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Israel's Next Move Unclear Following Death of Yahya Sinwar; Israel Calls Up Additional Reserve Brigade to Northern Israel; Both Harris and Trump to Campaign in Michigan Today; U.S. to Redouble Ceasefire Efforts After Sinwar's Death; E.U. Council President on Israel and Lebanon Conflicts; Questions Remain in Death of One Direction's Liam Payne. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired October 18, 2024 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:02:00]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, this is the view in Beirut. Israel issuing more evacuation orders today in Lebanon. That comes one day

after Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed, a major win for the Israeli prime minister.

It's 5:00 p.m. in Beirut, 6:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome back to the show.

Well, what is next for Hamas and Israel after the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in Gaza? The IDF video shows the building where Sinwar was

targeted. Israel says its forces killed him during an operation targeting a house in Gaza. Hamas now confirms that their chief is dead. But a top

negotiator for the group says hostages won't be returned until the war ends, Israel withdraws and the Palestinian prisoners are released. Israel

also warns that the war is not over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: (through translator): Today evil has suffered a heavy blow but the task before us is not yet complete.

Hamas will no longer rule Gaza. This is the beginning of the day after Hamas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: A lot to get to. Matthew Chance will be joining us again this hour from Tel Aviv. That is in just a moment. First, Salma Abdelaziz

following developments for us today from London.

I think we should start inside Gaza this hour. What's been the reaction there to the official confirmation by Hamas that Yahya Sinwar, the

political and military head of that group, has been killed.

SELMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let me begin with a little bit of context, Becky. It's important to remember that Hamas is not an elected

government. There have been no elections in Gaza since 2006. That means Palestinians simply do not get a say in who rules them, including of course

Yahya Sinwar, a very controversial figure, one who really struck fear in the hearts of many Gazans because of his reputation of taking out any

potential enemies.

Of course he has supporters, but at a time like this, even critics of Yahya Sinwar are focused on the one major enemy as Gazan see it, and that is

Israel. We are now more than a year into this conflict. At least 42,000 people killed, nearly every single person displaced by this near constant

bombardment, and a ground incursion that continues, famine spreading, illness spreading, disease spreading throughout the Gaza Strip. So

absolutely for Gazans their focus ease the conflict with the Israeli military and for them the priority is not what are the political happenings

within Hamas, or who Israel kills, but quite simply just surviving, Becky, day by day.

That is absolutely the priority. That is absolutely the focus in their minds and it is unlikely that this will change matters on the ground.

[10:05:05]

Yahya Sinwar could easily be replaced and he could be replaced by an even more hardline figures. So for everyday Gazans, Becky, this only continues

that cycle of violence that claims more lives.

ANDERSON: Yes. And no indication yet as to what the Israeli prime minister intends to do next with this assault on Gaza. Of course, there are more

than 100 hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas and others as we understand it. No progress, no engagement on talks about a ceasefire and a hostage

deal for some four weeks now, according to the Qataris, who've been heavily involved in mediating this.

Some sense certainly from Netanyahu that this is now the day after Hamas. One of his goals, of course, was to destroy that organization. The other

was to get these hostages released. What prospect at this point?

ABDELAZIZ: Well, let's begin with the statements we're hearing from D.C., from the White House, and those are extremely hopeful, indicating that this

could be a breakthrough, that the death of Yahya Sinwar might be the removal of that major obstacle to peace talks. You indicated, of course,

Prime Minister Netanyahu's statement about the day after Hamas, but then he follows that, Becky, by saying the task is still ahead of us, summarizing

that there.

It is difficult to see how this could move peace negotiations forward. You can see of course that the White House is using this moment, this

opportunity, to apply pressure. But you have to remember yes, Yahya Sinwar was seen as a hardline figure, a figure that was insistent on certain

objectives. But you've just outlined the statement from Hamas leader just a short time ago continuing on those objectives, that Yahya Sinwar was

demanding, which is an end to all hostilities, withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of Gazans to their homes.

That still remains the stated aim of Hamas. And again, you might have Yahya Sinwar replaced with a more hardline figure. There are questions about the

whereabouts of his brother, Muhammad Sinwar, could also be a potential successor. And then of course you have to look at this on Prime Minister

Netanyahu's side, who's also been seen as an obstacle to peace talks. So how any of this, this deadlock resolves itself with a lame-duck president

essentially in the form of President Biden. it's difficult to see that being unlocked by the death of Yahya Sinwar.

ANDERSON: Yes. All right. Well, it's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.

I want to move on to Gideon Levy now, who joins us. He's a columnist with "Haaretz" newspaper and served as adviser to the former Israeli prime

minister Shimon Perez.

It's good to have you, sir. I'm just been discussing with Salma what happens, you know, what's been the response in Gaza to the news, what, some

24 hours ago that Sinwar indeed had been killed by the IDF and indeed what happens next.

What's your assessment, sir?

GIDEON LEVY, COLUMNIST, HAARETZ NEWSPAPER: Well, first of all, I'm under the impression if I can be emotional for a moment. I just spoke now with a

friend in Gaza that I didn't speak the whole year, and I was sure he was dead, and he's alive, and he told me that there was quite a sense of

happiness last night. He's in one of those rescue places in Mawasi. Those tent facilities, and he says there was quite a sense of happiness last

night hearing that Sinwar was assassinated, which doesn't mean that all the Palestinians show the same, but there are people in Gaza where were happy

last night. In Israel, it's different. If you ask me what Israel (INAUDIBLE).

ANDERSON: Yes. And that sentiment we have heard reflected from those that are Gazan and freelancers and staff have been able to collect. On the one

hand, a lot of relief perhaps is the -- is the term that many have used, but also a sense of what happens to us next, others are very much morning

Sinwar's death. You then went on to say that is very different, of course, from the sentiment in Israel. Can you just explain -- describe what that

sentiment is?

LEVY: So while the Palestinians, for them, I mean, those who suffered this year and both of us cannot imagine ourselves their suffer. In Israel it's a

different picture obviously. And many Israelis saw it as a great achievement and there was even a sense of joy last night in Israel.

[10:10:03]

I can understand the sentiment, it's very human. I mean, Sinwar, for most of the Israelis, to all the Israelis was the face of evil and now he was

killed. The main newspaper of Israel gave this morning the headline, "The Death of the Satan," no less than this. Other compared him to Adolf Hitler.

This is all understandable and legitimate. The only question is, after this joy, what comes next? I mean, are we in a better place today? And I'm not

so sure.

ANDERSON: Well, that better place would be a route through, a fork in the road, an opportunity as Joe Biden has said for the prospect or the path

towards peace and we've heard from the prime minister himself, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said that the war is not over. He has talked about an

opportunity going forward, but he also -- and has also said that we are in the day after Hamas at this point.

What do you make of what you've heard from the prime minister at this point? How do you read his intentions about what happens next?

LEVY: I can only guess, but my assessment is that Benjamin Netanyahu, we have to realize it, never believed in any kind of settlements with the

Palestinians, never. He always believed and still believes, and now after the last so-called military achievements or successes, he believes in it

even more. Only in (INAUDIBLE) on our military force, that's the only guarantee, and that's the only solution.

That's the very dangerous ideology obviously. But it is an ideology that we have to realize that leads him because people tend to think that he does

everything only for his personal survival. I'm not sure. I think that he really believes there is no room for any kind of settlement with the

Palestinians which means that Israel will live from war to war because they will never give up, and the resistance will never stop because that's the

nature of people. If they're oppressed, they are resisting.

And this means that we are doomed to live like this for decades. I hope that this ideology will be proven as wrong and we will replace it with a

new ideology. But right now, I don't see anyone in Israel who calls for a different ideology.

ANDERSON: Gideon Levy's perspective, as we continue to question what happens next.

Let me just bring in Matthew Chance, my colleague.

Israel today, Matthew, as I understand it, calling up additional reserve brigades to northern Israel, pressing on with its war on a number of

fronts. Of course, it talks about being at war on seven fronts at the moment. We're talking very specifically about the front in -- and with

Lebanon. What do we understand to be the detail? And what is the intention there at this point? Is the end game any clearer?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, clearly the intention is to show that at this stage Israel is not letting up any

pressure on Lebanon or indeed on Iran. There have been meetings, very high- level meetings over the course of the day with the Israeli prime minister and his top security officials, including the defense minister of Israel,

to talk about the extent to which the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, in Gaza on Wednesday may have an impact on the timing of any

further military operations in Lebanon and in Iran.

But they haven't released any details about any concrete measures or any steps they're going to be taking, but they have said in a joint statement

that a window of opportunity has been opened with the killing of Sinwar. Again, sort of reiterating this idea that because of the death of this key

figure in the Palestinian militant group Hamas, it may be a time for renewed negotiations. And indeed, my sources inside the Israeli government

tell me they're trying to create pressure quickly with surviving Hamas officials on the ground who may be holding hostages to get them to set

those hostages free in exchange for some kind of clemency.

Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has made a specific offer to members of Hamas saying that he will let them live if they waved the white flag and

they surrender the hostages they may be holding at this stage. Again the problem or part of the problem is that so far Hamas are not giving any

indication that they're willing to sort of play along. There's been a statement from a senior political figure at Hamas acknowledging the death

of Yahya Sinwar at the hands of Israeli troops. They waited a couple of days before they did that.

[10:15:09]

There's been a further statement, also very defiant, basically saying that Israeli hostages will not be released until such times as Israel's

aggression in their words against the people of Gaza has come to an end. So, yes, it's a hopeful moment. It's potentially a window of opportunity

and a pivotal moment but it's not a certainty that anything concrete will come out of this except for more fighting.

And so that's the grim reality I think of the situation now as we monitor what will happen over the coming days and weeks.

ANDERSON: And Gideon, let me bring you back in here. I wonder what you made of that offer by Benjamin Netanyahu to those holding the hostages, give

them up and there will be some clemency. We will, you know, let you go, let you live elsewhere. I wonder what you thought of that.

And we started this discussion by you telling me that you've just been in touch with one of your friends in Mawasi in Gaza who has been displaced and

you said there was, you know, he or she had described the atmosphere or the moment after Sinwar's death as one of relief celebration, a sense of, you

know, what, that they can move on at this point? Can you just give us a little bit more detail on what your friend related?

LEVY: Sure. Look, this friend is not very young and not very healthy. And he left with all his family one week after 7th of October his house in

northern Gaza. And ever since then he's there in a tent without anything. He had some savings so he could still survive somehow with his children.

One of his daughters is stuck in Jabalya, which is now under certain siege. In any case, life is not life for him. He's totally broken.

And for them, for this kind of people the government of Hamas was a catastrophe because they didn't bring them any kind of prosperity or even

security. To understand their emotions, I mean, it's emotions of people who are totally desperate and will stick now to anything. I mean, the death of

Sinwar immediately they are in (INAUDIBLE) because maybe after this there will be peace. But referring to your first question, this offer of

Netanyahu is (INAUDIBLE) offer and Netanyahu knows it very well.

You cannot just step out from your hiding place with two hostages and handed them for the Israelis. It doesn't work like this because the

Israelis are shooting anything which moves. This is all on the only way to release the hostages. We will keep on saying it's only by an agreement, a

very generous agreement, the most generous agreement in the world is not enough to release those people to put an end to the suffering of my friend

and two million other Palestinians.

It's not only about the hostages, it's also about the fate of those people. We have to end it. And there's no reason to continue it. Israel can declare

victory. There will be no more victory than this, and there will be many, many -- there will be many, many problems after the declared victory

because nothing was solved. But at least let's stop this stupid, terrible, senseless killings. And let those people breathe.

ANDERSON: The perspective of Gideon Levy. It's always good to have you on the show, sir. And thank you for sharing the thoughts and story of your

friend who you have, as you say, just been able to get hold of after so long. Thank you.

And Matthew, thank you.

Ahead on CNN, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both back in the midwestern state of Michigan. Why they are targeting voters there is up

next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:21:24]

ANDERSON: Well, polls say that Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are still deadlocked in the U.S. presidential race with just 18 days left before

election day. With no clear leader, both candidates then as you would imagine campaigning in the battleground state and very specifically today

in the battleground state of Michigan. That of course is in an effort to move the needle.

In 2016, Trump narrowly beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan by a fraction of 1 percent of the vote. In 2020, Joe Biden won the state also by

a very slim margin. Arab-Americans make up 4 percent of Michigan's population, the highest share for any state in the country. And prominent

Arab-American groups have decided not to officially endorse either candidate this year citing concerns over their policies towards Israel and

Gaza.

CNN's Edward-Isaac Dovere joining us now from Washington.

Things couldn't be tighter. This state couldn't be more important. At this stage with 18 days to go, how are the candidates trying to move the needle

with undecided voters?

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You said a fraction of percentage in your lead in there. In 2016, Donald Trump won Michigan by

10,704 votes. It was incredibly tight. There is a feeling among both campaigns that Michigan could be that tight again this year. In 2020, it

was a little bit bigger margin for Biden. And so this is a rapid push and full push around the state, going after every constituency, looking for

each voter that they can find who hasn't made up his or her mind yet, or is wavering back and forth.

People who maybe aren't plugged into the political process in any way like most of the people who have made up their minds. It's about a balancing act

of finding black voters and suburban voters and Arab-American voters in Michigan. And there's a large Jewish population there. There's a union

workers, obviously a big part of the population in Michigan. And so both Trump and Harris today are doing multiple events in the state, all over the

state. And they will be back there. We know that Kamala Harris is going to be there during a joint event with Barack Obama next week. So this is a lot

that is happening and will continue to happen. It's right now because the early voting is getting underway in Michigan. But it will continue to be

with both candidates there it seems many times between now and election day.

ANDERSON: Yes, it's so important to point out that early voting is starting. We see these massive efforts around these early voting periods of

course by both campaigns in their advertising spend and presence as well.

It's good to have you, Isaac. Thank you very much indeed.

DOVERE: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Speaking to "FOX and Friends" Friday, former U.S. president Donald Trump said his 2024 presidential campaign is his best so far, Have a

listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So look, I've had three campaigns and I wonder first one. I did much better in the second one, getting

millions more votes. And this one, I can say there's more enthusiasm and we had a lot of enthusiasm for both. You know, I won. They did -- we got 10

million to 12 million votes more the second time, which has never happened before. I think this is the best campaign so far.

[10:25:02]

STEVE DOOCY, FOX NEWS HOST: A for effort?

TRUMP: Oh, for effort.

DOOCY: What about for --

TRUMP: Nobody works like me.

DOOCY: What about for the (INAUDIBLE)?

TRUMP: I think I have to go higher than that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Next up, the U.S. says it will redouble its efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal after the killing of the Hamas leader, Yahya

Sinwar. We look at what that means in practical terms, and we get reaction from the E.U., the president of the European Council talks to me about what

Sinwar's death means beyond the Middle East. That is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. Just before half past 6:00 in Abu Dhabi. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD and wherever you are watching, you are more than

welcome.

Our main story this hour. The aftermath of the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. You are looking at new images released by the IDF who say

that it shows the moment an Israeli tank fired on the building where Sinwar was located. The U.S. has been giving its reaction to the killing, saying

it will redouble its efforts for a ceasefire and a hostage deal now that the Hamas leader is gone.

(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: Well, let's bring in Alex Marquardt from Washington.

A major opportunity is what we are hearing from the U.S. Firstly, what's been the latest reaction from Washington, Alex? What are you hearing from

your sources?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, I would say that Secretary Austin's bosses, the vice president and the president,

Joe Biden, who is in Berlin right now are going even farther. They're saying that this is the moment to seize on to end this war. President Biden

saying that in so many words. The message that we are hearing from the Biden ministration is that Sinwar is what they're calling an insurmountable

obstacle. He was a major impediment to ending the war in Gaza, getting to a peace, getting to a ceasefire deal. And that impediment, that obstacle has

now been removed.

So it is clear, Becky, that from the highest positions of the Biden administration, they see that this as a moment to be able to move into

another phase to get to a ceasefire deal. But of course it remains very much to be seen whether the other parties, the main parties, who are

driving this conflict, feel the same way. We heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday.

[10:30:01]

He certainly was not committing to a ceasefire or committing to an end to the war. You can imagine that there are members of his far-right cabinet

who don't want to see this war come to an end, and believe that there is still more work to be done when it comes to dismantling Hamas. And then

when it comes to Hamas, there are also major questions here in Washington in the intelligence community, in the national security sphere about who

was going to take over for Yahya Sinwar.

Of course, there are a number of names out there but who they eventually end up deciding on really will dictate where the direction of Hamas,

whether they will be willing to come to the table to negotiate some kind of ceasefire. There is obviously a major priority here in the U.S. to get

those Israeli hostages out, to get more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and to get to an end to the war.

But I think right now, Becky, there are still so much dust that still needs to settle before the administration can figure out what the best path

forward is, but it is clear that they're going to push on a number of different fronts -- Becky.

ANDERSON: We did hear from the Qatar prime minister. Qatar have been deeply involved as you and I have been discussing for months and months, deeply

involved in the mediation. He was in Brussels earlier this week and spoke before the news that Sinwar been killed. At the time he said there had been

no engagement by any of the parties for three to four weeks.

As you rightly suggests, it may be that the dust will have to settle, that Hamas will need to announce who it is, who will be that interlocutor at the

end of the day if these ceasefire and hostage talks are to take off again. There is a deal, as we know, on the table, a deal that the Israeli team had

seemed satisfied with. It was, you know, as far as our sourcing is concerned, Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, who had struggled with these sort

of finer details of that deal. So as you say, it remains to be seen where that goes at this point.

The Biden administration has created itself a little leverage over Benjamin Netanyahu at this point by talking about withholding military aid should

the humanitarian situation in Gaza not improve at this point. How willing do you expect them to be in keeping to that threat as it were? And how much

pressure do you believe they are putting on Netanyahu with regard that humanitarian situation in Gaza which is absolutely dreadful?

MARQUARDT: I think two things can be true. There can be an extraordinary amount of U.S. pressure and the U.S. may not be willing to go through with

a threat to withhold weapons. I think the fact that we saw this letter from the secretary of state and secretary of defense sent to two top ministers

in Israel basically giving them 30 days to dramatically improve the situation in northern Gaza or face the consequences, they didn't say

explicitly we're going to hold back weapons, but it was implied because they kept mentioning the U.S. law under which if Israel does not comply,

then weapons sales have to end.

It would of course, Becky, be earth-shattering if the U.S. did end up holding back weapons from Israel. And -- but that certainly was the

implication. So it was a major moment. And all this happened before the death of Yahya Sinwar in southern Gaza. But it's true that the situation in

northern Gaza is just apocalyptic. I mean, the total lack of food and aid getting in there. The U.N. said that for weeks that no food had gotten into

the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Right after that letter was published or leaked, we did start to see some improvement. COGAT, which runs the humanitarian effort for Israel, proudly

trumpeting the number of trucks that was going in. So it appears that, you know, there's a little bit of loosening of those restrictions, but there's

certainly a very, very long way to go.

In terms of the ceasefire that you mentioned, certainly there's a deal on the table, but there was a strong sense that neither Prime Minister

Netanyahu nor Yahya Sinwar had the political will to get this across the finish line. U.S. officials accused Sinwar of demanding more prisoners in

exchange for those Israeli hostages. The Hamas side accused Netanyahu of moving the goalposts saying that they will never pull out of that border,

the Philadelphi Corridor between Egypt and Gaza.

And so those talks, as you say, have been very much at a standstill. But does the death of Sinwar shake some things loose? Is there someone on the

Hamas side who may be more willing than Sinwar to agree to a deal? Will the pressure that's being brought to bear by the U.S. and other countries --

remember President Biden is meeting with other countries right now in Berlin. Will that pressure on Netanyahu get him to ease his demands about a

ceasefire, an end to the war scenario?

[10:35:05]

The next few days are going to be very, very interesting indeed, Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. It's so good to have you, Alex. Thank you very much indeed. And just to your point, that WHO saying today that no medical

aid is getting into the strip at this point. Things are absolutely catastrophic there.

Thank you.

Well, we've been getting reaction from the European Union to the death of Yahya Sinwar. I spoke earlier with the president of the European Council,

Charles Michel, following Wednesday's first ever summit between the E.U. and the Gulf Cooperation Council, the GCC. The UAE, of course, a member of

that here in the Gulf.

I began by asking Michel about where Israel's conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon go from here, from his assessment, following the killing of Sinwar. He said

it's a good time to end the war and that European countries are losing patience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES MICHEL, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COUNCIL: On the E.U.'s side I can tell you that more and more European leaders are putting into question what we

call the association agreement between Israel and the E.U. This economic partnership, the E.U. is a major partner from an economic point of view for

Israel. And the fact that we are not able to convince all sides, including Israel, to make a ceasefire possible, it means that there is a growing

interest on the E.U. side to open the door for serious talks at the domestic level in Europe on the question of the economic agreement between

Israel and the E.U.

ANDERSON: Is there any consensus in the E.U. continuing to arm Israel at this point, of course, in response to what is going on? The Italians have

recall their ambassador, the French president has called for an arms embargo, and France has banned Israeli companies from displaying their

wares at European Military Expo. In response, Israel's defense minister has said France has adopted and is consistently implementing a hostile policy

towards the Jewish people. We will continue defending our nation against enemies on seven different fronts and fighting for our future with or

without France.

Is Europe a hostile force versus Israel at this point? And how far is the E.U. willing to go?

MICHEL: Well, I can tell you that indeed these are good example and shows that there is a difficult political debate within the E.U. and in our

member states there are various sensitivities about what we need to do and what is the debate. In fact, we see the dilemma. Of course, we want to

support Israel and its right to defend itself. For that, we have to provide weapons to Israel. But on the other hand, we want Israel to respect the

international law, to respect the principle of proportionality, to allow the humanitarian access.

ANDERSON: I want to talk about Lebanon because ongoing, of course, whatever Sinwar's death means for Gaza at this point, other fronts in Israel's war

are unlikely to be immediately affected. Earlier today, Hezbollah announced a new and escalating phase of its conflict with Israel. What role is Europe

playing in ending the conflict in Lebanon?

MICHEL: Yes. We are extremely active, yesterday together with all the European leaders with a good debate (INAUDIBLE), to debate with the Gulf

countries. All of them they were represented in Brussels. We want to do everything for more stability, for more sovereignty in Lebanon. And it

means that we have to help them to solve the political crisis in Lebanon. This is not new.

ANDERSON: Right.

MICHEL: It has started before. Point one, we need more stability. Point two, we need to support the military force, the regular military force of

Lebanon. And point three, of course Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, and we cannot accept the way Hezbollah is threatening the people of Israel.

And we know that there are those displaced people, Israelis, not acceptable.

ANDERSON: Right.

MICHEL: But on the other hand, we do not accept the attacks against the UNIFIL. UNIFIL is a U.N. force, and we cannot accept that this force is

attacked.

ANDERSON: These are I have to say empty words unless there is some substance to them. So, for example, the constitutional setup, like it or

not, is Lebanon's. So what are you going to do as far as helping out with the politics there? It may be broken. Many people suggest it is, but how

can Europe help fix that? And as far as the army is concerned, are you talking about stumping up cash at this point? Because that's what Lebanon

needs. That's what the LAF needs. It needs money and it needs it quickly.

So what is it that the -- that Europe is prepared to do very specifically, sir?

[10:40:04]

MICHEL: These are not empty words. Many of our member states we are effective in our concrete and operational support to make the Lebanese army

more operational and more effective. And you know and I know that the challenge in Lebanon is a weakness of the regular Lebanese army and that

Hezbollah is very powerful in terms of military tools and military equipment. This is a problem. This is point one.

Point two, we know that Lebanon is a complex country. We saw various communities. We saw balance of power within the country, and we have to

solve this political crisis in the ballot and for that diplomacy has a role to play.

ANDERSON: Does that include engaging with Hezbollah? Because after all they are part of the political setup in Lebanon or are you telling me that

Europe wants to see the end of Hezbollah in Lebanese politics?

MICHEL: Yes. You know very well that's there is a political dimension within the government, and within the institutionally Lebanese system is

one thing and there is an armed group, a terrorist group, and we fight against a terrorist group. But what we want in Lebanon, this is once again

the possibility to find a solution, to have more stability.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The EUC president speaking to me earlier.

Well, we know these conflicts weighed heavily on that meeting between the European Union and the Gulf countries, but they are trying to forge

stronger ties particularly on the economic front. Physical trade between the E.U. and GCC was worth under $84 billion last year. But what's the

outlook for that relationship as wars grind on in both Europe and the Middle East?

Well, I asked Charles Michel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHEL: If we can make progress and if we can make -- if we can bring more stability to the region, then it's good for the investments. It's good for

more trade, end with just a lot energy, climate change, the vast potential offered by the digital revolution, by artificial intelligence. In all those

topics, we want to increase our ambition, point one, and point two, we understand that there is the need for more political affairs in the field

of the geopolitical challenges we all face.

ANDERSON: I wonder whether you think that given the capital power, the sovereign wealth from those countries where I am based here in the Gulf,

doesn't put them in a much better position with regard the relationship with Europe than Europe for them. I mean, does it feel slightly one-sided

at this point that Europe is a little bit cap in hand as it were?

MICHEL: No, look, I'm certain that there is a common interest and the best demonstration the (INAUDIBLE) and I proposed to the leaders of those

countries we started very quickly. They reacted positively and we may have to have this summit in a few months, only in a few months. And we are

seeing that we made an agreement and a substantial agreement. This is not an agreement with some vague sentences. It's much broader than that. Point

one, it is a good framework for the future.

I give you a few examples. When we discuss with the leaders of those countries, we can see that they are interested to give up more partnerships

in the field of the new technologies, for instance. Digital, artificial intelligence, space. Space is a very interesting challenge for the future

and there is a common interest to talk to each other to better understand each other.

ANDERSON: How would you describe the emerging role of GCC countries on the world stage at this point?

MICHEL: Look, I would tell you, I believe that if we want to reinvigorate the multilateral system and the U.N. system I feel that of course we need

to count on the national governments on the States. And we need to count on the U.N. organizations. But we need I think a more prominent role for the

regional organization, and this is my opinion, the role that's displayed by the European Union with a very high level of integration.

But we can see that the GCC, the Gulf countries, we can see that ASEAN in Southeast Asia, we can see in Latin America, in Africa, with African Union,

there are more attempts than before to coordinate at the regional level and this is good because it's an opportunity I think to improve the way we work

together as an international community to tackle the global challenges. Climate change, digital transformation, and of course, double security.

ANDERSON: And the BRICS who represent the global south and ofttimes middle emerging economies, you applaud the emerging influence of those in that

alliance, do you, in this narrative?

MICHEL: No. This is exactly (INAUDIBLE). I feel this is in fact an attempt to build a political coalition and this initiative for interest for Russia

and China, mainly for Russia and China.

[10:45:07]

But I think that the members of BRICS, in fact, they are not really interested to be instrumentalized by Russia and by China. They would like

the two diverse of the so-called global south is more powerful in the world, especially in terms of debate around the fairness or the lack of

fairness in the institutional financial institutions. But they don't want to be utilized by China or by Russia for political purposes. This is what I

feel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Charles Michel speaking to me earlier. Fascinating conversation and wide-ranging.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Emotions remain raw for people around the world who are mourning the late British singer Liam Payne.

Well, fans of the former member of the band One Direction have been holding vigil, music and candles and tears outside the Buenos Aires hotel where he

fell to his death. It is still not exactly clear what happened, but investigators in Argentina are sharing what they have learned so far.

CNN's Anna Stewart is in London for us.

What do we know about the investigation at this point?

ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, from the prosecutor's office at this stage, what we do know is it's believed Liam Payne was alone in his room

and of course that this fall happen due to some sort of substance abuse. We know that items were taken from the room to be investigated. I imagined

there will be a toxicology report, but what we don't know at this stage and what prosecutors have said is they don't know the nature of the fall.

They don't know whether he fell, whether he jumped. They say based on the position of the body and also some of the injuries sustained, it would

appear that he could have been semiconscious or fully unconscious. They're also looking at what happened in the hours that led up to Liam's deaths,

speaking to witness, trying to piece together what happened in those final hours.

Now, as you can see there, this death is really resonating with people right across the world. Partly I imagined because Liam Payne was someone

that the world really saw grow up. People felt invested, particularly in his successes with One Direction. He was first seen I think on "X Factor"

when he was just 14 years old. He actually came back two years later before meeting his bandmates, who have taken this of course incredibly hard.

We had a statement from the band members as a collective, but we're also getting statements now from individuals like Harry Styles who says he was

truly devastated by Liam's passing, saying he's greatest joy was making other people happy and it was an honor to be alongside him as he did it.

Liam Payne was very vocal about his mental health, about substance abuse in the past. And I think questions will be asked whether more could have been

done as these young boys sort of grew up with all this fame and all the restrictions that came with it.

[10:50:01]

ANDERSON: Yes. It was good to have you. Thank you so much.

And we will be right back. A couple of minutes more, taking this very short break. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The death of the leader of Hamas represents a moment of justice. He had the blood of Americans, Israelis,

Palestinians in Germany and so many others on his hands I told the prime minister of Israel yesterday, let's also make this moment an opportunity to

seek a path to peace.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, an opportunity for a path to peace. We are hearing this echoed across the world today after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya

Sinwar. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made taking out Sinwar a key focus of his war aims.

Just a few hours ago during a security meeting in Israel, President Isaac Hertzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed what they called a,

quote, "significant window of opportunity." The question now, will this become an inflection point?

Well, today, the World Health Organization is accusing Israel of blocking medical aid from entering Gaza. And all month food aid going into the

enclave has mostly been cut off putting millions at risk of starvation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAM ZAYID, DISPLACED PALESTINIAN (through translator): When I look at her, I think I might lose her because there is no medical care here these days.

We've gone through it all. I hope God will heal him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, this week, the Biden administration sent a letter to Israel suggesting it would cut off military aid unless it improved the

humanitarian situation in Gaza. Well, the deadline is notably after the U.S. election, November 5th, and so far the U.S. has used little of its

leverage as Israel's key weapon supplier to restrain the Israeli government.

Well, meantime in Lebanon, the IDF has issued fresh evacuation orders for more than 20 villages as its bombing campaign continues. Prominent

Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti says that we should take Netanyahu at his word when he said the task before us is not yet complete.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, MEMBER, PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: He said this war is not over, and he wants to continue. He used to claim that he's going

after Sinwar and now he's saying that even after the killing of Sinwar, he will continue the war. The problem here is Netanyahu and his fascist

government, which refuses to stop this terrible aggression on Gaza. And Netanyahu wants not only to continue their attack on Gaza, he's actually

expanding the war to Lebanon, expanding it to Iraq.

He wants to engage in a war with Iran, and he wants to drag the United States to be in war with Iran. Thats the reality of Netanyahu, and he is --

as long as he is in government, I do not see we can see an end to this terrible war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The view of Barghouti, a leading Palestinian lawmaker, politician.

We can't forget the nearly 100 hostages who remain in captivity. They and their families still enduring the unimaginable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EINAV ZANGAUKER, ISRAELI HOSTAGE'S MOTHER (through translator): Netanyahu, don't bury the hostages.

[10:55:01]

Go now with the mediators and to the public and present a new Israeli initiative. Time is running out for my Matan and the other hostages in the

tunnels. You've got a victory photo. Now bring a deal. If Netanyahu will not use this momentum and present a new Israeli initiative now, even at the

price of ending the war, it means that he has decided to abandon my Matan and the rest of the hostages with the aim of prolonging the war and

securing his rule. We will not give up until they all return.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: What is echoed by many in Tel Aviv, the pleas from Tel Aviv, and indeed we are hearing the words from Gazans as well. Well, the death of

Yahya Sinwar presents an off-ramp of those in power willing to take it.

Well, that is CONNECT THE WORLD for tonight. I'm Becky Anderson. CNN continues after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END