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Isa Soares Tonight
Top U.N. Court Orders Israel To Stop Its Offensive In Rafah; Singapore Airlines Changes Its Seat Belt Rules; Italian Teenager Carlo Acutis To Become First Millennial Catholic Saint; Gaza Residents Struggle Daily To Survive; U.S. And Egypt To Send Aid Through Kerem Shalom Crossing; Singapore Airlines Changes Seatbelt Sign Policy. 2-3p ET
Aired May 24, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:42]
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: And a very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I am Paula Newton in for Isa Soares. Tonight, the top U.N. court
orders Israel to stop its offensive in Rafah. Israel signals it will ignore the legally-binding measure despite international pressure to respect it.
Also ahead for us. Singapore Airlines changes its seat belt rules after a flight from hell earlier this week, and a London-born boy who died aged 15
will become the first millennial saint. Details on his miraculous life coming up.
And we do begin with a ruling from the United Nation's top court ordering Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah. Now, the 18-
page ruling from the International Court of Justice warn that an IDF operation in southern Gaza would make what it calls a disastrous
humanitarian situation there even worse.
The judge's decision was part of a broader claim brought by South Africa, accusing Israel of genocide, an allegation rejected by the Israeli
government. And the panel is calling on Israel to respond to their ruling within a month. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIYAD MANSOUR, PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: Israel -- as I said, party to the convention and the convention is crystal clear on this
issue. So, Israel has to abide by the decisions and the demands from the ICJ.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Now, Israel's National Security Council meantime says the IDF quote, "has not carried out and will not carry out military activity in the
Rafah area that creates living conditions that could lead to the destruction of the Palestinian civilian population.
We go straight to our Nic Robertson in London who has been following all of this. I mean -- so, Nic, we know it's binding, but not enforceable. So,
given the wider implications of this ruling, what are we looking at?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You know, you're looking at this being part of a week. If you just look across this week of
an ICC calling for arrest warrants or calling for a judgment on arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Defense
Minister, as well as Hamas leaders as well.
And you have Ireland, Spain and Norway as well say that they recognize a Palestinian state. And these organizations and countries are building a
head, if you will, of international pressure on Israel, that Israel is shrugging off and potentially even sort of broadening its shoulders to
continue with what it says is the offensive that it needs to -- that it needs to -- that it needs to push ahead within Rafah to go after the
remaining Hamas leadership.
But I think if you take today's announcement by the ICJ in that context, there is this growing international pressure. Now, could this over time
lead to -- lead to sanctions on Israel? There's the potential for that, but in of itself, this is -- this is, this is obviously more than symbolic.
It's a very big warning for Israel. I think it was interesting that the president of the court, as he laid out, you know, the decision, he said
that U.N. officials on the ground in Rafah have been making statements over the months and continuing to raise alarm over the diminishing humanitarian
conditions for the people there.
And the court president used that as an example of how there, Israel has had ample warnings, not only from the ICJ previously, but from officials,
U.N. officials on the ground, and they are just not heeding that. But is this going to affect things on the ground? It does certainly doesn't appear
to be about to do so in the short term.
NEWTON: Yes, given, Nic, all the time that you have spent in Israel over the last few months, one has to wonder whether or not it could conversely
serve to bolster Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel feels increasingly isolated, and many say misunderstood.
ROBERTSON: There is a real sense. Look, there's the popular pressure on the street that says to Prime Minister Netanyahu, you know, broadly as an
Israeli population, we don't want an operation in Rafah, we want the release of the hostages, that would be the priority.
[14:05:00]
But there's also still a very strong feeling in Israel that Hamas' brutal attack of October the 7th has left them feeling much more vulnerable, and
they feel that the government needs to -- needs to -- you know, needs to remove that threat. I think when you look at that context and Israel's
history, and what we hear from the leaders of Israel, you know, particularly from the right-wing.
They're saying that -- you know, on the extreme right-wing, they're saying absolutely no to the ICJ, and the answer for them is to go ahead and occupy
Rafah. There will be a sense in Israel, if the international community is intent on shutting down their military operations, which is how it all
sounds to them, and they are intent on destroying Hamas, this will only resolve them to get on with the job before something happens to absolutely
stop them.
That -- you certainly get the sense that that's where this week has gone. I gave you the example of those sort of three international moves, you know,
to caution to Israel in a variety of different ways about the way that they're handling their military operations in Gaza.
But you've seen at the same time, the Defense Minister announced that they will be reopening for settlement parts of northern Galilee, the northern
parts of the West Bank. This in a way will be read by some as a response, as a reaction to that pressure on Israel.
So, this would definitely be a real concern, but it's -- but it hasn't -- this concern hasn't stopped these international bodies and these individual
nations this week, saying enough is enough, we're not going to be scared by what might happen. We want these other things to happen. We want the
violence to stop in Gaza, and we think we have to act, and that's what's happening.
NEWTON: Yes, indeed, they have acted and said we'll continue to cover the reaction. Nic Robertson for us, thanks so much, appreciate it. Now, as you
just heard, Nic, outline there, this has been a big week for developments in the Israel-Hamas war today. As we were saying, the International Court
of Justice ruling, they had their ruling on Rafah on Wednesday, Ireland, Spain and Norway, all announce plans to formally recognize a Palestinian
state.
And of course, on Monday, the International Criminal Court prosecutor announced he had requested arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders,
and those include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And I want to welcome Mary Ellen O'Connell; she's a professor of international law at the
University of Notre Dame.
And thank you so much for weighing in as we try and parse exactly what this legal ruling might mean, and in terms of that, what practical legal effect
can it have, given, as we were just discussing, it is unlikely to ever be truly enforceable. The point that obviously many want to get to is, it's
supposed to get us closer to peace and prevent more human suffering. Is there any way in which this legal ruling can actually do that?
MARY ELLEN O'CONNELL, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME: I believe it does so in two ways. First, it sends a clear message of
what the law actually require if anyone is in doubt and Israel and the U.S. or other places about what Israel is doing and international law, this
latest order makes it crystal clear, Israel is going too far.
I hope very much that it will also have the practical effect, if not on Israel itself, on its own leaders and its population, demanding compliance
with international law. It will have an impact on Israel's last remaining friend, the United States. President Biden has also been highly critical of
the Rafah operation.
He now is in a position to put to act in compliance with his own warnings and withhold all U.S. offensive weapons to Israel. That's the last point of
pressure that it's really possible for the international community to bring to Mr. Netanyahu and bring the chance of this very accurate, very
acceptable ruling been complied with.
NEWTON: Yes, and the clarity of the international law that you point out is highly significant, and yet, it is much more nuanced and complicated when
you go to the diplomacy of it. I want you to listen now to Josep Borrell; he is the EU Foreign Affairs' chief, and his very provocative reaction,
listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEP BORRELL, HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS & SECURITY POLICY: Let's say if it is going to be the answer of
European Union, do the ruling of the International Court of Justice that has been issued today.
Which is going to be our position. We will have to choose between our support to the international institution and the rule of law or our support
to Israel. And both things is going to be quite difficult to make impact(ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[14:10:00]
NEWTON: Yes, difficult quite an understatement there. You point out that countries like the U.S. could be deemed complicit in violating the orders
if it doesn't halt military aid to Israel immediately. And yet, how do you feel the U.S. might react to all of that, and does it further divide the
international community?
O'CONNELL: Very sadly, I believe the calculations that are going on in the White House right now have more to do with President Biden's re-election
prospects than truly with what you could be standing for in the world, and that is the rule of law.
I think there's no question that the European Union will stand with the rule of law. It is also in Israel's long-term interests that the -- that
the world have a robust rule of law that binds all states that raises the norms against all kinds of violence, especially terrorists violence.
We only get that if there is consensus and support internationally. European Union understands that. I hope President Biden decides that his
long-term interests, United States long-term interests, which is also Israel's long-term interests, is to side with the law every time because
what's on the other side of law compliance is law violation.
President Biden should not want to be the one who ushers in a further denigration, a further loosening of commitment to the rule of law. That's
not in America's interest or Israel's.
NEWTON: But the parameters of that law as you well know, sometimes they're blurred, right? I mean, Israelis feel that these kinds of rulings really
put them on par with Hamas, which is a terror organization and provoked all of this. You know, just as an example, and please point out where I am
wrong about this, because I'm sure many would say I'm wrong.
Few questioned the allies when they took on ISIS, arguably many civilians suffered immensely during those military operations as well, because ISIS
lived again among the civilian population.
O'CONNELL: One of the things that has finally become apparent to so many of us in the world through Gaza, through Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is how
much we have failed to really hold countries to the rule of law up to this point. The United States instituted a war on terror after 9/11, it
continued in many inappropriate ways, including in the response to ISIS and the very high civilian death toll in that campaign.
And finally, we see that this damping down of the law, this slippery slope of not holding, that's journalists, that's international lawyers, that
citizens everywhere, all of our countries, which are officially committed to the rule of law by not holding them to those principles.
We've removed the barriers, the psychological barriers, and then organizations like Hamas and other armed militant groups keep fighting
because violence apparently is acceptable, Israel uses too much force, excessive use of force, including the tool of war, which is inappropriate
against terrorism.
Russia invades because it says it's acting in self-defense, and the way the U.S. did in Iraq in 2003. It's time to say, if we care about the rule of
law, which we officially all do, we have to hold governments, all governments regardless of their friendship with one or another or their
democratic bona fides, we have to hold them all to this common bond created after the second World War in the U.N. Charter.
And that -- and the stop, loosening that, misinterpreting it. The time to and the International Court of Justice has helped us with its unequivocal
and clear statement that an offensive against Rafah will violate all this fundamental law. Let's get back in compliance with the rule of law, protect
human lives, which is the very purpose of law, and halt the Rafah offensive.
Now, that's what the court is saying. It's finally drawn a line in the sand, and said, we're going to lose all order, all chance of peace, human
rights, protection of the environment, everything we need for our future if we don't begin in this most egregious case of enforcing the law now.
NEWTON: Yes, and the open question still is whether this would serve to reinforce international institutions or unfortunately weaken them.
Professor O'Connell, I'll leave it there for now, thanks so much, appreciate it. Now, continuing on this story, we have more developments
just moments ago, U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced an agreement on how to get new aid into Gaza.
Now, a statement from the Egyptian presidency says the two leaders agreed over the phone to get the humanitarian aid and fuel delivery to the United
Nations at the Kerem Shalom Crossing.
[14:15:00]
Now, this will be a temporary solution until the Rafah Border Crossing, that's along the Egyptian border can be reopened. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has
been tracking this story as well, and he joins us now from Jerusalem. I mean, obviously, this is news just in to us, what everyone wants to know is
what material difference will it make and how quickly?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, for nearly three weeks now, since the Israeli military launched its offensive in Rafah, we have
watched as that Rafah Border Crossing has remained close. There has been a blame game between Israeli and Egyptian officials over why that crossing
has yet to reopen.
But the end result has been the same, which is that no aid trucks have made it into Gaza via that Rafah Crossing, which is a critical artery for
humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. We have also watched impediments to aid getting in from other crossings as well as the Israeli military has
expanded its military offensive in both southern and northern Gaza.
But certainly, this announcement that we'll see aid trucks go in from Egypt through that Kerem Shalom Crossing into Israel and then into Gaza will
certainly make a big difference if indeed it goes through. As all of this is happening, of course, we've watched the displacement of more than
800,000 Palestinians from Rafah and humanitarian conditions are certainly spiraling with World Food Program officials now warning of an imminent
catastrophe if more aid doesn't get in quickly.
NEWTON: Yes, absolutely, just dire situation that continues there. We did also have the news of the heartbreaking news that we have more bodies of
the hostages. And Jeremy, what is hard to keep track of here, although, the families know this pain so intimately, is that they still continue to hope
that some of these hostages are alive, and yet, then they get confirmation that in fact, the Israeli military has found their bodies.
DIAMOND: Yes, that's right. I mean, we know that there are dozens of hostages who the Israeli government has said they believe are dead. They
have confirmed that information, allowing families to move forward with the Jewish mourning rituals like sitting shiva to mourn their loved ones.
But for the other dozens of hostages, there is no confirmation of their death or of their status as being alive. And the three hostages whose
bodies were recovered today were not among those who had been confirmed dead by the Israeli government. And so, when the families got the news
today that their bodies had been recovered, they were also getting the news that their loved ones had been killed on October 7 and had been dead this
entire time.
The three hostages whose bodies were recovered today are Orion Hernandez Radoux; a 30-year-old who was attending the Nova Music Festival with his
girlfriend Shani Louk, whose body was recovered last week by the Israeli military, Michel Nisenbaum was 59 years old, he was on his way to try and
save his granddaughter the morning of October 7th when rockets began flying towards Israel, he was killed on his way to get her.
And then Hanan Yablonka, a 42-year-old father of two, who made a last- minute decision to attend that Nova Music Festival, I spoke with his brother-in-law today, who told me about how they received that devastating
news early this morning from the Israeli military, crushing the hopes that they had had for nearly eight months, that his brother-in-law was still
alive. Paula?
NEWTON: Yes, the depths of the grief really hard to comprehend. Jeremy Diamond for us, appreciate it. Now, as you just heard Jeremy say, there are
millions who are in dire need of life-saving aid in Gaza. The World Food Program as he said, is warning of a catastrophe. I'll be speaking with the
group's country director in about 20 minutes from now.
Still to come for us, a family says two of their own have been shot and killed by gangs in Haiti, we'll have the latest on those developments.
Plus, a U.S. tourist has been given a prison sentence in Turks and Caicos after ammunition was found in his bag, we'll have more on that as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:21:31]
NEWTON: And we are getting some developing news out of Haiti. Family members say two American missionaries were killed on Thursday in a gang
attack. They say Davy and Natalie Lloyd, were quote, "ambushed" by a gang, shot and killed. CNN has contacted officials and missions in Haiti for more
information.
Now, as we've been telling you for years here, gang violence continues to grip Haiti and the United Nations estimating that gangs control now more
than 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince. CNN's David Culver has been following the latest developments and joins me now.
I mean, David, you're not just following developments, you've been on the ground there in the last few weeks. This unfortunately is very
characteristic of the kind of violence that Haitians are living with at this hour. What more can you tell us about this incident?
DAVID CULVER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Paula, and I know you've seen firsthand the state that is now essentially broken. That is the
country of Haiti, and this is really exemplifying what the folks they are dealing with. Not only those who are trying to help like the American
missionaries who have now been killed by gang members. That according to sources on the ground.
But also everyday Haitians who are dealing with this dire and desperate situation. But this couple that you mentioned right there, they're in their
young 20s, they were down there as part of missions in Haiti, it's an organization that was run by Davy Lloyd's parents, and they were taking
part in so many of the different outreach programs involving children and trying to spread faith within that part of Port-au-Prince.
However, they're doing so in a capital city that as you mentioned, more than 80 percent of that city is controlled by gangs. So, they essentially
have a tight grip over all aspects of life within Port-au-Prince right now. And this ambush played out at least in one gang territory.
But what's not clear is, if that gang instigated this attack or if it was another gang that got involved, which is very likely in this scenarios that
we have heard play out time and time again is there are these turf wars between the gangs, and it's possible that this was caught in the midst of
that, this situation in particular, we're working to get those details clarified.
But what we do know is that the end result is two U.S. missionaries, that young couple killed, a third person that according to Mission in Haiti is
identified as Jude(ph), a Haitian staffer who has been part of the organization for some 20 years, also lost his life.
And so, right now, the effort is to try to get those bodies of the young couple right there back to the U.S. We know that Natalie Lloyd, her
father's estate representative in Missouri, so, we've seen several lawmakers now speaking up about this situation and about the overall crisis
in Haiti.
But Paula, if we take a step back and we look at when this event was playing out, this attack on that missionary, missionary group, it was at
the same time that there was a state dinner last night involving President Ruto of Kenya and President Biden. And it was happening in Washington, and
why that is important is because we know Kenya is leading the multinational security support mission that is supposed to end the violence
in Haiti.
It's supposed to bring some sort of law into play, some sort of common peace, but as of now, that mission is still delayed, and it's been delayed
several months, and we were looking at planning documents that suggested by May 23rd yesterday, there were to be 200 Kenyan police officers already in
Port-au-Prince.
But that's not the case. We're told from a source on the ground that an assessment from a top command staff said there wasn't enough infrastructure
and equipment in place so as to accommodate those soldiers.
[14:25:00]
Also, they didn't have the medical helicopters in place to evacuate should there be an emergency. And Paula, the reason we know that is so important
is because the health care system in Haiti has essentially collapsed. And so, they want all that in place before they can bring these forces in to go
up against what is going to be likely a very heavy resistance from these gangs. Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, David, and as you pointed out, they are still waiting for that kind of a security force and still an open question, the kind of effect it
could even have once it arrives on the ground. David Culver, who continues to follow those developments in Haiti, appreciate it.
Now, an American tourist will serve 52 weeks in prison on the island of Turks and Caicos and pay $6,700 fine for having a box of ammunition in his
luggage. Bryan Hagerich was sentenced by a judge earlier today after pleading guilty to violating the island's strict gun and ammunition laws.
But there is word that his sentence will be suspended for one year, and that he may be free to return to the U.S. in the coming hours. Now,
Hagerich is one of five American tourists, in fact, arrested in Turks and Caicos recently on those kinds of firearm charges.
CNN's Carlos Suarez is following this story for us. I mean, a twist here. He certainly was sentenced, but what more do we know about whether or not
he could actually be on a plane home very soon?
CARLOS SUAREZ, CNN REPORTER: Yes, Paula, so we know that the sentence was suspended and that the judge also handed down a $6,700 fine. So, what
happens next? We're told that once Hagerich is able to cover that fine, he'll be released and he'll be able to leave the country.
His attorney said that they hope to get this done today, and that Hagerich could be back in the U.S. later tonight, actually. His attorney told us
right after the sentencing quote, "that Hagerich is relieved. He is pleased the sentence in all its circumstances is reasonable and fair. And he's
relieved and looking forward to pay the fine and return home as soon as possible.
The judge's ruling is something that officials in Turks and Caicos has said was always a possibility. They've been saying this for days now. Yesterday,
the country's premier actually took -- noted rather that no American that's ever been convicted of a firearms offense in the country had ever received
a mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years in prison, which is what Hagerich was facing on these possession of ammunition charges.
And he also pushed back with some pretty serious comments that were made by U.S. lawmakers who said that officials in the Turks and Caicos islands had
been targeting Americans. As you noted, Hagerich, who is from Pennsylvania pleaded guilty to his charges shortly after he was arrested back in
February.
He is one of five Americans that have been arrested on these types of charges in recent months, according to Hagerich and his wife, he forgot
that the hunting ammunition was in his baggage when the couple visited the country there. And so Paula, right now, we believe that once Hagerich is
able to cover this fine, he's going to be able to go back to Pennsylvania.
The timing of all this, of course, will depend on how quickly they're able to come up with that money, and the attention moving forward, it now turns
to the remaining Americans that are facing these types of charges that are still in Turks and Caicos.
One American is scheduled to be sentenced next week, and then the remaining group, they have court hearings scheduled for next week as well as June and
in July. Paula?
NEWTON: Yes, of course, Turks and Caicos wanting to avoid any kind of travel warning that the U.S. might impose if these situations aren't
resolved. Carlos Suarez for us, thanks so much, appreciate it. Now, Russia has confirmed that it has deployed troops, defense systems and tactical
nuclear weapons to neighboring ally Belarus.
On a visit to the Belarusian capital on Friday, Russian President let me are Vladimir Putin said the deployment is intended to better defend both
nations' western borders, and does not signify an escalation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT, RUSSIA (through translator): As for compliance with the norms and commitments of Russia in this field, we fully comply
with our commitments in the field of nuclear weapons, we did not violate anything.
There's nothing unusual if you compare with NATO, for example.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: Still to come for us, the daily struggle in Gaza for food and water. We'll talk to the World Food Program country director about the
situation on the ground. And an Italian teen's light is shining long after his death. Details ahead on the boy who could become the Catholic Church's
first millennial saint.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:33:23]
NEWTON: Now, of course, while ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas drag on, life in Gaza must go on for those who live in the region. There is
simply no choice, but the day-to-day process of life is not an easy one. Here's Paula Hancocks with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Living in a city of ruins is barely living. The daily search for water and food in Gaza's second
largest city of Khan Yunis is relentless. This young man says life is horrible.
Issam shows us what's left of his home, a twisted shell of concrete with tarpaulin for walls. "The bathroom," he says, "is half destroyed, the
living room, half destroyed, and I'm now sleeping in the kitchen with my family, with my children." Ominous cracks slice through the ceiling, which
bulges precariously over the family below.
"As you can see," he says, "the ceiling is cracked and could fall at any time. God knows we could be dead or alive in the morning." It is dangerous
and it is unsanitary, and yet better than the alternative, he says he has been unable to secure a tent for his family.
Others have found shelter in a bombed school. Around 100 families live here.
Mohamed was an engineer in Gaza City. He has been forced to move his family almost half a dozen times so far by the Israeli military, most recently
from Rafah.
[14:35:00]
He points to his 7-month-old son, saying he needs to be allowed to live.
MOHAMED IBRAHIM, GAZA RESIDENT: Do you think he is Hamas? Does he have a Kalashnikov or RPG, have something to war -- to make a war with Israeli
soldiers?
HANCOCKS (voice-over): His only hope, he says, he shares with all Gazans that the war will end.
IBRAHIM: We are human, not animals, like some people say, Israelis and people say. We're not animals. We are humans. We have rights.
HANCOCKS (voice-over): This is where the Israeli military says the displaced should move to, al-Mawasi, calling it a, "humanitarian zone." As
waste piles high alongside makeshift shelters, aid groups call it unfit for human habitation.
The Israeli military response to the Hamas' October 7th attacks continues to be overwhelming for those trying to survive in Gaza. Israel insists it
needs to destroy Hamas and find the remaining hostages. Local officials estimate 80 percent of buildings in Khan Yunis have been destroyed.
And yet, amid the dusty wasteland, a makeshift market has sprung up. "Everything is destroyed," this vendor says. "This is a ghost town. People
are living on top of dead bodies still under the rubble."
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: Now, a week ago, Matthew Hollingworth from the U.N.'s World Food Program was in Gaza and he shared a clip on the platform X of what the
situation is like there in terms of what he found. Here's a portion of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW HOLLINGWORTH, DIRECTOR, WFP PALESTINE COUNTRY: So this is Erez West, also known as Zikim, a border crossing between Gaza and Israel on the
very northwestern area of the Strip. This is where we receive cargo each day so that we can then get it into Gaza and northern Gaza and thereby try
and get enough food to stop famine in its tracks but also to get enough hygiene kits, health kits, shelter materials to make a difference for the
literally tens of thousands of people who have been made homeless and displaced because of this conflict.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: And joining us now from Jerusalem is Matthew Hollingworth. Thanks so much for being here. As we continue to follow this breaking news, the
U.S. and Egypt agree to try and reopen Kerem Shalom Crossing. And that's obviously only until Rafah border, that crossing, reopens on the
Palestinian side.
So I'm asking you, with your expertise and what you've seen on the ground, they claim that these developments could perhaps save lives. Will it? Is it
enough?
HOLLINGWORTH: There's absolutely no question that we desperately need the southern corridors to be reopened properly and we need to allow huge
volumes of aid into the south and middle areas of the Gaza Strip.
And just in 10 days alone, we have -- almost a million people have been displaced and as you've just heard, most of those people have already lost
their homes six, seven months ago and they've been displaced four, five, six, seven, eight times. And every time they're displaced, they become more
desperate, they become more vulnerable, they lose more of their resilience and they are at their wit's end. And this exodus over the past couple of
weeks has been truly astonishing to see.
In particular because people are not moving to safe zones, they're not moving to places which are, you know, clean and suitable, they're moving to
hugely congested areas with little to no clean water supply, with fewer hospitals and clinics functioning, with very little fuel available to keep
water pumping and sewage pumping. It is horrific, the situation that people now find themselves in.
NEWTON: You know, I have to ask you, short of a ceasefire, what more could be done here? What else -- does the WFP believe -- what have you lobbied
for that can happen?
I mean, I take your point that Israel said that they would create these so- called safe zones that would be adequate for humans to actually live and exist in. And yet, as we can see from the video, we've seen none of that in
terms of those displaced from Rafah.
HOLLINGWORTH: I mean, it's clear that it's not adequate for people to live a healthy life. I mean, it's miserable, it's dirty, it stinks, and it's so
horrifically congested that people are piled up on top of each other.
But what makes that worse is that we've not been able to get the aid numbers in, in terms of volume, because of Rafah crossing closing.
[14:40:08]
Because of the incursion, and because Kerem Shalom has been also seriously limited in how much aid can come in. So, you know, yes, short of a
humanitarian ceasefire, which is ultimately what we need. We need stability, we need peace, we need the guns to stop, we need people to be
able to go home, whatever that home now looks like, to try and rebuild, and for kids not to be, you know, spending every waking hour listening to
drones and bombs and bullets and war. We need all of that.
But if that's not coming immediately, we at least need to be able to get enough fuel in, diesel, to run generators, to keep hospitals running, to
keep bakeries running, to keep water pumps running. We need food, we need nutritious food, we need clinics to be restocked, we need healthcare
workers to be able to come in and out and rotate, because we've also got a lot of humanitarians who've not been getting out for weeks on end, and
they're exhausted as well. So we need healthy, strong, dynamic, enthusiastic people to come in and continue the aid effort. But ultimately,
we need calm, we need peace, we need the fighting to stop.
NEWTON: Yes. You make a good point that those medical evacuations or that spiriting of humanitarian aid workers through that Rafah crossing, we have
no word if that will now happen through Kerem Shalom.
I want to ask you, though, the WFP has been saying that you guys need massive amounts of aid. Can you give us a snapshot of the logistics on the
ground? Because even if Kerem Shalom opens, and then we have that pier that the United States built off the shore there, off the coast of Gaza, what
are the difficulties then to just try and distribute it?
HOLLINGWORTH: So, I mean, at the moment, we have a trickle of aid through Kerem Shalom. It is still happening, but it's a fraction of what it once
was. We have assistance coming in through Erez West or Zikim, as I mentioned, as was mentioned earlier in your program.
And we have the maritime option, the port, what's known as the JLOTS, where we've started to see truckloads of aid come in each day for the last week.
But bottom line, getting assistance around the Strip means going through very difficult and time-consuming processes to deconflict, to get green
lights with the parties who are fighting a war so that we can move safely.
That takes time. It takes huge amounts of coordination. It's a place with very little communication capacity. There's rubble on the roads. We get
trucks that get punctures. There's no law and order when we do -- when a truck stops, sadly, looting becomes a reality. It's incredibly hard. The
downstream side of the logistics is incredibly hard to manage. So, all of our best efforts are just incredibly difficult to run.
We have seen, and this is a real positive, that we've -- in the month of May, getting more aid into the north, we've seen a difference. It's a
phenomenal change in only 20 days. What we need is to make sure that's also happening in the middle area and the south, where more than a million
people are now destitute.
NEWTON: And I am happy for now to end on that more hopeful note that there has been that transformative aid coming in to the north in just three
weeks. I appreciate your input here as we continue to follow the breaking news. Appreciate it.
Now still to come for us tonight, Singapore Airlines taking new measures after that deadly incident of severe turbulence.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:52]
NEWTON: So Singapore Airlines says it is now adopting a more cautious approach for in-flight turbulence. The changes include suspending meal
service and having cabin crew return to their seats when the seatbelt sign is on.
And it comes after a flight, of course, from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence on Tuesday, leaving one man dead and more
than 100 people injured, some of them critically.
CNN's Richard Quest joins me now on all of this. And, Richard, you know, I've been really anxious to get your reaction to this since this happened,
given how much you fly and your knowledge about all this. Do you think we have to get ready for a different cabin experience given these kinds of
turbulence problems?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: If the turbulence continues to get worse, like it's suggesting it is as a result of climate change, then, yes,
it's said that turbulence is up some 50-odd percent as a result of what we're seeing.
But that aside, the sort of measures that Singapore Airlines is taking, many airlines already do, this one of not serving hot drinks during
turbulence or when the seatbelt sign is on, that is one that several airlines do.
I don't know how practical it is not to do the meal service. What do you do if the seatbelt sign goes on and you're in the middle of the seat? You can
certainly suspend the meal service, but the stuff's already out in the galley. It's already been laid out. There are half the passengers in the
back who've already got their meals. So, really, that's a mitigation rather than an avoidance mechanism.
And this idea that the flight attendants will take their seats when the seatbelt sign is on, U.S. carriers and many carriers will often have the
captain say, flight attendants, take your jump seats.
And that's when you get turbulence that's expected to be worse than the flight attendants would be used to. They are actual professionals. They can
handle a great deal of it.
But, and this is the key here, the real problem is many pilots leave the seatbelt sign on because they forget about it or they can't be bothered or
it just stays on for hours. The longer it's on unnecessarily, the more people just ignore it.
NEWTON: Yes, well, it's such a good point about human behavior, right? Because we're all like that. If they tell us to strap in, you're like, I
don't have to stay strapped in. Right now, this is smooth sailing here. Why do I have to stay here? So, Richard, to the other point, though, we don't
know exactly what caused this turbulence to be that severe. Can technology help us here? Do you see a way out of this?
QUEST: Yes, technology is already doing it. Technology is already forecasting the vast majority of weather systems and the severe weather
systems and either sending you round up or underneath or whatever. And that's why there aren't more interest -- more of this.
Keep in mind here, Paula, this was a violent system. And it was only 60 seconds to 90 seconds. And the altitude changes weren't that great. But it
was, as I think you were taught during the week, it was the ferocity of them. The plane was going up by 800 feet a minute. It was coming down by
1,100 feet a minute. It was then going back up again by 600 feet a minute. But the actual distances it traveled were only 100 feet, 50 feet, 75 feet.
So it's all about the force, not the length of which it was actually being moved.
Yes. You do what you can. I guess I don't think -- I think the Singapore measures are understandable and they will work, but they're not workable in
the long run.
NEWTON: And I guess, Richard, you're going to say while some of us may be blacks, you're going to tell us buckle up, right, at all times as much as
you can. I'm assuming that's your advice.
QUEST: Hang on a second. Look at this. You see this?
NEWTON: Yes.
QUEST: I mean, that's you in a plane. That's you. That's exactly what happens to you when the plane moves around. And that's --
NEWTON: You have succinctly made your point. Buckle up, people. Richard, we'll leave it there for now.
QUEST: Why are we so -- why do we have this -- it's not that. It's elitism. I don't need to buckle up. I fly --
[14:50:00]
NEWTON: I buckle up all the time. I'll give you the phone numbers of my kids. You can talk to them.
Richard Quest for us. Thank you.
QUEST: Thank you.
NEWTON: Still to come for us, the Catholic Church could soon canonize the first millennial saint. Details ahead on the late Italian teen, who's
earned the nickname "God's Influencer." Millennial saint. Details ahead on the late Italian teen, loser in the nickname, God's Influencer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWTON: So nearly two decades since his passing, one Italian teen is being remembered for his faith and his legacy as, "God's influencer."
Carlo Acutis used his computer skills to spread the Catholic faith before he died of leukemia at the age of 15 in 2006. Now, the Vatican says he was
involved in the healing of a Brazilian boy with a rare pancreatic disorder that was just a few years ago. And on Thursday, Pope Francis recognized a
second miracle, the healing of a young woman who was near death after a bicycle accident. This means that that young man is on track to become the
church's first saint of the millennial generation.
CNN's Christopher Lamb joins us now, and he has all of our details. You know, it sometimes can take centuries for someone to be really recognized
in this way. Why this young man, and why did the Vatican do this?
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, Carlo Acutis is very much a saint for the digital age. Now, we know that when people think
about saints, they often imagine, you know, men dressed in robes with long beards and -- or people depicted in statues, whereas Carlo Acutis is very
much a relatable figure. He was born in 1991. He grew up in Milan. He had a PlayStation as a young boy. He used to like to game.
He used to like to take funny videos of his dogs. You know, he had a very much a relatable character, and I think that's really important. There's a
big following to Carlo Acutis across the Catholic Church, particularly amongst young Catholics, and at a time when the Catholic Church is really
struggling in some places to connect with young people, here is a figure who lived and dressed like Catholics of today, and therefore he can be
someone who can be relatable to young Catholics.
I think that's why he has really passed through this process to be a saint very quickly. As you said, it can take a very long time, but his following
is very well established. It does take two miracles to be attributed to you to be made a saint.
[14:55:05]
And now, Paula, it's not always that you get to talk to the mother of a saint, but I was able to speak to Antonia Salzano, the mother of Carlo
Acutis, and this is what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIA SALZANO, MOTHER OF CARLO ACUTIS: He's a great sign of hope because he told us, as I did, you too can become holy. Nevertheless, all the media,
the technologies, it seems sometimes that holiness is something that belongs to the past. Instead, holiness is also nowadays, in this modern
time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAMB: Now, Paula, the cardinals need to meet with Pope Francis to sign off on this miracle and canonization, and then a date for the canonization can
be announced. Back to you, Paula.
NEWTON: Yes, and I dare say, obviously, such a measure of comfort for his mother, and also a good piece of branding, right, by the Vatican, just
elevating this for modern times.
Christopher Lamb for us in London, thanks so much.
And I want to thank all of you for watching. Stay with CNN. "NEWSROOM" with Jim Sciutto is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
