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Isa Soares Tonight
Israeli Security Cabinet Approves Ceasefire Deal in Lebanon; Witness Account from One of Gaza's Last Hospitals. Aired 2:00-3p ET
Aired November 26, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: Hello, and a warm welcome everyone, I'm Isa Soares. We begin this hour with breaking news. A ceasefire deal
between Israel and Hezbollah seems now to be a reality, putting the fighting that has led, of course, to the death of thousands of people along
Lebanon's border on hold.
Just a short time ago, in fact, the Israeli security cabinet voted to approve the U.S.-supported plan, hitting pause, of course, in the violence
for 60 days with hopes that it could be the basis for a more lasting truce. We're still waiting the crucial details here. We did hear from Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the vote. Have a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): Citizens of Israel, I promised victory to you and we will achieve victory. We will
complete destruction of Hamas, all of our hostages, we will make sure that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel, and we will bring back these
residents of the north to their homes.
The war will not finish until we reach all of its goals, including until we bring all of the residents of the north home. I'd like to tell you, it will
happen exactly as it happened in the south.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking just a few minutes ago, when the hours leading up to the agreement, the skies above Beirut were
filled with smoke as you can see there from a flurry of Israeli airstrikes. The Lebanese Health Ministry said at least ten people died in central
Beirut.
A senior Hezbollah official tells "Reuters" the group will remain active after the war ends by helping the many who were displaced return home as
well as to -- begin -- our coverage begins with international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson in Jerusalem, Melissa Bell is in Paris and Priscilla
Alvarez joins us from the White House.
Let me go to Priscilla Alvarez first at the White House, because we are expecting Priscilla to hear from President Biden in what? In less than 30
minutes or so. What are we likely to hear from President Biden?
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's exactly right. We expect to hear from him later this hour when he delivers remarks. Of course, this
is something that he and his team have been monitoring very closely, knowing, of course, that U.S. officials have for many months now tried to
contain any tensions in the Middle East, and certainly this was a deal that they were intimately involved with.
And over the last several days had expressed a level of cautious optimism and confidence. John Kirby, yesterday, the National Security Council
spokesperson saying that they were quote, "close to a deal and said that negotiations were based on a lot of back and forth, also earlier today, we
heard from Secretary of State Blinken, who said that they were in the final stages of these negotiations.
Now, of course, U.S. officials have always warned that no deal is a deal until it's done. But they do appear to have gotten to that point. Now, of
course, we also had seen some signs of this over the course of the week when U.S. officials were also traveling to the region. White House Middle
East Coordinator Brett McGurk had gone to Saudi Arabia as that ceasefire deal came to a close and was expected to stay there through Tuesday.
That of course, a telling sign of just how close they were to reaching this. But again, the President will be speaking more on this later this
hour, and we can anticipate that not only will he be talking about U.S. efforts as part of this deal. But also what if anything, it means for that
hostage deal that -- and Hamas and in Gaza.
SOARES: Priscilla Alvarez for -- there at the White House. Thanks very much, Priscilla, of course, we'll bring you those remarks from President
Biden when they get in the way -- underway in about 26 minutes time. Also, let me go to Nic Robertson for the time being. And Nic, I wonder what you
are hearing at this hour about the specifics of this deal, because what I heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu, who -- he basically said three months
it would have been science fiction, but we did it.
I mean, it sounded more like a campaign speech than anything else. Didn't provide much in terms of details, just what are you hearing?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: I think there's a lot of people here that would say that the Prime Minister is in a permanent
campaign mode, campaign to keep himself in power and away from pending court charges which are going to come his way in just over two weeks.
[14:05:00]
Look, the reality here is that the Prime Minister is trying to present this as a victory, and when he laid out the reasons why his -- why he took this
decision now, he said because he wants to focus on Iran, he said because there were equipment shortages and they needed to sort those out, military
equipment shortages, give the troops a chance to rest. But he also -- he also said that key here was the fact that Hezbollah had sort of delinked
its war aims from supporting Hamas in Gaza, and that was important.
But Hezbollah has pointed out that actually their leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had already agreed to that before this uptick escalation began with
Hezbollah back in the middle of September, before Hassan Nasrallah was assassinated. So, you know, I think when people scrutinize this, they are
going to wonder and drill down and want to understand the timing better.
But what we heard from the Prime Minister was portraying this as a victory, as one step, as a people being allowed to go back to their homes in the
north, even though we know the majority of people that have been evacuated from the north are not happy with this deal at all. He points it out. He
plays this as a victory, plays all the different challenges as a victory.
This is how Prime Minister Netanyahu explains things to the country, that it's going well, that this is a success, and this is -- this is why we did
it. But I think for the residents in the north, they feel that while there may be a temporary diminution in Hezbollah's ability to strike and their
plans to sort of try to come under the border and tunnels and numbers like Hamas did, that this -- the successes here and whatever they were, are
going to wane. And in a few years, northern Israel will be no more safe than it was three months ago.
SOARES: And very quickly, Nic, do we have a sense of how soon the ceasefire will come into effect? What are you hearing on that?
ROBERTSON: Sources that I'm speaking to --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBERTSON: In Lebanon would indicate that the fact that the Israeli cabinet has voted to agree to the ceasefire, there's going to be no
challenge from the north, that Hezbollah is going to go along with this. That doesn't seem to be in doubt.
SOARES: And I wonder whether we'll hear more information, of course, from President Biden when he does speak in about 24 minutes time or so. Let me
go to Melissa Bell. And Melissa, this is as Nic was highlighting here, this is a fragile deal that depends a lot on the conditions that Israel has been
imposing. I know caveat here, we don't have the details of what has been agreed so far.
But just give me your reaction from -- or from the French side because President Macron has been putting a lot of political muscle into these
ceasefire agreement.
MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He has, and becoming ever more vocally outspoken against Israel's policies in the Middle East since
the opening of that northern front along the Lebanese border, playing also an important role in getting us to this ceasefire deal. But that friction
between Israel and France that has grown over the last few months, as France with other European countries has called increasingly for arms
embargoes against Israel, been more and more critical of its policies, not just in Gaza but elsewhere.
That is also an important part of what has happened. And we saw that in the shape of what happened just in the last few days when the ceasefire talks
seemed suddenly in doubt. Israel was insisting that France be removed from them entirely. The court, the decision by the International Criminal Court
in The Hague to issue those arrest warrants, not just for Benjamin Netanyahu, but also for Yoav Gallant; the former Defense Minister.
And the fact that countries like France, which are signatories to it, said, well, look, if they do come to French soil, they will be arrested because
we will respect the law, had particularly incensed the Israeli leadership. And there were some questions about whether this -- these ceasefire talks,
including as they did France could carry on.
And it was -- we understand, under the insistence of the United States that France was left within, but also within what will be this crucial
monitoring process over the course of the next 60 days. That will decide whether or not there have been breaches and how firmly the ceasefire can
hold, whether or not France would be a part of that.
And what we understand is that, again, Washington's assistance, it will be. And that's important, Isa, not just because the ceasefire has been able to
come to pass, but for the rest of the world, and in particular, the Arab world and amongst it, Lebanon's belief that their interests as well will be
heard as this ceasefire is implemented, Isa.
SOARES: Melissa Bell for us, and Nic Robertson, thank you to you both, we'll of course, be following this breaking news and we're going to --
we'll go to the White House as soon as we hear from President Biden. I want to welcome in H.A. Hellyer; he's a Middle East scholar at the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace.
[14:10:00]
He's also a Senior Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense Security Studies, a well-known face here in the show. H.A.,
great to have you on the show for breaking news. We are expecting, as you heard there, to hear from President Biden, I'm sure -- I'm hoping that
we'll get more details.
But just your reaction so far in terms of what you heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu.
HISHAM HELLYER, SENIOR ASSOCIATE FELLOW, ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE SECURITY STUDIES: So, I think what's been very clear
especially over the last few weeks since the election in the United States is that, there are some conflicts that will keep on going on a very high
level of intensity within the region. There are others that will not.
And I think that Lebanon is one of those that will not. I think that the calculation within Israel, in terms of what they can actually accomplish in
Lebanon has been very different from what they think they can do in Gaza. I think the Trump administration, when it does come into office, doesn't want
to have to deal with the --
SOARES: Yes --
HELLYER: Quagmire in Lebanon. And I think that that's a big piece of the puzzle that has led to this ceasefire agreement coming to where it is.
SOARES: Yes, I know --
HELLYER: But there's a ceasefire agreement that can be squashed at any time.
SOARES: Yes --
HELLYER: There's a 60-day --
SOARES: Of course --
HELLYER: Limit when you know -- during that time, Israel can change its mind.
SOARES: And we heard Prime Minister Netanyahu saying, you know, if Hezbollah re-arms itself, it fires a missile, we will attack.
HELLYER: Yes --
SOARES: And we don't know if that's still part of the agreement. We don't have those details. But that's interesting, you got 60 days as it has been
discussed, that will take it to after --
HELLYER: Exactly --
SOARES: Trump's inauguration of course --
HELLYER: Yes --
SOARES: In January. But I mean, I wonder what you made on a more general sense of the timing of this, the why now, H.A.? Because he outlined as I
was -- we were doing the breaking news, he said one, and he outlined these three points. One, focusing on the Iranian threat, and then he talked about
refreshing Israeli military forces and equipment because he talked about being delayed there.
And then detaching the front of the war from Hamas. Just flesh out the first point on Iran, or how does this ceasefire degrade that threat from
Iran?
HELLYER: So, again, I think that this has everything to do with what happened in the United States with the election. I think that Trump knows
very -- I think that Netanyahu knows very well that when it comes to Gaza, he has absolutely nothing to fear from a Trump administration.
On the contrary, if he had an incredibly permissive environment to engage with them while Biden was in office, he's going to have -- I think, quite a
lot of support from within a new Trump administration for probably annexations in Gaza and the West Bank, more so in the West Bank.
And a widening of a very intense and frankly, very extreme policy when it comes to Gaza. But when it comes to Lebanon, I don't think he had that same
sort of calculation. I think that on the contrary, he felt that on Lebanon, Trump doesn't want to see a widening of the conflict.
I think that there would have been messages from the incoming Trump team that they want to see that winding down, and, you know, Israel thought that
it could get as far as -- let's say this, when it came to Lebanon. I'm not sure they've gotten everything that they wanted, but I think that Netanyahu
at this point is willing to call it a win. But to reserve the right --
SOARES: Yes --
HELLYER: To redefine what happens next, which is why --
SOARES: You know --
HELLYER: You know, during the 60 days, he can cancel.
SOARES: And it is a strategic -- I mean, in many ways, a strategic victory although, some of the 60,000 residents who haven't been able to go back to
their homes don't seem to be on board with this, at least from what our correspondents --
HELLYER: Yes --
SOARES: Have been saying so far don't feel that. But where does this leave then -- I mean, what happens in those 60 days when we're talking about, you
know, part of the agreement, initial agreement was that Hezbollah doesn't regroup.
HELLYER: Yes --
SOARES: How -- who oversees that? How do you stop that in a sovereign country?
HELLYER: Well, the idea is that the Lebanese army will redeploy to southern Lebanon, that they will do so in force. UNIFIL apparently still
stays. You know, we haven't seen the details --
SOARES: No --
HELLYER: Some things have been leaked, but apparently UNIFIL still stays in the south among the U.N. --
SOARES: Yes --
HELLYER: Force for monitoring violations, still apparently remains in the south. And as your correspondent pointed out, I think Hezbollah is willing
to go along with this deal. I think that Hezbollah knows that any future for it is much more a long-term game, as opposed to anything in the short
and medium term. So, the ingredients are there to make this work if all sides are willing to do so.
SOARES: Lots of "ifs" at this stage --
HELLYER: Yes --
SOARES: H.A., I know you're staying with us for the rest of the show, really appreciate it. I want to turn our attention though -- in the
meantime, thank you H.A. -- to Gaza, because the fighting between Israel and Hamas is still raging. And later in the show, I want to take you inside
one of just two hospitals left functioning in northern Gaza and show you the hour-by-hour struggle medical staff there are facing. Have a look at
this short clip from our Jomana Karadsheh.
[14:15:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And that report by my colleague Jomana Karadsheh is coming up later this hour. You do not want to miss that. Still to come tonight,
Donald Trump outlines his plan to place tariffs on imports including those from neighboring countries. We'll take a look at the potential impact on
Canada and Mexico as well as China. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, Russia launched a record number of drones at Ukraine overnight, according to Ukrainian Air Force. It says 188 drones targeted
Ukraine, of which 76 were intercepted by Ukrainian forces. And these photos show some of the damage the drones caused to homes in Ukraine's capital in
Kyiv.
The country's Air Force says Russia also fired four ballistic missiles, which damaged critical infrastructure in one region. And for Ukraine, the
fighting grinds on as the war approaches the three-year mark. The outlook seems bleak for one unit in particular, in Pokrovsk, that is so low on
infantry it's resorting to drones instead. Nick Paton Walsh has more, and a warning, some of the video in his report is graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voice-over): They're running out of time, space and people. Night is killing time for drones.
(on camera): They've switched on the anti-drone device because of the threat around here.
(voice-over): This Ukrainian drone unit of just two hunting, but also hunted.
(on camera): I think I hear a drone, inside. Is it a Russian drone? Is it one of theirs? They don't know, but they have to carry on.
(voice-over): Dogs are not friends. Their heat signals can give their launch spot away to Russia's thermal cameras. They close in on the target,
a house, jamming hits the signal, but they fire anyway. Russia advancing too fast here south of Pokrovsk in the east to miss any chances. The
skyline speaks of how Pokrovsk is in Russia's crosshairs.
Ukraine is short of manpower, but it is so bad here, they say they must rely on drones, not infantry, to slow a brazen Russian daylight assault
like this one.
[14:20:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WALSH: This Russian tank relentless, as a Trump presidency and possible peace talks loom, do they even have time for that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WALSH: Talk here is abnormally negative with weeks of costly and chaotic retreat on film. Like these Ukrainians hit when they're mistakenly told
this building didn't have any Russians in it. This house has an encircled Ukrainian drone unit without any infantry to help fight advancing Russians,
so, they send a drone to fly just 30 meters across the street.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
WALSH: Russian troops savage in the assault. This footage shows a local in orange who's shown Russians where Ukrainians were hiding. They are led out
and shot while face down. Part of a pattern of surrendering Ukrainians executed say prosecutors investigating this incident a fortnight ago.
Pokrovsk key site bombed but so far, spared Russia's trademark devastation. It is possible some say Moscow is moving so fast, it thinks it will spend
the Winter here. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, outside Pokrovsk, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, Russia has expelled a British diplomat for alleged espionage. The Russian Foreign Ministry also summoned the British
ambassador Nigel Casey seen here arriving in the Ministry earlier. CNN has contacted the British Foreign Office for comment. It marks the latest blow
to diplomatic ties between the Kremlin and the U.K.
Russia since barred 30 British citizens from entering the country, including several U.K. government ministers and journalists from British
newspapers. We will, of course, stay across that story for you. Turning now to United States and President-elect Donald Trump is outlining his upcoming
plans for trade tariffs.
Trump is proposing a 25 percent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico as soon as he takes office. China's imports will face an additional
10 percent tariff, which Trump describes as punishment for China exporting fentanyl to the United States. Some economists believe the tariffs could
negatively impact the U.S. supply chain.
So, what impact will the potential tariffs have? Let's get more on this. Joining us now from Ottawa, CNN's Paula Newton, also joining us from
Washington is CNN's Juan Carlos Lopez. Paula, let me go to you first, just give us a sense of how the Canadian government is reacting to the threat of
these tariff hikes here.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think certainly they're taking it seriously. But as many will remember, this is a repeat, many times -- as
we've seen many times before from the first Trump term, that is not to say that the Prime Minister of Canada isn't taking this seriously. Isa, he
immediately got on the phone and had what was described as a good but brief conversation with the President.
This is the beginning of a negotiation, but I do want to underscore that if this were to come to pass, not even just a 25 percent, Isa, let's say 10
percent, that would cause significant disruption in the economy, not just in Canada, which will be hurt by and large, perhaps the most in that
relationship, but also crucially for the United States.
And we start to talk about some industries. We talk about gas, we talk about cars, we talk about other energy. And in this new green economy, we
are also talking about rare earth minerals. All of that would be on the table. A few things also, though, to keep in mind, Prime Minister Trudeau
says he's taking again a group approach to this, right?
A team Canada approach. Not only will he engage the incoming Trump administration, but also senators and Congress people that have a lot at
stake in their own states and districts if this were to come to pass.
[14:25:00]
I want to say, though, Isa, I was at Trump headquarters the evening that he won, and in speaking to Trump advisors there, they do warn that while --
when this happened the first time, let's remember this resulted in a trade deal between Canada, the United States and Mexico. And that was something
that Trump signed. This comes up for renegotiation a little less than two years.
I want to say very clearly, Trump advisors saying to me that regardless of its own trade or tariffs or anything else, they are serious this time,
and perhaps are willing to have a little bit of pain for what they term as a longer-term gain. We will see what comes to fruition. I also want to add
that Canada is taking a decidedly different tack than Mexico, and that also means voicing out loud that they might just have a trade agreement with
Canada and the United States, not including Mexico next time around.
SOARES: Let's focus then -- thanks, Paula. Let's stay with us. Let me go to Juan Carlos because we have been seeing Juan Carlos in the markets. The
Mexican peso, as I was looking at it earlier, it kind of reacted to the initial news when this broke. It has since stabilized. But on a diplomatic
level, just putting aside the markets for just a second. How is this being received?
Because I saw some very sharp comments from the Mexican secretary I think of the economy, warning of a huge cost to the U.S.
JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: And I think the best person to describe it is the new -- the tone and the message of a letter
sent by President Claudia Sheinbaum to Donald Trump. First of all, she addresses him as President-elect, and then she starts highlighting that he
might not be aware of what Mexico has been doing to stem the flow of people towards the border.
But then she goes into very specific details about the relationship, and she highlights that even though Mexico is the place where people come to
the border, the U.S. is the source of 70 percent of all illegal weapons in Mexico, and that the consumption of drugs in the U.S. fuels this
business. So, she basically is signaling that the relationship with her government will be different with -- than the one that Trump had with
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
She says as is true that Mexico is the United States main trading partner, and any tariffs that the U.S. imposes on Mexico will probably be followed
by tariffs imposed by Mexico on the U.S. She mentions one of the -- some of the bigger automakers and the impact this would have and the jobs that
would be impacted.
So, I think it's a hard line sent from President Sheinbaum, saying they're not going to put up with this, and it's going to be a different type of
relationship when it comes -- when President Trump takes office in January of 2025, he's still not the President, but obviously, he's still rattling
the markets, it just feels like things that happened while he was President.
And remember, he already did threaten with the tariffs and then backed down and said he got everything he wanted. One of the analysis here from the
letter of President Sheinbaum is that he might be just trying to claim credit for things that are already happening.
SOARES: We shall see, but sometimes it seems when he does go put a threat on the table -- we've seen it before, he does go with it. Fulfill that,
right? So, I know you'll stay across it, Juan Carlos Lopez, Paula Newton, thank you to you both, great to see you. And still to come tonight, the
latest on the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah.
We'll have the reaction from Washington. What the Biden White House is saying a potential truce for Lebanon. We are waiting to hear from President
Biden. We'll bring you his speech next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:30:00]
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Welcome back, everyone. Israel's security cabinet has approved a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
It happened in the last 45 minutes or so. Just a short time ago, the cabinet voted to approve the U.S. supported plan, hitting pause, of course,
on the violence for 60 days, with hopes that it could be the basis for a more lasting truce. The United States helped broker the ceasefire, and we
are expecting to hear from President Biden shortly. Of course, when that happens, we will bring that to you.
In the meantime, Israeli prime minister said Hezbollah. Is no longer a threat. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): And now, Hezbollah is no longer, and it will help us with the task of bringing our
hostages back. We were attacked in seven fronts and we retaliated. We are changing the face of the Middle East.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: And while a ceasefire agreement may be imminent, the skies above Beirut have been filled this morning and for much of the day with smoke
from a flurry of Israeli airstrikes today. The Lebanese health ministry says at least 10 people died in Central Beirut.
I want to go to our Jeremy Diamond, who's in Northern Israel. And, Jeremy, there is a lot we do not know at this stage about this deal and the
specifics of this deal. But from our conversation that we've had in the last 24 hours, what does seem to be -- what it seems to be clear is that
the ceasefire deal was not universally popular, specifically where you are in some parts of the north of Israel.
I'm going to play some sound from some residents, of course, to have been displaced given the attacks from Hezbollah. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KOBI KATZ, DISPLACED ISRAELI RESIDENT: We are not happy with the agreement that it's going to come because the condition in the agreement are secret.
And we are very, very sad that nobody tell us what's going to be when we come back to Metula, which is on the border 20, 50 meters from the border.
We don't feel safe because we know there is a lot of shelters until now that the Israeli forces did not go in and destroy everything. It's there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: It's not only just a fragile deal, there's clearly a lot of mistrust, and we did hear from Prime Minister Netanyahu, who said we will
respond forcefully to ceasefire violations. You're there. Give us a sense of what you have been hearing from local mayors, but also from citizens
there.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, I've been hearing some very similar comments to the one that you just played. I mean, just look at
the fact that a number of mayors, for example, from some of these northern most communities where citizens have been evacuated for the last 14 months
or so and which have been facing not only the rockets and the missile -- and the rockets and the drones, but also these guided anti-tank missiles,
which have a range of about 10 kilometers. They are not calling this a ceasefire deal, but rather a surrender agreement.
And that is obviously a very controversial, quite abrasive language that they are using, but it is reflecting the concern of so many in the north
that Israel is ending this conflict effectively too soon without truly restoring security to the Northern Israel, without truly defeating
Hezbollah's capabilities in Southern Lebanon and removing threats like those anti-tank missiles, for example.
[14:35:00]
But the Israeli prime minister explained tonight why he believes that this is the right time to move forward, not only because he believes that the
Israeli military and the security establishment have achieved enormous gains against Hezbollah, including Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah,
destroying as much as 70 percent of Hezbollah's arsenal, according to Israeli officials, but also because he believes now is the right time to
focus elsewhere.
To focus, first of all, he said on the Iranian threat, to give Israeli forces and munitions times to regroup and resupply. And then, also, because
he believes that delinking these two fronts is critical. Before Israel moved in on the ground in Lebanon, before Israel carried out a series of
strikes, including killing Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah had not been willing to delink these two fronts, effectively saying that it would only discuss a
ceasefire agreement if Israel stopped its war in Gaza.
And now, those two fronts are delinked. Israeli officials who I've been speaking with believe that will bring more pressure to bear on Hamas, which
will feel increasingly isolated, whether or not that can actually result in Hamas changing any of its positions in order to get to a hostage and
ceasefire deal in Gaza remains to be seen. But that is certainly the hope of Israeli and American officials as well.
And critically, the Israeli prime minister was trying to tell those in his government on the right-wing who've been criticizing this deal and also
those in northern communities that Israel will maintain the ability to go after Hezbollah if it deems that necessary, if Hezbollah violates this
deal. And it also got assurances from the United States that it would support that in a side letter that has not yet been published.
So, ultimately, without the publication of all these details, it's difficult to know 100 percent if the Israeli prime minister is portraying
this accurately. But certainly, he was making the case tonight. The security cabinet voted to approve it, and we expect that that ceasefire
will go into effect soon. Isa.
SOARES: Jeremy Diamond for us there in Northern -- thank you, in Northern Israel. Thank you very much, Jeremy. I want to bring in CNN's Jennifer
Hansler at the State Department. Jennifer, let me just pick up where Jeremy Diamond just left off, and then it's this, what we heard from Prime
Minister Netanyahu, that the duration of the ceasefire, when it inevitably does come into effect, potentially tomorrow, depends on what happens in
Lebanon. I wonder what you are hearing, or from your side, from the State Department, in terms of the enforcement of this.
JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: Well, we have heard very little, Isa, in terms of the actual details of this agreement. U.S.
officials have been reticent to go out in front of the agreement before everything is in place. But we heard from Secretary of State Antony Blinken
just a little while ago saying that the broad contours of the agreement were as such. We would see a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, a
pulling back of Hezbollah forces to the north, an inflection of Lebanese armed forces to the south in that border area in order to protect that
region.
And it would also be basically the U.N. Security Council 1701 actually put into place. Blinken said that they believe that this is an actual
possibility to finally have the security council resolution that was passed almost two decades ago to bring the 2006 conflict to an end actually put
into force.
Now, the secretary of state also said that this could have serious positive implications for what is to come in that region. Take a listen to what he
told reporters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: It will make a big difference in saving lives and livelihoods in Lebanon and in Israel. It will make a big
difference in creating the conditions that will allow people to return to their homes safely in Northern Israel and in Southern Lebanon. And I also
believe that by de-escalating tensions in the region it can also help us to end the conflict in Gaza. In particular, Hamas will know that it can't
count on other fronts opening up in the war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANSLER: So, we're hearing their similar sentiments from the U.S. as we heard Jeremy described from Israeli officials that they now believe that
these two conflicts can be delinked, that perhaps they could move the ball forward on a ceasefire in Gaza as well.
And, Isa, as we wait for President Biden, we should expect them to be touting this as a diplomatic victory. The U.S. has been pushing on this for
months and months to try to get a Lebanon ceasefire in place, to try to get the terms of a diplomatic resolution in place. We've seen Secretary of
State Antony Blinken going to the region. Amos Hochstein has been leading talks between Lebanese officials, Israeli officials, and the U.S. alongside
partners like France. So, we will wait and see what Biden says, but they will be hailing this as a victory, Isa.
SOARES: Jennifer Hansler there. Appreciate it. Thanks, Jen. And still to come tonight, we will take you inside one of Northern Gaza's last
functioning hospitals and bring you the story of a doctor still treating his patients in a building under siege. That report you do not want to
miss, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:40:00]
SOARES: Well, as we're learning more about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah, the war in Gaza is still raging. Civilians are still
being injured and killed. Doctors working there say the situation is utterly catastrophic.
In Northern Gaza, just two working hospital remains, and they are, well, barely functioning. Kamal Adwan is one of them. It's been struck multiple
times in recent weeks. Jomana Karadsheh gathered witness testimony from one of Gaza's last doctors and had this report. And we must warn you, it is
graphic. You're about to see intense fighting and the hospital overwhelmed with bloody casualties.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the story of a hospital brought to its s knees and the man trying to save
it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are facing new challenge and catastrophic situation that will worsen in the coming hours.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This is a distress call that must be heard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): No one has spelt since yesterday. The operating room ran all night.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Some of the desperate cries for help from Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya. He's one of the last doctors in Northern Gaza. For
weeks, he's been documenting the horror inside Kamal Adwan. He wants us to share his account with the world.
Outside his hospital, a renewed major Israeli offensive that began in early October on what's left of Northern Gaza to destroy a resurgent Hamas, the
military says. It's ordered civilians out for their safety. But Israel's been accused of besieging the civilian population. Human Rights Watch says
this could amount to ethnic cleansing, something the military denies.
DR. HUSSAM ABU SAFIYA (through translator): There is a real genocide occurring against the people of Northern Gaza. There are injured people on
the streets and we cannot reach them.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Inside Dr. Abu Safiya's hospital, they struggled to cope with the constant influx of casualties. A Palestinian journalist
captured these scenes of panic in mid-October.
DR. ABU SAFIYA (through translator): A short time ago, they fired at the hospital entrance. They fired artillery shells. It is clear that they
healthcare system is being directly targeted.
[14:45:00]
KARADSHEH (voice-over): And on October 24th, Israeli forces closed in on Kamal Adwan compound. In just a few days, this place of healing would
itself become a war zone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): There is no medicine. Where should we go?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Instead of receiving aid, we've received tanks.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): It's the third time in a year that Dr. Abu Safiya, a pediatrician, finds himself and his hospital surrounded and under attack.
They're running dangerously low on supplies, fuel, and food. The Israeli military says it allows aid in, but the U.N. says it's nowhere near enough.
This, one of the few convoys that have reached Kamal Adwan.
DR. ABU SAFIYA (through translator): I have 195 injured patients, all of whom are on the ground floor.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): The IDF ordered civilians who'd been sheltering here to evacuate. They hold up white flags and whatever they can carry.
Dozens were detained, including more than 40 medical personnel. Some seen in these photos posted to social media. Dr. Abu Safiya here with his hands
up in the air says he was interrogated for hours.
DR. ABU SAFIYA (through translator): A special forces unit was here a short time ago. They assaulted me. They had dogs with them, they made me go
into some of the wards, with a drone to check if there were any armed individuals, which is nonsense.
I don't have surgeon, they took the surgeons and the orthopedic specialist. I don't know what to do with all these cases, most of them amputations and
burns.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Still, Abu Safiya refused to abandon his patients.
What followed appeared to be a brief lull. That's when families began to find the bodies of loved ones in and around the hospital compound. Dr. Abu
Safiya was attending to the injured when he was called outside.
DR. ABU SAFIYA (through translator): We were accustomed to receiving martyrs and the wounded, but to receive your own son is catastrophic.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): His 21-year-old son, Ibrahim (ph), was killed in an Israeli strike at the hospital gates. He tries to lead the funeral
prayers, but it's just too much.
In the hospital's makeshift graveyard, he buried his boy. Ibrahim (ph) is still close to him in a place that's testament to this one man's struggle.
DR. ABU SAFIYA (through translator): I still feel his presence in every corner. His voice, his scene, and his character remain with us.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): In a statement to CNN, the IDF did not address Ibrahim's (ph) death, but said its operations in the area were, quote,
"based on precise intelligence and that dozens of terrorists were found hiding inside the hospital. Some of them even posing as medical staff." It
says this is a medic in custody and that he's admitted that Hamas is operating inside Kamal Adwan. CNN cannot verify these allegations.
The IDF has also released these images of weapons it says it found inside the hospital. Dr. Abu Safiya says they belong to its security guards.
Israeli militaries long rationalized targeting Gaza's health facilities by accusing Hamas of using them for, quote, "terror activities."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Bring the children down from upstairs, quickly.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Days after the IDF set its operations at Kamal Adwan concluded, its attacks, did not.
DR. ABU SAFIYA (through translator): The hospital was directly hit. The upper floors, the courtyard, the water tanks and the electric grid were
struck.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): The everyday for these medics now working under fire. It's hard to believe this once was one of Gaza's top healthcare
facilities. There's no doubt about the kind of firepower unleashed here. The storage room left charred. The walls of the neonatal ICU pockmarked
with bullet holes. Ambulances crushed. Kamal Adwan, like most of Gaza's hospitals, now barely functioning.
DR. ABU SAFIYA (through translator): Imagine people are rescuing the injured using horse and donkey carts. It's a horrific scene.
[14:50:00]
KARADSHEH (voice-over): This is a fight for survival, and giving up is not an option for Dr. Abu Safiya. Strikes on the hospital left him and others
injured this week. Paying the price for staying, abandoned and alone in this nightmare on repeat.
Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: And the Israeli military told CNN that it is unaware of the strike that injured the doctor. It also says it takes all necessary measures to
avoid harming civilians. Our thanks to Jomana Karadsheh and her team for that heartbreaking report.
We're going to take a short break. See you on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: While Thanksgiving travel across the U.S. is expected to be one for the record books, many will be planning on an Arctic outbreak across
parts of the country. A winter storm and the coldest air in months is expected to go through parts of the Midwest and south on Wednesday night
before spreading across the east on Thanksgiving Day.
The automobile association, AAA, is projecting nearly 18 million people will travel in the U.S. this week for Thursday's holiday. 18 million of
them are expected to fly, which could make Tuesday the busiest day for air traffic. The FAA is already warning travelers that the ongoing air traffic
controller shortage could impact their flights.
Well, the world's oldest man has died at the record age of 112 years old. Jon Tinniswood passed away on Monday at a care home in Southport in
England. In his years of wisdom, Tinniswood had some life advice for younger generations, always do the best you can, whether you are learning
something or whether you are teaching someone.
And finally, professional and amateur photographers from around the world submitted more than 3,600 entries in the 11th annual International
Landscape Photographer of the Year contest. I'm going to show you some of them. Several of them won category prizes while the top award went to
Andrew Malczynski of Canada.
If you want to see all of these truly incredible photos, you can head to the International Landscape Photographer website.
And a new tourist attraction in China has been revealed. And look, I'm going to tell you, it's not for the faint hearted. It's certainly not for
me. The Sky Ladder allows thrill seekers to view China's Hunan Province for more than 1,500 meters, that's roughly 5,000 feet in the air. It doesn't
give you -- that shot doesn't give you the best perspective, but wait for it.
[14:55:00]
The attraction features a ladder, which basically stretches between two cliffs. And if you're brave enough to give it a go, the path features
handrails, footrests, (INAUDIBLE), as well as cables to assist you on your climb. That still does not change the climb whatsoever. That's the shot I
want to show you and I'm glad we got it.
And for those of you keen on finding out what dictionary.com has named the word of the year. Well, it is demure. Now, the word itself isn't new, of
course, as you all know. However, the website says its usage spiked 1,200 percent this year thanks to this viral video of influencer Jools LeBron
talking about her makeup. Then celebrities, well, they just say they got demure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See how I'm reading this book? Very demure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You see how I show up to work? Very demure. Very mindful.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Straight hair. Very demure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wearing a seatbelt. Very mindful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And in case you're wondering, demure means characterized by shyness and modesty reserved, which I don't think any of them had when they
used it.
That does it for us for tonight. Thanks for your company. Do stay right here. Newsroom with Jim Sciutto is up next. And we expect to hear from
President Biden. We'll bring that to you live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
