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Isa Soares Tonight

Netanyahu Warns Of Intensified Fighting With Hezbollah; At Least 20 People Killed In Dagestan Attack; Trump-Biden Prep For First Presidential Debate; CNN Analysis: 2,900+ Acres In Rafah Affected By Bulldozing Or Destroyed During IDF Ground OPS; Historic Showdown Between Biden And Trump This Week; Republicans Weigh In On Biden-Trump Debate On Fox; Two Pretrial Hearings Today In Trump Classified Docs Case. 2-3p ET

Aired June 24, 2024 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:39]

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, Benjamin Netanyahu says that most

intense [AUDIO GAP:00:45-47] he warns that Israel's -- conflict with Hezbollah could be about to intensify. We'll bring you the very latest.

Then attacks by armed gunmen leave at least 20 people dead and dozens more injured in Russia's southernmost Dagestan Province. Plus, Joe Biden and

Donald Trump are preparing to go head-to-head on CNN's debate stage. So, how do their strategies compare? We'll have that, of course, and much more

just ahead.

But first, tonight, Israel's Defense Minister is in high-stakes talks in Washington right now after a major announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu about a shift in the Gaza war. Mr. Netanyahu says the intense phase -- this is what he says. "The intense phase of fighting, Hamas is

about to end", suggesting operations in Rafah are perhaps winding down.

He says that doesn't mean the war is over, but he told an Israeli news channel that Israeli forces could soon be redeployed near the Lebanon

border amid escalating hostilities with Hezbollah.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): After the intense phase is finished, we will have the possibility to move part of the

forces north, and we will do this, first and foremost for defensive purposes, and secondly, to bring our evacuated residents home.

If we can, we will do this diplomatically, if not, we will do it another way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: On meantime, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as you can see there is making the rounds in Washington, really trying to shore up support

for the war effort from Israel's top arms supplier. He's sitting down right now with Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

Also today, Mr. Netanyahu is walking back comments that raged families of hostages in Gaza. In that interview, we just mentioned, he suggested Israel

could strike a partial deal with Hamas to free some of the hostages. He now says the war will continue until all hostages are returned.

The families of three hostages meantime have authorized the release of new video of their loved ones kidnapping from music festival, if you remember,

on October the 7th, and we warn you, the images we are about to show you are graphic.

The video taken by Hamas shows the hostages in the back of a pickup truck being driven through southern Israel. One can be seen with his blood --

with his face bloodied there, and his arm apparently blown off. Some of the video has already been seen by the public.

But now the hostages' families, one more footage released to help increase pressure for a deal that would bring them home. So much for us to discuss

this, let's get all the very latest from our Paula Hancocks who is in Jerusalem, Kylie Atwood is at the U.S. State Department. So, Paula, I mean,

let me start with the politics first of all, that we've heard that interview from Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Because these are the clearest comments so far from the prime minister about the war, and it seems from his words and that this was on the record

of course, in that interview that he's setting the stage for a confrontation with Hezbollah. Just talk us through what we heard from him.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Isa, you're right. This is the clarity really that everyone was looking for from the Israeli

Prime Minister. And what he has said is that the intense phase of the war in Gaza is about to end.

He has said that doesn't mean that the war in Gaza is ending. He said it means that the current stage of fighting in Rafah for example, is about to

end. And he said that, that will allow them to pivot towards the northern border.

So, he's made it very clear that as they are bringing down the amount of troops and fighting that will happen in Gaza, that will then be redirected

to the northern border to focus on Hezbollah. Now, you have to remember that this is for a number of different audiences.

It's for a domestic audience and international audience, and also clearly for Hezbollah to hear as well. But he did point out that it was very

important to try and allow tens of thousands of residents of northern Israel that have had to evacuate since October 7th to go home.

It's also worth mentioning as well that there are tens of thousands on the other side of the border in southern Lebanon that have been evacuated for

the same amount of time, for some eight months and haven't been able to go home either.

[14:05:00]

Now, we also heard from the Defense Minister Yoav Gallant before he went to D.C., saying that this was really the phase C transition that he wanted to

talk to the U.S. officials about. So, we have had this signaling for a week now, really, showing that there is going to be this change, that they are

going to wind down in Gaza, and then potentially ramp up in northern Israel.

That's certainly the message that they're wanting to give. And at the same time, Isa, you did mention he talked about a partial deal with Hamas to

bring some of the hostages back, that was met with fury with -- by some of those -- those hostage families saying they need all of the hostages back.

And he has tried to walk those comments back somewhat, saying that he is committed to the Israel proposal that President Biden has been very

supportive of. This is the three-stage proposal where the first stage is a six-week ceasefire, which is meant to evolve naturally into the second

phase, which would potentially be that permanent ceasefire.

Because in that interview, he also said that even after a ceasefire, he's not given up on the hope of going back into Gaza and eliminating Hamas

completely. So, he's not willing to give up that pledge that he wants to destroy Hamas completely, Isa.

SOARES: Stay with us, Paula, let me just go to Kylie. So, Kylie, Paula was talking there about this phase C transition. What -- from the U.S. side, I

mean, what is Yoav -- Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who is in Washington, of course. What is he hoping to get out of the U.S. support backing for

this phase C part of the war?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Certainly, yes, I think that's a fair assessment, but I also think the flip side of that is that

U.S. officials are trying to really understand what this phase C would actually look like. State Department spokesperson -- I just asked him in

the briefing here, you know, if the United States would support what Prime Minister Netanyahu said over the weekend, which is that, there will

continue to be mowing of the grass in Gaza even after this intense period of the conflict comes to a close.

They'll continue essentially strikes in Gaza. The U.S. is not saying that they support that, the spokesperson said that that's a recipe for continued

conflict that would lead to more insecurity even for Israel. So, they're being pretty firm on that. We'll have to watch and see what this dialogue

between the Defense Minister from Israel, the Secretary of State today, also the Secretary of Defense here in Washington tomorrow actually look

like.

But there are also a number of other issues that they're going to be talking about. You know, clarity from the Israelis in terms of what they

are hoping to accomplish in transitioning to the north, to this conflict with Hezbollah, and of course, not leaving Gaza behind and looking at it,

you know, altogether is off the table.

The U.S. is going to be discussing with Gallant how to increase the security in Gaza to get that humanitarian assistance in there, continues to

have troubles getting in, and also what those day after plans look like. So, this spokesperson said to me that there are some more serious

conversations with Israelis at this point about day after dialogue, because Israelis have been sort of resistant to dive into that, but now they are

starting to engage.

But it's still very unclear what the day after this conflict in Gaza would look like as you have had U.S. officials and many other officials talking

about the security situation in Gaza being tremendously bad at this point, with looting, with gangs and the like, creating just a really challenging

situation increasingly so.

SOARES: A day after plans, which the U.S. has been asking for, for months now. Kylie Atwood, Paula Hancocks, thanks to you both. Well, EU foreign

policy chief Josep Borrell issued a stark warning today about the conflict in Gaza, saying we are on the eve of the war expanding. Our Ben Wedeman has

more now from southern Lebanon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a day of joy and celebration here in south Lebanon.

(on camera): Israeli forces are just about 5 miles away from here. But nonetheless, here in the town of Hasbaya, there's a wedding going on it.

(voice-over): It didn't seem right to spoil this special day for newlyweds, Taymor(ph) and Fatti(p), with questions about the dark clouds hovering over

Lebanon.

But one guest told us off camera, we're celebrating here while war is around the corner. Hasbaya has been spared the worst of the barrages and

counter barrages between Israel and Hezbollah. Here, they stop anyone from firing towards Israel. Parliament member Elias Jarade was elected to

represent Christians in this area.

[14:10:00]

ELIAS JARADE, MEMBER OF LEBANESE PARLIAMENT: Majority of the southern people, majority of the Lebanese people from all sex, all religions, all

parties, they are in one way or another, they are committed with the Palestinians.

WEDEMAN: Everyone we spoke with had a completely contrary opinion. Few people wanted to speak on camera about the looming danger of war for fear

of repercussions, off-camera we got an earful. There is zero appetite for escalation, little support for Hezbollah.

Eighty five-year-old Abu Nabil(ph) has seen it all, war and civil war, invasions and occupation. "Wars ruin nations", he says, "in war, everyone

loses, even the winner." Abu Nabil(ph) knows of what he speaks.

(on camera): Since October, Israel and Hezbollah and its allies have been engaged in low intensity warfare, largely limited to the border. If full-

scale war breaks out, that war will spread well beyond the frontier on both sides.

(voice-over): Last week, Israeli generals approved a plan to attack Lebanon, while Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah recently warned if it

comes to war, the group will fight Israel on land, sea and air, and also inside Israel itself.

The Iranian-backed group's sophisticated attacks have surprised Israeli officials, including precision strikes on surveillance posts on the border,

shooting down high-flying Israeli drones and knocking out anti-missile and anti-drone defenses, and posting online more than nine minutes of what it

claimed was drone footage of sensitive military and civilian infrastructure in and around the city of Haifa.

(BELL RINGING)

WEDEMAN: The bells summons the faithful to mass in the predominantly Christian town of Marjayoun. More than 90,000 people have already left the

south for safer ground. Amar(ph) says she's determined to stay, but adds, "if things escalate to war, and it reaches here like it did before with

some shelling, of course, like others, we'll have to leave."

For now, they can only pray for peace and hope those prayers are heard. Ben Wedeman, CNN, south Lebanon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: Thanks to really, our reporter there, Ben Wedeman in Beirut for the very latest. Let's get more then -- talk more about the growing threat of

the war between Israel and Hezbollah. We're joined by Colin Clarke; the director of Policy and Research at the Soufan Group in New York.

Colin, great to have you back on the show. Let me start off really from what we heard just in the last what? Twenty four hours or so from that

interview that Prime Minister Netanyahu did with Israeli television. I mean, it's clearest yet really, message yet, and we heard this from our

correspondent in Jerusalem about where he wants to take this war that's shifting its attention to Hezbollah. What do you make of this?

COLIN CLARKE, DIRECTOR, POLICY & RESEARCH, THE SOUFAN GROUP: It's hard to say, but you're absolutely right. There's multiple audiences at the -- on

the receiving end of his message. There's the Israeli public, there's Hezbollah, of course, there's the Lebanese public, and I think there's the

international community, most importantly, the United States and others.

The U.S. and the French have been accelerating diplomatic efforts to kind of quell this roiling -- these roiling tensions unsuccessfully so far. But

it seems clear that Netanyahu is determined to keep rolling, but when one looks at how poorly Gaza has gone for the Israel defense forces, it's

really questionable that he would go forward with some kind of war with Hezbollah.

But at the end of the day, politics is what's going to drive conflict. And so, we may end up there eventually.

SOARES: Yes, and we've had a lot of the diplomacy, the push, we've seen a lot of the diplomatic push in the last week or so. We also heard last week,

Colin, you can add to this from U.S. officials saying they had serious concerns about Israel's iron dome and how it could be vulnerable to

Hezbollah's kind of vast arsenal of missiles and drones.

I mean, just in the last, what? The last couple of weeks, the last week, we saw that nine-minute video that Hezbollah put out showing really the

military and Intelligence capability. Speak to that, speak to in terms of what you've seen and what you've learned just in the last few weeks from

Hezbollah.

CLARKE: Precisely, you know, if you look at what Hamas brings to the table, Hezbollah is infinitely more sophisticated as a -- as a military force.

You're talking about a group that has been around since the early '80s, and now its arsenal contains upwards of 150,000 rockets and precision-guided

ammunitions.

[14:15:00]

So, Hezbollah, war with Hezbollah would make what's going on in Gaza look like child's play. And I think if you look at the 2006 conflict between

Israel and Hezbollah, which lasted approximately 34 days, you know, that was a really hard fight for the Israelis.

Hezbollah won a lot of acclaim throughout the region for standing up to Israel, and now fast forward to 2024, we're talking about a much more well-

armed, well-trained, battle-hardened group. Keep in mind, Hezbollah has been fighting in Syria alongside the IRGC Quds Force, alongside Russian

mercenaries.

So, this is a group that's, you know, really kind of gained significant battlefield experience and would be an immense challenge for the Israelis

to take on.

SOARES: Yes, and we've heard today, I think a statement from the EU foreign minister, which we quoted earlier saying, "we're on the eve where the war

expanded -- expanding. If the war, you know, if we are, then, at this moment in event of a war with Hezbollah, what role -- just explain here,

what role would the U.S. play?

CLARKE: Well, the United States would be in a very difficult position, because I think as some of the previous coverage of your program alluded

to, nobody wants this war.

SOARES: Yes --

CLARKE: Very few -- you know, none of the population of either Israel or Lebanon wants this war, certainly, the Biden administration doesn't want

another war in the Middle East and the lead up to an election. The U.S. is going to go, I'd say full bore in accelerating diplomacy.

Amos Hochstein has been to the region multiple times. Now, Yoav Gallant is in the U.S., I think if there is some kind of a potential for a deal

between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, that could potentially serve as a confidence-building measure to maybe make some progress on the Israel-

Lebanon front.

But even as we've seen historically when multiple actors don't want war, they still can occur. So, there's all these different trip wires and red

flags that are arising. I think we're on the precipice of something potentially very dangerous and that's why we're seeing the United States

really ramp up its diplomacy and dedicate a lot of bandwidth toward helping resolve this issue before things spiral out of control.

SOARES: Yes, indeed, Colin, always great to get your insight. Thanks very much, Colin Clarke there.

CLARKE: Thank you as well --

SOARES: Well, authorities in Russia's Dagestan Province are trying to figure out who staged a coordinate terror attack there on Sunday. Have a

look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(GUNFIRE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Well, authorities now say at least 20 people were killed when a gunman opened fire on places of worship and police checkpoints. The death

toll reported includes at least four civilians with an orthodox priest among the dead. Our Clare Sebastian has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(GUNFIRE)

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shattering the calm of a Summer evening. Russian authorities say these were coordinated attacks

simultaneously targeting both Dagestan's capital Makhachkala and Derbent, an ancient city, more than 100 kilometers away.

There, attackers fired on this synagogue just 40 minutes before evening prayers as the Russian-Jewish congress, setting it on fire.

(GUNFIRE)

As police confronted attackers, 19 people locked themselves in this church in Makhachkala, according to state media, they were later brought to

safety.

"Around 6 O'clock or 6:10, they were already shooting heavily", says this eyewitness speaking to Russian state TV. "They killed Amisha(ph), our

security guard."

MAYOR YUSUP UMAVOV, MAKHACHKALA, RUSSIA (through translator): Relevant services and law enforcement agencies worked quickly. But unfortunately,

there were losses. We offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends whose sons and brothers died today.

SEBASTIAN: Most of the casualties, police officers, but gruesome details emerged about the murder of an orthodox priest in Derbent, attackers

cutting his throat, according to one local official. The head of the predominantly Muslim Republic said this was an attempt to destabilize the

region, hinting at foreign influence.

GOV. SERGEY MELIKOV, DAGESTAN (through translator): Further operative- search and investigative measures will be carried out until all participants of the sleeper cells are identified, which undoubtedly include

some that were organized from abroad.

(GUNFIRE)

SEBASTIAN: The attack which Russia is investigating as terrorism comes just three months after the deadliest terror attack in Russia in two decades,

more than 140 people killed at a Moscow concert hall. Russia's president then laid the blame on the West and Ukraine, despite the claim of

responsibility from ISIS-K, the Islamic state's regional branch in Afghanistan.

Ethnic tensions also a key focus in Dagestan, a region with an ancient Jewish population, in late October, an anti-Jewish mob stormed the main

airport in Dagestan's capital as a flight landed from Tel Aviv. This latest attack raising more serious security questions. Russia already at war in

Ukraine, facing growing threats at home. Clare Sebastian, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[14:20:00]

SOARES: Well, let's get back -- let's get more on this, our chief international security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh is here. So, Nic, no

claim of responsibility as we heard Clare say there. What are you hearing from your sources in terms of who could be behind this?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: I mean, the obvious suspect here is ISIS-K, the offshoots of ISIS that's

predominantly functioning in central Asia, Afghanistan, but it spread up from central Asia in towards Russia behind the Crocus City Mall attack.

But in that instance, they were pretty quick to claim responsibility. So far today, we've had channels associated with them praising this,

celebrating --

SOARES: Yes --

WALSH: The attack, but no outright claim of responsibility, and that kind of tells you a lot about how fraction and confusing the Johannes Movement

in Dagestan is, it may be that these individuals are acting sort of freelance, planning their own attack, and potentially those running the

ISIS channels didn't know about it, and not quite sure what to do.

It's also interesting too that it appears a lot of these gunmen, five of them it seems were relatives. Three, in fact, where relatives of a local

official in the Sogo(ph) Klinsky District, the local head there, a man called Maghamed Marov(ph), one was his son, one was his nephew and one was

a first cousin who also was a well-known MMA fighter in some --

SOARES: Yes --

WALSH: Circles there too. So, we're learning more about these men, but it also gives you more of a picture about how the extremist threat in that

region, it's really --

SOARES: Yes --

WALSH: Metastasized over the past two decades of Putin's exceptionally repressive, brutal treatment of it.

SOARES: And we've seen what? Two terrorists or two attacks in what? Three- four months --

WALSH: Yes --

SOARES: Roughly. Just explain how this would play out in Russia. How would this impact Putin, domestically, do you think --

WALSH: Yes --

SOARES: If it impacts it at all?

WALSH: I mean, this, I think, many will perceive as the things that happen in the north caucuses. Those in Moscow who in Putin's opinion, I think he's

more concerned about, well, have looked at the Crocus City Mall attack, you saw there so many dead from that and be horrified that could have struck so

far into the capital, that clearly was ISIS.

This potentially may have been inspired by that. We simply don't know, but they came close together, certainly red loops of security state that is not

particularly secure. And also it's going to remind, I think many Muscovites, many in the south --

SOARES: Yes --

WALSH: In Dagestan, where many of their sons have gone and died in the war in Ukraine that Putin has devoted nearly all of his military sources to

this war of choice across the border, though, for whatever you want to say in its third year is simply not going as it said it would on the tin.

And so, I think that is one of the lessons from this. And whether we see Islamist extremist continue to exploit this --

SOARES: Yes --

WALSH: Window of Russian state frailty to be honest is another key thing. Putin came to power, saying he'd get rid of these guys. That was what he

launched the second Chechen war for back in 1999. And instead, he's created this exceptionally savage --

SOARES: Yes --

WALSH: Extremist threat that is just coming back again and again.

SOARES: Nick, appreciate, I know you'll stay across it, thanks very much. And still to come -- actually, I'm going to take you to extreme weather in

fact in Saudi Arabia, because officials there say more than 1,300 people have died during this year's Hajj, we brought you the story, if you

remember last week.

Authorities are now giving us some numbers, can you blame really, combination scorching heat and what they call unauthorized trips as well as

ill-prepared travelers. Temperatures exceeded 51 degrees Celsius last week, an estimated 1.8 million people have taken part in the annual Islamic

pilgrimage to Mecca this year.

Still to come tonight, outside the Supreme Court and cities around the United States, rallies and protests two years to the day after the historic

decision to overturn Roe versus Wade. We'll have the very latest. Then, the countdown is on, only 3 days left until this election cycle's first U.S.

presidential debate.

We'll take a look at how the candidates are getting ready for this historic showdown right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:26:34]

SOARES: Well, a stark reminder today that the longstanding divide in the U.S. over reproductive rights is certain to play a significant role in this

year's presidential election. Rallies and protests like this one outside the U.S. Supreme Court are being held across the United States.

They are marking the two-year anniversary of the high court's decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. Let's turn now to

senior White House correspondent, MJ Lee for more. And MJ, we know that abortion rights, of course, has been a galvanizing issue for the Democrats.

How is the president hoping to mark this two-year anniversary here?

MIN JUNG LEE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, and we should note, for Democrats, this two-year anniversary is nothing celebratory, but they are

seizing this moment to send out what they believe is one of their most potent political messages heading into November.

And that is that, abortion rights and reproductive rights have been taken away because of Donald Trump, and that they stand to be further eroded if

Donald Trump were to come back to the White House for a second term. We saw Vice President Kamala Harris who has really been a leading voice for the

Biden administration earlier today at a campaign event in Maryland, saying that our fundamental freedoms are really at risk.

And she certainly put the blame firmly at Donald Trump's feet. And then we have this new campaign ad from the Biden team that features a woman from

Louisiana, who says in the ad that she was turned away from two separate emergency rooms after she suffered from a miscarriage at 11 weeks of

pregnancy.

And she said all of that was the direct result of Donald Trump and his decisions. Now, all of this is just part of a wide-ranging campaign wide

effort from Democrats, from the Biden administration and the campaign to really try to highlight this issue. We are seeing a number of surrogates

that are going to be found across the country, really to hone in on this specific message.

And that certainly is a reminder of how much, as you said, Democrats believe this is a really potent and salient message that can mobilize

voters and it certainly has mobilized voters for them in the past. Now, we don't expect to see President Biden himself much, if at all in the coming

days because he's hunkered down at Camp David for debate prep, but we certainly expect that this very issue of abortion rights and reproductive

rights is something that the team is really preparing for, and they're counting on this being one of the issues, one of the top issues really

where they can really draw one of the sharpest contrast possible between the current president and the former president.

SOARES: MJ Lee for us there in Washington D.C., thanks very much MJ. And in about 15 minutes or so, we'll take you deep, a deeper dive really into how

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are readying themselves for Thursday when they'll go head-to-head, of course, on the debate stage, that is to be

hosted by CNN.

And you can watch it live right here on CNN on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, and catch a replay on Friday at 7:00 p.m. if you're watching in

London. And still to come tonight, I sit down with CNN's Fareed Zakaria as we discuss some of the biggest geopolitical challenges of our time,

including the threat from Russia and China to democracy.

That interview is next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN HOST, FAREED ZAKARIA GPS: You now have an axis that is not just opposed to western power, but to western ideas, because they worry

that these western ideas will come into their societies --

SOARES: Yes --

ZAKARIA: And destabilize their grip on power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: Plus, a young woman lost half her family in Israeli striking Gaza, an attack which became the focus of a CNN investigation. Now she shares

more of her story with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:33:57]

SOARES: And we return now to one of our top stories this hour in Gaza, where CNN analysis shows more than 2,900 acres, almost 12 square kilometers

in the southern city of Rafah are affected by bulldozing or have been destroyed during IDF ground operations.

That, while NGOs Save the Children, releases this sobering statistic. As many as 21,000 children are missing in the Gaza Strip since the Israel-

Hamas war began on October the 7th. Schools of these children are thought to be trapped beneath rubble, detained, buried in unmarked graves, or

simply lost from their families.

Well, earlier this year, CNN investigated an Israeli strike in Gaza that killed half of one young woman's family and left her with life-changing

injuries. Our Jomana Karadsheh was part of that investigation, and she has now met with 18-year-old Roba Abu Jibba in person in Doha. And a warning,

some of the video in this report is graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): War is forever imprinted on Roba's face.

[14:35:01]

Even here, in the safety of Qatar, far from the conflict, she avoids people and going out, still haunted by what she survived. This scene of carnage,

it was a horror we uncovered earlier this year. The Israeli military attacked this warehouse in central Gaza, where Roba and her family were

sheltering.

When our cameraman met her in the hospital in January, she was seriously injured and in shock, struggling to tell her story. She would become the

heart of a CNN investigation, an example documenting how Israel's conducting the war in Gaza, revealing how indiscriminate Israeli fire

killed displaced civilians, including half of Roba's family.

But with access to Gaza restricted, we never met Roba in person, until this spring.

KARADSHEH: As-salamu alaykum.

KARADSHEH (voice-over): Following our report, the Qatari government flew her on this military transport plane to Doha for treatment. She and her

family went through the unimaginable in that Gaza warehouse. They'd taken refuge there in November, following Israel's directive to evacuate south.

Residents said that in the early hours of January 4th, they heard what they called resistance fire in the area, though denied there were militants

where civilians were sheltering. The Israeli military told us that after coming under fire from the warehouse, they carried out a, "Precise strike."

Experts told us that strike was likely a massive 2,000-pound bomb, dropped with no prior warning to Roba's family and other civilians. Roba was

trapped for days, bleeding, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of her five siblings. The youngest was 10-year-old Azeen.

The once-outgoing 19-year-old has been left shattered, inside and out, still grappling with seemingly endless pain and loss. Not just her family,

even the new love she found. That young man, Mohammad, she says, was out looking for firewood when he was killed in an Israeli strike.

But it is her body, the physical scars that are a constant reminder of that horrific night. Roba came to Qatar hoping for a prosthetic eye, a shroud

for her anguish.

We joined her for this doctor's appointment. She was expecting to get a date for the surgery. But instead, it was crushing news. The doctor tells

Roba and her aunt the reconstructive surgery is not available in Qatar.

Slowly, the bad news begins to sink in. She can barely stand. No words can comfort her. She tries to shield herself, as she likely did that night,

reliving the trauma, reliving a nightmare that just won't end. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Doha.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:42:00]

SOARES: Well, if you are counting, like most of us here, we are just three days away from the most anticipating -- anticipated moment, I should say,

of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump ready to debate once again. Mr. Biden has been

hunkered down, as you heard from MJ Lee at the top of the hour, at Camp David through the weekend for intensive debate preparations.

His team is preparing the president for different versions of Donald Trump, it seems, that could show up really on Thursday nights on CNN's debate.

Let's bring in CNN Politics Reporter Stephen Collinson, who is live for us in Washington, D.C., with more on that debate.

And, Stephen, good to see you. So it seems that President Biden is preparing, from what I heard, for a possibility of a more kind of

disciplined Trump. I mean, to be honest, I can't envisage that in terms of what we have seen so far in previous debates. We're obviously used to

seeing a more kind of unhinged former president. But talk us through the thinking here.

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Right. Well, we've been waiting for Trump to be more presidential, in inverted commas, ever since

he burst onto the scene politically about eight years ago.

I think the thinking is that it would make a lot more sense for Trump to behave in a more conventional fashion in this debate, given that the last

first debate that Biden and Trump had, he was, as you say, absolutely unhinged four years ago. And it did very much damage his attempt to cling

on to the White House. Biden was able to pose as the sober force of continuity, someone who could get the country back on track right in the

middle of the pandemic.

So if Trump comes out full guns blazing, he's just going to play into a lot of the prejudices that a lot of swing voters have against him that is

simply not suitable for a turn to the Oval Office. So that, I think, is the thinking.

As you say, though, Donald Trump can change in an instant. He never really behaves in a conventional way. He's shattered every single convention of

the presidency, the decorum of campaigning. So I wouldn't put too much stock in this idea that he's going to show up and be meek and presidential.

SOARES: Yes. I mean, for President Biden, of course, the more boisterous or even abrasive he is, I suppose the better, right? Like you said, because it

shows a stark contrast for undecided voters between those two men. But as you write in your piece for cnn.com, you say "Trump is also hedging against

a stronger than expected Biden, showing by suggesting his opponent will be, 'jacked up' on drugs to ensure a strong performance."

And just to add some context here, this is what we've been hearing from Republicans ahead of this debate. Have a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLYANNE CONWAY, FORMER COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're going to need to goose him and juice him for him to even be able to

stand there for 90 minutes.

VIVEK RAMASWAMY, AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR AND POLITICIAN: I do think a drug test is fair game. The American people deserve transparency. There was

cocaine found in the White House earlier this year, after all.

REP. RONNY JACKSON (R), TEXAS: I'm going to be demanding on behalf of many millions of concerned Americans right now that he submit to a drug test

before and after this debate.

[14:45:02]

Specifically looking for performance enhancing drugs. He's going to be camped out for a full week before the debate. Part of that is probably

experimenting with, you know, just getting the doses just right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SOARES: I mean, Stephen, what do you make of this kind of pregame spin that we've been hearing?

COLLINSON: Well, there's nothing more absurd. Every election cycle than the game of raising and lowering expectations before a debate, Trump, as usual,

is taking it to extremes. What you saw there is just how ridiculous a lot of the conservative media coverage is of politics in the United States. I

don't think that would be acceptable in most other democracies around the world. But that's the way it is over here.

Trump has got himself into a little bit of a problem because he's been, for months, and even years, portraying Biden as completely incapable, someone

who's suffering from dementia, who's lost his cognitive ability. And about a week before the debate, it seems to have occurred to the Trump campaign

is, you know, what happens if Biden shows up and does OK? We've completely lowered the expectations and walked into the president's trap.

So now not only are people on conservative media in the president's campaign, the former president himself suggesting that Biden would have to

be on drugs to perform well, they're now saying, well, he's actually a pretty worthy debater. He's been at this ever since President Nixon was in

office.

We're not underestimating him at all. So they seem to have realized that Trump has walked into a little bit of a trap. None of this really matters

if the debate goes badly for Biden, if it goes well for Biden afterwards. But this is what happens before a debate. The underlying question here,

though, of course, though, is that a majority of Americans do believe the president is too old to serve a second term.

So it's a legitimate, I think, sort of argument for the former president's campaign to make just the way they've gone about it could be

counterproductive.

SOARES: Yes. Stephen, as always, great to get your insight. Thanks very much.

COLLINSON: Thanks. Well, ahead of the debate, Donald Trump's legal troubles will continue to play out in court. Florida judge Eileen Cannon is holding

two pre-trial hearings today in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case. The second hearing is expected to begin in the next hour.

Special counsel Jack Smith's office will argue over a potential gag order for the former president. Earlier today, Donald Trump's attorney accused

Smith's office of being unlawfully funded.

Well, democracy, liberalism and political autonomy, some of the biggest issues dominating this historic election year, which I sat down with CNN's

Fareed Zakaria to discuss. And these themes and more are also focused on Fareed's latest book, Age of Revolutions, Progress and Backlash from 1600s

to the Present, which is out now.

I started by asking for it about the geopolitical challenges we face. Have a listen to our discussion.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAKARIA: There is a kind of cultural counterbalance taking place. Putin talks openly about how he worries about Western liberal values that are

going to infect Russia. Xi Jinping talks a great deal about how he doesn't want Western ideas of individualism, liberalism, democracy, liberty. Of

course, the Iranian mullahs talk about all the time.

So, you know, one of the things I was struck by when doing the research and talking to people about it is the degree to which, you know, you now have

an axis that is not just opposed to Western power, but to Western ideas, because they worry that these Western ideas will come into their societies

and destabilize their grip on power.

SOARES: And what you said I found really interesting in your book is that you talk about a particular, the new politics taking on a particular

ideological shape where it's no longer the traditional left and right. Well, are we moving away from that? I mean, in the show, European Show, we

try to focus on what we see. And we've seen that shift already in the rise of the far right in countries like my own, Portugal, but also Germany. Why

do you think we're moving away from kind of the traditional, this political landscape of left and right, which has dominated our politics for so long?

What's the appeal here?

ZAKARIA: So, for the longest time, as you say, we -- our politics were oriented around left versus right. And for most of the 20th century, for

most of the last hundred years, it was a simple issue. It was, what is your view on the state's role in the economy? People who wanted lower taxes,

less state, were right of center. People who wanted more taxes, more state, were left of center. And that was how it was true everywhere.

The contested area is now cultural. It's about immigration. It's about, you know, the so-called worker gender. It's identity assimilation in America,

abortion, and centrally immigration. Because in a way, it relates to this new spectrum, which is, you know, open versus closed. Do you want a world

of open immigration, multiculturalism, diversity, trade? Your technology platforms are open? Or do you want all of that stuff to be closed?

[14:50:00]

SOARES: In the U.S., we are also starting to see the kind of challenges play out. The fear, of course, is of a possible Trump presidency. I've

heard from foreign ministers on my show, mostly those close to Ukraine, Eastern Europe, who are worried about Donald Trump. Well, Trump 2.0. What

can we expect from him, do you think? I mean, not just domestically, but also foreign wise from Donald Trump, if he does return to the White House?

ZAKARIA: First, the American election, again, is a fascinating example of the same theme. Because the American economy is doing fantastically. I

mean, it's the strongest it's been in decades. And yet, Biden has the lowest approval ratings of any president in history.

And it's because the election is not being contested on economics. It's being contested on culture, on immigration, on work issues. And on those

issues, Biden has been playing catch up. He has not found a way to be a commanding presence. The energy is more on Trump's side.

I don't know that that'll last. It's a long way to the election. But right now, if you were to look at the polls, you would have to guess that, were

the election held tomorrow, Trump would win. And that should give us all, and particularly people in Europe and Asia, foreign ministers, thought

about what should they be prepared for.

Look, we don't know. Trump is an entirely transactional, narcissistic politician. But his core beliefs do seem to center around two things. One,

he thinks that free trade is a bad idea and that it, you know, that it -- the United States gets ripped off. And two, he thinks that other countries

piggyback on American security and America gets ripped off. It's a very isolationist, Fortress America mentality.

Now, how will that translate? He has, you know, there are other Republicans who disagree with him, even those who support him. Will he be able to enact

as he wasn't able to do much about some of these views when he was president the last time around? But it does worry me that his core beliefs

are these very isolationists, unilateral views, and it could force countries to have to start thinking to themselves, well, we've got to take

care of our own security.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOARES: And our thanks to Fareed Zakaria for that fascinating discussion. And still to come tonight, two astronauts on the International Space

Station can't go home just yet. We'll explain why next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[14:55:03]

SOARES: Well, NASA says it won't try to fly a pair of astronauts back from the International Space Station until next month. Butch Wilmore and Suni

Williams will stay in space while scientists as well as engineers continue to study the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that is supposed to take them

home.

The Starliner suffered helium leaks and thruster problems on the way to the Space Station. We'll, of course, stay across this.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Britain's Princess Anne has been hospitalized with a head injury as well as concussion.

A royal source tells CNN the 73-year-old had been walking near horses on her estate when an incident occurred. Her medical team confirmed she have -

- may have been struck by a horse's head or legs. The King's sister is expected to make a full as well as swift recovery.

And staying right here in the U.K., fans at Taylor Swift's London concert on Sunday, well, they got a big surprise. Have a listen to this.

Back there in a tux, well, the singer's boyfriend, U.S. football star Travis Kelce, appeared on stage with her. He wore a tuxedo as well as top

hat and played a brief role in the show. Swift is on the London leg of a record-breaking Eras tour, which seems everyone in London seems to have

gone to.

That does it for us. Thanks very much for your company. Do stay right here. "NEWSROOM" with Jim Sciutto is up next. I shall see you tomorrow. Bye-bye.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END