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Deadly Earthquake Hits Eastern Taiwan; Demands for Accountability after Aid Workers Killed in Gaza; White House Claims No Involvement in Damascus Strike; Aid Groups Pause Operations in Gaza; Uganda Court Refuses to Overturn Harsh Anti-Gay Laws; NATO Chief Speaks at Foreign Ministers Conference. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired April 03, 2024 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

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ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to our second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos, live in Abu Dhabi.

Emergency services in Taiwan are racing against time to rescue victims under the rubble after it was hit by an earthquake.

The deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza trigger outrage inside the White House and around the globe as well.

And the U.S. is pushing back against claims it was involved in an Israeli strike. The Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. We will bring you the

latest.

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GIOKOS: Taiwan has been hit by the strongest earthquake there in a quarter of a century. And we are closely following the aftermath. Officials say at

least nine people are dead and more than 900 are injured. The 7.4 magnitude tremor shook the island's east coast earlier today.

It was followed by strong aftershocks and the powerful landslide as well. CNN's Ivan Watson has just arrived in Taipei and will bring us latest.

Now, Ivan, great to have you there.

What are you seeing and what are you hearing?

What's the latest?

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this earthquake, it hit about 14 hours ago, just before 8:00 am local time. And

here in the capital in Taipei it was intense for residents here.

And this is about 160 kilometers away from the epicenter. For example, our camera man, he had glasses falling and he was rushing to protect his

children and thought his TV would fall over.

Now the real damage and the loss of life is in this tourist region, in rugged mountains on the eastern coast, called Hualien. And it's around

there that at least nine people have been killed and at least 934 people injured.

There are several buildings there that have collapsed. The authorities say that the residents there have by and large, been rescued, there have been

big rescues throughout the day because there are tunnel networks for the highway that runs along the rugged east coast.

And there were scores of people who were trapped in different stretches of tunnels who have been successfully rescued.

But the authorities say there're still around 140 people that need rescuing, some working in a mine, others that are hotel workers, others

that are tourists. This is a big tourist destination that people flock to because of the rugged topography there.

And that means that some of the fatalities have actually been people who were hiking and hit by falling rocks or, in one case, one individual killed

driving on the highway by rocks falling down the mountain side and hitting them.

So the epicenter, this town of Hualien, which has a population of about 100,000 people -- I just got off the phone with somebody there. They said

the electricity is working right now, that people are actually walking around and doing their shopping.

It's on the eve of the tomb sweeping holiday. That said, some parts of the town are roped off as the military and rescue workers are on the scene,

working on collapsed buildings. So a big deal for this earthquake prone island.

But as you can see here at night, even after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake, the capital at the very least is back up and running almost as normal.

GIOKOS: Ivan Watson, great to have you there. Thank you so much for that update.

Now what started as a typical morning for many in Taiwan quickly turned terrifying. CNN's Hanako Montgomery looks at how the disaster unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Morning commuters in Taiwan shaken by strong tremors, drivers stopped on highways and bridges. Live broadcasts

interrupted and people ducking for cover as a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the island around 8:00 am Wednesday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): All the things fell off. Everything damaged.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): It was the strongest earthquake to hit the island in 25 years. Taiwan's weather agency says.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It was very strong, it felt as if the house was going to topple.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): It prompted tsunami warnings in Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, which were later lifted. Its epicenter near the tourist

city of hualien on the island's eastern coast.

Social media video shows the moment it triggered a massive landslide with dust clouds swallowing a road.

This multistory building partially collapsing, as scooters and motorbikes watch from a distance.

[10:05:06]

Around 100 buildings have been damaged. Rescuers racing to save people trapped, including dozens in tunnels blocked by debris. Wednesday's quake

is the strongest to hit Taiwan since 1999, when a powerful 7.7 magnitude quake struck, killing more than 2,000 people.

Authorities said Wednesday, the military has been deployed to help with the aftermath. President Tsai has asked her administration to work with local

governments on assistance.

TSAI ING-WEN, TAIWANESE PRESIDENT (through translator): I would like to ask you to continue to pay close attention to the situation in various

places and initiate various contingency measures to protect the safety of the people.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Many now find themselves in darkness, navigating the ruins of their homes and bracing for the relentless aftershocks --

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Providing help at the scene is the Tzu Chi Foundation. Rey-sheng Her is the organization's vice CEO and he's with us now from Hualien,

which, of course, is where the epicenter of the earthquake occurred.

Welcome to the show. Thank you very much for joining us at this time. As we said, this was one of the most hardest hit where you are right. Now

Could you describe to us the aftermath of the earthquake?

REY-SHENG HER, VICE CEO, TZU CHI FOUNDATION: Yes. This is a very, very strong earthquake foreign. Hualien actually is a frequent earthquake zone.

But this time it's quite different because shaking very long and very severe. And everybody know there's above 7 magnitude.

So Tzu Chi Foundation immediately mobilize avant use (ph) and other headquarter (ph) and organizen a coordinate center to gethering information

at the start from 8 am. Today

And our founder, Thomasles also participate. The core donation to listen to different source of the victims and the collapse of the building. So this

is quite a day. This is a lot of things happening right here.

GIOKOS: Indeed, indeed. I'm going to rescue operations still underway. There's still people that are trapped currently, especially near a mining

area.

What are you hearing about the people that still need to be rescued?

Do you have any news on that?

REY-SHING: I -- we heard from the news media, of course. There's some hotel in the modern area, still some tourists still stuck in these mountain

area because the collapse of the road and a railroad also collapse.

So and, of course, the somes (sic) people stuck in the collapse building now being evacuated. But one people, unfortunately, passed away.

GIOKOS: Yes, it's really sad.

I mean, 900 people that are injured right now.

Could you tell us how your organization is helping in the relief operation?

Are you assisting the injured?

Are you offering any kind of other assistance at this juncture?

REY-SHING: Yes. We mobilized more than 300 volunteers locally to support as hot meal (ph) and provide the blanket to all the victims. Is over she's

hungry and low (ph). So are we giving the convertible folding bed for those rescuer as well as the victims and we also deliver the cash for the

survival, especially those family who lost their home.

So it's about $US350 per household. And after all, we will provide something from 1,200 to 1,800 for each of the victims who lost their homes.

So we still taking care of them --

(CROSSTALK)

GIOKOS: Yes, could you tell me --

REY-SHING: -- the hot meal and (INAUDIBLE) -- yes, yes. Yes, certainly.

GIOKOS: I'm just curious, you're saying you're helping people that have been displaced.

How many people are in need of assistance right now?

Because we have how many people died; we've got a grasp on how many people have been injured.

But how many people have been impacted as in having lost their homes right now?

REY-SHING: Our number is about 468 household being affected severely and need to be displaced or need to be shelter for them to stay a few days.

GIOKOS: In terms of emergency coordination and what else you need from an International perspective and assistance, tell me what, what is required at

this point?

REY-SHING: Well, I believe the local government's quite efficiency as a city.

[10:10:00]

It's a quite significant number of volunteers and experiences to provide them the shelter, the hot meal, the everything they need. But for the

evacuation or someone stuck in the building, now we haven't heard that many yet. But maybe in the mountain there is still some people say --

(AUDIO GAP)

REY-SHING: The mountain area --

(CROSSTALK)

GIOKOS: All right --

REY-SHING: -- but we don't have --

(CROSSTALK)

REY-SHING: (INAUDIBLE).

GIOKOS: Yes, sorry. You broke up there for a second, Rey-Shing Her. Great to have you on the show and thank you very much for giving us a bit of

insight in terms of what your organization is doing in Hualien, which, of course, has been one of the hardest hit areas in Taiwan. Great to have you

on the show.

And still to come, we're following international outrage after Israel admits killing seven aid workers in Gaza. What we know about that deadly

incident, that's coming up next.

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GIOKOS: Welcome back.

And we're learning more about the deadly Israeli strike on aid workers in Gaza. World Central Kitchen says, seven of its workers were killed Monday,

despite coordinating their movements with the IDF. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has more on the victims.

The outcry and what we know from the incident, we must warn you, some of the images in his report are graphic and very hard to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There is no mistaking the target of this Israeli strike. The World Central Kitchen's

logo still visible after a missile tore through the roof of this vehicle. Pieces of the aid organization's emblem scattered throughout the charred

hull of a second vehicle.

And then there are the bodies of the aid workers themselves. Patches proudly worn on chests over bulletproof vests that offer no more protection

in Gaza than the emblem of a humanitarian aid organization.

They are among seven aid workers killed in Israeli strikes on their convoy late Monday night. Six of them were foreigners, including a dual American-

Canadian citizen, as well as British, Australian and Polish nationals, triggering international uproar and prompting a rare apology from Israel's

top general.

LT. GEN. HERZI HALEVI, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: I want to be very clear. The strike was not carried out with the intention of

harming WCKA workers. It was a mistake that followed a misidentification at night during a war in a very complex conditions. It shouldn't have

happened.

DIAMOND (voice-over): World Central Kitchen says the Israeli military knew about the convoy and a weapons expert consulted by CNN said images of the

damage indicate a precise drone strike carried out with total visibility of the target.

[10:15:04]

World Central Kitchen said its aid workers got into three vehicles after unloading aid at this warehouse in central Gaza and began traveling down

the coastal al-Rashid Street.

CNN geolocated the convoy's deadly journey using images filmed at the scene: 3.5 miles south, a first vehicle is struck. Two other strikes rain

down in quick succession. One vehicle is hit a half mile further. The third comes to a stop another mile down the road, found only the next day.

HASSAN AL SHURBAJI, EYEWITNESS (through translator): Last night between 11 and 11:30 pm, a missile hit a car. When we approached, we saw the car on

fire. We tried to extinguish the fire.

And upon opening the car, we discovered boxes of canned meat. It was an international aid organization that assists people. Any international or

European organization that comes to aid Gaza will be targeted. They want to send a message of don't come and let the people die.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The Israeli military has struck aid convoys in the past, including this U.N. truck, which was shelled in early February.

World Central Kitchen, founded in 2010 by celebrity chef Jose Andres, has been one of the most prominent aid organizations in Gaza, even working with

the Israeli military last month to build a pier off the Gaza coastline, delivering the first aid shipments to Gaza by sea.

ZOMI FRANCOM, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Hey, this is Zomi and Chef Olivier.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Australian Zomi Frankcom spent years coordinating aid operations for World Central Kitchen, risking and ultimately

sacrificing her life to help those in need. She died alongside her Polish colleague, Damien Sobel.

DAMIEN SOBEL, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Hello, everyone, Damien Sobel from Cairo.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Weeks earlier, he was excitedly readying a convoy to build soup kitchens in Gaza.

SOBEL: They already loaded tables, shelves, water systems.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Today, their bodies were among those headed for the Rafah border crossing. But the body of one of the seven will not leave

Gaza. Saif Issam Abu Taha, a driver and translator, was buried in central Gaza, not far from where he carried out his final mission -- Jeremy

Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: Meantime, CNN is told that this incident has boosted frustration within the White House to a new level.

In a blunt statement on Tuesday, U.S. President Biden said, and I quote, "I am outraged and heartbroken by the deaths of 70 humanitarian workers from

World Central Kitchen, including one American in Gaza yesterday.

"They were providing food to hungry civilians in the middle of a war and they were brave and selfless. Their deaths are a tragedy."

Mr. Biden also acknowledged that this is not an isolated event, saying Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers. The U.N. says almost 200

humanitarian workers have been killed since this war began. Arlette Saenz is following the response from the White House for us.

Ggreat to see you. Strong words from the White House.

But does that mean consequences for Israel?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is the big question at this moment, whether the Israeli airstrike, which targeted or which killed these seven

humanitarian aid workers, whether that will lead to any change in the president's approach when it comes to supporting Israel as they wage their

campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

But President Biden's statement released last night really amounted to some of his harshest criticism yet of Israel's operations in Gaza.

A senior administration official told CNN that the death of those seven World Central Kitchen workers, including one U.S.-Canadian dual citizen,

that that really has raised the frustration of President Biden and his top advisors to new levels.

So that was evident in the statement released by the president last night, where the very first line he had was, quote, "I am outraged," a word that

he has not used very frequently amid this conflict.

The president also, in his statement, called out Israel, saying they've not done enough to protect civilians or humanitarian aid workers in Gaza.

He said, quote, "This conflict has been one of the worst in recent memory in terms of how many aid workers have been killed. This is a major reason

why distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza has been so difficult, because Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver

desperately needed help to civilians.

"Incidents like yesterday's simply should not happen."

The president also spoke by phone with Jose Andres, the chef who founded World Central Kitchen, to extend his condolences for the lives lost,

including that U.S. citizen.

But really, this incident lays bare the further tensions that have erupted between the U.S. and Israel. We have heard the president speaking quite

stark language in recent weeks about the need for Israel to take more care to protect civilians.

[10:20:04]

That includes and planning for that operation that Israel intends to wage in Rafah. That is something the White House has been advising the Israeli

officials that they need to find an alternative option plan for that.

And they've also been pressing Israel to help facilitate more humanitarian aid in to the war-torn enclave. Now the president is also facing domestic

pressures here at home from Arab Muslim and young voters who are frustrated with his handling and unequivocal support for Israel and Netanyahu as they

wage their campaign in Gaza.

But one of the big questions going forward is how the U.S. will respond to the deaths of these seven aid workers, whether it might trigger any type of

different kind of response in this crisis.

We have seen and heard from sources that the U.S. has still -- has recently been planning to provide more weaponry to Israel as they are waging their

campaign to root out Hamas.

But there are big questions about whether this will change any of that calculus going forward as the president is facing domestic pressure here at

home and allies around the world have also expressed outrage about this.

GIOKOS: Arlette Saenz, thank you so much.

As political tensions continue to rise in the U.S. over the desperate situation in Gaza, a Palestinian American doctor walked out on a meeting

with President Joe Biden. Now it happened Tuesday night as the president and other White House officials met with a small group of Muslim community

leaders.

Dr. Thaer Ahmad is an emergency physician from Chicago, who traveled to Gaza earlier this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. THAER AHMAD, EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN: I let him know that I am from a community that's reeling. We are grieving and we -- our heart is broken for

what's been taking place over the last six months.

And that the rhetoric that has been coming out of the Biden administration, that's been coming out of the White House, it's frustrated a lot of people,

especially people who are Palestinian Americans, Muslim Americans, Arab Americans.

We are not satisfied with what has taken place. There have been no concrete steps. But keep in mind, we're very concerned about the people that are

over in the Gaza Strip that are in Palestine right now, who are not just starving but are facing the threat of a looming Rafah invasion.

And so I was able to share that with the president and let him know that, out of respect for my community, out of respect for all of the people who

have suffered and have been killed in the process, I need to walk out of the meeting.

And I want to walk out with decision-makers and let them know what it feels like for somebody to say something and then walk away from them and not

hear them out and not hear their response.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: The U.S. is pushing back against claims it was involved in an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. New satellite

images show the dramatic before and after of that strike on Monday. Israel has not taken responsibility.

Now a top U.S. official is warning Iran against any retaliatory attacks against American forces in the region. The stark comments coming amid an

emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Fred Pleitgen is on top of the story for us with the latest.

Fred, good to see you. That emergency U.N. Security Council council meeting, there's ambassadors relaying concern about a potential escalation

in the wider region. Even the U.S. signaled that they were concerned.

So what is the outcome of this overall meeting?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right. The U.S. has said that it is concerned. And if you look

at some of the things that the Iranians have said since that attack took place, it certainly seems as though there is going to be some sort of

retaliation coming from the Iranians.

I think right now the big question is, will that retaliation be only against Israel or could it be against United States assets in the region as

well?

Certainly it seems that the U.S. is very concerned about about that. You did mention that there was a top U.S. officials who came out and warned and

said, look, all this could escalate the situation if indeed the Iranians retaliate in a very harsh form or retaliate at all.

Of course, we've had the supreme leader come out and said that there would be punishment. We've had the foreign minister of the Iranians come out and

say that they hold the United States accountable for all of this as well.

I want to listen in to that U.N. Security Council council media -- meeting because the deputy Iranian ambassador to the U.N. there said that Iran does

reserve the right to retaliate for those strikes. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHRA ERSHADI, DEPUTY IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: Given the grave repercussions of this reprehensible act, which could escalate tensions in

the region and potentially a spark further conflict involving other nations, we call on the Security Council to vehemently condemn this

unjustified criminal act and terrorist attack.

Iran reserve is legitimate and inherit right under international law and the United Nations charter, to take a decisive response to such

reprehensible acts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: So there you have the Iranians speaking about a decisive response and that's certainly something that we've heard from top-level

Iranian officials over the past 24 hours or so as well. Quite an interesting position there from the U.S.

[10:25:02]

The U.S. does say that they are confident that the Israelis were behind the strike on that embassy compound. The Israelis, of course, have not

acknowledged that yet but also said that they didn't consider it to be an embassy compound.

That is, of course, very much within the greater area of the Iranian embassy that I've been to a couple of years ago. The U.S., however, not

saying that they know what kind of compound this actually was. They did say that they knew that there were some top-level IRGC officials who were

inside that building who were killed.

However, they said that they did not know who it was. And most importantly, Eleni, the U.S. saying that they were not informed beforehand that a strike

would take place or what the target of any strike would be.

I want to listen in to the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT WOOD, U.S. DEPUTY AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: We do not yet have confirmation of the status of the building that was struck in Damascus. Any

confirmed attack on property that was in fact a diplomatic facility would be of concern to the United States.

Diplomatic missions and their property, as well as official diplomatic residences, must be protected, even and especially in times of armed

conflict.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: The U.S. there saying that they do not condone any sort of attacks on diplomatic facilities. Again, as right now, we are waiting to

see if, when and how the Iranians are going to respond to this attack.

GIOKOS: Fred Pleitgen, great as always, thank you so much.

Now in London, police say they have identified three men suspected of stabbing an exiled Iranian television journalist but also say the men

managed to flee the country within hours of the attack.

Pouria zeraati, an anchor at the U.K.-based channel Iran International, was attacked outside his home on Friday. He's recovering from leg injuries.

Shortly after the attack a senior Iranian diplomat posted on social media denying any link and, quote, "this story of the so called journalist."

Protests in eastern Turkiye after authorities reportedly said a newly elected mayor cannot take office. They'd ruled that last minute and that

abdula zaidan of the pro Kurdish party was not eligible to stand.

They replaced him with the runner up, a member of the ruling AK Party or the AK Party suffered big hits in Sunday's local elections.

The city of Istanbul, meantime, is reeling from a deadly fire and looking for answers. This is what's left of a night club after Tuesday's blaze, 29

people who were working on renovations there were killed. Nine people have now been arrested and CNN's Scott McLean tells us how it all unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The camera tremembles as neighbors capture the raging fire across the road. Hours

later, the human cost becomes tragically apparent as firefighters pull bodies out one by one.

All afternoon police, investigators and exhausted firefighters came and went, wondering what went wrong. All told, at least 29 people were killed.

All of them were workers doing renovations on a nightclub housed in the bottom of this 16-story apartment block.

The slick Masquerade nightclub looks out of place on the ordinary- looking residential street.

Sama Soanja (ph) lives now next door and heard screams when the fire first started. "I used to go to the nightclub from time to time," she says. "The

bar had one entrance and an exit. There's only one way in and one way out."

MCLEAN: From here, you can see quite clearly where the fire would have started on these lower floors and then raced up the side of this building.

There have been several people detained already as part of this investigation, including the business manager of the club and the person

responsible for doing the metalwork renovation inside.

Now in addition to the fire crews on scene, there are also three occupational safety experts here doing their own investigation into what

went wrong.

MCLEAN (voice-over): Across the road, the neighbors invite us to see the aftermath from their vantage point. They asked not to be identified.

"It's like a maze inside. There are so many casualties, because they couldn't escape," she says. "The workers were kids trying to earn a bit of

money. I cried a lot, because I saw these young guys entering the club in the morning before I went to the doctor. I am so sorry this happened" --

Scott McLean, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: And still to come, Al-Shifa hospital in ruins. Officials say the complex is permanently out of service after a two-week Israeli siege. We

speak to a surgeon who has worked inside the hospital under harrowing conditions.

Concerns for human rights in Uganda after a court refuses to overturn the country's anti-gay laws. We will bring you an update on that story.

[10:30:00]

After this.

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GIOKOS: Welcome back. This is CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos. Here are your headlines this hour.

Officials say at least nine people were killed and more than 900 others injured after the strongest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years. Crews are

trying to rescue about 137 trapped people. The majority of them are in a mining area.

The killing of seven aid workers by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Monday is sparking international condemnation. U.S. President Joe Biden said,

Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers and civilians.

Israeli Defense Forces have apologized for the attack, saying it was a grave mistake. World Central Kitchen says the aid workers who were killed

were heroes who died in what it calls a targeted attack.

Meantime, the director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza says the complex is permanently out of service. It comes after a 14 day Israeli siege, which

saw widespread destruction.

Now Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah is a British Palestinian surgeon who has worked inside Shifa Hospital. He joins us now, live.

Dr. Ghassan, great to have you with us. Thank you so much for taking the time today. I want to talk firstly, about the World Central Kitchen and the

outrage, the strong denunciation of this -- the strike, specifically from Joe Biden, using words we've rarely heard.

Outrage, for example; how do you feel as a British Palestinian hearing the international condemnation?

You have repeatedly spoken about the horrors that you have witnessed and what you've called international silence that follows.

DR. GHASSAN ABU SITTAH, BRITISH PALESTINIAN SURGEON: For me, first of all, my heart goes out to the families of the aid workers. I remember -- I

remember was what I was (INAUDIBLE) be true and the worry that they went through every day when the hospitals that I worked in were being shelled.

[10:35:06]

And so my condolences go out to these families in this really difficult time. I think the outrage globally is that we are historically at a turning

point. We either accept that there is no rules that --

(AUDIO GAP)

GIOKOS: All right.

(CROSSTALK)

GIOKOS: Dr. Ghassan, we -- you're breaking up quite badly. Your internet is really intermittent. I'm wondering if you can try and just establish a

better connection. We really want to speak to you.

Is there a way we could perhaps fix that line and come back to you as soon as we can?

We'll try it and reestablish that.

I just -- in the meantime, I just want to give the next word on our coverage of the aid workers and the story that has been playing out today.

And specifically the words of Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen.

He wrote an op-ed in "The New York Times," with the headline, "Let People Eat."

In it, Andres references the 43 million meals his organization has served to people in Gaza, far short of what is needed but absolutely crucial. And

he talked about the nearly 2 million meals they've served in Israel, to Israelis displaced by shelling in the north and in hospitals where hostages

were reunited with their families.

Jose Andres says he knows Israel.

And he wrote this, and we quote, "Israel is better than the way this war is being waged. It is better than blocking food and medicine to civilians. It

is better than killing aid workers, who had coordinated their movements with the Israel Defense Forces."

Andres begins his piece by pointing out that, quote, "The seven people killed on a World Central Kitchen mission in Gaza on Monday were the best

of humanity."

And he concludes by saying, "It is not a sign of weakness to feed strangers. And in fact, it is a sign of strength. The people of Israel need

to remember, at this darkest hour,1 what strength truly looks like.

We'll be right back after this short break. Stay with CNN.

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GIOKOS: Welcome back. And I want to return now to Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah who's a British Palestinian surgeon, who's worked inside Al-Shifa Hospital.

And Dr. Ghassan, we were talking about World Central Kitchen and the strong condemnations, particularly out of the U.S.

What is your response to the fact that finally we've been seeing a coordinated response of condemnation from the West?

GHASSAN: I think we are historically at a juncture.

[10:40:00]

We either move forward into a rules-based world, where international rule is applied, regardless of who the perpetrator is and who the victim is, or

we leave this war behind us and we move into a world where the killing of 15,000 children is acceptable; the targeting of aid workers is acceptable;

the targeting of hospitals is acceptable.

And all of the consensus that has developed around the conduct of war since the Second World War ends. As flawed as it was, at least we agreed that

that --

(AUDIO GAP)

GHASSAN: -- the targeting of these aid workers, in this calculated way -- three attacks on three cars of aid workers, that had given all of their

coordinates to the Israeli army -- would then be attacked in that way.

So it's beyond time that this is done. We need to apply international law regardless of who the perpetrator is if we are going to live in a world

where these things do not happen and where aid workers, who put their lives align (sic), feel at least that there is some rules that govern the conduct

of war.

GIOKOS: So, Dr. Ghassan WCK suspending operations there shortly after that announcement, the American Near East Refugee Aid Agency also suspending

operations on Rafah, restricted from working in northern Gaza.

This is at a time where there are again international calls for more aid into Gaza. You've got a team of colleagues on the ground right now through

an NGO called Anera (ph).

What are they telling you right now and how dire is the hunger situation?

GHASSAN: So our organization Anera (ph) provides aid for children affected by war. And at the moment, we're running soup kitchens southern

part of Gaza. And we're desperately trying to reach the north, where there is, according to all U.N. agencies, a famine.

And the suspension of aid into the north by the World Central Kitchen means that that famine, that man-made famine, is going to deepen. It's going to

take the lives of more children. And it's going to alter permanently the health of thousands of other children, whom we do not see.

We know that that's from famine only representative of the iceberg. And the children, whose health is permanently altered as a result of that

malnutrition, go on to lead lives where, as adults, they're more likely to develop chronic illnesses. They're less likely to achieve cognitive

milestones as they're growing.

And so the attack on these aid workers is going to further deepen this famine and further damage the health and lives of these children. You know,

our --

(CROSSTALK)

GIOKOS: Al-Shifa --

GHASSAN: -- go ahead, sorry.

GIOKOS: Yes, sorry. For the sake of time, I also want to talk about Al- Shifa. You worked at Al-Shifa. I mean, looking at the images of the aftermath of the IDF siege is really devastating to see the destruction of

the building but also the harrowing stories.

You, sadly, lost a colleague and a friend and you paid tribute to him on social media, Dr. Ahmad Maqadmeh.

When was the last time you spoke to him?

And what was he relaying to you during the siege?

GHASSAN: So Dr. Maqadmeh was one of the most dedicated surgeons, a young surgeon who decided to stay in the north to provide badly needed care to

over 600,000 people who were still there.

And he would shuttle between the different hospitals that were still functioning in the north (ph) and were sending us consultations, images of

the surgeries that he needed to do, to get second opinions.

Leading -- once the attack on Shifa by the Israeli army became underway, he contacted us (ph) and his family to say that he's going to leave Shifa

Hospital. And his family was on the line to him as he was escaping with his mother and cousin away from Shifa.

And then the phone was cut. And devastatingly today -- and video images emerged of the last message that he was sending his family as he was

walking away from Shifa Hospital.

When the Israelis withdrew, his family went to the area where the connection was lost and found his body and that of his mother and cousin.

[10:45:03]

And they had been shot by sniper gunshots.

GIOKOS: Absolutely devastating to hear the story. I want to move on to, most recently, you've been elected as rector of Glasgow University, an

overwhelming victory of 80 percent of the votes.

What are your priorities as you take on this role?

Firstly, it's interesting in terms of the overwhelming votes that you received. But secondly, what you ran on as well, Palestinian solidarity. We

also know that Glasgow University does have investments in companies that do trade in military equipment and arms.

How are you going to deal with that?

GHASSAN: So there are two issues here at hand. One more (ph), an institute of higher education, institute of learning should not be an owner of a

business that manufactures weapons -- and full stop.

Two, in terms of risk, if the International Court of Justice ruling, that this is a genocidal war, then Glasgow University, like all owners of shares

in weapons manufacturers, is liable to become complicit in future litigation in genocide.

And so it's critical to de-risk the university and get it to move away from relying on shares in weapons manufacturing.

The other issue at hand is the profits, the blood money that the university made out of these shares during this war. These need to be set aside for a

victims' fund to help rebuild the Palestinian health sector, help rebuild the Palestinian academic sector.

You know, the -- Dr. Tedros, the head of the WHO, when he was last at Glasgow University, paid tribute to Dima Alhaj, a Glasgow University

alumni, who was a WHO employee and was killed with her family in Gaza.

So that we honor her memory in Glasgow University by setting up a fund for the victims of this war.

GIOKOS: Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah, good to have you on. Thank you very much for sharing your insights with us. Was good to speak to you, much

appreciated. Thank you, sir.

Now a court in Uganda has blocked an attempt to overturn what have been described as some of the harshest anti-gay laws in the world. Last year,

the government passed laws to outlaw gay marriage and brought in a sentence of up to life imprisonment for same-sex acts.

Human rights activists had asked Uganda's constitutional court to throw out the laws but the five judges have refused to do so. The petitioners are

vowing to appeal the supreme court. I want to bring in David McKenzie, who's been following the story for us.

David, good to see you.

Firstly, was this a surprise move and what else -- what other options do they have in terms of trying to overturn this law?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Eleni, they can go to the Supreme Court of Uganda but, given that court today, the

constitutional court, largely upheld this draconian anti LGBTQ law that was signed last year by president Museveni, they may have an uphill battle.

The leading activist for the LGBTQ community arguably just said a short time ago that this ruling was wrong and deplorable.

One of the leading attorneys who argued the case in the constitutional court said that he believed that the court worked on issues of public

discourse and public opinion rather than on issues of human rights and the constitution.

So, yes, I expect them to appeal this decision. But sometimes you can get caught up in the legalese. The impact of this law even before it was

signed, has been devastating on the LGBTQ community in Uganda and, in fact, in the region.

People have been evicted from their homes, thrown out of their place of work; in some cases, aren't able to access health care. We spoke to

Ugandans who fled the country into neighboring Kenya to try and get asylum as part of an extensive investigation late last year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADRIAN, ASYLUM SEEKER: He felt like if he can cut me into pieces, it would be better.

MCKENZIE (voice-over): Adrian's own father tried to kill him, he says, for being gay.

ADRIAN: These knives, he stabbed me. In Uganda, when they kill someone in a LGBT community, it's not a big deal.

SYLVIA, ASYLUM SEEKER: My mom came herself and she told me, you know what, you are not welcome here. You are not part of our family.

[10:50:00]

MCKENZIE: Many of those Ugandans we spoke to then are still trying to get asylum and Kenya is in fact potentially going to have its own law that will

go to parliament along similar lines.

We investigated the linkages or alleged linkages to U.S. right-wing groups. Certainly this is something that is impacting many, many Africans across

the continent.

And this latest decision by the constitutional court will be another decision, a legal one, that will solidify this law, that many say is making

the lives of ordinary Ugandans miserable and untenable in some cases.

GIOKOS: Yes, absolutely. David, great to have you on this. Thank you so much. David McKenzie in Johannesburg.

And still to come, not sure the best spot to catch Monday's solar eclipse?

We will have the latest forecast as tens of millions of North Americans get caught up in eclipse mania.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

GIOKOS: Welcome back. I'd like to take you now to Brussels, where NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is currently speaking. Let's listen in.

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: Russians, who are now able to outgun them with more weapons and more ammunition than Ukrainians have. So

we have a responsibility as NATO allies to take the decisions and to ensure that Ukrainians get ammunition.

They must have it to be able to continue to push back the Russian invaders. So it is urgent that the United States make a decision. And the U.S.

Congress actually is able to turn the majority in the U.S. public but also in the U.S. Congress into a concrete decision.

Because every time I meet representatives from the U.S. Congress -- I met many of them over the last weeks -- they assured me that it is a majority

in the U.S. and also the U.S. Congress for support. But so far they haven't been able to turn that majority into a decision.

And that's exactly what we all now are waiting for. And it is urgent.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

Thomas, from TASS.

QUESTION: Thanks a lot. Thomas Pushkin (INAUDIBLE).

Secretary general on the ammunition question, we've heard from the Czech foreign minister today that they still lack funding for their initiative to

provide Ukraine on a short-term basis with 155 artillery ammunition.

Have there been any signals today in the room that allies are willing to step up their short-term commitments or have there been concrete

commitments toward that?

And the second question, President Zelenskyy last week has warned that if they don't get U.S. support, they might have to retreat.

How big do you assess the risk of a Russian breakthrough in the next month?

Thank you.

STOLTENBERG: Support from NATO allies and support from the United States to Ukraine is something which benefits our own security interests. It is

therefore in the security interests of the United States to make a decision and provide Ukraine with ammunition.

Because by allocating a fraction of their defense budgets we have enabled the Ukrainians to destroy significant parts of the Russian combat

capability without putting any NATO soldier or any U.S. soldiers in harm's way.

[10:55:06]

So this is really something that is in our interest to continue to do. Not only continue to do but to do more, to step up and to ensure that we do it

in a predictable, robust way for long haul.

That's exactly also why we are now discussing how can we establish a more robust and institutional NATO framework around this support to make it more

predictable, more long term and also to ensure fair burden sharing.

But why we are of course, discussing this as NATO -- and I expect the decision by the summit, I welcome the fact that we are now agree to start

planning-- of course, we need also immediate support.

And therefore, I urge allies to continue and to step up, to make national contributions. And recently, we have had the German announcement of 500 --

(CROSSTALK)

GIOKOS: Right, Jens --

STOLTENBERG: -- meters --

GIOKOS: -- right, so NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg there, speaking in Brussels, urging for allies to step up and make more contributions and also

talking about a more predictable and robust way to support Ukraine.

Well, thank you so much for joining us for CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Eleni Giokos. Stay with CNN. NEWSROOM is up next.

[11:00:00]

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