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Netanyahu to Urge "Full Conquest" of Gaza; U.S. Special Envoy to Visit Moscow Wednesday; Texas Governor Orders Arrest of Democrats Who Fled State; Second Summer Heat Wave Continues to Scorch Spain; Paris Apartments at Bargain Rates, If Someone Dies. Aired 12-12:45a ET

Aired August 05, 2025 - 00:00   ET

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

[00:00:31]

BEN HUNTE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello wherever you are in the world. You are now in the CNN NEWSROOM with me, Ben Hunte in Atlanta. And it is so good to have you with me.

Coming up on the show, in just a matter of hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to call for the full conquest of Gaza at a meeting of his Security Cabinet, according to Israeli media.

The countdown is on for the Kremlin as President Trump's ceasefire deadline draws closer and his special envoy prepares to head to Russia.

And a dream apartment in Paris could be yours for the bargain of a lifetime. There's only one catch. You'll have to wait for the current owner to die.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Ben Hunte.

HUNTE: Welcome. We are following new developments out of Israel where in the coming hours Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to urge his Security Cabinet to back a, quote, "full conquest of Gaza." That's according to a reporting from Israeli media. But a source describes as accurate. Senior officials close to Netanyahu are quoted as saying, quote, "The die is cast and if the chief of staff doesn't agree, he should resign."

A source says the defense establishment opposes an expansion of ground operations in areas where hostages are believed to be held. Negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza have stalled, and Hamas is demanding the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave be addressed before it returns to talks. The Israeli leader had this message on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We must continue to stand together and fight together to achieve all our war objectives. The defeat of the enemy, the release of our hostages, and the assurance that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.

Later this week, I will convene the Cabinet to instruct the IDF on how to achieve these three objectives. All of them, without exception.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: The former chief of Israel's internal security agency was among hundreds of retired Israeli security officials who signed a letter urging President Donald Trump to pressure Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war.

Ami Ayalon tells CNN Israel's military goals have already been achieved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMI AYALON, FORMER DIRECTOR, SHIN BET: Our message is that this war must end and this is the only way that we can see a better future for Israel. This war started two years ago as a just war. It was the immediate result of a massacre and horror of Hamas. But after 12 months, we achieved all our military goals.

Netanyahu is, you know, acting against the will of the Israeli people. 70 percent of the Israeli people are demanding ending the war and bringing back all our hostages. We understand today that it is a total contradiction. You know, we understand that our hostages are dying as a result of the continuation of this war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: CNN footage from Central Gaza has captured the desperation of hundreds of Palestinians, as humanitarian aid is airdropped into the enclave.

This that you're seeing there was a scene on Monday as crowds rushed towards aid boxes while still in mid-air. The family of a nurse critical of such airdrops says he was hit by an aid pallet and then killed after being caught in a crowd crush. The scramble and fight for aid comes as Palestinians in Gaza deal with a deepening hunger crisis.

Let's keep talking about this. Benjamin Radd is a political scientist and senior fellow at the UCLA Burkle Center for International relations. He's joining me now.

Thank you so much for being with me. Let's just get straight into this. Negotiations on a hostage and ceasefire deal appear to be totally stalled. Do you believe that this is what Prime Minister Netanyahu now sees as Israel's only option?

BENJAMIN RADD, SENIOR FELLOW, UCLA BURKLE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: Well, it's only his option. It's his only option because it's the option that he's now created. He's left no other options given the aggressive pursuit of Hamas's leadership and remaining infrastructure at the cost of civilian lives. I mean, we're seeing now, you know, for weeks, the images a horrific images coming out of Gaza. And as a result of the decision to go full in and to restrict aid and

to make it difficult for civilians to really get the support they need Netanyahu has really limited and pretty much bound his own hands to a full-scale occupation of the enclave as his only solution.

[00:05:06]

HUNTE: Israeli media reports say that the IDF opposes a full takeover of Gaza. What happens if Israel's military leaders don't support Netanyahu's plans?

RADD: Netanyahu will simply fire them, and put in military leaders who will support his plans. I mean, it's sort of out of the handbook of, you know, semi-authoritarian or very aggressive leaders who are really catering to one objective, maybe a few select voices within his Cabinet. We know those right-wing extremists Cabinet members are the ones keeping him in power.

And if it's a matter of finding officers and military leadership who will obey and respect whatever his edict is based on military decision, that he will go ahead and do that. So it's a matter of just shuffling through until you find someone who will carry out what it is you're asking of them.

HUNTE: Can I just ask, how surprising is this news today for our viewers? How surprised should they be the headline like this is coming out?

RADD: Well, extremely. I mean, it reflects that really Netanyahu is struggling to read the room. And by that I mean you have not only the international community, you have Israel's biggest supporter and patron, the United States. We've heard from President Trump indicate his frustration with seeing the, you know, images coming out of Gaza and the starvation as he referenced it.

We've seen now voices in both political parties in the United States, the Democrats and Republicans, indicating frustration. I mean, when you have, you know, Democrats taking positions that are consistent with something that Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says, it tells you basically that Israel or at least this prime minister is losing the broad and deep support that he's enjoyed in the U.S. Congress.

So this is reflecting really his either refusal to see what's happening, the political tea leaves, or just ignoring them, thinking that his future lies with this one path he's taking.

HUNTE: Some Israelis have warned that an Israeli takeover of Gaza would threaten its peace agreements with Jordan and other Arab nations. Do you think that's likely?

RADD: If Israel is seeking normalized relations with all Arab neighbors, particularly Saudi Arabia, which is really the jewel of that endeavor, then a full occupation or reoccupation of Gaza is going to put Israel further away from that. It's going to isolate it even further and really make it into a regional, if not international, pariah. This is something that is shocking given Israel's objective over the years of pursuing more -- a better relations with its Arab neighbors and trying to integrate itself within the Middle East. This is going to go in the opposite direction.

HUNTE: The other big story out of Israel today was the government unanimously voting to fire its attorney general. And that's the same AG who happens to be prosecuting Netanyahu for corruption. Israel's Supreme Court is blocking the firing for now. But what's your reaction to all of this so far?

RADD: Yes, I mean, the conflict of interest here, it's astounding. And it's, you know, again, a prime minister who seems to act as if he's above the rule of law, who seems to blanket himself with the or cover himself with the role of a military or a wartime leader, and using that to justify the sacking of any opposition or anybody that hold him and his government to account within Israel's system.

And that system is robust. It does have its set of checks and balances to prevent abuses of power, but it seems like if the, you know, in a wartime footing, all of that goes out the window if there's no one there to stop it.

HUNTE: I know that things keep changing all the time, and every time I sit in the chair here, it seems like something else has occurred that has changed everything up. But if you were to look to, say, next week from now, what do you think is genuinely going to happen?

RADD: Well, it's going to be -- there's a lot of pressure on the White House now to really come out forcefully, especially if Israel carries -- goes through with what has been announced and is expected that, you know, will President Trump make a statement? Will he indicate even further shift away from Netanyahu's decisions? Can we see, in other words, this White House, this president used the leverage, the powerful leverage that he has to steer this in a different course and help bring about an end.

At the same time, we saw the Arab states last week bind together and call for Hamas to give up power completely. So we need to see really that leverage, that pressure exerted on both sides here. The United States doing its part, the Arab world doing its part with regards to Hamas leadership, and maybe, maybe we can then take a different course.

HUNTE: Well, it seems to be changing every day. Let's see what happens next.

Benjamin Radd in L.A., thank you for now. Appreciate it.

RADD: Thank you.

HUNTE: A White House official says the Trump administration's foreign envoy will travel to Russia. Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive on Wednesday and that is two days before President Trump's deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to make a peace deal with Ukraine or face more sanctions. But Witkoff's diplomatic trip comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries. On Friday, President Trump said he was ordering two U.S. Navy nuclear

submarines to move, to, quote, "appropriate regions."

[00:10:01]

He blamed what he called foolish and inflammatory statements from former Russian president and deputy security council chairman Dmitry Medvedev. The Kremlin says it's trying to bring down the temperature, saying, quote, "Everyone should be extremely careful with nuclear rhetoric."

CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports for us from Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Russian and Chinese warships side by side in a major show of force. Military drills and anti-submarine warfare just days after President Trump says he repositioned U.S. nuclear subs following threats from Russia's former president.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And a threat was made and we didn't think it was appropriate. So I have to be very careful. So I do that on the basis of safety for our people.

PLEITGEN: With a once cozy relations between President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin recently taking a nosedive, Trump threatening massive sanctions by the end of this week. There's no ceasefire in Ukraine. Moscow eager to end the nuclear saber rattling.

"We're extremely cautious with any statements regarding nuclear issues," the Kremlin spokesman says. "As you know, Russia maintains a responsible position."

But Kremlin controlled TV not so much, frequently touting Russia's massive nuclear arsenal like this well-known host last year.

DMITRY KISELEV, RUSSIAN TV PRESENTER (through translator): "So the main question is, will Russia use it? And there is a clear answer. It will use it. The conflict with the West over Ukraine is growing so much that for Russia it is already a matter of life and death.

PLEITGEN: And Putin himself put Russian nuclear forces on alert just days after launching what he calls the special military operation in Ukraine in 2022, in response to Western criticism.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Top officials of leading NATO countries are indulging in aggressive statements directed at our country. Therefore, I order the minister of defense and chief of the general staff to put Russia's army deterrence forces on high combat alert.

PLEITGEN: On Moscow streets, folks telling us President Trump's nuclear moves and sanctions threats don't scare them.

(Through text translation): Trump said he wanted better relations with Russia, a trade deal, lifting of sanctions, flights between the U.S. and Russia. And now he sending nuclear submarines because of the escalation between the U.S. and Russia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through text translation): Look, I think he says one thing and does something else. And he predicts the future developments based on something completely different.

PLEITGEN (through text translation): Trump said that if no ceasefire reached in Ukraine he will impose stronger sanctions on Russia. Are you worried?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through text translation): No. I am not worried about this. I live in my country and I know it will protect itself and those who it promises to care for.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through text translation): Your sanctions are useless. Everything is still fine.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): But even as the Kremlin touts its gains on the battlefield in Ukraine, Moscow claims it's keen to engage in diplomacy with the Trump administration.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: President Trump is threatening to substantially raise tariffs on India. He says the country is buying Russian oil and selling it on the open market for big profits. Right now, Indian goods entering the U.S. are subject to a 10 percent minimum tariff. Trump did not specify what the new rate would be.

India's Foreign Affairs Ministry says the U.S. and the European Union are unfairly targeting the country, and that it's importing Russian oil to maintain affordable energy costs for its citizens.

The U.S. State Department is condemning an order to put Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, under house arrest. The right-wing Bolsonaro is an ally of President Trump. He's on trial over an alleged coup to overturn the results of the 2022 election and keep his successor from power. Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing. Brazil's Supreme Court ordered his house arrest, saying Bolsonaro failed to comply with restrictions on the use of social media and cell phones.

Bolsonaro will not be allowed any visitors other than his attorneys and is banned from using a cell phone. President Trump has called the trial politically motivated and signed an order to impose 50 percent tariffs on Brazil.

OK, ahead, fleeing lawmakers, arrest warrants, and a redistricting battle in Texas that could determine who controls half of the U.S. Congress next year.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:19:17] HUNTE: Welcome back. A showdown is underway in Texas with nationwide repercussions. Democratic lawmakers have fled the state to block a crucial and suspiciously timed vote on redistricting that's expected to allow Republicans to gain as many as five U.S. House seats from Democrats ahead of the next year's midterm elections.

Republicans are accused of gerrymandering or redrawing the voting lines to give themselves an advantage. Lots of people are angry over the attempted power grab. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Democrats who fled be investigated and arrested. Their absence has infuriated Republican leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DUSTIN BURROWS (R-TX): The sergeant-at-arms and any officers appointed by her are directed to send for all absentees whose attendance is not excused for the purposes of securing and maintaining their attendance under warrant of arrest, if necessary, until further order of the House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[00:20:12]

HUNTE: Meanwhile, the governors of Democratic run states like New York, Illinois and California are plotting retribution and threatening to do some redistricting of their own.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D), CALIFORNIA: California will not sit by idly and watch this democracy waste away. We'll fight fire with fire. We'll assert ourselves, and we'll punch above our weight. And it will have profound impacts on the national outcome, not just here in the state of California.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTE: CNN's Ed Lavandera has a closer look at the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Texas Democrats left the House chamber relatively empty in the state capitol. 56 Democrats did not show up and business ground to a halt.

BURROWS: Members, a quorum is not present.

LAVANDERA: Democrats fled the state in a last ditch attempt to sabotage Republican plans to add five GOP seats ahead of the midterm elections.

BURROWS: They've left the state, abandoned their posts and turned their backs on the constituents they swore to represent.

LAVANDERA: The Texas House speaker then issued civil arrest warrants to be issued for representatives who were not present at the special session, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Department of Public Safety to return them to the House chamber.

On Sunday, the state representatives flew to places like Chicago, New York and Boston. We spoke with Representative Mihaela Plesa just after she landed in New York.

What is the ultimate goal here with leaving?

REP. MIHAELA PLESA (D-TX): It really is the nuclear option to stop democracy crumbling in the United States.

LAVANDERA: Some Democrats say the redistricting is a rigged power grab that has been orchestrated by Republicans with the support of President Donald Trump.

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL (D), NEW YORK: We are at war, and that's why the gloves are off. And I say, bring it on.

LAVANDERA: It's a war that Democrats say began with moving lines on a Texas map.

PLESA: Redistricting should be about representation. But what's happening here is map manipulation.

LAVANDERA: Redistricting is normally done every 10 years, and it's tied to U.S. Census results. But for Republicans who want to hold on to the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, the stakes couldn't be higher.

And the Texas governor is threatening to unseat Democrats who left the state, saying that they need to return to the capitol and the House chamber. And the governor also went on to say that there is nothing illegal about gerrymandering.

GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R), TEXAS: I believe they have forfeited their seats in the state legislature because they are not doing the job they were elected to do.

REP. LIZZIE FLETCHER (D-TX): The idea that a governor of Texas could remove all of the sitting legislators in one party, that should shock every American.

LAVANDERA: The Democrats who left the state also face a $500 fine for every day of the session that they missed. And the Texas governor is also threatening these lawmakers with criminal charges of bribery if they accept donations to cover those fines.

REP. GENE WU (D-TX): The $500, whatever they're going to fine us, that is nothing compared to the pain that the American people have felt and the people of Texas have felt.

LAVANDERA: Are you concerned that this could backfire on you guys, that there could be political backlash?

PLESA: I think that democracy is something worth fighting for. We were elected to represent the constituency of Texans, not of Donald Trump.

LAVANDERA (on-camera): Texas Democrats face a $500 fine for every day they miss as part of this legislative process, and the Texas governor is also threatening these lawmakers with criminal charges of bribery if they accept donations to cover the cost of the fines or any of the travel expenses to flee the state.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Austin, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: The U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is ordering federal prosecutors to start a grand jury investigation into Obama officials, claiming the administration made up intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 election. A source tells CNN a grand jury will look into claims that Democratic officials tried to smear Donald Trump by falsely claiming his campaign colluded with the Russian government.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified documents last month, which he claims show a treasonous conspiracy by top Obama officials to undermine Trump.

People in Spain are struggling to cope with yet another summer heat wave, and the end is not yet near. We'll have a report from Madrid coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:29:15]

HUNTE: Welcome back. I'm Ben Hunte. Let's take a look at today's top stories.

Israeli media reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to urge his Security Cabinet to support the, quote, "full conquest of Gaza." That is set to happen at a Cabinet meeting in just a matter of hours. Senior officials close to Netanyahu are quoted as saying that if the chief of staff doesn't agree, he should resign.

People looking to travel to the U.S. for business or tourism could soon face a new challenge. The State Department is considering requiring some visa applicants to post a bond of up to $15,000. The year-long pilot program would apply to travelers from countries with high visa overstay rates or deficient document security.

The U.S. State Department is condemning an order to put Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, under House arrest.

[00:30:08]

The Trump ally is on trial over an alleged coup to overturn the results of the 2022 election and keep his successor from power. Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing.

Heavy rainfall has triggered flooding and landslides across Southern Taiwan. Sunday's flooding submerged rural homes and cut off access to mountain roads. The area has seen more than a year's worth of rain over the past week, with a devastating impact.

Four people have died, 77 injured. Three people are missing, and more than 5,900 residents have been forced to evacuate.

The rainfall was forecast to ease on Monday, but landslide and flood warnings remain in effect.

Spain's second summer heatwave is well underway, and it's not letting up anytime soon. Some parts of the country could see temperatures exceed 42 Celsius, or 108 Fahrenheit on Tuesday.

People there are coping in different ways, as CNN's Pau Mosquera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAU MOSQUERA, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Many decide to seek shelter in the shade, while others prefer to cool themselves off in public fountains like this one, located Southwest of Madrid.

MOSQUERA: This Sunday marked the beginning of the second heatwave of the summer in the Iberian Peninsula, and the responsible [SIC] is no other than a dry and warm air mass coming from the African continent that is pushing temperatures well above normal.

The Spanish National Weather Agency is forecasting that the mercury will be around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius above normal. And in the case of the capital, the temperatures will be hovering around the 37 to 38 degrees Celsius.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): In previous summers, we have had hot weather, but not as hot as this one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): In Madrid, the heat is quite suffocating, isn't it? It's not humid. It's very dry, and it's a little bit bad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are from the Northeast of Brazil, from Recife. We are already a bit used to the heat, so it is not very different from the temperatures here.

MOSQUERA: But the situation is going to be way worse in some parts of the country, as for example in the South. In cities like Seville or Cordoba, the agency is expecting the mercury to reach up to 45 Celsius, and this is a situation that will last at least until Sunday.

Pau Mosquera, CNN, Madrid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: It's part real estate and part roulette. Homeowners in Paris sell their place while buyers await their death. More on this unusual property scheme when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:37:22]

HUNTE: Dream apartments in Paris are available for bargain prices, but there's a catch. The seller has to die for the transaction to even take place. But not before the buyer goes all in.

CNN Saskya Vandoorne explains how all of this works.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: On the day that Andre dies, will you be pleased that you'll be able to move in?

Buying an apartment in Paris isn't cheap, but there's a quirky, slightly morbid loophole that could land you one at half the price. You're essentially betting on how long the seller is going to stick around.

It's known as "viager."

ILYA (ph), BOUGHT APARTMENT: I have a lot of time in front of me.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): Ilya (ph) was hoping to finally buy a dream home in Paris. After nearly a year of searching, she found a gorgeous, South-facing place for half the price of the others.

ILYA (ph): And I think it's really well-arranged.

ANDRE HELMAN, SOLD APARTMENT: For such a small apartment, it's exceptional.

VANDOORNE: This place is owned by Andre, who has no intention of moving out.

HELMAN: I needed the money, and I needed the place. So, this system allowed me to stay here as long as I wanted and get the money I needed.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): To buy Andre's apartment, Ilya gave him a single deposit in the range of 200,000 euros.

HELMAN: Once a year, there is a party here, the neighbors' party. It's very pleasant.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): But in a typical "viager," a buyer pays an upfront sum and then small monthly payments to the seller, who keeps living in the home until they die.

"Viager" sales make up just 1 percent of the French property market. But interest surged during COVID. And it's not just locals rolling the dice. More and more foreign buyers are getting in on the gamble, too.

Homa Ravel, an American Iranian, already has four "viager" homes for her kids, and she's eyeing her first.

HOMA RAVEL, BOUGHT SEVERAL APARTMENTS: I think in the beginning, friends and family were like, oh, really? You got involved with that? But this is helping the person. Like, I mean, this is a comfortable situation for them.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): But it's quite a bet. The longer the seller lives, the more you end up paying. And that upfront discount starts to shrink.

VANDOORNE: And you're comfortable with it being a gamble?

HELMAN: Oh, quite. After my death, I really don't worry about myself. The gamble is mainly for the -- the owner.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): It's all remarkably transparent. Listings don't just include the seller's age. They often estimate their life expectancy, too.

Most cases are uneventful. But in one instance, a buyer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in a case involving a madeleine and the death of an elderly seller.

[00:40:02]

VANDOORNE: So, does it take a special type of person or a special type of mindset to accept the "viager" system?

HELMAN: Because of the death issue. I think that's why people feel uncomfortable. It's not my case. I'm -- as I said, I'm very lucky.

HELMAN: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

GRAPHIC: I'm really happy to have met you like this. I'm delighted.

HELMAN: For me, death is not an issue. It's just the end of life, and it's okay.

VANDOORNE (voice-over): Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTE: Well, that was fascinating.

Thanks for joining me and the team. I'm Ben Hunte in Atlanta. I'll be back with more news at the top of the hour. WORLD SPORT is next. See you in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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(WORLD SPORT)