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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Truce Holding, Hamas Expected to Release Hostages at 9AM ET; Aid Trucks Enter Gaza as Truce Agreement Holds; Big Snow in Rockies As Temperatures Drop Across U.S. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired November 24, 2023 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:37]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Good day to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Max Foster, in for Kasie Hunt today. It is Friday, November 24th.

Now, it's 5:00 a.m. in the Eastern U.S. of course, 10:00 here in London, and it's noon in Gaza where a carefully negotiated truce has been holding for five hours now, the pause in fighting set to last four days during which Hamas has agreed to release 50 civilian hostages, the first 13 women and children set to be released from Gaza at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Thirty-nine Palestinian prisoners are also due to be released today into the West Bank from this place, Israel's Ofer prison. The timing of that release is still to be announced.

CNN's Oren Liebermann joins us live from Tel Aviv.

A slightly shaky start to this truce, but it very quickly took hold.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Slightly. There was Israeli artillery fire in the minutes after 7:00, there were red alerts warning of potential incoming rocket fire in the communities around Gaza shortly after 7:00, but by 7:30 or so, it seemed, and from our teams down there have seen, that the truce had taken effect and we really haven't heard any of the reports of heavy fighting that we have so consistently over the past nearly 50 days.

So where does it go from here? In about four hours the first group of hostages 13 women and children are set to be released. They were be transferred to the red cross and they will be out through border crossings or directly into Israel. Children younger than 12 will meet their families as quickly as possible. Those older than 12 will be taken straight to hospitals and will then meet their families at the hospitals.

Once part of that is confirmed, once it is confirmed that the 13 have crossed into Israel, it is our understanding according to an Israeli official that those 39 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons will be released from two separate prisons, taken to a prison in the occupied West Bank and then released to their families. Back to the Israeli hostages for a second, when they are brought into custody of IDF soldiers, there is a specific documents essentially that governs how these soldiers should treat them, should care for them, should handle them, let them they know they're in safe hands, and begin that process of reminding them, of showing them that they rare out of -- out of Hamas captivity and back in Israel and will begin the recovery process. And then, of course, Max, if this holds, we'll see this process play out four times over the next few days.

FOSTER: How delicate is this truce would you say? There are people in Israel that don't agree with it on the political side. And there is concern that rockets might coming out of Gaza or some point. How might the Israelis respond to that?

LIEBERMANN: At this point, I would say it's incredibly delicate. And that's why U.S. officials view the first two days, which is today and tomorrow, as testing days. If it can hold, then there is measured optimism that it can be lengthened, that it could be a pause in fighting that's longer, more humanitarian aid coming in, and more hostages released and Palestinian prisoners released.

But that's a very big if right now. There was from the Qatari foreign ministry the same sort of sentiment that if we can get to day four and everything holds together, we can talk seriously about extending this. But right now, we're in the critical moments to see if this process works. We're only at the beginning of this process, that is to say the truce has truce taken effect, humanitarian aid trucks are now going into Gaza, the critical part is, of course, the release of women and children in exchange for the Palestinian prisoners women and children.

That is an incredibly sensitive part that also needs to play out. The IDF warned that there could be changes up until the last second and even as the process plays out. So we'll track it closely.

FOSTER: Yes. So, Palestinians will be going into the West Bank, is that right?

LIEBERMANN: That's right. We had a chance to look at the list of 300 Palestinian women and children that the Israeli government had put forward. They are all from either the West Bank or Jerusalem, so that is where they will be returned to. There is not a prisoner there from Gaza who will be returned to Gaza from what we saw on the list.

[05:05:00]

So, it will be the first 39 and it's worth noting that's the same 3:1 ratio. The overall agreement is 50 Israeli women and children for 150 Palestinian women and children. And so this is just a small part of that and that is how we expect it will continue to play crucially if everything works out.

FOSTER: Oren, thank you for joining us from Tel Aviv.

Coming up, fuel and aid trucks now entering Gaza too as part of that deal with desperately needed supplies as four-day pause begins. A live report just ahead. Plus, protestors try to disrupt the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in

New York.

And it is Black Friday. How Americans are feeling and what deals they will be finding on the biggest shopping day of the year. Well, it is usually.

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[05:10:05]

FOSTER: Well, happening now, the truce between Israel and Hamas appears to be holding. Meaning other pieces of the deal are kicking into gear. Convoy of United Nations trucks packed with tons of humanitarian aid now moving in to Gaza via Egypt's Rafah Crossing.

I'll speak to Eleni Giokos who is live for us in Cairo.

So, it's playing out as you expected. We've talked about the amount of aid. Not quite enough, not nearly enough to deal with the problem there, but it is significant that those trucks are going in.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is significant. And it is significantly way more than we've seen since October 7. Important to remember that before the war began, there were over 445 trucks going into Gaza on a daily basis on a good day. So this was a population that already heavily relied on aid.

And then you see the war breaking out and now we are hearing that just absolute catastrophic scenarios on the ground and really reiterated by the international aid organizations.

But I want to take you through what we've seen today. You and I have been talking about how many trucks have been gathering at the border over the last few days in anticipation for this truce to kick in. Because there is an understanding of just how many delays occur because of the checkpoints, because they need to figure out the logistics. Not only on the Egyptian side, but also once they cross over into Gaza.

Ninety trucks --aid trucks have now gone into the Gaza side of the border, that is significant. So they have gone through the initial checkpoints, they then get checked on the Israeli side as well. And then offloaded and moved straight into Gaza. Seven fuel trucks as well going in.

We've also heard from the IDF that say that the gas quota that has gone in already today is specifically for cooking purposes for humanitarian needs and humanitarian infrastructure. They have been very clear to say that this was part of the deal.

Overall over four days, 200 aid trucks are expected go in, 130,000 liters of diesel fuel together with other gas trucks as well expected to go in. You've reiterated the point it is a fraction of the needs even Qataris say that yesterday, you know, the testimonies we've heard from people inside of Gaza, that they were scrambling for just pieces of bread, running out of water, drinking dirty water and, of course, diseases playing out right now which has created another layer of the humanitarian crisis.

We also have heard from the Egyptians. So, the first time since the war started, Max, that Palestinians that are in Egypt, that were stranded in Egypt, if they wish to return to Gaza, they are able to do so through Rafah. That is quite important to remember. We've heard some movement on that that it could be occurring today into Palestinians, are coming through the Rafah border, so too are foreign nationals and dual passport holders. Just today seeing some of the images going through, there were actually banners on some of these trucks that read together for humanity and then also for our brothers in Gaza.

So everyone trying to take an opportunity for the window that has opened up, but the logistical side we should not forget what it takes to get the aid distributed in the south of Gaza in the very least.

FOSTER: And speaking to Oxfam, though, earlier, they were describing how they have this huge challenge because there is a lot of aid agencies that were using crossings between Israel and Gaza in the past, and they have had to move all of their logistics, all of their operations into Egypt, which has been a huge challenge. So this hasn't been easy getting those trucks there for a start.

GIOKOS: Yeah, exactly. And I think that, you know, one of the things that we keep talking about is just can we get more aid into Gaza. But, logistically, it's always been a challenge, it's the warehousing. It's the logistical side of things. It's the value chains you really need to think of. And the fact that these trucks do go into Gaza, don't just drive into Gaza and distribute aide, they've got to be offloaded into trucks by the Red Crescent.

So, there is so many elements to this and it's also the checkpoints that really slow things down. You know, U.N.'s Martin Griffith specifically said that Israel has the final say on how much aid goes in, and, of course, the IDF saying that they have been a part of the deal in terms of the fuel question because we know that has always been a sticking point because it could end up in the hands of Hamas.

FOSTER: Okay. Eleni in Cairo, thank you. We'll be with you throughout the day as the story continues and the aid trickles in.

Let's bring in security and intelligence journalist Yossi Melman. He joins us from Tel Aviv.

Really appreciate your time today.

[05:15:00]

Are you holding your breath hoping this truce remains stable?

YOSSI MELMAN, ISRAELI SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE JOURNALIST: Yes, Max, I'm holding my breath, but I'm pretty certain that it will hold. Not only in the first day but probably through the entire four days of the ceasefire, the truce or the pause, whatever it is called and defined. And maybe -- maybe if it goes well, it will be extended. The deal struck by the Biden administration and the Qatari brokering talks about extending it in a ratio of 10 more hostages every day for more humanitarian aid. So hopefully it will hold.

FOSTER: All truces are delicate. What are you concerned about in terms of this, are you concerned about a rogue rocket perhaps coming from Gaza and the Israelis responding, are you worried about some of the logistics of the exchanges here?

MELMAN: Well, there are two main concerns for the Israeli government and the IDF. One is that the smaller group which is in Gaza and much more leaning towards Iran, which is basically a proxy of Iran, Islamic jihad, maybe disrupt the ceasefire. They did it in the past, in past clashes. They don't obey always the instructions and orders of Hamas. So that's one concern.

The other concern which we already saw this very early in the morning is that the people who were evacuated or were forced to leave from Northern Gaza and found themselves south of the area now are trying to move back to their homes. And that was under the orders and instructions of Hamas. The Israeli Army already put road blocks and there was minor effort this morning, 15 or 20 Palestinians to return, and they were stopped by the Israeli IDF. So these are the major obstacles on the way of this four-day truce.

FOSTER: What do Israelis make of the number, the type, of prisoners being released by Israel back into the West Bank? Because that's the way the process is going to work, isn't it?

MELMAN: Well, had we talked two months ago, you would -- you would find very small minority or portion of the Israeli public who would support a swap. Israel for years and years refused to release Palestinian prisoners for Israel -- they are terrorists. But now it is almost a general acknowledgement by most Israelis, 70 percent of Israelis support the swap. And therefore, it's of a lesser concern that 39 Palestinians, 24 women and 15 minors, would be now released to the West Bank and Jerusalem.

I think even if 150 would be released in the next four days, I don't think that the Israeli public would be really bothered by it.

FOSTER: Okay. Yossi Melman, thank you so much for joining us.

Now, still ahead, President Biden's Thanksgiving Day message and advice for how to handle, quote, crazy MAGA nonsense.

And it looks like winter is just around the corner. What is in store as you head out for Black Friday, if you are. You may be staying home. The forecast is ahead.

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FOSTER: Quick hits across America now. Pro-Palestinian protestors attempted to disrupt Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York. Law enforcement official says that they broke through the barriers, attempted to glue themselves on to the street. They were arrested without incident.

Another batch of sexual assault lawsuits have been filed in New York just before the expiration of the Adult Survivors Act. The law created a one year exception to the statute of limitations. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Axl Rose among those named. All denied the allegations.

And residents in Levingston, Kentucky, now allowed to return home after a fire from a derailment was put out. It is believed about a dozen cars carrying molten sulfur jumped the tracks. The rail operator says it plans to continue monitoring air quality.

And now to the weather. Big snow ahead in the Rockies as temperatures plunge across much of the U.S., heading into the weekend.

Meteorologist Allison Chinchar tracking all the developments for us.

[05:25:00]

Hi, Allison.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And good morning.

Yes, we're taking a look at what we've got going on in the Western Half of the country. You can see the snow that's in the forecast. States like Colorado, Utah, down towards Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming, that's when we're shifting farther east as we head into the weekend.

But for the short term right now, these are going to be the areas where we have all of the winter weather alerts in place for at least the next 48 hours. That system gradually making its way across the central U.S. and eventually once we get to that latter half of the weekend now starting to talk about the focus being portions of the Midwest. That includes Kansas City, up through the Chicago region.

Overall, again most of these areas especially low elevations likely picking up about 1 to 3 inches. But again, as that system progresses eastward, you're also going to see some pretty significant accumulations starting to take place across the Central U.S. Those Central Plains not out of the question to get six, seven or even eight inches of snow once the system finally exits.

The other thing that's going to be changing and spreading east is the cold temperatures. We've got that starting in the Midwest and that's really going to start to spread farther east as that cold, cold air begins to plunge down from Canada and really impact a lot of the northern tier the next few days.

So, taking a look at the Northeast, for example, looking at Pittsburgh going from a high of 36 today down to only a high of 28 on Sunday. Bangor, Maine going from 28 today down to a high of only 14 on Saturday. New York, Boston, also going to see similar drops, 37 in Boston today, 28 on Sunday, Bangor, Maine, going from 28 today down to a high of only 14 on Saturday. New York, Boston, also going to see similar drops, 37 in Boston today,

28 on Sunday, tomorrow looking at a bitter cold temperature of 23 degrees.

FOSTER: The weather affecting the signal already.

Allison, thank you so much for joining us in there.

Now, coming up on EARLY START, the Israel-Hamas truce is taking hold, a live report from Tel Aviv and what the pause in fighting means for the timing of the hostage release. New information coming in.

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