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Connect the World
Hamas Official: Won't Free Hostages Until Gaza War Ends, Israel Withdraws and Palestinian Prisoners are Released; U.S. to Redouble Efforts for Ceasefire after Sinwar's Death; Biden Holds High-Level Talks with Allies in Berlin; Harris Skips Traditional Event for Presidential Candidates; Region at Critical Juncture after Deaths of Sinwar, Nasrallah; Questions Remain in Tragic Death of One Direction's Liam Payne. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired October 18, 2024 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, it's 05:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson, welcome to "Connect the World". It's a two
hour show and happening over the next two hours, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now discussing a quote, significant window of
opportunity after announcing that Yahya Sinwar was killed in Gaza.
But many questions remain about the ongoing war, the release of hostages and the future of Hamas. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is in Europe
meeting with his European counterparts on the wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine.
And the stock market in New York will open about 30 minutes from now. It's 09:00 a.m. of course, in New York, let's take a look at the futures
markets, indicating a mixed open back there 30 minutes from now. Well, the task before ours is not yet complete. That from Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu at what could be a turning point in Israel's war against Hamas. The group confirming its Leader Yahya Sinwar is dead, killed,
apparently by Israel in Gaza on Wednesday.
Yahya Sinwar was known as the mastermind of the October 7th attacks, and word of this death sparked celebrations in Israel. It is a big step towards
Mr. Netanyahu's stated goal of wiping out Hamas leadership. But is it enough to actually end the war? CNN Global Affairs Correspondent Matthew
Chance is in Tel Aviv. And the proverbial ball, it does seem, in Benjamin Netanyahu's court, what indications if any, is he giving about what he
intends to do next?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Look, I mean, at the moment, everyone in Israel and many of Israel's allies as well Becky
are talking about how this represents a window of opportunity. Joe Biden U.S. President has said it. His Defense Secretary has said it. Netanyahu
has said it.
Because the death of Yahya Sinwar is seen as a potentially pivotal moment that could sort of lead to Hamas as an organization, deciding to surrender,
and, crucially, to give up the hostages, more than 100 of whom are still, of course, being held inside Gaza. In fact, there's been a direct appeal
from Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, calling on Hamas fighters to surrender hostages. And to sort of put up the white flag and
surrender, essentially.
Now, and in exchange for that, he said he would offer them some kind of leniency. He would allow them to live. And it may well prove to be that
this is such a pivotal moment that results in some kind of deal being done, some kind of capitulation on the part of Hamas that sees the eventual
release of Israeli hostages.
The trouble is, we're not seeing any sign of that from the other side as it were, from Hamas, there's been an acknowledgement in the past few hours
from the main Hamas political officials that are left surviving, acknowledging that Yahya Sinwar has indeed been killed by Israel. That's
something they waited a couple of days before they actually confirmed officially.
But the same statements have said that they are confident that Hamas will ultimately be victorious. No sign that they are willing to compromise
another Hamas statement saying that the hostages from Israel won't be released until such time as Israel's aggression against Gaza has come to an
end.
And so, look, there is potentially a window of opportunity to coin the phrase that many Israelis and Israeli allies have been using to
characterize this moment. A window of opportunity that could see a negotiation appear that would result in the -- in the releases hostages.
But you know, we'll have to wait and see what the coming days, what the coming weeks will bring of any sort of restarted negotiations between these
two sides Becky?
ANDERSON: Yeah, which have been stalled without any progress, nor even any engagement, according to Qatar, who have been mediating these talks, along
with Egypt, of course. These -- there's been no engagement for at least three to four weeks. We heard that earlier on this week.
Hamas Senior Official, Khalil Al Haya, to the point you were making earlier, said a short time ago, very specifically, that Hamas will not
release hostages until quote, aggression on our people in Gaza stops and Israel completely withdraws from the enclave, and the Palestinian prisoners
are released.
[09:05:00]
Speaking to the deal that has been on the table now for some months of course, at least from the Hamas perspective, what -- I wonder what that
statement from that senior Hamas commander means in the context of Netanyahu's speech last night? And also, other Israeli officials, not least
Benny Gantz in opposition, was a defense minister who was quoted last night as saying that Israel's forces could be in Gaza for years to come?
CHANCE: Well, I mean, look, I mean, this is why this moment is not a certainty in terms of it being a pivotal moment for the release of the
hostages. On the one hand, it's certainly true that Yahya Sinwar was a hardline figure, obviously, and was not prepared to make the kind of
compromises that Israel wanted Hamas to make in order for a deal to be done, a ceasefire or cessation of hostilities to be done.
And he is now out of the picture. But we don't really know the kind of leader who's going to take over Hamas, whether that person is going to be
able to enforce discipline, whether that person is also going to be a hardliner as well. That's one issue.
I think the other issue is that it wasn't just the failure of the negotiations so far was not just about it was also about the reluctance of
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, to make the kind of compromises as he would see it, that were acceptable to Hamas.
And there's very little sign that Benjamin Netanyahu, all key supporters in his right-wing coalition, are prepared at this point to stop the fighting,
to sit down at the negotiating table with Hamas and sort of offer the kind of ceasefire terms that may be acceptable to members of that organization,
leaders of that organization, who are still surviving. And so yeah, there are two sort of variables, crucially still at play.
ANDERSON: Yeah, when there have been critics of Benjamin Netanyahu who say, and sources have told me around this region where we are, that the Israeli
Prime Minister has been intent on changing the parameters of any deal as it looks as if it was close to getting signed, and obviously an enormous
amount of frustration on the part of the United States in seeing that sort of behavior from the Israeli Prime Minister.
All right. Well, Matthew, for the time being, thank you very much indeed for joining us. Well, Yahya Sinwar died as he lived defiant of Israel.
Among the names others gave him, he was to some the face of evil. CNN's Nic Robertson looks at Sinwar's lifelong battle and its sudden end.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR (voice-over): Once dubbed by the IDF, a dead man walking, the IDF says these Yahya Sinwar's
final moments recorded by a drone in the Gaza house where he died. According to the IDF, he was discovered during a routine patrol, the
building hit by tank fire. His body spotted in the rubble.
YOAV GALLANT, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: Sinwar died well beaten, persecuted and on the run. He didn't die as a commander, but as someone who only cared
for himself.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): In life, Sinwar had cultivated a tough image, feared and feted at home in Gaza, universally reviled by Israelis, vilified
for his leading role in Hamas' brutal October 7th slaughter of at least 1200 people in Israel. Journalist Ehud Yaari was one of the few Israelis
who met him.
EHUD YAARI, ISRAELI JOURNALIST: When I was talking to him, he always insisted that we speak Hebrew and not Arabic.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Yaari interviewed Sinwar four times while the terror leader was in jail, convicted of playing a role in the killing of
two Israelis and four suspected Palestinian informers.
YAARI: He was ruthless. He used to send people to kill those prisoners whom he suspected of passing information to the intelligence of the prison
service.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): -- in a Gaza refugee camp to parents who fled their home in what is now Israel in 1948 following the Jewish state's creation,
Sinwar's cause was to reverse those land losses. Hamas was the vehicle to do it. He rose through its ranks as an enforcer, becoming Gaza leader in
2017, his message uncompromising.
[09:10:00]
During fighting in 2021, the IDF bombed his house. A week later, at a rare press conference, he goaded the IDF to take a second shot, saying he would
walk home. His luck finally running out now. In Israel, people are celebrating. The Prime Minister warning them it may be premature. The fight
with Hamas not done offering them survival or be chased down like Sinwar.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: I call on everyone who holds her hostages, whoever lays down his weapon and returns her hostages, we
will allow him to go out and live.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Hostage families again calling for Netanyahu to get their loved one's home at any price. Sinwar may be dead, but the politics
of both sides hasn't changed. It's far from clear, Hamas will listen to Netanyahu. And far from clear, Netanyahu will cede to U.S. wishes, make
this the moment to end the Gaza war. Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, with Sinwar dead, the United States says it will redouble its efforts towards achieving a ceasefire. State Department Spokesperson
Matthew Miller insisting that Sinwar's refusal to negotiate had been the reason this war was prolonged. And now the U.S. can step up its push for
the return of the hostages and to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. He said that intimate -- that sentiment echoed by the
U.S. Defense Secretary at NATO earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Israel yesterday, killed Sinwar, the Leader of Hamas, that's a major achievement, and it opens a major
opportunity for progress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Major opportunity may be. CNN's U.S. Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood joins us from Washington. That opportunity will only come about, of
course, if there are parties engaging directly or indirectly in trying to get a ceasefire and hostage deal across the line.
Two questions at this point, how can ceasefire talks continue when Hamas doesn't have a leader and therefore a voice, as it were, even indirectly at
the table? And what sort of pressure can the U.S. realistically bring to bear on an Israeli leader who, to date, many say, hasn't actually been
interested in getting a ceasefire, wants what many have described, certainly in this region, as a forever war?
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, right. So those are two major questions. The first of which, when it comes to how Hamas can
effectively participate in conversations ongoing when they don't actually have a leader of the terrorist organization right now.
It is worth pointing out that they do have top officials who have been involved in these talks, and quite intimately so. Just this morning, we got
confirmation that Sinwar had actually died from Hamas officially. That came from the lead negotiator for the group in Doha. That is someone that U.S.
officials, that Qatari officials are intimately familiar with.
U.S. officials I've talked to this morning aren't saying that that means that he's going to be the one to take over the baton, necessarily. But what
it demonstrates is that even though there isn't someone who has been determined to be the future of the group, there are people that can still
be involved in these conversations going forward.
So, we'll watch and see how that evolves. Ultimately, there's going to have to be a decision maker, and we don't know who that's going to be, as you
well point out. And then when it comes to the pressure that the Biden Administration is able to put on Israel.
Well, right now, the rhetorical pressure from the United States is massive. You heard from President Biden yesterday, you heard from the Secretary of
State in a statement. You heard this morning from the Secretary of Defense, you heard from the National Security Adviser, all of them saying that this
is an opportunity right now, it must be seized to bring this conflict to an end.
Now they're also simultaneously saying, of course, that the hostages must be released and there should be a ceasefire. They're not being explicit
about exactly what the framework for that would look like. The State Department Spokesperson said yesterday, they'll be pushing forth the
framework that they had previously tried to get pushed forth.
But there seems like there might be some room for manoeuvrability in terms of how you get from here to there? How you get from here the conflict
ongoing to the conflict coming to an end as President Biden called for yesterday? There are conversations about the possibility of the
normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia potentially coming back into the conversation.
[09:15:00]
So, this is an area that we'll closely watch, with President Biden saying just yesterday that he's going to be sending the Secretary of State, Antony
Blinken, to Israel in the coming days.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. Well, U.S. President Joe Biden calling to end the war, urging Prime Minister Netanyahu
to quote, make this moment an opportunity to seek a path to peace. Of course, Mr. Biden addressed the killing of Yahya Sinwar earlier today,
while on a high stakes trip to Germany.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The death of Leader Hamas represents a moment of justice. He had the blood of Americans and
Israelis, Palestinians and Germans and so many others on his hands.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, President Biden says shortly after the October 7th attacks, he told U.S. intelligence and special operations to work with their Israeli
counterparts to help locate and track Sinwar and other Hamas Leaders. Joining us now to discuss that is CNN Senior White House Reporter Kevin
Liptak, it's good to have you.
We've just been discussing that the Defense Secretary calling Sinwar's killing, quote, a major achievement in counterterrorism since the October
7th attacks. Of course, Israel has poured resources into a fierce manhunt for Sinwar declaring in the most wanted man in Gaza and a, quote, dead man
walking.
U.S. officials believe the Israeli military got close a few times, but couldn't get him. What do we understand -- the details of how this happened
this time? And was there any U.S. involvement intelligence or others in helping finding him that we know?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yeah. And what we have heard from the National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, is that this was an IDF
mission. He's making very explicit that the U.S. Special Operators that President Biden mentioned weren't actually involved on the ground in the
operation to go after Sinwar.
And in fact, when you hear from Israeli officials, they say it was something of a surprise that they ran across him where they did. American
officials had long believed that Sinwar was far underground, surrounded by hostages as human shields. That isn't necessarily the circumstances that
they found him in this week.
And so, it was something of a surprise, both to the Israelis and to the Americans, that they found him in the manner that they did. Those special
operators that President Biden mentioned in his statement yesterday were sent to Israel mostly to help with the hostage recovery efforts. They
weren't necessarily on the ground searching for Hamas leaders on a day-to- day basis.
What American officials say is that they helped in an operational front, helping the Israelis learn and determine how to operate in the tunnels,
going after Hamas leaders themselves. They weren't necessarily on the ground, doing that on their own.
When President Biden says yesterday that the special operators were helpful in this effort, I think that is what he was talking about. Because when you
talk to senior military officials here in the United States, they do make clear that this was an Israeli operation.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, sir. Thank you. Still to come, Joe Biden is in Europe for talks with allies where Ukraine was set to be at the forefront
instead the Hamas Leader's death expected to take center stage that's next. And we'll look at why Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both targeting
Michigan today on the campaign trail. That is coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:20:00]
ANDERSON: Right. You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson, 20 past 5 here in Abu Dhabi. Right now, the U.S. President is in Germany,
meeting with his counterparts from the U.K., Germany and France. The death of the Hamas Leader on Wednesday, very likely to dominate their talks,
which kicked off about an hour or so ago.
With Joe Biden now in the final weeks of his presidency, the leaders will also be discussing what support for Ukraine could look like in the future.
The four countries are key suppliers of armaments to Kyiv. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Berlin for us. And as we got word that it was likely that
Sinwar was dead yesterday.
We knew that the president was actually enroute to Germany. He boarded Air Force One with his national security advisor, of course, and his secretary
of state. So, we didn't hear from the president for some hours in response to the Sinwar death we have now. You are -- you were just in Iran.
I wonder just how the Middle East is dominating the conversations being had in Berlin, which ostensibly, one assumes were most likely to be about
Ukraine going forward.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, Becky, it's quite in because we did just hear from the spokesman for the National
Security Council, John Kirby, who said that Ukraine is still top of the agenda here on the meetings of the U.S. president, of course, not just with
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, but also with the President of France and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom as well.
However, of course, the killing of Yahya Sinwar definitely very high up on the agenda, and you're absolutely right. President Biden heard about all
this as he was on Air Force One enroute to Berlin here, and we already know that he spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while he
was still in the air, congratulated him on the killing of Sinwar.
But then at the same time, also said that he wanted this to be an inflection point, a turning point in all this, ostensibly on the way to
some sort of cease fire in Gaza. Because, of course, that is something that has weighed very heavily on the Biden Administration, definitely also
weighed very heavily on the government of those three nations here in Europe.
There have been some protests here about the way that that war is being conducted here in Europe as well. Definitely something where all of them
now say they hope that there's going to be a path forward to at least have a better situation there in that part of the Middle East, and possibly even
a ceasefire going on as well.
So definitely, it is something where the Middle East now, I wouldn't say, dominates the agenda, but certainly is very high up on the agenda and has
been elevated on the agenda. In fact, we heard that in a statement by the president earlier today, where he said that the killing of Yahya Sinwar was
a moment of justice, as he put it.
At the same time also, if you look at the readout coming from the U.S. side, and that bilateral meeting between Olaf Scholz, the German
chancellor, and President Biden the Middle East, was definitely on the very high on the agenda as well.
So right now, it seems as though all of these leaders will definitely be talking about all this and seeing how it changes the entire equation here,
as far as the Middle East is concerned, and the prospect for moving things forward to a better situation, of course, also for all the people who are
suffering so much in Gaza, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, Joe Biden received the Order of Merit Award, Germany's version of the U.S. Medal of Freedom, of course, when he arrived. What's
the significance of that, Fred, out of interest?
PLEITGEN: Well, I think for the Germans, it's definitely very significant. And I think one of the things that we definitely have to keep in mind also,
as far as the relations are concerned, between President Biden and the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is that they are very close.
Of course, President Biden throughout his career that spanned so many decades, definitely known as a transatlantic politician, certainly someone
who has supported Germany in the past. But if we look also at the time after February 2022 with the beginning of that full on invasion by Russia
into Ukraine.
[09:25:00]
It was certainly the Germans and the U.S. working very closely, side by side. And a lot of the things that have happened since then would not have
been possible if it weren't for the cooperation between the Biden Administration and the Scholz Administration was quite interesting, because
President Biden, when he received that Order of Merit, said that Germany had risen to the occasion after Russia's full-on invasion of Ukraine.
And if we look at some of the things that happened as that war progressed, you can see that every step that the Germans took when it came to providing
more potent, stronger weapons to the Ukrainians always happened in lockstep with the United States. The U.S. provided those HIMARS Artillery Rocket
Systems.
The Germans provided their version of that, called the MARS system. When it came to providing heavy main battle tanks to the Ukrainians, it was only
after the Biden Administration said that they would provide those M1, A1 Abrams tanks that the Germans then gave the go to provide leopard two main
battle tanks, which of course, opened the door for not just the Germans doing that, but for European countries as well.
There are very close relations between Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz, and I think what you're seeing today is also a reflection of that as well, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah, good to have you, Fred. Thank you very much indeed. A war in Gaza then high on that agenda, also on the agenda as the first EU-GCC
summit was held. This is the first ever summit between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council. It was earlier this week.
I spoke to the President of the European Council Charles Michel following Wednesday's talks, which the Qatari Minister said were dominated by the
crises in Lebanon and Gaza. He told me it is the collective duty of world leaders to ensure humanitarian law is upheld in all conflict zones, whether
that's in the Middle East, Ukraine or anywhere else.
I asked him if the relative neutrality of GCC countries on the issue of Ukraine was a problem during those talks. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLES MICHEL, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL: In fact, I will tell you that we were positively taken by surprise because the Gulf countries, they
made very clear that the U.N. Charter is a backbone for more stability and more security in the world, that international law has to be respected, and
I think that everywhere in the world, included in Europe, in those countries.
We have to be consistent. We have to be coherent. Each civilian life matters, and we have to make sure that we defend with the same motivation
and the same -- yeah, the same conviction the international humanitarian law in Ukraine, in Gaza, in Sudan, in Lebanon, everywhere in the world. And
this is what makes us credible.
ANDERSON: Certainly, the countries of Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been heavily involved in mediating prisoner releases and the like during this
last 2.5 years. And this war, Russia's war with Ukraine. Do you believe members like Saudi Arabia will be willing to use their relationship with
Russia to bring an end to this war in Ukraine? What part do you think the GCC can play in a solution for this conference?
MICHEL: This is a very good -- this is a very good point, and we trust that the GCC, together with other partners across the world, they can exercise
in influence. I think this is very important, not only to support Ukraine on the battlefield. What we do by providing more military support, more
financing, more equipment, but there is another battle.
This the battle within the international community, and we should not allow Russia to develop its narrative without reacting. This what we do and when
we engage with the GCC countries, we count on them because we know that they have their own relationships with Russia.
They have their channel for communication with Russia, and you know that they managed to make some agreements in terms of each change of prisoners
or in terms of children who are deported by the Kremlin, and that's needed to talk with them also to listen to their opinions.
And that's why Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with Ukraine, is also in close contact with those countries. You know that when we started with the so-called
Peace Formula, this peace plan proposed by Ukraine, many meetings took place with an active role played by the national street advisors coming
from those countries.
ANDERSON: Yeah, you talk about this so-called peace plan, the so-called Peace Formula. I mean, just how far away from a solution do you genuinely
believe we are at this point, you met yesterday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, you said Europe will stand with Ukraine as long as it
takes.
What is your assessment at this point of one, is victory plan, and two, the possibility anytime soon of a solution.
MICHEL: Two elements, I feel that, on the one hand, we have to be very operational in country -- we have to strengthen Ukraine, because by
strengthening Ukraine, we strengthen ourselves.
[09:30:00]
All those who believe in democratic principles and in total integrity and sovereignty. And it's very practical, and that's why this victory plan
represented by Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also a call, a call to make sure that we do our homework. We have to provide what is needed to strengthen
Ukraine?
No, not in two, three years. No, they need more capacities, more capabilities today, as soon as possible, point one. And point two, this
what I was saying. There is this diplomatic battle, this fight within the international community to rally more countries on our side, and even
countries which traditionally are maybe closer to Russia, we need to engage with them.
We need to try to convince them, that Russia is making their own choice, and it put everyone at risk. And we have good arguments, with powerful
arguments, and even countries which officially are careful, when we talk privately with the leaders, we can see that they are not comfortable with
the way Russia is behaving, and that's why it's so important to live with the Gulf countries, but not only also with countries in Africa, in ASEAN,
in the Indo-Pacific region, in Latin America.
And the last years, I have dedicated a lot of my energy and my time together with my fellow colleagues in Europe to engage a lot with that part
of the world in the future. I think if we want a multipolar world, we need more multilateralism. And if we need more multilateralism, we need to talk,
including to those who do not share spontaneously, the same opinion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: My conversation with Charles Michel and more of that next hour, he explained how Europe is trying to balance supporting Israel's right to
defend itself and uphold international law. And I also asked him about the Gulf countries growing international influence, more on that is coming up
next hour here on the CNN.
So do stay with us for that. Meantime, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are focusing on the battleground state of Michigan on the campaign trail today.
With polls saying there is still no clear leader in the U.S. presidential race, both candidates trying to lock down support -- key states, these key
swing states with just 18 days until Election Day.
Harris will campaign in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Oakland County. Trump has his own event in Oakland County before appearing at a rally in Detroit.
Well, on Thursday, the former president took a swipe at Harris for skipping the annual AL Smith charity dinner in New York.
Trump claimed not showing up was, quote, disrespectful, saying it's a tradition for both presidential nominees to be there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They called me weird. They called JD weird. We're very solid people. This
guy is calling us weird, but this was weird that the Democrat candidate is not here with us tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Harris sent a video message to the attendees at the dinner, and she spent the evening campaigning in Wisconsin. Let's bring in Steve
Contorno now he's joining us live. How big a deal of it -- how big a deal was it really for Kamala Harris to skip that charity dinner? It is a
traditional event, after all four major presidential candidates, correct?
STEVE CONTORNO, CNN REPORTER: It is. And it has a story tradition behind it, a little Donald Trump has also broken from that tradition. It's
supposed to be an event were full of self-deprecating humor, and that is certainly not the attack that Donald Trump took either with his 2016
performance, nor was it how he appeared last night.
Instead, he lobbed his general sort of insults at his political enemies. But look, Harris has been trying to demonstrate that she is willing to go
toe to toe with Donald Trump. She has challenged him to debate. She has gone on Fox News, sort of entering the lion's den, trying to prove that
she's willing to go anywhere to find new support.
And not showing up at a dinner that would have put her in the same room with Donald Trump, sort of goes against that new track that she is taking
in these final weeks of the election. And I'll point out this as well. This is an event that is put on in honor of the first presidential candidate to
be a Roman Catholic.
And Joe Biden is a Catholic who was leapfrogged and pushed aside in many ways by his own party to make way for Vice President Harris. And you know,
in a race that's going to be determined by margins, there is a solid Catholic population in Pennsylvania, one of these key battleground states.
It's possible that those sorts of factors, skipping the dinner, the pushing aside of Joe Biden, could ultimately sway a handful of voters in a state
that is going to be decided very much on the margins.
[09:35:00]
ANDERSON: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, neither candidate knows what will move the needle for what is this sort of 3, 4 percent of people who, pretty much
are sort of, you know, may not have decided as of yet which way they will vote. You've got a new story out today with some stunning stats.
In just the first half of October, you found that Donald Trump has spent 21 million on TV ads focusing on attacking Harris' stance on transgender
rights, an issue you found is not a top priority for voters. What's the Trump strategy then here?
CONTORNO: That's right, it is not a top priority for voters. Most of them say it's the economy. A lot of Republicans say it's immigration,
independence, and Democrats tend to say it's also democracy. Transgender and transgender policies are very, very low on the list.
But the Trump campaign and their allies believe that they by starting a culture war, they can potentially push the last remaining undecided people
to one side or the other, because on a lot of the issues, when it comes to transgender health care, when it comes to the issue at the center of these
ads, which is whether or not transgender prisoners and transgender migrants should be able to get transition care while they are in U.S. custody.
That is an area where they believe that they have majority of American support on their side. So, they are trying to drive a wedge between Harris
and the last remaining undecided voters. And yes, they are putting heavy investments into that. As you said, $21 million over just the first two
weeks in October.
That is second in the amount of spending on a topic to only taxation. So clearly, they are making this a big part of their closing message heading
into these final weeks.
ANDERSON: Right. Anecdotally, very briefly, is that message landing?
CONTORNO: Well, if you talk to some people in the Republican Party, they have been saying that they think that Trump should be have been pushing
this tactic much longer, and they believe that they do have support on their side, and there is some concern among Democrats that it is
penetrating.
But when you talk -- but you also look at recent races, attempts to make transgender policies and the rights of transgender people into a campaign
issue have fallen flat. So, it will really come down to the messenger and the message here, and I think that there is a lot of reason to believe,
from the Trump side that they -- that they may be able to move a few people on here.
Notably Harris and Democrats have put $0 into ads behind this, neither responding to this or trying to make clear where they stand on transgender
policies.
ANDERSON: Interesting. All right, good to have you, Steve as ever. Next up, the death -- that could change the course of the Middle East as we know it.
Right now, we look at the impacts of the killing of Hamas Leader, Yahya Sinwar that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:40:00]
ANDERSON: Well, I'm Becky Anderson, welcome to Abu Dhabi and "Connect the World". If you are just joining us, you are more than welcome if you've
been with us for the last 40 minutes, thank you. And we have another hour and 20 minutes to go. Returning to our top story, the killing of Hamas
Leader, Yahya Sinwar, and what it means for Gaza and the wider Middle East?
That is still an open question, of course, we are getting this new video in right now from the IDF, who say it shows the moment an Israeli tank fired
on the building where Sinwar was located. His death, adding to questions over the outlook for the conflict in Gaza.
Let me just remind you that this was the head of the Chief for Hamas and been around for years and years. Speaking on Wednesday, Qatar's Prime
Minister told reporters there have been no negotiations about a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages for almost a month.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED BIN ABDULRAHMAN AL THANI, PRIME MINISTER OF QATAR: Unfortunately, we've seen that the issue, the efforts been hindered in the past few weeks,
and basically in the last three to four weeks, there is no conversation or engagement at all, and we are just moving in the same circle with the
silence from all parties.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And you can sense the frustration there from the Qatar Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, the critical question now, where do things
actually stand with both Sinwar and Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah, also eliminated by Israel. There's a whole bunch of things to discuss. Let's
start on the ceasefire and hostage talk, where the Gaza conflict goes from now.
Our next guest says there's going to be no easy answers to any of this writing for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Maha Yahya
says, even though the outcome of the conflict is yet to be determined, Hezbollah will need to contend with the death and destruction visited upon
its members, specifically in Lebanon, more broadly, and will seek to mitigate any challenges to its past hegemony.
Maya is -- Maha is with us now. You're the Director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, and you join us from Paris today. So, I want to talk about
Lebanon. I also want to talk about Gaza. Let's start in Gaza with Sinwar. He took over as the head of Hamas and lead negotiator, as it were.
Albeit indirectly the head of Hamas when it came to these ceasefire talks that was after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, who had been
the head of Hamas politically before that. You listening, and you'll have been hearing what Benjamin Netanyahu has said, what Biden has said about
this being an opportunity now for peace.
Everybody involved in the war in Gaza must have gained out the eventual death of Sinwar. What is likely to happen next, and what do you see as the
prospect of a ceasefire and hostage release at this point?
MAHA YAHYA, DIRECTOR OF THE CARNEGIE MIDDLE EAST CENTER: Good morning or good afternoon, Becky, it's good to be with you. Look, I honestly, I think
that much of it depends on where the Israeli government wants to go with this. As far as Hamas is concerned, it's a horrific loss for them, but
they're already ready to replace him.
We're hearing by his -- with his brother, Mohammed Sinwar, if Sinwar is -- if Mohammed Sinwar is killed, they will replace him with someone else. It's
not the first time, as you mentioned, Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated a month ago. So, it's not the first time that their leadership has been
killed, so to speak.
So, I think what worries me is what we've been hearing out coming out of Israel, which is the constant moving goals, if you like, or goal posts for
the end of the conflict in Gaza, specifically, and for the deal that would return the hostages and bring about the ceasefire.
[09:45:00]
It's very clear that, at least until now, the Israeli government is not ready for a cease fire that would open the door for political discussions.
They're talking about reoccupying the north of Gaza. We're seeing some horrific images, including people being burnt in tents coming out of the
north of Gaza in the last few days.
So, there is a new military campaign in that area. We don't see any signs that the Israeli government is ready for any sort of end of conflict and
moving towards a more permanent, or at least opening up a political dialog in terms of what's next.
ANDERSON: And with that in mind, we have heard from a senior commander of Hamas earlier today saying those hostages that remain in Gaza and over 100
some of whom may already be dead, but there, the Israelis are obviously incredibly keen in getting those bodies returned and getting the return of
those who are still alive.
The Hamas Senior Commander saying today, no return of hostages until there is a ceasefire, until Israel leaves the Enclave, and until the Palestinian
prisoners are returned. To your point, if there is no evidence at this point that there is any inclination by the Israeli government, and very
specifically, the prime minister, to complete on what were the parameters of the deal on the table.
Then it's very unclear what happens next, and certainly what happens in Gaza. What about your perspective, if you will, on Lebanon at this point?
We have seen the assassination of Hezbollah's Leader and most of his sort of senior cabinet, as it were. And Hezbollah continues its efforts in
targeting Israel, as Israel continues its assault on Hezbollah and the wider Lebanon at this point.
YAHYA: Well, I mean, Hezbollah definitely was taking a series of hits, I would say, over the past month, which as you mentioned, included the
assassination of its Secretary General, say Hassan Nasrallah. But it continues to operate. They have a very decentralized system in terms of at
least operational capacity at the local level.
In terms of combat, it's clear that there are different units that are working despite the loss of its the upper level of command and control. But
it's also -- what's also very significant. So, two things. One is that an Iran has stepped in very quickly, and is, you know, more or less has taken
control over support for Hezbollah, even to the level of some of the decision making.
Today, there's a big outcry in Lebanon because the head of the parliament came out and said, we can negotiate with the French for 1701 on behalf of
the Lebanese. And the Lebanese Prime Minister said, no, you have no right to negotiate. We know negotiate on our own.
So, there is a lot of concern around the role Iran is playing in Lebanon, and in terms of directly being involved in the decision-making vis-a-vis
Hezbollah, and what happens in the country? And it did that partly -- to shore up -- but also partly because the leadership was gone.
But at the same time, the level of destruction we're seeing in Lebanon is absolutely horrific. This is no more about targeting Hezbollah. This is a
collective punishment. They're turning and they've already turned very large parts of the south into absolute wasteland. They've normalized the
targeting, taking out large numbers of civilians in order to get at some mid-level operative that no one has really heard of.
ANDERSON: Right.
YAHYA: So, and it's creating a lot of pressure internally, other than the loss of life, of course, and the displacement of 1.2 million people three
weeks.
ANDERSON: Yes.
YAHYA: So --
ANDERSON: It's very unclear. The whole theatre of war, as it were, in the region, is still very, very unclear. Maha is always good to have you, your
perspective so important to us. Thank you. We are back after this quick break. Stay with us.
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[09:50:00]
ANDERSON: Meanwhile we continue focusing on our top story. Let's get you up to speed and some of the other news that is on our radar today. And
Pakistan's government has shot down schools, colleges and universities for two days amid high tensions over reports that a student was raped at a
college in the City of Lahore.
Protests have broken out in four cities, some turning violent. On Thursday, police clashed with student demonstrators who blocked a busy road and
ransacked a college building. Well, King Charles is visiting Australia as the country puts the Republic debate on hold. However, many Republicans are
branding this "The Farewell Oz Tour".
This is the King's first long haul trip since his cancer diagnosis at the beginning of the year. Well, Bangladesh court has issued an arrest warrant
for the country's exiled Former Prime Minister Sheik Hasina. The Court cited Hasina's alleged involvement in mass killings during violent protests
that erupted earlier this year.
The protests escalated into some of the deadliest unrest since the country's independence in 1971 resulting in over 700 deaths. Heartbroken
fans are paying tribute to Former One Direction Member Liam Payne as new details emerge from the investigation into his recent death. That is just
ahead.
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ANDERSON: Well, investigators in Argentina say early suggestions -- suggest or indications suggest, sorry that Liam Payne of One Direction originally
was alone when he fell to death from his hotel room's third floor balcony on Wednesday. They also say he was, quote, experiencing some kind of
episode due to substance abuse.
Well, his death has brought an outpouring of grief. Former One Direction band mate Niall Horan posted, I'm absolutely devastated about the passing
of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn't feel real, he said. CNN's Max Foster has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A tragic end to a life cut short. British Singer Liam Payne died on Wednesday after falling from a
third-floor balcony at a Buenos Aires hotel, according to police. At 31 years old, it spent half of his life as a pop music superstar after being
plucked from obscurity by music mogul Simon Cowell.
Just 16, when he became a founding member of the boy band One Direction, a product of Cowell's reality TV show, "The X Factor". He found near
unrivaled global stardom with One Direction band mates, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson.
[09:55:00]
We are heartbroken by the sad passing of Liam Payne. He was immensely talented, and as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on
the music industry and fans around the world. "The X Factor" said in one of the first tributes shared on Thursday. From his humble beginnings, Payne
ended up epitomizing with dreams of stardom for the social media generation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you go outside and there's people screaming and running down the street after your car and said, I don't want to touch you.
Now, when people are running after your car and stuff, is a bit like that's a bit mental for us to adjust to, as it were.
FOSTER (voice-over): Together One Direction sold more than 17 million records. They toured the world, and they built a legion of devoted fans.
The band's biggest hit, what makes you beautiful, became an anthem of early Gen Z culture. One Direction split up in 2015 and they went on to solo
careers.
In 2017, Payne became a father to Bear Grey Payne with then girlfriend, Cheryl Tweedy, a former judge on "The X Factor" U.K. Less than three year
later, Payne released his first solo album, LP1. Payne also began to open up about the weight of fame and his mental health struggles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are times where that -- level of loneliness and people getting into you every day, getting into every day, like I say, just
every so often you like, when will they send you know, and then that's almost, nearly killed me a couple of times.
FOSTER (voice-over): He spoke publicly about his issues with substance abuse.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was. I need to fix myself.
FOSTER (voice-over): Authorities are now investigating the circumstances of Payne's death. Staff at the Buenos Aires hotel had requested urgent police
assistance shortly before Payne fell. That's according to a 911 call obtained by CNN's Local Affiliate Todo Noticias.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's going on in the location, sir?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a host who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol, and well, even when he's aware, he breaks things up. He is tearing
the whole room apart.
FOSTER (voice-over): Millions of his fans are now in shock as the music world grapples with losing another star, far too young.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, that was Max Foster reporting for you. Well, that is it for this hour, but do stay with us second hour "Connect the World" returns
after this very short break, couple of minutes, back after that.
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