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One World with Zain Asher
Netanyahu Speech Played on Speakers Across Gaza Border; Former CBI Chief James Comey Indicted after Pressure from Trump; Hegseth Orders U.S. Generals & Admirals to Meet in Virginia; CNN Presses Hamas Official on Horrors Facing Palestinians; National Hurricane Center: Soon-to-form Storm Could Make Direct Hit to Southeastern U.S.; Cardi B and Shakira Headline Global Citizen Festival in NY. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 26, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Benjamin Netanyahu makes his case at the U.N. "One World" starts right now. Israel's Prime Minister delivering a
defiant speech from the U.N. stage, doubling down on Israel's actions in Gaza and delivering sharp criticism of world leaders who have embraced
Palestinian Statehood.
And an unprecedented indictment Former FBI Director James Comey is charged with two felonies, and U.S. President Donald Trump suggests more people
could face charges soon. And the clock is ticking for the Southern, Eastern part of the U.S. as a new tropical Storm threat, balloons will have the
latest forecast.
All right. Coming to you live from New York, I'm Zaine Asher, my colleague and friend, Bianna Golodryga, is off today. You are watching "One World".
The Israeli Prime Minister delivered an uncompromising, defiant speech as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly just a short time ago.
Benjamin Netanyahu also had a strong message for Hamas, lay down your arms. Let my people go free, the hostages now. His address comes amid intense
international pressure to end the war in Gaza. Dozens of delegates walked out of the assembly as he began his speech, Netanyahu vowed to continue
Israel's campaign in Gaza.
Days after Britain, France and several other Western powers took the landmark step of recognizing the State of Palestine. Netanyahu slammed
world leaders, accusing them of buckling under pressure, caving in, and in his words, appeasing evil. He also said Israelis will not commit what he
called national suicide by allowing the state of the creation, rather of a Palestinian State.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Giving the Palestinians a state one mile from Jerusalem after October 7th is like giving Al Qaeda a state
one mile from New York City after September 11th. This is sheer madness. It's insane, and we won't do it.
So, here's another message to those Western Leaders, Israel will not allow you to shove a terror state down our throats. We will not commit national
suicide because you don't have the guts to face down a hostile media and anti-Semitic mobs demanding Israel's blood.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: The Israeli military is using loudspeakers to broadcast audio of the speech across Gaza, a move that is being slammed by the families of
hostages. Netanyahu's message comes on the heels of a 21-point peace plan for Gaza unveiled by the U.S.
Just minutes ago, Donald Trump said quote, we are close to a deal on Gaza. Our International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson joins us live now from
London. So, Nic, when we sort of look at the body of this speech, obviously he started off talking about an enormous list of Israel's military
accomplishments.
He phrased it as Israelis, the Israeli, sort of military comeback, which really echoes an important aspect of Israeli military history, this idea of
a comeback when you think back to the Six Day War back in 1967.
But just in terms of how this speech would be interpreted, not just in the international stage, because obviously a lot of delegates walked out. The
room was almost empty. But back in Israel, he spoke to the hostages directly. He talked about blasting words across the border into Gaza
through loudspeakers.
But just in terms of how the family, family members of hostages, people in Israel, obviously, he is a controversial figure back home as well. How
would they have interpreted this speech? Do you think Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, many of them may well have looked at it and thought that you know, not in my name, that you
in fact, understand having listened to a correspondent we've had on CNN already from Haaretz newspaper in Israel, I believe, talking about what one
of the hostage families, mother of one of the hostages, had said.
Hearing her -- the name of her son called out, shocked that his name should be used in this way. Netanyahu really had on display here is sort of full
oratory powers on the biggest world stage. The stage sort of emptied in front of him, as you know, divisive almost before he began, because so many
people had had left the chamber.
[11:05:00]
It was unorthodox because he -- you know called a pop quiz. It was unorthodox in using the maps as you -- pictures, as you see him using
there. But it was incredibly uncompromising. And when you sort of stand that beside the families of the hostages who so desperately want their
loved ones back.
And you put it next to his statements about rejecting a Palestinian State, not having a Palestinian State, talked about 90 percent more than 90
percent of the Knesset had voted against the Palestinian State. He said, Palestinians don't want, you know, don't want an Israeli state.
Never mind us having a Palestinian State. You wonder how that ties up with what President Trump is saying about a peace deal being close. And you
wonder how it the prime minister sees it tying up for a final deal with Gaza because removing the possibility of a Palestinian State from the
equation, as he appeared to do, seems to scotch any chances of a Gaza ceasefire, a broader peace deal with partners, Arab partners in the region,
which is something he says that he wants.
In that way, it's hard to see how he was going to win over that part of the population at home, never mind win over -- you know, a lot of the delegates
with inside the UNGA?
ASHER: Right. Nic Robertson, live for us. Thank you so much. As world leaders take the stage at the U.N. to discuss the war in Gaza, the reality
on the ground is grim. Officials say more than 80 people were killed in the past 24 hours. Let's bring in James Elder, Global Spokesperson for UNICEF.
James, thank you so much for being with us.
So, as I think one would expect, Netanyahu, during that speech to the U.N. didn't really focus much on the humanitarian crisis unfolding across Gaza.
He talked a little bit about the fact that the IDF is in Gaza, is in Gaza City, with the goal of wiping out Hamas. And that when you think about the
lack of food in Gaza, it is because Hamas continues to steal it.
Those are the words from Benjamin Netanyahu. If you James, based on everything you've experienced in Gaza, everything that you've seen in Gaza
with the humanitarian situation unfolding, if you could say anything to Netanyahu, especially after that speech, if you could actually sit down
with him and explain the situation, what would you say?
JAMES ELDER, GLOBAL SPOKESPERSON, UNICEF: I think what the United Nations has been saying at a high political level Zain for a long, long time, is
that this idea, this belief that force, you know, will somehow bring peace and security. Look at decades of evidence, hard evidence, to show that is
simply not the case, OK.
We've also got very recent evidence that, let's end this abhorrence hostages should never have been taken. It's abhorrence of hostages being
there. During ceasefires more than 150 hostages went home ending, ending that anguish for them and their families under military means it's less
than 10 OK.
So, everything here Zain speaks to finding some form of peace, of decency, none more than where I've just been. I haven't seen -- I haven't listened
to the speech. I've just come back from a hospital. This is my sixth visit to Gaza Zain. I thought I was somewhat hardened, if you will.
I'm not seeing anything like what I just saw at a hospital the very first room I went into OK, it wasn't a room. It was actually a tent in a car
park, four children, all with quadcopter shots, all having been shot by a quadcopter. Outside a little girl who'd just been pulled from the rubble.
She'd been there for four hours.
What she doesn't know is her mum and her sister died in that moment. Little Sham, five-year-old girl. I went in that to a makeshift ICU. This is 30
minutes later, sitting with a little girl who's got a desperate wound from a bomb blast, only for her to die in front of me a couple of hours ago.
So, this we've had thousands, thousands Zain babies killed since the horrors of October 7th. So, it's madness, and it's ongoing, and the price
being paid by children is unlike anything we've ever seen. And what is very hard to imagine is it is still getting worse, day in day out.
ASHER: You know, we've talked a lot on this show, and obviously across CNN, really about the death toll, the lopsided death toll in Gaza. Obviously,
you've got tens of thousands of people killed. You've talked about hospitals being barely able to function.
We've talked about the lack of food. The fact that the Enclave is pretty much on the brink of famine, how little food there is, and how people are
barely surviving? But I, especially as a mother, think a lot about the children who have been orphaned by this war and the children who have been
separated from their parents.
And obviously these children have I mean they're so innocent. They've got nothing to do with what is happening at a higher level between Hamas and
the IDF. They don't even understand what is going on. But for children who have lost their parents during this war, and I just find that to be the
most heartbreaking thing, that idea.
[11:10:00]
What does life look like for them in the short term, James?
ELDER: Well, a lot of -- a lot of those children, I met two children today at the hospital, little children, less than 10 years old. And the first
thing they've got to do is to overcome their injuries. They've got to go through that level of care because they're in the bombardment. Both those
children don't yet know that their mum, their dad, their brother, their sister, were killed in that attack.
So, the hope would be that there is a wider community to look after those children, as there often is. There is an immense Zain sense of that
community spirit, but remembering, these are people who don't have enough food for themselves. This is an engineered level of starvation. This is a
famine, no less.
This is a completely man-made famine. All the food that is needed is just miles away. So those children will be intense. Those children will be
trying to deal with the most terrifying psychological thing any childhood is to learn that your mother and father have been killed, but there is no
psychological help because they're now living in a tent with an extended family who are all suffering the threats of starvation.
So, their present and their future looks absolutely ghastly. And I mean, when we talk of those children, we know what they look like. Right now,
today Zain there's a hospital in the north of Gaza that's under siege. We are trying to get there to get babies in incubators here to the south to
some form of relative safety.
That mission has been denied. Let me repeat time to take babies from a hospital under siege or in incubators has been denied. So, it seems a lot,
after two years, to keep having to explain this to audiences. Palestinians don't understand how the world has turned away. There was a mother today
her teenage son was lying on the floor bleeding out, bleeding out.
The floors are absolutely packed with people bleeding out. She was screaming to me, screaming, how on earth to people around the world and
allow this to happen? How on earth? And I can't answer that anymore.
ASHER: Now, James, you've been on our air for, as you point out, two years now. And one of the reasons I think that people really resonate with the
way you convey the message is that you are so thoughtful and articulate and really emotional, and how you explain and express what is happening on the
ground in Gaza.
I mean, obviously this is something that you care deeply about. And when you think about the fact that there is literally, at this point in time, no
hope that this war is going to end anytime soon, no hope that I can personally see anyway. How does that affect you, especially given how
deeply, deeply and earnestly you truly care about the humanitarian situation on the ground?
ELDER: Yeah, today was a particularly tough day, because I'm only just back in Gaza and to again see that the ferocity of what UNICEF called, a long
time ago, a war on children, and we didn't do that for headlines, and we did that based on pure demonstrable evidence, based on the sheer impact the
indiscriminate attacks are happening on children.
And that goes away from, of course, the deprivations of food, the trauma, the deprivations of education. So, to see today, to see a little girl die
in front of me, a six-year-old girl. I'm sitting there looking at her as a doctor speaking, Zain, I'm seeing the little bobs in her hair, clearly
someone's caring for her deeply, and then next thing, there's a panic, and she loses her fight for life because she's got a massive trauma wound.
And they pull a light blue sheet over her, pull the plugs out, take the drip, and then move the bed out for another child to come in. Now at
UNICEF, we're very, very clear a child as a child, whether you're talking about Sudan or Ukraine, that's the -- that's the passion of my UNICEF
colleagues around the world.
What makes this particularly difficult is that there is a level of impunity that is -- that is almost enthusiastic now. And that clearly, as much as
world leaders are making statements, clearly there is a sense that this can continue. It's how you started your program today and continuing.
What that means? What that means, as I've just seen, is large numbers of children being killed every single day. Children being dragged out of the
rubble, and when they become conscious, being told their mum or their dad has been killed. For a society with a very, very high literacy rate of 98
percent this is absolutely devastating.
It's an attack on every aspect. And again, Zain, as my Executive Director said late 2023 you know, the killing of so many children, the destruction
of Gaza is not going to bring peace to the Middle East.
ASHER: James Elder, thank you so much for the work that you're doing there. We appreciate you having you on. All right, turning now to the growing
political backlash following a dramatic escalation in the U.S. President Donald Trump's retribution campaign and what critics are calling a threat
to the rule of law in America and democracy overall.
Former FBI Director James Comey is expected to appear in court next month after being indicted Thursday on charges of lying to Congress. It comes
just days after Trump publicly demanded the geo DOJ prosecute Comey and other perceived enemies, and after he fired a U.S. attorney who declined to
bring charges against the Former FBI Director, citing insufficient evidence.
[11:15:00]
Earlier, U.S. President hinted the indictments will not stop at Comey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Not a list, but I think there'll be others. I mean, they're corrupt. These were corrupt
radical left Democrats. Because Comey, essentially was -- he was worse than a Democrat. I would say the Democrats are better than Comey.
But there will be others. Look it was, that's my opinion. They weaponized the Justice Department, like nobody in history, what they've done is
terrible. And so, I would -- I hope, frankly, I hope there are this because you can't let this happen to a country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Comey has been in the president's crosshairs ever since he launched an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and he
denies all wrongdoing. In a defiant social media video, the Former FBI Director vowed he will not be intimidated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES COMEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump. My heart is broken for the
Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I'm innocent, so let's have a trial.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: All right. CNN's Evan Perez joins us, live now from Washington. So, Evan, I mean, what kind of precedent does this set in terms of prosecuting
prior officials for political reasons? I mean, what are the risks in terms of public trust in not just democracy, but also faith in institutions?
EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR U.S. JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, there's a couple of things, obviously, this case, if you look at the indictment,
the prosecutors lay out, you know, a possible case against the Former FBI Director. And by the way, I should note for the audience, we somehow don't
have television lights on right now in the studio, so in the newsroom. So that's why I'm a little bit in the shade here.
But the case against the Former FBI Director is made more complicated because of the president's repeated discussion of this case. I mean, he,
over the weekend, posted on social media that he wanted these cases to be brought against Comey and other political enemies, which made clear that
this is the instruction to the Justice Department.
And one of the things about this is, you know, that makes it unusual, right? We've never seen a president who is directly ordering his Justice
Department to prosecute his political enemies. That just normally doesn't happen, and doing it in plain sight. So that's what makes this unusual.
The prosecutors lay out a couple of accusations against Comey. They say he lied in his September 30th, 2020, testimony before Congress. And they say
that they have another charge of an obstruction of a Congressional proceeding. And that -- the alleged false statement that they are -- that
they are claiming Comey made, has to do with a leak about the Hillary Clinton email investigation.
You'll remember that back in 2015, 2016 the FBI investigated whether there were any criminal violations in her use of a private server for her emails.
And so that's what these alleged leaks are about. That hasn't stopped the president and Kash Patel, the FBI Director, from publicly saying that this
is about this quote, unquote, Russia hoax, which was the Trump Russia investigation, which is really what has been the bee in his bonnet.
This is the thing that has really driven his desire for retribution. We expect Comey is going to next be public in court on October 9th. That's
when we will have his arraignment, and he will make a pleading. But one of the first things we expect to happen after that is for them to use the
president's own words to try to undermine this case, to try to get it dismissed.
Those motions almost never work. But I'll tell you now that this case will be different, because the President of the United States keeps making
statements that makes clear his involvement in trying to get them -- get Comey prosecuted.
ASHER: All right, Evan Perez, live for us. Thank you.
PEREZ: Thanks.
ASHER: All right, still to come on "One World", what is the Defense Secretary up to Pete Hegseth is summoning his top generals from all over
the world for meeting. We don't know slightly clear what the meeting is about.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ASHER: All right, Washington, D.C. is buzzing today about a mystery. It involves the U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, he has ordered hundreds
of the top U.S. military officers from all over the world to come to a meeting at Quantico Virginia next week, but no one seems to know what
exactly the meeting is about.
The White House says this is routine, but it's clearly unusual for the Pentagon to summon so many generals and admirals at the same time. There
are concerns that having so many high-ranking officials in one place could also pose a security risk as well.
CNN National Security Correspondent Natasha Bertrand is tracking the story for us. I mean, this is bizarre, highly unusual, very rare. What more we
learning about why Pete Hegseth has called this meeting?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah Zain, despite what the White House has said and trying to downplay this gathering, it is
anything but routine. In fact, there doesn't appear to be a precedent for it to gather hundreds of generals and admirals to a single location in
Virginia for an unknown purpose.
And that's really what is getting a lot of these generals and admirals very anxious, because they typically prepare extensively for their meetings.
They have dozens of assistants and staffers that help them prepare extensively for any kind of meeting, especially if it's going to be with
the Secretary of Defense.
And so not knowing what they're going into and the fact that they have to actually be there in person is causing a lot of consternation amongst them,
not least because, of course, Secretary Hegseth has really expressed a lot of disdain for many of these general and flag officers in the past, saying
that they are the ones responsible in large part for the politicization of the military.
He has, of course, fired over a dozen generals and admirals since he became Secretary of Defense. He has called for a 20 percent reduction in the
overall number of generals and admirals in the force. And so, this is not a contingent of the military that he is particularly fond of.
And so he is gathering them all for this unknown purpose that you know, speculation has ranged from perhaps Secretary Hegseth is just wanting to
give them a speech and have the optics of having this very large gathering of very senior military officers in one room as a captive audience to
perhaps announcing the new national defense strategy, which is set to be released soon to even one person quipped to us that it could be a group
fitness test, of course, alluding to Secretary Hegseth's propensity for doing fitness tests with the troops.
So, everyone is kind of wondering what's going on here. Why this couldn't have been a video meeting, as is typically done with leaders who are all
around the world and who, of course, have to stay in their respective theaters in case of some kind of emergency or for operational requirements.
But as of right now, this is scheduled for Tuesday at Quantico in Virginia, a sprawling Marine Corps Base there, and the agenda, of course, yet to be
uncovered Zain.
[11:25:00]
ASHER: All right. We're going to see. All right, Natasha Bertrand, National Security Correspondent, thank you so much. An ICE agent is off the job
after pushing women to the ground at the immigration courthouse in New York. It was all caught on tape. We want to warn you that this video is
disturbing.
In the video, you see the woman essentially clinging to a man who was reportedly her husband, who is being detained. Later, you see her pleading
with an agent who then proceeds to push her to the ground quite forcefully and violently. The video has sparked outrage among some political officials
who called for immediate disciplinary action.
Gloria Pazmino joins us live now from New York. I mean, obviously, without context in terms of what actually happened this video on face value is
very, very disturbing, because he appears to sort of push her out of the blue, out of nowhere. What more do we know about what actually happened
here?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, not only that, but it's also happening in the presence of her two children from what we can see in the
video. We understand that this was a family who had showed up to federal immigration court here in New York City for a legally required court
appearance.
As many migrants who are trying to go through the legal immigration process are trying to do, they show up to court. And what's been happening here in
New York City over the past few months is that many of them have been taken into custody by federal agents.
Now sometimes things turn extremely chaotic and sometimes violent, like we saw in this video. We understand from the advocates who were there in that
moment, as well as the woman who spoke to reporters after the incident that she was trying to essentially plead with this officer after her husband was
taken into custody.
And in the video, you can hear her say to the officer, he is going to be killed, meaning that her husband will be killed if he is sent back to their
home country of Ecuador. And you can hear her desperation, just sort of pleading with him, asking him to take her instead. You can see that the
officer becomes sort of flustered. He tells her to move away, and then he sort of charges at her and knocks her over and down to the floor.
Now we did just hear back from a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security who told us that this incident is now under investigation
and that the officer that you see in the video there has been relieved from his duties. So, this has caused a lot of consternation here in New York
City among federal and local officials who have called for an investigation.
But I think it's also important to highlight that incidents like this one are happening almost on a daily -- on a daily occurrence here in New York
City, as people try and navigate the immigration system. It's something that both local leaders, elected officials and advocates have been trying
to bring attention to.
I should also mention that we have been seeing so many of these types of arrests involving immigration officers all across the country. But this one
stands out, not just because of the disturbing nature of what happens in the video, but also how the Department of Homeland Security is responding
so far, very quickly, moving to say that they are investigating and so far, have reprimanded this officer by removing him from his duties.
ASHER: You mentioned that it's probably more common than we think these kinds of instances. It's just that this one happened to be caught on video
--
PAZMINO: That's right.
ASHER: -- which is when there is obviously some movement as it pertains to officials acting quickly to remove people from their posts. Gloria Pazmino
live for us. Thank you. CNN presses a top Hamas official on the war in Gaza. Just ahead, why he says the October 7th attacks on Israel have led to
a golden moment for the Palestinian cause.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ASHER: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher in New York. Here are some of the international headlines we are watching today. U.S. President
Donald Trump is applauding the indictment of Former FBI Director James Comey, and he's hinting more prosecutions may come.
Comey is being charged with lying to Congress in 2020 over the Russian election interference investigation into the 2016 presidential campaign. In
a video posted to social media, Comey said, I'm innocent, so let's have a trial.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned top U.S. military officers from all over the globe for a mystery meeting next week. Neither the
Pentagon nor the White House are saying what the meeting is about, but it's considered highly unusual for so many generals and admirals together in the
same place.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly rejected the notion of a Palestinian State as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly a
short time ago. He dubbed the wave of recognitions by several countries as, quote, shameful, sheer madness and insane. Netanyahu also defended Israel's
actions in Gaza, and said Hamas is responsible for the ongoing war.
A senior Hamas official is defending the October 7th attack on Israel, saying they created a golden moment for the Palestinian cause. He explained
why to CNN's Jeremy Diamond.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nearly two years after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, Gaza has paid a massive price.
The devastation rivaled only by the suffering of its people. Israel has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health
Ministry. Hundreds of thousands are displaced and homeless, and Israeli attacks are only intensifying.
DIAMOND: Do you accept any responsibility for triggering so much death and destruction?
GHAZI HAMAD, SENIOR HAMAS OFFICIAL: The history did not begin on October 7th. We spent 78 years under the occupation, under the humiliation, under
oppression, under repression, under killing, under displacement. Now, why awards will focus on October 7th.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Ghazi Hamad is a senior Hamas official sitting for his first U.S. TV interview in months.
DIAMOND: But before October 7th, Israel had never unleashed this level of death and destruction on Gaza before. How can you look at me with a
straight face and tell me that you accept no responsibility whatsoever for what has happened in the two years since?
HAMAD: What was -- what is the option is left for the Palestinian to do? First time that Palestinians have shown sacrifice and in the -- this
Israeli policy and conflict.
DIAMOND: What gives you the right to decide that Palestinian women and children should be sacrificed on the altar of your resistance?
HAMAD: No, all the time we are sacrificing. We are fighting.
DIAMOND: But I am asking you about the civilian deaths in Gaza? And what gives you the right to decide it's a price worth paying that child can die.
It's OK because it's in order to fulfill our resistance.
HAMAD: As Hamas we are fighting for the interest of the people. We don't want our people to be killed. Don't put the problem on the shoulder of
Hamas. No, I think that --
DIAMOND: Sir, when I speak with Israeli officials, I press them about what they are doing in Gaza? When I'm speaking with Hamas officials, I press
them for your responsibility.
[11:35:00]
DIAMOND (voice-over): But some Palestinians have had enough. Our message to Hamas is, stop gambling with us this man says. You are disconnected from
reality, especially since the Hamas leadership is outside of Gaza.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to send a message to Hamas. We talk to people, talk by people, stop -- or we are dying here.
DIAMOND (voice-over): But Hamad doesn't seem interested in hearing those voices.
HAMAD: I know.
DIAMOND: Please, this is not it. There's -- there's --
HAMAD: I have seen this video, yes, yes.
DIAMOND: There is --
HAMAD: Yes, I knew people are suffering. There are some people blame Hamas.
DIAMOND: Why would not listen to the voices of Palestinian people in Gaza.
HAMAD: Look, I know this is -- but look, this is not the whole story.
DIAMOND: These people who want -- who want Hamas to surrender, lay down its weapons and leave the Gaza. What do you say to them?
HAMAD: I think no one asked Hamas to surrender. We will never surrender. These people under abnormal circumstance. We put him under target and
killing and massacre what do you expect for people to say?
DIAMOND (voice-over): Hamad is eager to tout what he calls the quote benefits of October 7th, in which Hamas killed nearly 1200 people and
kidnapped more than 250 others. He says it led to growing international support for the Palestinian cause.
HAMAD: What is the benefit of -- now? Now when the war now. If you look to the General Assembly yesterday, when about 194 people opened their eyes and
looked to the atrocity, to brutality of Israel, and all of them, they condemned Israel. We waited for this moment for 77 years. I think this is a
golden moment for the world to change the history. I think that now the world is a change. The history is a change now.
DIAMOND: In your view, 65,000 deaths is worth it in order to achieve what you've achieved.
HAMAD: Look, I know the price so high, but I am asking again, what is the - - what is --
DIAMOND: What is worth it?
HAMAD: What is the -- what is the option left to the policy? You know what we waited for a peaceful process, for a peaceful means since 1993 since
Oslo agreement, tell now --
DIAMOND (voice-over): The prospects for peace seem as far away as ever, two weeks after Israel tried to kill Hamad and other senior Hamas officials,
not far from where we sat down.
HAMAD: I think it is miracle, because the rockets are very close to us. We are under target. And it was a brutal attack on us. So, I think it was long
and very strong message to us and even to Qatari that we are not interested in negotiation. We want to kill. We want to destroy. We want to
assassinate. This is our own policy to handle the whole situation. Everything now is frozen.
DIAMOND (voice-over): Hamas' demands have also not shifted.
HAMAD: We insisted to go to the comprehensive deal to retain all the hostages, either alive or dead, and we said, frankly, we can return them in
24 hours. But Israel, they refused.
DIAMOND: Well, they have conditions for ending the war. They want Hamas to be out of power, and they want Hamas to disarm. Are you willing to abandon
power in Gaza and lay down your weapons?
HAMAD: Hamas is part of the Palestinian fabric. You could not exclude Hamas. But as I said again and again, regarding the ruling of Gaza, we are
ready to be out of the ruling of Gaza. We have no problem with this. The arm of Hamas is a legitimate and legal weapons which use all the time
against occupation. It is not a terrorist weapon.
DIAMOND: How does this war end? Because over the course of our conversation, I've seen very little that suggests any willingness on your
part to compromise.
HAMAD: I think it is easy. I think Mr. Trump and the world could ask the Netanyahu, in order to stop the war, to solve the genocide in Gaza.
DIAMOND: Do you have any confidence that he will do that?
HAMAD: I don't know. I think we tested them many times, but I think it is not easy to trust Mr. Trump or to trust the American administration all the
time. They put the glasses of Israel. They adopt the Israel position.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ASHER: Forecasters are keeping a very close eye on Hurricane Humberto and another system that could end up hitting the Southern, Eastern United
States. Meteorologist Allison Chinchar is up next with the details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
ASHER: All right, Tropical Storm Humberto strengthened into a category one hurricane overnight, as it shows through the Atlantic, forecasters say it
could intensify into a category three hurricane. But there's another bigger threat to the U.S. Mainland, another tropical system is brewing and is
potentially on course to hit the U.S.
CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar has been tracking. So just in terms of the second storm, Imelda, I mean, it's set to possibly hit the southern
eastern part of the United States and the Bahamas as well. What more do we know Alison?
ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, so we've got the two systems that are out there right now. Humberto, which definitely looks like the
more organized of the two when you look at these maps. This the more disorganized system, but certainly the one to actually keep a closer eye
on.
But it's also very important not to discount Humberto, because it still could come into play. So, what we mean by that is, when you look at what we
call the steering mechanisms for these ultimately, what drives these storms to go in the direction they do. We have two major factors here.
The first is this high pressure here, right over around the Bermuda area. We also have this very deep trough and the cold front associated with it
that's over much of the United States right now. This means both of these systems are going to have to go through a very narrow corridor.
This is basically the only area they're allowed to go through because of these other two blocking mechanisms. Well, when they get very close like
this, they can tend to interact with each other. It's called Fujiwara, and oftentimes, with some of these, you can end up having one or the other
influence them.
So, here's what we've got, and the models do vary. So, let's break it down. This is the American model. This is Humberto over here. This is the other
low pressure what will become Imelda, probably in the next 24 hours or so.
Now the American model basically has both of them going their own separate ways. Imelda coming up the coast, making landfall somewhere along the East
Coast of the United States, and moving inland and basically falling apart very quickly, while Humberto continues to slide up through the Atlantic.
So, they're there. They're close together, but they're not really doing much together. The European model is different, though. This is the one
where they have them interacting with each other. So, you can still see Humberto here.
Here is Imelda, and as it slides up, and just before it looks like it's about to make landfall, Humberto, because it is a stronger, much larger
storm, it is able to influence it by pulling it back, almost pulling it in towards itself, really preventing the system from actually making a true
traditional landfall.
Now it still gets close, and that's also very important, because even if it doesn't make a true landfall, it's still expected to have some impacts
along the east coast, namely in the form of storm surge and also incredibly heavy rainfall, because during that little tug and forth, back, back and
forth between the two storms, it's just going to kind of sit offshore and possibly even for days, multiple days, allowing a lot of rain to be dumped
in a lot of these places in a very short period of time.
Again, we're talking, you look at this map, you're talking what could be 10, 15, even as much as 20 inches of rain. Again, that is a phenomenally
high amount. Now, those will be very isolated right there along the coastline. But even as you move in and you start getting to some of these
bigger cities that are into there, they too could also have a significant amount of rain over the next week.
[11:45:00]
As this system kind of just goes back and forth deciding what it actually needs to do. The models are also a little iffy too. So again, most of them
very good consistency here with Humberto. We pretty much know exactly what that system is going to do as it makes its way up and around just to the
most of them going to the West of Bermuda.
This one is different. Half the models make it come inland; the other half take it right back out to sea. So, something we'll have to keep a close eye
on in the coming days.
ASHER: All right. Allison Chinchar, thank you so much. All right, still to come on "One World", some big names from the entertainment industry join
hands in New York City Central Park this weekend for a worthy cause. Details for you stay ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: Global Citizen Music Festival is back this weekend in New York Central Park. The benefit concert that began in 2012 raises money to end
poverty around the globe and other issues like climate change and inequality. Organizers say that Cardi B is actually replacing the weekend
he was expected to headline, but canceled due to personal reasons.
The event added Shakira to the lineup on Wednesday. It also includes Rose from Blackpink, and Tyler too. Hugh Jackman is going to be co-hosting again
this year alongside Bill Nye and many others. And if you can't catch it in person, it will be streamed live in dozens of countries on Saturday.
Joining us live now is the Co-Founder and CEO of Global Citizen, Hugh Evans. I was going to say Hugh Jackman, but that's the other Aussie.
HUGH EVANS, CEO, GLOBAL CITIZEN: That's the other Hugh.
ASHER: I'm great, and it's been a minute as I was saying to you during the commercial break, haven't spoken to you in a while, but I really have
always admired the work that you've done with Global Citizen, obviously combining entertainment with activism and raising awareness for some of the
most important campaigns issues around the world. Just walk us through why this year is going to be different. Hype it up for me here go on.
EVANS: Well, I mean, tomorrow, 60,000 Global Citizens are going to descend on the Great Lawn of Central Park in the heart of New York City, headlined
by Cardi B, Shakira, together with Tyler, together with Rose a from Blackpink that we just announced this week, Mariah the Scientist, Iris Star
Eliana, all hosted by the one and only, Hugh Jackman, as you said, is the other Hugh from Australia.
And I think this is this once in a generation opportunity to make progress on some of the world's greatest challenges at a time when the world can
feel so despondent. And so, this year, we're focused on three big campaigns.
[11:50:00]
Firstly, providing educational access to 30,000 young people around the world through our partnership with FIFA. Secondly, we're focused on
protecting 30 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest. And then finally, we're focused on making sure that a million people across the African
Continent have access to clean energy. And I'm really excited tomorrow to see the world leaders that come on stage and step up at a time when the
world needs the most.
ASHER: And when you talk about clean energy in Africa, that's an issue that's dear to my heart, not just because I care about sustainability, but
I think also because I'm originally Nigerian, and so it is. It is hugely important to me. Just walk us through how you measure though the real-world
impact of combining music and festivals with activism.
EVANS: Well, use your example of clean energy just then. Our partnership is with the European Commission as well as the South African government. And
we're working on this campaign called the Scaling up Renewable Energy Campaign. And we know that the barrier to investment in renewable energy in
Africa is often two-fold.
Firstly, you need access to first, loss capital to de risk a project. And secondly, you need to make sure there's currency hedging so that for the
duration of the project, you're not going to see massive currency fluctuations that prevent investors from investing.
And so, this is what we've been working on with the European Commission, with the South African government, to make sure there is enough support
from sovereign governments to directly support entrepreneurs. I was with an amazing entrepreneur called GQ from Johannesburg a few days ago.
His company is one of the few companies that are at the forefront of investing in clean energy across Africa. And we want to make sure they have
the support they need. This isn't about charity, it's about investment, because that's the only way you're going to create long term solutions on
the continent, and that's what this weekend is all about. We want to see a number of companies step up, and you're going to see them tomorrow night on
the Great Lawn of Central Park.
ASHER: Yeah, you need the private sector to be on board to have any real- world impact and to implement any real changes on the ground. You're right. It's more than just charity. Just in terms of what you think the biggest
call to action is that you want the audiences to walk away with tomorrow? What would you say that is here?
EVANS: Well, I think, firstly, there's never been a more urgent time to be a global citizen, at a time when you know people are retreating into their
statehood or to their tribalism, I think now is the time for the world to come together and say, you know what?
You know, as Warren Buffett called it, it is the ovarian lottery we don't deserve where we're born. It is the lot of life. And so, we have a
responsibility to help our neighbor in need, to help countries rebuild in times of crisis. This is a critically important idea right now.
So, the most important call to action is to download the Global Citizen App, become a global citizen. And if you can't be with us on the Great Lawn
of Central Park tomorrow, tune in all around the world and be part of the movement to end extreme poverty. Go to globalcitizen.watch and we're going
to be broadcasting live into over 75 countries around the world.
ASHER: Right. Hugh Evans, we cannot wait. Thank you so much for being with us. Appreciate it. Good luck tomorrow.
EVANS: Thank you, Zain.
ASHER: You've got a lot of your plate organizing all of that. Organizers of the popular Eurovision Song Contest say that member countries will vote in
November on which countries can take part in next year's competition. This happening as calls mount for Israel to be excluded over the war in Gaza
several countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain have threatened to stay out of Eurovision unless Israel is banned.
The contest is a competition between performers, mostly across Europe, representing their countries and considered the Olympics of pop music. But
it's also a place where politics and regional rivals play out after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia was barred from participating. All right; stay
with CNN Christina McFarland picks up after the break.
[11:55:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
