreciate it. KATZ: Thank you.
NEWTON: Now, U.S. President Joe Biden has congratulated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the killing of Sinwar but told him it's time to move on.
American officials say they are optimistic that both leaders are more closely aligned on a potential ceasefire deal. They add they expect to stay in close contact over the coming days. And Biden says he's sending Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel soon to lead renewed hostage and ceasefire talks.
[00:15:10]
Now, the president spoke to reporters in Berlin Thursday after his phone call with Netanyahu from Air Force One. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But now is the time to move on. Move on and move toward a ceasefire in Gaza. Be sure to move in the direction that we're going to be in a position to make things better for the whole world. It's time for the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to bring these hostages home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, meantime, says the entire world is now better off with Sinwar's death. She added that justice has been served, blaming the Hamas leader for killing thousands of innocent people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: This moment gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza.
And it must end such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination.
And it is time for the day after to begin, without Hamas in power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, the vice president made multiple campaign stops Thursday in Wisconsin, a critical Blue Wall state. She slammed Trump's comments on women's health care issues, saying her rival, quote, "has no idea what he's talking about."
CNN's Eva McKend is there in Wisconsin with the vice president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EVA MCKEND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At her Green Bay rally, Vice President Harris centering the issue of reproductive rights, arguing that the former president has created the conditions in this country that have led to women dying from sepsis.
She also chided the former president for characterizing himself as the father of IVF, saying that he instead has put women's lives in danger; and argued more broadly that he doesn't know what he's talking about.
Take a listen.
HARRIS: He is the one who, by the way, is responsible for it being at risk in the first place.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right!
HARRIS: And what is sadly -- what is sadly interesting, I think, is that, when you listen to Donald Trump talk, it becomes increasingly clear, I think, he has no idea what he's talking about.
MCKEND: The vice president maintaining that she is the underdog in this contest, leaning on Wisconsinites to make a plan to vote.
Early voting begins in this state next week, and same-day voter registration is an option, as well. Wisconsin voters who haven't registered to vote can still show up on election day and participate in the process.
Eva McKend, CNN, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Now, former President Donald Trump slammed Harris for skipping the Al Smith charity dinner for Catholics in New York on Thursday night. He called her absence disrespectful, saying it's a tradition for both presidential nominees to show up.
Harris, instead, sent a video message.
Trump's campaign also launched a new TV ad attacking Kamala Harris's appearance on "The View" last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A flood of illegals, skyrocketing prices, global chaos, and Kamala wouldn't change a thing.
SUNNY HOSTIN, CO-HOST, ABC'S "THE VIEW": Would you have done something differently than President Biden during the past four years?
HARRIS: There is not a thing that comes to mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing will change with Kamala.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Meantime, in a new podcast, Trump tried to blame Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Trump has previously criticized Zelenskyy's handling of the war,
claiming he refuses to make a deal. Trump even touted his good relationship with Russia's president while meeting with Zelenskyy in New York last month.
Here's what Trump told the PBD podcast that aired Thursday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: I think Zelenskyy is one of the greatest salesmen I've ever seen. Every time he comes in, we give him $100 billion. Who else got that kind of money in history? There's never been.
And that doesn't mean I don't want to help them, because I feel very badly for those people. But he should never have let that war start.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, Ukraine's leader is trying to sell what he calls a victory plan to the European Union and NATO. And part of his message: it's time to live up to your promises. We'll explain.
Investigators in Buenos Aires are releasing more details about what happened to Liam Payne. What we know about the One Direction star's death after falling from his hotel room. That's just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:22:02]
NEWTON: Well, in the coming hours, four key allies will sit down to discuss the next steps in their support for Ukraine. It will happen in Berlin, where U.S. President Joe Biden arrived Thursday.
He's set to begin his meetings with German leaders about four hours from now. Later he is scheduled to hold -- hold talks with the leaders of the so-called European Quad, which also includes Britain and France.
Now, among other things, they'll discuss what Ukraine calls its victory plan, unveiled by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday. Some allies are at odds over how to respond to his plan, which calls for an invitation for Kyiv to join NATO.
While his allies debate their response, Mr. Zelenskyy is pitching his plan to the European Union and NATO. He was in Brussels Wednesday, where he spoke at a summit of E.U. leaders and a meeting of NATO defense ministers the alliance has promised to allow Ukraine to join.
But of course, the timeline remains unclear. That's partly because of concerns that Ukraine's full membership could pit NATO directly against Moscow.
But Mr. Zelenskyy said it's time to walk the walk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): All the time, they believed that NATO was drawing the alliance into war. Even the invitation of Ukraine to NATO is like such red lines.
In my opinion, legally, no. And it is unfair. If you really want to not just say that Ukraine will be in NATO and that it's very important for the security of the European continent, then it should coincide with actions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Ukraine unveiled its plan as it faces pressure from Russia in the East and ahead of what's expected to be another difficult winter.
Emotions remain raw for family, friends, and fans after the sudden death of Liam Payne. It's still not clear exactly what happened before the singer and former member of the wildly successful boy band, One Direction, died in Argentina.
CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New details are coming in as authorities investigate Liam Payne's sudden death after the former One Direction member fell to his death at a hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.
A preliminary autopsy report reveals that Payne died from multiple injuries, including external and internal hemorrhages, after falling from what authorities in Argentina said was the third-floor balcony in his hotel room.
When police announced Payne's death, they said they were directed to the hotel after a 911 call where they were informed about an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
CNN's affiliate in Argentina has obtained that 911 call. Take a listen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Well, we have a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol, and well, even when he's aware, he breaks things up. He's tearing the whole room apart. And well, we need someone to be sent, please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): That is under the influence of alcohol and drugs, yes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Yes, that's right. We need someone to be sent to us urgently, because, well, I don't know if the guest's life is at risk. He's in a room that has a balcony and, well, we're a little afraid that he'll do something that puts him.
[00:25:10] WAGMEISTER: Photos that were provided to the media by authorities that show a smashed television in Payne's hotel room and what appears to be drug paraphernalia, which CNN will not be showing to our viewers.
The exact circumstances surrounding Payne's death are still unclear, but on Wednesday, Buenos Aires police told the Associated Press that Payne had jumped from the balcony of his room.
When I contacted a spokesperson with the Buenos Aires Police, he declined to clarify those details, instead referring me to the prosecutor's office in Argentina.
The prosecutor's office said that Payne's fall could have been accidental, due to the position in which the body was found and from the injuries of the fall.
Prosecutors say he may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.
Payne's tragic death has sent shockwaves through the world as millions of fans mourn. To a younger generation, One Direction was like the Beatles. For many young fans, this is the first celebrity death that they have ever experienced. Like other generations, who were gutted over the sudden deaths of stars like Heath Ledger or Kurt Cobain. That is what a big deal Liam Payne was.
His family said in a statement that they are heartbroken. The members of One Direction released a statement saying, quote, "We are completely devastated. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly."
Memorials have been planned by fans, including one at Hyde Park in London this Sunday at 2 p.m.
A tragic ending to a life lost too soon and certainly one that will spark a conversation about mental health, substance abuse, and the pressures faced by so many young stars in the spotlight.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Our thanks to Elizabeth Wagmeister there.
And we will have more on our top story after a quick break. Israel's reported killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar marks a potential turning point in its war in Gaza. We'll have the latest developments, plus regional reaction. That's next.
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NEWTON: Our top story this hour: Israel says it has killed Yahya Sinwar, the man it holds responsible for the October 7th Hamas terror attack. Photos reportedly showing Sinwar's body circulated widely on social media. Now, a warning: the image you're about to see is graphic. The photo
shows the body of a man who strongly resembles Sinwar, lying dead with serious injuries to the skull in the rubble of a destroyed building.
[00:30:03]
CNN is unable to verify the man's identity. Sources tell CNN Israel confirmed Sinwar's death with DNA testing and dental records.
Now, the IDF says troops detected suspicious movement in Rafah in a building there on Wednesday, so a tank fired on that building. But it wasn't until later, when a drone actually scanned the area, that soldiers recognize the face of Sinwar in the rubble.
Israel's prime minister says evil has suffered a heavy blow, adding, there's more work ahead.
Sinwar was the top target of Israel's operation in Gaza and remained elusive in the -- as the IDF closed in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. DORON SPIELMAN, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON: So, there certainly is a theory and was a theory that he was operating in the area of hostages. However, based on intel, we also knew that Sinwar had been forced in recent weeks to change his location multiple times, because they identified the IDF was getting close.
As we know, again, six of our hostages, one American, were -- were executed not far from where he was found. And our whole goal was, in fact, to cause him to leave that mass of people in order to flee. You cannot flee with all these people.
He was found with three people, one of which is a person that has been by his side the entire time, which is the battalion commander of the Khan Younis brigade. He was also killed in that rubble.
He traveled very, very lightly -- lightly. Again, he dropped off the airways, as we know. There were weeks that we did not know if Sinwar was dead or alive. He knew that the more people around him, the more chances the IDF would discover where he was.
We turned that against him by trying to root him out, literally like an underground rat, I'm sorry to say, that is hiding under the ground, that is burrowing under the ground, that is scurrying from place to place.
And eventually, while he's scurrying, you catch him. And that was the goal. And in fact, that is what worked.
And his light, his -- his -- his handprint has been very, very light. But as we can see, we managed to eliminate Yahya Sinwar. We eliminated his number two, Mohammed Deif. We eliminated the previous Ismail Haniyeh in Lebanon, and Hassan Nasrallah.
And I think the message that Israel is sending that is very, very clear: anyone -- anyone who threatens the people of Israel is going to face justice swiftly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: And now to CNN's Nic Robertson, who looks back at Sinwar's rise to power.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Feared and feted at home in Gaza, universally reviled by Israelis, Yahya Sinwar became the Jewish state's enemy No. 1 for his leading role in Hamas's brutal October 7th slaughter of almost 1,200 people in Israel, triggering Israel's killing of tens of thousands of Palestinians.
The IDF dubbed him a dead man walking, but university-educated Sinwar persistently outsmarted his enemies.
EHUD YAARI, ISRAELI JOURNALIST: When I was talking to him, he always insisted that we speak Hebrew and not Arabic.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Israeli journalist Ehud Yaari interviewed Sinwar four times during the terror leader's 22 years in Israeli jail.
Yaari saw Sinwar's rise to prison leader but learned no secrets.
YAARI: He's charismatic. He's shrewd. He's very cunning.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Palestinian Esmat Mansour spent years in jail with the man who would become Hamas's Gaza leader.
ESMAT MANSOUR, FORMER PALESTINIAN PRISONER (through translator): He constantly follows the security changes and developments in the Israeli security structure.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Sinwar's entry to Hamas was through internal security. Convicted of playing a role in the killing of two Israelis and four suspect Palestinian informants.
MANSOUR (through translator): He's also a cruel person, not violent, but he's capable of cruelty. But within careful political calculations.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Born in a Gaza refugee camp to parents who'd fled their home in what is now Israel in 1948, following the Jewish state's creation. His cause was to reverse his people's expulsion from their land.
By the time of his release in 2011, Sinwar had spent 22 years in jail. His freedom was a seminal moment, traded with more than 1,000 other Palestinian prisoners for just one IDF soldier, Gilad Shalit, snatched five years earlier.
It was an object lesson for Sinwar, but he had emerged to a changed reality. Gaza, now cut off from the world by Israel's blockade, rising to
become Hamas's overall leader in Gaza. He worked to reverse those setbacks.
YAHYA SINWAR, FORMER LEADER OF HAMAS (through translator): Harming al- Aqsa, or Jerusalem, means a religious war, and we will not hold back. We, as Palestinians, as well as Arabs and Muslims, are fully prepared and will not hesitate to defend our right.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): It was an uneven fight, Israel always with the upper hand. He counted on Iran to help.
SINWAR (through translator): Iran has supported us with finance, arms, and expertise.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Yet, he indicated his stance on Israel could be softening, in 2018, telling an Italian journalist he saw, quote, "an opportunity for change" and, quote, "a new war is in no one's interests."
He stepped up diplomacy with Egypt and Qatar, his interlocutors to Israel, making sure his cause had a broad Arab alliance.
SINWAR (through translator): I say to the leaders of Arab and Islamic countries, there has to be as strategic change in your path. It is ending normalization, closing the embassies, and supporting the resistance.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): During fighting in 2021, the IDF bombed his house. A week later, at a rare press conference, he goaded the IDF to take a second shot, saying he would walk home.
He didn't hide, and neither did his fighters ahead of their October 7 attack, their training in plain sight, like Sinwar's comments, misread by the IDF. Opening the door to a war that has become his legacy.
Israel's response resulted in the unparalleled killing of tens thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of Gaza.
Internationally, it raised a previously unseen, potent pro-Palestinian lobby. If that was Sinwar's strategy, it was succeeding but at great cost.
Ultimately, he will be judged in Gaza. Does anger at the destruction Hamas triggered fade faster than the hatred at Israel for doing it?
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: And meantime, there is no respite from that destruction in Gaza. Palestinian emergency services say at least 28 people were killed on Thursday in an Israeli airstrike on a school that housed a shelter in Northern Gaza.
Officials say the few remaining staff at one of the last operating hospitals in Gaza are treating more than 150 people wounded at the Abu Hussein School in the Jabalya refugee camp.
Israel says the strike targeted a command-and-control center used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.
Now, almost since the start of this war, emergency officials and humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of dire food and medicine shortages in parts of Northern Gaza. Ongoing fighting prevented any humanitarian food supplies from entering Northern Gaza at all during the first two weeks of October.
And experts warn the levels of acute malnutrition can be expected to rise over winter. It is a worry shared, of course, by the people of Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIHAM ZAYID, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN (through translator): When I look at her, I think I might lose her, because there is no medical care here these days. We've gone through it all. I hope God will heal her.
SULIMAN AZAB, GAZA RESIDENT (through translator): The hardest thing is feeling alone. I feel like no one is helping me. I feel alone and lost in life.
We were forced to live in tents with no food or water. We didn't know how to manage. I have five children: three boys and two girls. We had a child during the war. It was a big struggle, especially in terms of milk and other necessities that were unavailable.
After the soldiers withdrew from our area, we returned to our house, but we were shocked. The house was in a terrible condition and on the verge of collapse. Still, we decided to stay in it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: A new report by experts from 16 U.N. agencies and NGOs predicts 350,000 people in Gaza will face catastrophic levels of hunger in the coming months. Aid groups say more must be done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANTOINE RENARD, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME COUNTY DIRECTOR: Any improvements in food security we see are a result of the amount of humanitarian aid and commercial flows entering Gaza. With local food systems destroyed and farms damaged, people are completely dependent on supplies coming through the border.
For real progress, this flow of aid must be steady and reliable. Nearly 2 million people in Gaza still face the risk of famine. And that risk will persist unless all border crossings remain open, and aid continues to reach those in need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[00:40:00]
NEWTON: Joining me now from Ramallah in the West Bank is Dr. Mustafa Barghouti. He is the president of the Palestinian National Initiative and a member of the Palestinian Parliament. And I thank you for joining us again on what is a sobering morning, especially given all we know that is happening in Gaza.
I do want to return to the killing of Yahya Sinwar. You know, in your conversation with my colleague, Christiane Amanpour, yesterday, you suggested that Sinwar will be seen as a hero by some Palestinians.
Can you explain to everyone why some may still feel that way, given all the suffering we have seen over the last year?
DR. MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, PRESIDENT, PALESTINIAN NATIONAL INITIATIVE: The issue here is that many Western media outlets -- and I don't negate the real changes in the last few months == most media outlets keep demonizing Palestinians and look at Palestinians from a racist perspective.
And the Palestinians who struggle for their freedom are described as terrorists. If -- what is terrorist? Who -- how can you describe a person as a terrorist, even civilians? I=
In this case, the largest and the biggest terrorist will be Netanyahu and his government who killed 52,000 Palestinians. Yes, Netanyahu would be -- Yahya Sinwar would be perceived as a hero, because he died fighting for his people. That's how he will be perceived.
And all the lies about him from the side of Israel were discovered. They used to claim that he's hiding in a tunnel sending other people to die. Now he was killed in a fight, open fight on the ground.
They used to claim that he and his fighters are hiding behind civilians, taking them as -- as human shields. That was not true. He was fighting face to face the Israeli soldiers.
And finally, they used to say that he's hiding behind Israeli captives, which was not true.
But Doctor -- but Dr. Barghouti, he has -- he has indisputably, claims himself to be the mastermind of this attack. While we listen to the parents in Gaza, who continue to suffer, just trying to feed their children every day, do you not have to ask that, for Sinwar to still be portrayed as a hero. Can you explain why those parents, some of them, may still feel that way?
BARGHOUTI: There are two things here.
First of all, again, it would be absolutely racist to blame the victim for the suffering they are going through. And the real aggressor here and the real responsible side for all the suffering of the Palestinians now in Gaza is the Israeli aggression, which doesn't stop and actually continues.
On the other hand, it is very important to remember that the story here did not start on the 7th of October.
If you look at the life of Sinwar himself, you can find a lot of things. First of all, he was a refugee. He was a descendant of a refugee family that were displaced in 1948. Then he was occupied by the Israeli army in the longest modern occupation, the longest occupation in modern history of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. And he was subjected to oppression.
And then he was imprisoned for 22 years for participating in resistance. This is his story, and it's, in a way, a story of the people.
So, the 7th of October was not the beginning, was not the cause. It was the result, the outcome of ethnic cleansing, of long occupation, of oppression.
And of course, we don't want violence to continue.
But I want to tell you that Sinwar himself was convinced with nonviolence. I personally debated that with him. And for five years, Hamas stuck to nonviolent resistance. What was the result? Israeli more aggression.
NEWTON: I have to -- I do want to leave it there. I mean, I -- I -- in terms of portraying him, again, as a hero, you explain it. And yet, he was, at the end of the day, as I said, the mastermind of a savage attack on Israeli citizens.
And Gazans are the ones that are now the cannon fodder in between the Israeli military and the Hamas militants.
But I do want to get to the point of, now that we have the sober light of the next day, given that he is dead now, do you believe that this could make a ceasefire more likely?
And if you say no, why not? Given the fact that this is an inflection point?
BARGHOUTI: Netanyahu gave the answer to your question yesterday. He said this war is not over, and he wants to continue.
He used to claim that he's going after Sinwar. And now he's saying that, even after the killing of Sinwar, he will continue the war.
The problem here is Netanyahu and his fascist government, which refuses to stop this terrible aggression on Gaza.
[00:45:03]
As your reporters have said, at this moment, Gaza is subjected to terrible siege. People are deprived of food, deprived of water, and they are bombarded continuously.
Fifty to 100 people are being killed by Israeli bombardment every day.
And Netanyahu wants not only to continue the attack on Gaza, he's actually expanding the war to Lebanon, expanding it to Iraq. He wants to engage in a war with Iran. And he wants to drag the United States to be in war with Iran. That's the reality of Netanyahu. And he is, though -- as long as he is
in government, I do not see we can see an end to this, to this terrible war.
NEWTON: And I am -- certainly, many people hope that what you're saying will not come to fruition. Many are looking at this to be an opening. I will note, as well, that is Hamas who is still holding the hostages.
Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, we will leave it there for now, but we really do appreciate your perspective.
BARGHOUTI: Thank you.
NEWTON: Now, for the first time since the start of Israel's incursion in Lebanon, the IDF is warning people in buildings outside Southern Beirut to evacuate.
A spokesperson posted on social media that Israeli troops will soon begin targeting buildings in Beqaa and Tyre, saying they are near facilities and interests belonging to Hezbollah.
Now, the warning evacuated -- directed people to evacuate the area and move at least 500 meters away.
Turning now to a slowing economy. Many in China, their delivery drivers, specifically, are working harder, but earning less. Ahead, why their frustrations are sometimes boiling over.
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NEWTON: So, we're getting new economic data from China, and it's showing week consumption and problems in the property markets that continue to add to slowing growth.
Now while the economy grew 4.6 percent from July to September, that was down a tenth of a percentage point from the previous quarter.
Now, various sectors are being hit, including China's huge takeout and food delivery industry.
CNN's Marc Stewart is live for us in Beijing. Glad to see you, especially as we had the release of these numbers. Obviously, not what China wants or expects.
But could you pull all of these numbers together for us?
MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you, Paula, as someone who lives in China, someone who works in China, we don't need economic data to know that the economy here is slow growing and slow moving. It's very evident in everyday life.
The economy is still dealing with a housing crisis. When you go shopping, it's obvious that people are not spending as much as they did in the past. And these economic woes are impacting everyday life and every sector
of so many different industries, including the very popular food delivery industry here in China.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[00:50:03]
STEWART (voice-over): Food delivery drivers in China packing up hot meals and hot tempers. This driver breaks down after getting a negative customer review. Another driver snaps as police stop him for running a red light.
Both episodes could mean a cut in their pay, linked to on-time delivery and customer satisfaction.
It's a job that keeps drivers on their feet and on the street as they battle the bustle, including here in Beijing. Safety isn't the only struggle.
STEWART: What about customers? Are they ever rude to you?
YANG (ph), DELIVERY DRIVER (through translator): There are all kinds of customers. It's difficult to avoid.
STEWART (voice-over): We followed 35-year-old Yang (ph) as he navigated the lunch-time rush.
STEWART: Is this a good way to make a living?
YANG (ph) (through translator): I think it's fine. But not as easy as before. More people are doing the same job.
STEWART: This is big business. Last year, there were about 12 million delivery drivers on the road. It's a number that's been growing.
STEWART (voice-over): Last year, industry giant Meituan saw its revenue climb 26 percent year on year to more than $10 billion.
Yet, paychecks are shrinking, from more than 1,000 U.S. dollars a month in 2018 to less than $950 a month in 2023.
Experts say this could be due, in part, to the economic slump in China, as consumers place cheaper orders and combine their purchases.
Twenty-year-old driver Lu (ph) tells us he makes about 30 to $40 a day.
LU (ph), DELIVERY DRIVER (through translator): I work from 10 a.m. onward to after 8 p.m. About 30 deliveries.
STEWART (voice-over): For some drivers, that's still better than the alternatives. It's flexible and beats sweating hours on a farm or a factory floor.
But as China keeps growing its appetite of swiping for service, driver (ph) frustration appears to be eating away at more delivery drivers.
(END VIDEO
STEWART: And as someone who lives here in China, I can tell you that these food delivery services are very quick. The accuracy, the pinpoint tracking is very precise, and the quality is very good.
So, it shows that people are still using these services, but -- but people are cutting back.
Paula, I should also tell you that markets today in China after hearing news of this GDP they're reacting quite strongly. We are, we are seeing some gains, which has been a change from the past as any kind of economic bad news really has impacted markets.
NEWTON: Yes. And perhaps the face that the Chinese government is listening and will continue to try and stimulate that economy. A good to see you, Marc Stewart for us in Beijing. Appreciate it.
Now, there's a festival in Nigeria that's celebrates twins, and its aiming to get a world record number of them together all at once. That story when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
So, having twins in one part of Southwestern Nigeria is uncommonly common. There are so many that a town created a World Twins Festival, and each year thousands gather to celebrate.
CNN's Zain Asher picks up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No, you are not seeing double. This is the annual twin festival in Nigeria. Twins of all ages gather in much in clothes parade around the festival to eat, dance, and celebrate their likeness.
[00:55:05]
OPEYEMI DANIEL, MOTHER OF TWIN GIRLS (through translator): I had a special interest for twins when we were young. I'm the only one that's not a twin among my mother's children.
My mother had twins five times. I used to be happy when I saw them, so I hoped that when I also have twins, I will endow them with the same clothes and same shoes.
ASHER (voice-over): The festival takes place in the town of Igbo-Ora. Twins are very common in the Yoruba ethnic group in Southwestern Nigeria.
Traditionally, Yoruba twins are named Kehinde or Taiwo, depending on who is born first. But the town of Igbo-Ora is even more exceptional. It seems there's at least one set of twins in every family. OBA JIMOH OLAJIDE-TITILAYO, KING OF IGNO-ORA: All the household here, or each house, each compound has twins in their midst. And this is something unique that, if you call Kehinde, you see so many Kehinde, they are looking at your direction.
ASHER (voice-over): Researchers suggest that genetic factors are likely responsible for the high rate of twin births. But locals have a tastier explanation.
Many link the twin births to okra leaf and amala, a local dish made from yam and cassava flour.
MOJISOLA ADEDIGBA, HERBALIST (through translator): After eating it, power will come, and the stomach will be strengthened.
ASHER (voice-over): According to the festival founder, about 2,000 set of twins have attended the festival in the past years. They aim to set a Guinness world record for the largest twin gathering and be recognized as a UNESCO cultural heritage event.
Zain Asher, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Now the October super moon put on a big show in the sky on Thursday. This time-lapse video makes the hunter's moon over New York seem even more impressive.
It's the biggest, brightest supermoon of the year. Look at that. That's lovely. Named for early hunters who gathered food for the long winter ahead.
And views of the lunar spectacle worldwide have been breathtaking over Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia; lighting up Edinburgh Castle in Scotland; behind the ancient acropolis in Izmir, Turkey; and over the Andes mountains in Chile.
Now, a supermoon isn't really bigger, actually, but it looks that way because the moon is closer to earth than normal, thanks to its orbit. That makes it look bigger and bigger.
It won't last, as the moon is now beginning to wane.
I want to thank our writers for that reprisal of my grade eight geography class.
Thanks so much for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Paula Newton. The news continues here right after a quick break.
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