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Maine Mass Shooting Suspect Found Dead; Israeli Ground Forces "Expanding" Activity Inside Gaza, Ramping Up Airstrikes; IDF Strikes Intensify As Ground Operations Expand; United Nations Calls for Humanitarian Truce in New Resolution. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired October 28, 2023 - 06:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:00:44]

AMARA WALKER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to CNN This Morning and it's Saturday October 28. I'm Amara Walker.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Victor Blackwell. Thank you for being with us. Police say the man who murdered 18 people and shootings in Maine this week is dead details on where and how he was found. And what police are looking into now.

WALKER: Israel says its warplanes hit 150 targets in Gaza as the IDF expands its ground operations in its war with Hamas. We're live in the region with more on the escalating war and the concerns that the humanitarian crisis is going to get worse.

BLACKWELL: And on the hostages that Hamas still holds in Gaza, what the White House is saying about the efforts to free them just ahead on CNN This Morning.

So after nearly two days and intense manhunt for mass shooter is now over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very happy to be here and very happy to say the threat is over.

UNIDENATIFIED MALE: I think now you're going to see main pull together and not be known for this horrific act when actually come together as a family and taking care of each other.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Last night police found 40-year-old Robert Card's body about 10 miles from where authorities say he killed 18 people on Wednesday.

WALKER: They believe He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while his death brings some relief to that shattered community. They are left wondering why this happened. At 10 this morning we may get some answers when please hold a news conference. CNN's Omar Jimenez joining us now from Lisbon. Omar, police have a long investigation ahead of them.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They really do. But finding this person was at the top of their priority list. It was creepy -- it's what was creating a feeling of unease in this community over the past few days. And it was just the idea of not knowing where this person could have been, a person that police considered armed and dangerous.

And then a little after 48 hours after the shooting began just about, again, 15 minutes from where I'm standing right now, police said that they found this person's body and as we understand they found it just near recycling center where he had been fired recently which for conscious you can see some flashing lights over my shoulders right in that direction about 1,000 feet or so from where I am.

So, a collective sigh of relief for many in this community. I want you to take a listen to Maine's Governor right after they broke the news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JANET MILLS (D-ME): Like many people, I'm breathing a sigh of relief tonight, knowing that Robert Card is no longer a threat to anyone. I know there are some people and many people who share that sentiment. But I also know that his death may not bring solace to many.

But now is the time to heal. And with this search concluded, I know that law enforcement continues to fully investigate all the facts. So we can bring what closure we can to the victims and their families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIMENEZ: And that's the thing here. On one hand, it is a sigh of relief. But we still have people in the hospital. We still have people wondering if their loved ones are going to be OK. And this still doesn't bring back the 18 people that were killed. And so that is the beginning of the process that this community is going to try to have to work their way through.

Now, on the investigative side, we are expecting another update from police at 10:00 a.m. hopefully to answer a few more questions than they did last night. Last night was really just to give us the notification, including how long they believe this body had been there, especially because the shootings happen over 48 hours ago at this point.

Investigators are also still combing through the shooting scenes, combing through the suspect social media to try to piece together again to answer that question of why. But all of this happened in a pretty tight radius. We're about 15 minutes from the second shooting site and just walking distance from where his abandoned vehicle was found.

So all that again happening within that tight radius and while this chapter is now closed on arguably a much more difficult one for this community lies ahead. Victor. Amara.

[06:05:04]

WALKER: Omar Jimenez, thank you for your reporting there. Joining us now to talk about what comes next as police start this long investigation or continue it. CNN law enforcement analyst Jonathan Wackrow. Good morning to you, Jonathan. Thanks for joining me.

So we heard there from Omar that there is this news conference that authorities will be holding in about four hours from now, not sure what else they will reveal. But in terms of this investigation, Jonathan, what else are investigators trying to figure out?

JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, good morning in you know, with the shooter did have an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the challenge for law enforcement right now is that we don't have the opportunity to hear from the suspect himself as to why he committed these crimes and these horrific acts.

So, absent of a clear motive from the shooter. Law enforcement is going to seek to understand, you know, what they can garner from a threat perspective. And what do I mean by that? Anytime you have these targeted acts of violence, they're typically in response to some sort of grievance. And the U.S. Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center has actually looked at in conducted studies of mass shooters. And what they have found is that in almost every single instance, the shooter had significant stressors in their life.

And what I mean by that is either a romantic breakup, a challenge with work, physical or mental illness that they're struggling with, which were contributing factors for them engaging in these types of horrific acts.

Now, when we look at the suspect from all of the reporting that we've had to date, it's almost like the trifecta. We know that the suspect recently had a breakup with his girlfriend. He was terminated from his job. And, you know, the reporting is that, you know, he had struggles with either mental or mental illness within the last, you know, six months.

So, all of that combined starts painting a picture for law enforcement as to leading into motive in answering the question for the victims -- in the victim's families as to why did this occur, but law enforcement has a significant challenge ahead of them in terms of where does the investigation go from now.

You know, as Omar had said, we have a press conference coming up. We have a lot of answers that, you know, really we -- we have a lot of questions that we don't have answers for right now, specifically around timeline, and other investigative pathways that they were working on.

WALKER: So one key theory that we understand to be that investigators are working with, according to our John Miller's reporting, is that the suspect, as you mentioned had broken up with a longtime girlfriend and perhaps that is why he targeted this bowling alley and this bar because this was a place that two frequented, do you expect that investigators are in touch with this ex-girlfriend?

WACKROW: Oh, you know, absolutely. I mean, I think that not only the girlfriend, but every single, you know, contact that this individual had, is being interviewed again, to understand you know, what, are there any other behavioral red flags beyond what we know was reported from the military that he had been seeking mental illness assistance.

Beyond that, what other red flags behaviorally were potentially missed? By friends, family or others that should have been raised to try to prevent this type of incident from occurring.

WALKER: It seems like there were red flags that were noted. And then, you know, authorities tried to act on it. We know that he was a U.S. Army Reservist. He had some disturbing incidents this past summer. First, he had purchased a high powered rifle. And of course, investigators are trying to look into whether or not that was the specific rifle that was used in this mass shooting, but apparently he was supposed to he got a referral to seek treatment for hearing voices.

And he had thoughts about hurting soldiers and this referral coming from, I believe the base where he was at in New York. Does it speak to just how difficult it is for the system to try to prevent a mass shooter like this?

WACKROW: You're hitting it right on the head. I mean, that is so critically important right now is that as, you know, around the nation, as we try to, you know, put guardrails in place to try to prevent these incidents from occurring through, you know, different legislation, laws, procedures, what we're finding is gaps, right.

We do know that the military contacted law enforcement to make notification that this individual was seeking mental illness assistance. However, what was the follow up and I think that that's what we need to hear from investigators today is the timeline of OK, did, you know, knowing that this individual potentially has weapons. Knowing that they were under medical care for some sort of mental illness, was there follow up?

[06:10:07]

And I think that we see time and time again there are gaps in, you know, follow up in responses to when to information when people raise it that there is a concern.

WALKER: Jonathan Wackrow, we'll leave it there. Thank you very much.

WACKROW: Thank you so much.

BLACKWELL: Let's focus on the victims now. A boy and his dad they were out bowling contestants in a cornhole tournament for the death of some of those people that died trying to save others. CNN's Jason Carroll spoke with the families and friends who were beginning the process of saying goodbye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Moments after the shooting began Schemengees Bar and Grill restaurant, there were those who sprang into action, putting themselves into harm's way to try and save others and stop the gunman.

Leroy Walker senior says his son Joey grabbed a butcher's knife and when after the gunman when he was shot and killed.

LEROY WALKER SR., SON KILLED IN SHOOTING: Loved by many, loved by myself, and he would love back to everybody. So I know you would do such a thing to try to save lives and not let somebody hurt. The people that he loved.

CARROLL: Also killed at the bar Artie Stroud. He leaves behind five children. Brian McFarlane was there too. He and other members of the deaf community had gathered at the bar for a Cornhole tournament. His sister who is also deaf, told me the shooting has left her family and the deaf community with a deep sense of loss.

KERI BROOKS, BROTHER KILLED IN SHOOTING: You know, I want people to know how big has impacted the deaf community that, you know, we've lost four community members, not only just Brian, but we've lost three other friends as well from this tragic incident in n this community, it's a huge loss.

CARROLL: Another tournament participant, 39-year-old Peyton Brewer- Ross was killed. He leaves behind a daughter, who had just turned two. Joshua Seal was there for the tournament as well.

MILLS: Our state has been largely successful in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

CARROLL: He gained attention as an interpreter for Maine's governor during the COVID-19 pandemic. His employer Pine Tree Society said in his statement, he was a husband, a father of four, and a tireless advocate for the deaf community.

A few miles away from the bar at the bowling alley, more victims and more reports of heroic acts like that of Michael Deslauriers II. His father says his son and his son's friends since childhood, tried to protect women and children. He says they made sure their wives and several young children were undercover when they charged the shooter. Both men were killed.

Tricia Asselin worked part time at the bowling alley and tried to call 911 when she was killed. 18 lies now gone. Leroy Walker says his way forward is through faith and forgiveness.

WALKER: I can't hate this person. And I've been taught different than that. I hope anyways, and I believe it a lot. And I feel that way. You can't run around this world, hating people if you do. These kinds of things will happen more and more.

CARROLL: Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLACKWELL: Up next, Israel is expanding its ground operations in Gaza and it could be the first signs of a full scale incursion. We'll take you live to Israel for the latest.

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[06:17:47]

WALKER: Turning now to the war between Israel and Hamas, it has been a night of what has been called one of Israel's most intense and sustained bombardment of Gaza since the war started exactly three weeks ago.

The sounds of heavy bombardment and the roar of fighter jets could all be heard along the Gaza border all night and into early this morning. One doctor in Gaza tells CNN that nearly two dozen bodies were brought in overnight and hundreds of people were injured.

BLACKWELL: Israel says it's war planes hit 150 underground Hamas targets overnight. And an army spokesman says that Israeli ground forces are now in Gaza. The IDF confirms that part of its infantry and other units moved in overnight.

CNN's Jim Sciutto is with us now from Northern Israel. IDF also says they took out a crucial member of Hamas military wing part of the planer -- one of the planners of 10/7. Have the air attacks over Gaza continued this morning or had they slowed?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Not quite the pace that we saw yesterday. I think the news this morning, Victor, is the IDF confirming that an expanded ground operation is underway. We heard from the IDF spokesman just moments ago saying that infantry, armor and engineering units are now on the ground. They entered Gaza overnight in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. That tells us that they have indeed expanded that ground operation.

The presence of engineer units I think is notable too because remember, part of this operation is in effect smoking out the vast tunnel network that is present there, which is both a danger right because they use these tunnels to attack, to place explosives, to booby trap, but it's also the tunnels where the U.S. and Israel and others believe these hostages are being held. So whatever efforts can be made in the midst of a large ground offensive to protect those lives not accidentally strike the hostages as they are pursuing this ground defensive. The presence of those engineer units I think is key.

But you know, we saw that air campaign yesterday seemed to be softening the ground there for a an expanded ground operation and we now have the IDF confirming and an expanded ground operation is underway.

[06:20:10]

WALKER: Jim, we just got a new video of the IDF targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon. And I know you spent some time in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon, especially in those towns where they've, they're under evacuation orders. What did you see and how is the IDF preparing? In case you know, this escalates or there is a larger attack from Hezbollah?

SCIUTTO: Well, we're not far from the border now here in Safed, just a few miles south of where we were in recent days. What we saw one our communities that had been evacuated. We were in the town of Metula under mandatory evacuation orders. And that's because of the fear that Hezbollah may act in response to what is happening in Gaza right now.

To date, Hezbollah as attacks have been largely from artillery rocket fire sniper fires, some attempted small ground incursions, one of which was intercepted by IDF forces in recent days. But that strike that we saw in the last 24 hours that we now have new video of shows that when Hezbollah fires this way, Israel is firing back, sometimes with artillery. We've been hearing regular artillery fire from Northern Israel, but sometimes with airstrikes as well. And that's the video that we have in this morning.

To date, Amara, Hezbollah's involvement in this has been limited. In fact, we've heard from Hamas officials saying publicly they've been disappointed to some degree by the extent of Hezbollah's response so far.

But of course, Israeli forces up here taking nothing for granted. They're watching very closely, that they've taken precautions by moving civilians south. And there's many thousands of IDF forces up here to protect the northern border in effect, in case that's necessary.

BLACKWELL: Our Jim Sciutto for us there in northern Israel. We'll get back to you, Jim, thanks so much.

The White House says it is still working on securing the release of the hundreds of hostages held by Hamas. But the IDF says the reports that a hostage deal was close to being brokered are rumors, and should be disregarded as psychological terror and a cynical use of Israeli civilians by Hamas.

WALKER: When asked if there was a disconnect between Israel and the U.S. on how to free the hostages White House official, John Kirby said this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL COORIDANTOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: our Israeli counterparts like us they want those hostages back then a lot of them are Israeli citizens. And they share the same concerns that we have about their safety. And we are in constant communication, not only with the Israelis, but other partners in the region to see what we can do to get some sort of meaningful negotiated release of these hostages that work continues.

Obviously, it hasn't been concluded because they're still being held. But all of us share that concern over those hostages.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALKER: CNN's Arlette Saenz has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Viktor and Amara, the White House has been very careful and deliberate not to publicly weigh in on these latest ground operations being conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby was pressed on the issue multiple times and would not say whether the U.S. received any advanced notification that Israel would be expanding its ground operations into Gaza.

He said ultimately, these are decisions that are up to the Israeli Defense Forces, even as the U.S. is in constant communication with their Israeli counterparts, offering advice and also questions about the path forward.

But one thing officials here at the White House have been keenly focused on is the fate of those hostages currently being held by Hamas. There are at least 10 Americans who are currently unaccounted for since that October 7 attack by Hamas in Israel. There's a belief that several of those unaccounted for Americans are currently being held hostage.

And officials here say that those talks will continue even as Israel's conducting airstrikes and ground operations into Gaza. But one thing that the White House has noted is that they would support a pause in these activities, if it would ensure that those hostages could potentially be released.

Now, these are very fragile and delicate negotiations. So it's unclear where exactly this is currently heading but the White House is insisting that they're still trying to get those hostages out.

Another issue that is of concern is not just the hostages, but also the civilians who are currently potentially in harm's way in n Gaza, The White House says that they've been working to try to get those civilians out Palestinians, a potentially hundreds of Americans believed to be included in that group.

The White House says that they've been working with partners in the region, who have contacts with Hamas to try to ensure that there can be some type of way for the civilians to get out. They've been saying that they're trying to do this for several weeks now. And that safe pathway has not come to fruition just yet. But these are all issues that the White House is keenly focused on as their -- are still waiting to see what the next steps in this Israeli operation will be. Victor and Amara.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[06:25:08] BLACKWELL: Arlette Saenz for us there at the White House. Thank you so much. Let's bring in now CNN global affairs analyst Kimberly Dozier and CNN military analyst and retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton. Welcome to you both.

Colonel, let me start with you. So, 300,000 Israeli troops have been on standby for weeks now. And we've got confirmation from the IDF that some of their troops are in Gaza right now. What do you expect, as this ground incursion or the ground operations expand as the IDF says, what will that look like?

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, good morning, Victor. So I think we'll see is a more movement of Israeli troops into the area, especially with Northern Gaza. So it appears as if the first movements have been around Gaza City toward that area. And it looks like what they're trying to do is, perhaps move in and possibly encircle as much of the Hamas fighter -- fighting groups that they can find in -- many of the fighting groups that they can find.

There's also going to be activities in the south. But I don't think they will be -- that will be the main axis of attack. The main axis of attack will come either from the north, or the northeast, into the northern and north central parts of the Gaza Strip.

And as far as the number of troops, I think we'll see that increase. And the telltale sign will be how many of them spend more than 24 hours in the Gaza Strip. If they do that, then we're seeing a movement to take and hold territory. And that's a key indicator that this next phase of the operation is clearly underway.

BLACKWELL: That's important to watch how long and how many of them stay beyond 24 hours.

Kim, let me ask you about this the IDF report that they hit with their warplanes 150 tunnels overnight. We know from at least some of the four hostages who've been released by Hamas that they were held in tunnels. So that seems to be an extraordinary risk to target the tunnels where that's where these 229 hostages could be.

KIMBERLY DOZIER, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: It seems that Israel must have pretty good intelligence about where the large halls are that hostages who've been released say they were being held. Either that or they're hitting what they think are conduits for fighters. But yes, they are taking a risk.

There has been pressure inside Israel building to go ahead with a ground invasion, despite the ongoing negotiations that the U.S. has been holding with Qatar, talking to Hamas to get some of the hostages out.

On Friday, we thought we were on the eve of a major release of a large number of them. But then those negotiations seem to fall apart midday, possibly because they'd been reported that had happened before.

And the IDF seems to have decided, that's it, we're not going to let Hamas use these delaying tactics as they were being called by releasing hostages one by one, and we're going to see who we can get out.

But they did have enough time to interview those are hostages, and try to come up with some intelligence as to where they thought they were being held.

BLACKWELL: Colonel, there's a senior Hamas official who told the Associated Press exclusively that they need some help from Hezbollah. They are appreciative of what they've done thus far. However, they need more assistance.

Now, it's been peculiar over these last couple of weeks the engagement from Hezbollah but not intervention, I would say. What do you make of the requests the public requests from Hamas, for Hezbollah to join this fight in a greater way?

LEIGHTON: Yes, Victor, I think Hamas is in trouble. I think they realize that they might be but -- they're definitely on the backfoot. And they mind to lose this campaign against Israel, which is not to be -- it's not an unexpected result. But the fact that they are so publicly reaching out to Hezbollah is not only interesting, but it also shows the lack of connection between those groups.

We know that there's a connection between them. But it's not a robust alliance, not to a let's say, a NATO like alliance where an attack on one is an attack against all. They have their own interests. They are going to move forward in a way that is independent of Hamas, Hezbollah is and that also shows that Hamas is a, you know, a very potent force in Gaza. But it is not the end all and be all of all these groups that are arrayed against Israel.

[06:30:00]

BLACKWELL: Kimberly, the U.S. joined Israel and several other countries in voting against the U.N. resolution, calling for a ceasefire, 120 countries voted for it, 14 against, 45 abstained. And ceasefires typically have an expiration date, 48, 72 hours or so. So, the U.S. is against the ceasefire, but in favor of a humanitarian pause. Is this just rhetoric? Is -- or is there a diplomatic difference here?

DOZIER: The concern on the Israeli side was that a ceasefire could stretch on for days and days and days, and they were more comfortable with this term, humanitarian pause, which meant perhaps a few hours. I'm not sure why this became such a huge arguing point, except that within the U.N., ceasefire has a different meaning.

The discouraging part also for Israel was that while that one measure passed, calling for a ceasefire, candidates tried to add a measure of condemning the Hamas side of the attack, and that did not pass. So from Israel's perspective, it's as if the world is ganging up on them for the response, but forgetting -- developing amnesia when it comes to the fact that 1,500 Israelis were killed, tortured horribly in a single day on October 7th.

BLACKWELL: Kimberly Dozier, Colonel Cedric Leighton, thank you. WALKER: Still to come, the United Nations overwhelmingly approves a

resolution as Victor was referring to, calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but will either side even consider agreeing to it.

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[06:35:00]

BLACKWELL: The Israeli military is beefing up its offensive against Hamas in Gaza. It says that it's determined to continue ground raids in the coming days.

WALKER: This morning, the IDF launched more airstrikes which they say killed several Hamas operatives. They say one of them was the head of Hamas' aerial assets overseeing the organization's paragliders, drones and UAs, including the ones used in the October 7th surprise attack on Israel. CNN's chief national analyst -- national security analyst Jim Sciutto is on the ground in northern Israel.

Jim, the IDF says that it has struck what they are calling terror tunnels. What more do we know about these underground targets?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL ANALYST: Amara, this is one of the biggest challenges in Gaza in addition to being an urban warfare environment. Picture a city under the city, an elaborate network of tunnels which Hamas uses as command posts, as staging areas, also places that can be booby trap, but also crucially Israel believes that this is where many of the hostages are being held.

So, this requires a whole another kind of warfare in effect, and that's why I think it's notable as we heard from the IDF spokesman this morning, confirming expanded ground operations in Gaza, that there's infantry armor and engineering units. Those engineering units likely involved in addressing the tunnels. And we've also seen attempts to attack those tunnels from the air.

We know that Israeli Air Force jets have been dropping bunker buster bombs, which have the capability to penetrate many yards underground through concrete, through earth, to try to target some of those facilities from the air. But again, those tunnels are built to withstand air attacks. So that's going to require a whole different kind of warfare, and it's one of the reasons that the U.S. view of this, right, is it's going to be a very difficult ground operation.

BLACKWELL: So U.S. Marine Corps Commandant General Eric Smith says that this is clearly an Israeli project now, and that the --

SCIUTTO: Yes --

BLACKWELL: Israeli military did not take all the advice from the United States. How will this --

SCIUTTO: Yes --

BLACKWELL: Impact relations between the U.S. and Israel moving forward? SCIUTTO: You know, this is a very public putting of daylight you might

call it, between the U.S. and Israel on this operation. I'm going to quote the Marine commandant here who commented on General Glynn's return, after his return to the U.S. He said, as you were referencing there, Victor, "make no mistake, what is, has or will unfold in Gaza is purely an Israeli decision."

He was over, referring to General Glynn. He's back now and he provided his experience to be taken or not taken. My understanding of part of the U.S. message here was, listen, the U.S. has fought operations like this in Fallujah and Mosul. It's difficult. It's long. In those areas, the fighters had months to repair -- to prepare. In Gaza, they've had years to prepare.

And it seems that part of the message was, don't try to make this too big, and it may very -- well be what we're seeing here is Israel, if not ignoring that advice, not taking all of the U.S. advice. That seems to be part of the public message here from the U.S. Marine Commandant.

WALKER: All right, Jim, thank you for --

SCIUTTO: Our Nada Bashir --

WALKER: Go ahead, Jim, you can take --

SCIUTTO: Sorry, Amara --

WALKER: It over to Nada, go ahead.

SCIUTTO: No, understand. Our Nada Bashir is Amman, and this is another area, of course, where U.S. allies in the region, I think we can correctly describe Jordan as one of the closest U.S. allies in the Arab world, have been very public in their criticism of an expanded Israeli military operation. In fact, introducing a resolution at the U.N. yesterday, Nada, I know you've been there for some time, and I'm sure you're hearing from your Jordanian sources there deep upset, I mean, even outraged with the scale of Israeli military operations in Gaza.

[06:40:00]

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Absolutely. And that has been the warning, Jim, from the outset of this war. Fears, concerns, around a possible escalation of this conflict into a ground incursion inside Gaza. We have seen the devastating toll of Israel's airstrikes that has been condemned by the Jordanian leadership as well, as leaders across the region, that death toll mounting by the day, by the hour, topping 7,000 already according to authorities inside Gaza.

And as you mentioned there, that resolution was put forward by Jordan, it was passed by 120 nations yesterday at the U.N. General Assembly. Some key outlined points here that called for an immediate durable, sustained humanitarian truce, but crucially leading to a cessation of hostilities. Eventually, they have also called, of course, for an end to the siege, serious concern around the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe that we are seeing inside the Gaza Strip, that resolution calling for immediate, full and sustained, as well as safe and unhindered humanitarian access.

We have had that vocal concern from U.N. agencies as well as other aid groups on the ground, particularly, of course, following the intense bombardment that we saw last night, and communications being cut by Israel inside Gaza. We heard from aid groups on the ground saying they weren't able to make contact with their teams, they weren't able to connect their teams on the ground with hospitals, and of course, there is concern around this getting much worse.

Take a listen to what the spokesperson for the Health Ministry inside Gaza had to say yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHRAF AL-QIDRA, SPOKESPERSON FOR GAZA MINISTRY OF HEALTH (through translator): Hospitals aren't just for patients or the injured. They have become the place for hundreds of thousands of displaced people who were forced by the Israeli occupation to flee towards hospitals and schools. That led to a difficult health situation that will have dangerous health consequences.

The lack of water is leading to problems with personal hygiene, which affects all patients and injuries in hospitals. Some patients have open wounds and third and fourth degree burns. Infants who are in ER, under surgery and kidney patients, all of those are going to be exposed to heath issues due to the spread of disease among displaced people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASHIR: Jim, that resolution has also called for the immediate and unconditional release for those held captive in Gaza. But as we know, that motion was denounced by both Israel and the U.S., Israel's ambassador to the United Nations saying that this has tied the hands of the Israeli government.

SCIUTTO: Yes. The public comments from the Jordanian Foreign Minister, for instance, Ayman Safadi yesterday, notable, he said that Israeli ground operations in Gaza would provoke what he called a human catastrophe of epic proportions. We'll continue to watch that point of view. Nada Bashir in Amman, thanks very much. Back to you, Victor and Amara in Atlanta.

WALKER: All right, Jim and Nada, thank you very much. We're also following news out of Mexico this morning, at least, 27 people are dead after Hurricane Otis devastated Acapulco. A look at the damage from the Category 5 storm and what residents say they need to recover.

BLACKWELL: All right, let's talk CNN Heroes. All year, we've been sharing the stories of everyday people who are making a world of difference, making the world a better place. But next week, Anderson Cooper will reveal the top ten CNN Heroes of 2023, and we will then honor their extraordinary work live during our annual CNN Heroes and all-star tribute this December. Here are last year's honorees sharing their advice for the big night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the next top ten, enjoy it. Love it, be so proud of yourself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Embrace it. Ride the wave.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is literally like winning the Academy Awards of humanitarian aid work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: However big you think it's going to be when you're there in the moment, it feels ten times that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cameras everywhere, people everywhere.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just having that cohort of wonderful people, the other heroes doing incredible things in the world that I can lean on and call my friends is the best part.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay grounded in your work, stay focused.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You've done so much for others that this is your opportunity to receive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's going to be a fire set inside you that is going to make you even work harder and have a bigger vision.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So my advice for CNN Heroes is that the experience is very nerve-wrecking. It is worth it. Live in the moment because you're going to keep wishing that you can have that night over and over and over again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Such a good night. Go to cnnheroes.com right now to learn more about all of this year's heroes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:45:00]

BLACKWELL: Officials say looting is now happening in some parts of Acapulco, Mexico, after Hurricane Otis slammed into the beach resort town on Wednesday as a record-breaking Category 5 storm.

WALKER: And now, the city is very much damaged as you see there with at least 27 people dead and four others still missing. An estimated 80 percent of its hotels are severely damaged by the storm. CNN's Gustavo Valdes has more now from Acapulco.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We've made it to Acapulco, but just barely because once you get into the city, there's a big traffic jam that is preventing us from advancing, but the story you can see is behind me. All these people, the residents, the people you don't usually associate with a tourist town are trying to go and find whatever they can to get by, because so far, we have not seen any help from the government.

[06:50:00]

We have not seen a centralized location where people might be distributing water or food. And you can see people -- we're hearing reports of looting. We saw it on Thursday, now we're seeing all these people -- and this is the problem, the cars just come from wherever they can. But let's see if we can talk to this guy, this gentleman over here. (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE). What do you have here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

VALDES: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

VALDES: There's no food, there's nothing. (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) What do you have?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

VALDES: Food and water and some toilet paper and some dishes. They are admitting that they went into a store and they got what they needed, because they can't find it anywhere. So, you see everybody is complaining. They're asking, they need help. They need help. So the destruction is one thing and the tourist part, now the residents, they're just begging for help. Gustavo Valdes, CNN, Acapulco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLACKWELL: Gustavo, thank you for that report, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:55:00]

BLACKWELL: Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips filed to run in New Hampshire's Democratic primary on Friday, officially kicking off his long-shot challenge to President Joe Biden.

WALKER: Yes, Phillips' team says he plans to hold over a 100 town halls in early voting Democratic primary states like New Hampshire, South Carolina and Michigan. CNN's Eva McKend has more from Manchester, New Hampshire.

EVA MCKEND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you both. Phillips says he's speaking to the exhausted majority central to his campaign pitch is that, Democrats are ready for a new generation of leadership. He thinks that President Biden is too weak going into a general election, citing polling dada that suggests that Democrats are looking for an alternative. Now, on policy matters, Biden, Phillips, very similar, both fashioning

themselves as pragmatic centrists. Still, Phillips says that after imploring his Democratic colleagues to enter the race to no avail, it's his time. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DEAN PHILLIPS (D-MN): I've been trying to encourage the president to pass the torch. I've been encouraging other Democratic candidates to enter the stage. It's time for change. I love the president. I voted for his policies. I'm a Democrat. I support our policies, and will continue to do so with new twists, with new approaches and new visions.

The issue right now is not who Joe Biden is, what we have done collectively. The issue is very singular. America wants change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKEND: Given Phillips' late entry into this contest, he's already missed the filing deadline for Nevada, but he's putting high hopes on the granite stage. He'll spend the next several days campaigning in New Hampshire. Now, given his personal wealth, I asked him if he plans to self-fund his campaign, he only told me that he gave the campaign some seed money, but will still have to rely on small dollar donors. Victor, Amara.

WALKER: Eva McKend, thank you.

BLACKWELL: This morning, there is a communications blackout in Gaza. The sun is up and we're getting through the fog there.

WALKER: Wow.

BLACKWELL: The first look at the damage left behind by intense Israeli airstrikes overnight. We're going live to the region next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)