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Pentagon Spokesperson Gaza Ceasefire Talks and Iran Attack Threat; Biden At Event With Harris Says, She Will Make One Hell Of A President; Trump Says, Entitled To Personal Attacks Against Harris; Emotional Interview With Hostage Family Member Nearly One Year Later. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired August 15, 2024 - 18:00   ET

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

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[18:00:00]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now, mediators here in the Middle East are heading into a second critical day of negotiations on a potential Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. A top Pentagon spokesperson joins us live this hour with an update on the talks and the ongoing threat of an Iranian attack on Israel.

Also tonight, President Biden declares Kamala Harris will make one hell of a president, his words, as they team up on stage for the first time since he left the 2024 race. But sources reveal he's privately feeling some bitterness about his exit.

And Donald Trump declares he's entitled to unleash personal attacks on Vice President Harris. We're breaking down his news conference and how far he veered off message or away from the facts.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Tel Aviv and you're in The Situation Room.

We begin this hour with the urgent Gaza ceasefire and hostage talks underway here in the Middle East. A second round of negotiations now expected in the hours ahead.

CNN's Chief National Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt is joining us from Washington. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Northern Israel, in Haifa for us.

Jeremy, what do we know about what happened in the talks today and what can we expect tomorrow?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the negotiations in Doha ended a few hours ago after several hours of negotiations, but we don't have many details about what kind of progress they made and certainly no announcements about any kind of imminent deal. But they are still talking and that perhaps is the biggest announcement that we can get out of these negotiations so far.

The Israeli delegation that flew to Qatar earlier today is remaining in Doha overnight. They will resume negotiations tomorrow morning as they continue to try and push towards some kind of a deal that could bridge the difference between Israel's position and Hamas' position. And we do know, Wolf, that the differences between the two sides are indeed substantial.

Now, despite the fact that Hamas is not in the room there, the Egyptian and Qatari mediators are continuing to engage with Hamas representatives in Doha as well. An Israeli source I spoke with tonight wouldn't provide many details on what happened inside of the room. And, frankly, Wolf, that speaks to the delicate moment that we are at.

We have seen in previous rounds of negotiations, when things are close, when things are sensitive, there is a desire to try and keep as much as they can inside of that room. And that does appear to be what is happening tonight.

In addition to that, I think another critical detail to keep in mind here is the Qatari prime minister, who is intimately involved in these negotiations. He is one of the men in the room. He spoke earlier today with the Iranian foreign minister. They spoke about the talks. He updated him on the status of the talks and they also spoke about what was described as, quote, tensions in the Middle East in that statement. I think that makes very clear, Wolf, that there is a clear connection between the ceasefire negotiations, the tensions in the region, and also the fact that if there is progress, if there is potentially a deal on the table to be had, it will have impacts far beyond Gaza in this region. Wolf?

BLITZER: The tensions are very, very serious right now. Alex Marquardt, you're in Washington. What does the United States expect to see coming out of these meetings in Doha, Qatar?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the fact that these meetings are even taking place, the White House sees as a positive sign. This is coming just a few weeks after the lead Hamas negotiator, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Iran in an operation widely believed to have been carried out by Israel. It is clear that significant gaps remain and much needs to be accomplished in these talks. The U.S. really expressing a sense of urgency, sending top officials to these talks, the CIA director, Bill Burns, the top White House official for the Middle East, Brett McGurk. There are significant elements gaps that need to be closed.

The White House has been trying to emphasize that progress has been made lately. The spokesman for the National Security Council, John Kirby, earlier today saying what remains are details of the implementation of the agreement.

[18:05:04]

But it is clear, Wolf, that there are significant sticking points when it comes to things like the IDF withdrawal from Gaza, the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. The White House is really hoping that they can get to this first phase of the ceasefire, a temporary six-week pause in the fighting, and hoping that that will then open the door for a more permanent ceasefire. Jeremy, highlighting that call between the Qatari prime minister and the Iranian foreign minister very important, because we do believe that much of what happens in Doha will impact what Hezbollah and Iran will do in the days to come.

So, not many details about what happened today. No major breakthrough expected today or even perhaps tomorrow. And talks would expect to continue beyond that, perhaps a lower level. But the fact that these main players are going to be back at the table tomorrow, Wolf, that is a positive step.

BLITZER: Yes, it is. Let the talks continue and we'll see what happens. Alex Marquardt in Washington, Jeremy Diamond in Haifa for us, guys, thank you very much.

Joining us now, the deputy Pentagon press secretary, Sabrina Singh. Sabrina, thank you so much for joining us on this very important day.

On the ceasefire and hostage release talks, The Washington Post is writing this, and I'm quoting, the U.S. finds itself in an unenviable position, relying on the goodwill of Israel and Hamas, which have resisted a deal for months. Does the U.S., Sabrina, believe Sinwar and Netanyahu are actually involved and want a deal?

SABRINA SINGH, DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: Look, thanks for having me on today, Wolf, I really appreciate it. This is a deal that's complex, and it's something that the State Department and the NSC are there and working on it, as we speak, as you and your colleagues have been reporting on. It is complex, but we believe that the best way forward for Gaza and for a sustained peace is to see the ceasefire deal come through, and also we want to see our hostages return home.

So, that's what the team is working on there. Of course, you know, the State Department, the NSC they're really in the weeds on this one. And, you know, as you've been in touch with my colleagues over there, they have more to share on the specifics on what they're hammering out.

BLITZER: Have you gotten any update on how it went today, the negotiations, in Doha, Qatar, Sabrina?

SINGH: Look, this is still ongoing and I know it's something that's going to take time. And so that's what the team is continuing to work on. I don't have a preview or anything to read out right now but I can tell you that conversations remain ongoing and we're hopeful that this deal will be put into place so that we can see a pause in the fighting so that our hostages can come home.

And as you know, and have reported on, we have Americans that are still held hostages. We want to see them come home. We want to see aid get into Gaza. And we really want to see a transition plan for what's ahead for Gaza's future as well.

BLITZER: Yes. As part of this deal, if it happens, Israel will release a lot of Palestinian prisoners as well. So, there's a lot of incentives for all sides to go ahead and work out this deal.

Some Democratic lawmakers, as you probably know, are accusing Prime Minister Netanyahu of actually undermining these talks. So, how does the U.S. know that Netanyahu is negotiating in good faith?

SINGH: Well, look, we have to take folks at their word. We believe that, you know, they're at the table there. They're negotiating on part of this ceasefire deal. And, of course, you know, my colleagues at the State Department, the NSC, they're working really hard at this. We want to see a deal come through. We want to see our hostages come home.

What really I can speak to is what the Department of Defense is doing. And I'll remind you, and as you know, since you're there in the region, we're really focused on lowering temperature in the region. We want to see de-escalation. That's why we've positioned a carrier strike group in the central command area of responsibility. We've also moved destroyers closer, so that if we need to come to the self- defense of Israel, we can be there to do that, just as we did on April 13th as well.

BLITZER: The U.S. has also deployed a nuclear submarine to the Eastern Mediterranean as well. These are very bold, sophisticated moves designed to send a message to Iran, I assume, but does it also send a message to Israel?

SINGH: Look, it does send a message to the region and that is what these capabilities are doing with our carrier strike group, and we have another one coming in the Abe Lincoln will be coming into the central command area of responsibility soon. That is sending a message of deterrence.

Again, we want to see regional tensions de-escalate. We also are messaging very clearly that if we need to, we will come to the defense of Israel, should we need to, again, like we did on April 13th. But we don't ultimately want to see it come to that.

[18:10:01]

We want to see, you know, a de-escalation of tensions. And, of course, you know, while we will stand with Israel, we will always do what we need to protect our forces in the region as well.

BLITZER: Is the U.S., Sabrina, concerned that if there isn't a breakthrough in the hostage and ceasefire negotiations in Doha, Qatar, right now, it will embolden Iran to attack Israel? What's the latest U.S. assessment on when and how potentially Iran could attack Israel?

SINGH: Well, look, you know, we don't want to see an attack ultimately happen. And I think that's ultimately a question and a calculation that Iran is going to have to make. What we saw on April 13th was Iran fire hundreds of missiles, drones towards Israel, and 90 percent of those were shot down out of the sky. And that is because U.S. forces knitted together with Israeli forces and our partners and allies all came together to defend Israel. So, that's really a calculation that Iran is going to have to make and one that I certainly can't predict, but what I can tell you is what we're doing on our force posture. And that's why you're seeing the Lincoln coming in soon. You're seeing we have another carrier strike group already in the region. You're seeing our destroyers moving closer to Israel. And, of course, we have a squadron of F-22s also positioned in the region in case we need to come to the defense of Israel.

BLITZER: So, what I hear you saying, Sabrina, is that if Iran were to do what it did back in April and launch hundreds of rockets and missiles and drones towards Israel, the U.S. would come to Israel's assistance and help in that that mission. Is that right?

SINGH: Yes, I don't think there's ever been a question about that. And we've messaged very strongly about that, both publicly and privately. And you saw the president when he was asked, you know, what should Iran do? And he said very clearly don't. We do not want to see an attack from Iran on Israel. But if that were to happen -- that's why we are there. We are there to support in Israel's defense and everything that we're doing is defensive in nature.

And it is sending a message to Iran, again, that we don't want to see this widen out to a regional conflict. We want to see tensions de- escalate, and most importantly, as we were talking about at the top, is to see that ceasefire deal really come into effect so we can also bring our hostages home.

BLITZER: And I've been told by officials here in Israel that Iran, if it doesn't attack Israel, is probably concerned that the U.S. would respond to Iran, and that is very, very worrisome to the Iranians, more so than if Israel responded. So, we'll see what happens on that front.

On another issue, Sabrina, while I have you, the death toll in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, has crossed 40,000 people during the course of this war. As senior U.S. officials are telling The New York Times this, and I'm quoting now from The New York Times, Israel has achieved all that it can militarily in Gaza. Continued bombings are only increasing risks to civilians, while the possibility of further weakening Hamas has diminished.

So, Sabrina, is that true what The New York Times is reporting, our continued Israeli operations in Gaza, putting civilians at risk with little military gain?

SINGH: Well, look, we've said from, you know, the beginning of this war that the civilian casualty count is too high. And that's something that's impressed upon when you see Secretary Austin engage his counterpart in Israel. Civilian casualties is something that comes up frequently. So, the death toll is too high, Wolf.

And so what we need to see to prevent that death toll from growing higher is we need to see the ceasefire deal put into place. And that's what you're seeing the team on the ground they're pushing for. That is the most important thing that we can do to prevent more innocent civilians from getting caught in this war, and also we want to see our hostages returned home.

I have to remind you as well, and you know this, Israel does have a right to go after Hamas, but we are seeing a death toll that is too high, and that's something that we continue to engage our Israeli counterparts on.

BLITZER: Sabrina Singh, thanks so much for joining us, and we'll stay in very close touch with you. I appreciate it very, very much.

SINGH: Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: And just ahead, President Biden's new show of support for Kamala Harris and her campaign for the White House, as sources are now sharing new insights into what he's really feeling behind closed doors.

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BLITZER: Tonight, we're getting a first look at the new dynamic between President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris now that she's at the top of the Democratic ticket and he's out of the race.

CNN Senior White House Correspondent M.J. Lee reports on today's Biden-Harris joint event, as well as what we're learning about the president's mindset behind the scenes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAMALA HARRIS, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Our extraordinary president, Joe Biden.

M.J. LEE, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Tonight, for the first time in three and a half weeks --

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: She's going to make one hell of a president.

LEE: -- retiring lame duck president Joe Biden, appearing at an official event alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the brand new Democratic nominee for president.

HARRIS: Thank you, Joe.

LEE: Harris first paying tribute to the man who chose her as his running mate four years ago.

HARRIS: There's a lot of love in this room for our president.

LEE: The pair promoting the administration's work to lower the costs of prescription drugs, a popular idea that heavily affects senior and black Americans.

[18:20:00] HARRIS: Two years ago, as vice president, I was proud to cast the tie breaking vote that sent the bill that gave Medicare the power to negotiate.

LEE: Thursday's event coming as Harris is quickly establishing her own campaign with distinct policies and messaging, and offering an early preview of how she might try to navigate Biden's low marks on the economy.

REPORTER: How much does it bother you that Vice President Harris might soon, for political reasons, start to distance yourself from your economic plan?

BIDEN: She's not going to.

LEE: Harris, who until recently was eagerly making statements like this --

HARRIS: Bidenomics is working.

LEE: -- now carefully assessing how to selectively break from Biden. She is not expected to carry the banner of Bidenomics. Instead, she is poised to highlight specific policy prescriptions aimed at lowering prices. On Friday, Harris will travel to North Carolina to propose a federal ban on price gouging to lower grocery costs.

HARRIS: Our President Joe Biden.

LEE: Meanwhile, Biden said to be still smarting from being forced out of the 2024 race last month. Sources say he won't soon forget the Democrats who played the most active roles in pushing him to drop out, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Biden now focused on burnishing his own legacy and preparing to be an active surrogate for the new Harris-Walz campaign.

BIDEN: The guy we're running against, what's his name? Donald Dump or Donald -- whatever. They want to get rid of this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEE (on camera): And, Wolf, as for the Vice President's economic policy speech in North Carolina tomorrow, we are just learning that she is planning to unveil, as a part of that speech, a four-year plan aimed at lowering housing costs. That includes, we are told, a $25,000 down payment assistance for first time homebuyers, the construction of new housing as well as tax incentives for the building of starter homes. You know, the high cost of housing and food, they have been some of the most stubborn economic challenges for the Biden administration.

So, it's not surprising at all that she is going to try to address those issues among others tomorrow, as she is now clearly trying to put a little bit of distance between herself and the president's economic record. Wolf?

BLITIZER: Interesting. M.J. Lee at the White House for us, thank you very much.

Coming up, more on Donald Trump's new personal attacks against Kamala Harris, which he says he's, quote, entitled to. We'll be right back.

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BLITIZER: Donald Trump just wrapped up a very lengthy news conference, sometimes sticking to his script, hitting Kamala Harris on the economy, but often going off on various tangents and launching extremely personal and very bitter attacks.

I want to bring in CNN's Phil Mattingly. He's joining us right now. Phil, this was billed as an economic event. What did we hear from Trump?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF DOMESTIC CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, you can basically look at this 90-plus minute event as a tale of two different parts. The first part actually lived up to the billing. The former president, after an economic speech yesterday that frustrated some Republicans who thought he went off message too much down in Asheville, North Carolina, came out, you see the podium there, had a binder in almost red verbatim.

Throughout the binder, a very lengthy economic speech going off a couple of times, but largely making the points his advisers and his Republican allies have wanted him to make about an economic message and an economic contrast between Democrats and the Biden Harris administration. That up to this point has been a very successful message, one in which the former president has led, in terms of approval and support for economic plans, throughout the course of this general election campaign.

He also went after the vice president, who will be giving an economic speech tomorrow down in North Carolina, one in which he will lay out a series of new proposals, including one targeting price gouging at grocery stores. This is what Trump said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Now, Kamala is reportedly proposing communist price controls. She wants price controls. And if they worked, I'd go along with it too, but they don't work. They actually have the exact opposite impact and effect. But it leads to food shortages, rationing, hunger, dramatically more inflation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Well, Wolf, just from fact-checking perspective, what Harris and the campaign are expected to propose tomorrow will not be explicit price controls. It will be a federal ban on price gouging. However, it's a message in terms of trying to define Harris and her team at this point in time that Trump and his team want to elevate. BLITIZER: You know, it's interesting, Trump was very, very critical of Kamala Harris, as you know, Phil, launching more and more personal attacks against her. Tell us about that.

MATTINGLY: Yes, so the staying on script part was the first part of the two parts. The second part was the question and answer period, which, once again, the former president made very clear in a series of comments that he has personal animosity for the vice president, has a lot of feelings about his legal cases as well, but it was those personal feelings that from a question from our own Alayna Treene, who is there for CNN at the news conference, that led to this response. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I think I'm entitled to personal attacks. I don't have a lot of respect for her. I don't have a lot of respect for her intelligence. And I think she'll be a terrible president. And I think it's very important that we win. And whether the personal attacks are good, bad, I mean, she certainly attacks me, personally.

[18:30:02]

She actually called me weird.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Republicans, Wolf, as you know, have said, stop with the personal attacks, the former president saying, not any anytime soon, Wolf.

BLITIZER: Phil Mattingly reporting for us. Phil, thank you very much.

It's been more than three weeks since President Biden dropped his re- election bid, but Donald Trump still seems to wish he were running against his former opponent.

CNN's Brian Todd has a closer look for us right now. Brian, why is Trump so focused on the past?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what a lot of Republican strategists are asking, Wolf, and they wish that Trump would pivot away from his preoccupation with Joe Biden. But Trump's impulses always seem to take over.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice over): At today's news conference, another instance where the former president couldn't help himself.

TRUMP: And Joe Biden, too. I mentioned him, but he's sort of gone. So, it all started with the debate.

TODD: It's been almost a month since President Biden has been in Donald Trump's political rearview mirror, almost a month that Trump's actually been running against Kamala Harris. But Trump just can't let go of Joe Biden.

TRUMP: Joe Biden is a very angry man, you know that, right? They put in a candidate and we beat him, badly.

TODD: At rallies, in news conferences, and in his long interview with Elon Musk, Trump has repeatedly brought Biden up.

TRUMP: Don't forget, I beat Biden. He failed in the debate miserably.

TODD: Trump gloats over Biden's exit, incessantly ridicules the president. He even did an impression of Biden, sort of.

TRUMP: Like a question, like, what did you have for dinner tonight? Remember, Joe, what kind of ice cream is your favorite? Vanilla. Oh, I like vanilla.

TODD: Trump's barbs over the debate, analysts say, give a clue to his fixation.

TRUMP: If we didn't have a debate, he'd still be there. Can you imagine if we didn't have a debate? Why the hell did I debate him?

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL, CO-AUTHOR, WASHINGTON POST'S EARLY BRIEF: Donald Trump is obsessed with it because he wants the race that he had a month ago.

It seemed like he was on a glide path to victory. He knew how to run against Joe Biden.

TODD: A Trump biographer says what also could be at play here is what he believes is Trump's preoccupation with people who have opposed him in any way.

PROF. DAVID CAY JOHNSTON, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: Donald has said many times that his life philosophy is a single word, revenge. But anytime he slighted or wronged in any way, he's like a crow that never forgets the person who threw rocks at them.

TODD: Trump also seems a bit obsessed with a false conspiracy theory he's been propagating about Biden leaving the race.

TRUMP: What they did to him was disgraceful, by the way. And it really is a threat to democracy. It was a coup.

This was a coup. This was a coup of a president of the United States. He didn't want to leave and they said we can do it the nice way or we can do it the hard way.

The presidency was taken away from Joe Biden, and I'm no Biden fan.

He had a rough debate. But that doesn't mean that you just take it away like that.

TODD: Analysts say there's a serious political risk with Trump's continued harping on Biden. CALDWELL: The risk is that he is unable to run an effective campaign against Kamala Harris. Every Republican that I talked to says that what Donald Trump should be focusing on is the economy, is crime, is border security. But Donald Trump has not been able to stay on message.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (on camera): We reached out to the Trump campaign to ask why the former president has kept mentioning President Biden following Biden's exit from the race and to see if the campaign had any other comment for our story. We haven't heard back. Wolf?

BLITZER: All right, Brian, thanks very much, excellent report.

Just ahead, there's more news we're following. Donald Trump is asking for another delay in his sentencing in the New York hush money case.

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[18:35:00]

BLITZER: Donald Trump's legal team is now asking the judge in the New York hush money case to delay sentencing until after the election.

CNN's Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent Paula Reid and CNN Legal Analyst Kerry Cordero are joining us right now. Paula, what can you tell us about this latest request?

PAULA REID, CNN CHIEF LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, today Trump's lawyers made two key arguments to the judge in their effort to try to get this sentencing delayed. One argument is based on what they say is the possible interference with the 2024 election. The other argument focuses on the fact that they're still appealing the question of how exactly the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity could apply to this case.

Now, when it comes to the election, they're pointing to the fact that early voting in some states happens even right before the sentencing, which is scheduled currently for September 18th. They said in a letter this morning, quote, setting aside naked election interference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar. There is no basis for continuing to rush. And as you know, they've tried to paint really all four of his criminal cases as some sort of effort to interfere with the election.

But they're also -- as I noted, they are still appealing the question of how the Supreme Court's ruling granting former President Trump some immunity in the January 6th case, how that could apply to his New York conviction. They have argued that certain pieces of evidence that were brought in at trial, specifically conversations that Hope Hicks testified about and tweets that he sent out, that under the Supreme Court's ruling, those should be tossed out. It's unclear if the case is going to be tossed out or what the judge will think, but right now, the judge said he will issue his opinion on that on September 16th, and then he's going to sentence Trump on the 18th.

His lawyers argue here that it's just not enough time for them to exercise any appellate rights, which is why they're asking for the sentencing to be pushed back.

BLITZER: Interesting. Carrie, how do you see the immunity ruling impacting this conviction of Trump?

CARRIE CORDERO, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I think there is a real issue for the judge to consider here.

[18:40:00]

The fact of the matter is that the Supreme Court's immunity ruling did find that there is some immunity for official acts. And so then what that places on judges is that they have to look at, specific pieces of evidence, specific actions that were taken, and then they need to parse whether those actions were within his scope of the presidency or whether they were external to it.

And so I think this is a real issue. It's not just a frivolous argument that the Trump team is making. The judge has it under consideration. And this date that he has placed to make his own decision on how the Supreme Court immunity decision affects this case is a self-imposed deadline. So, this really is within the determination of the judge to decide whether he needs more time to make that analysis and whether he needs to stick to the sentencing.

BLITZER: Carrie Cordero, Paula Reid, to both of you, thank you very, very much.

There's more news we're following right now, including an important story, a very moving story coming up. I reunite with a hostage family member I spoke with nearly a year ago here in Israel. Stand by for this very emotional interview as she looks back at the horrors she has had to endure and awaits the outcome of the ceasefire and hostage negotiations that are now underway.

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[18:45:40]

BLITZER: We have a powerful interview to share with you now. I first spoke with Gali Idan when I was in Israel last November. Her 18-year-old daughter, Maayan, was murdered by Hamas on October 7 in front of her family. Hamas then held the Idans at gunpoint on the floor of their kitchen for hours live streaming the whole thing on Facebook.

The ordeal ended with Hamas kidnapping Gali's husband, Tsachi.

Gali and I spoke again in northern Israel this week. We talked at length about the pain she's endured, her plea for officials to reach a hostage deal, and her hope that she will see her husband alive again.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: Thank you very much for talking to us. It's been almost a year since we last had this conversation. First of all, how are you doing?

GALI IDAN, HUSBAND KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS: Good question.

In my worst nightmares, I wouldn't believe that we are meeting in this situation where nothing changed actually. Tsachi is still with Hamas.

BLITZER: Tsachi, your husband.

IDAN: Yeah.

BLITZER: Fifty-years-old. He was kidnapped by Hamas. And your daughter, Maayan, 18-years-old, she was murdered that day and you've been living with that both of those enormous, enormous tragedies, all this time.

IDAN: Yes. It's been 313 days of hell, we are out of breath, just like them in captivity in being hostage by Hamas, which are terrorists and murderous.

BLITZER: He was kidnapped and taken to Gaza. What's the latest you've heard about his condition?

IDAN: The latest was and of November when they're release of the hostages last release of hostages from Gaza, I had an eyewitness say that she was with him for a few for a day or two and she talked to him and he was really emotionally down, and thinking about Maayan and what happened -- and that he missed us all.

I don't know if he knows if we are okay. And it was a really long time ago that day that she told me that she saw him. It's unimaginable that we are sitting right now after this time, and nothing changed. He's not back. They're not back. They're not all back.

It's unthinkable. It's unthinkable and unbearable. And we live in this -- in this -- in this audacity every day every hour, thinking about our loved ones in hostage conditions.

BLITZER: Do you have any hope that these negotiations, which are taking place her about to resume will result in an, A, ceasefire and, B, the release of the hostages, including your husband.

IDAN: Most definitely, yes. Yes the only way that Tsachi and 114 other hostages can come back, some alive, some dead, for a proper burial is -- the only way is in a deal. The only way is in a deal. We cannot make an army and you know a mission to save them all. We cannot do that.

BLITZER: Or further complicating this whole situation now is the possibility that are run might attack Israel.

IDAN: Yes.

BLITZER: And that could happen within days. IDAN: Yes.

BLITZER: And presumably that would undermine whatever negotiations might be taking place for a ceasefire and a hostage stage release.

IDAN: Yes, I know it's like -- it's -- I'm trying not to be -- trying to filter the ongoing threats from all over.

[18:50:02]

And keep my eye on the hostages and on Tsachi, my husband, my loved one, my better half.

The threat is here. And I think it's been ongoing for a few months. It's not a new thing. I think they need to close this deal so all the -- all the Middle East can be relaxed from this situation because the situation is burning, and if the Middle East will become a battle zone, it will be a Third World War. I don't see -- it will take all the allies into the situation. It's horrific.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Coming up, more of my interview with Gali Idan.

We'll be right back.

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[18:55:32]

BLITZER: More of my interview now with Gali Idan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: What do you miss most about Tsachi, your husband?

IDAN: I miss his voice and I miss his hugs and they miss the time that we have together, and I miss him joking with the, kids and laughing, and making dinner with him, and watching good movie, taking a walk. I miss every little thing.

It's been too long. It's been too long. It's unbearable. We have no air anymore. They have to come back. It's part of us.

BLITZER: And your daughter, Maayan, she was killed, murdered that day?

IDAN: Yes, yes.

BLITZER: You miss her obviously, every day, too.

IDAN: I'll tell you something, I tell you something that is -- I cannot grieve about Maayan yet because I'm in an ongoing war to save my husband. I didn't went to see her grave. I couldn't. It's going to be a year and I need to go and see her, and I can't -- I need Tsachi to be here and we need to do it together.

He needs to see her grave. He needs to grieve with me. We need to hold each other through this.

BLITZER: And as all of us know, October 7, almost a year, was the worst day of Jews being murdered since the Holocaust.

IDAN: Yes. It's interesting that you are saying, because today, I thought that I think the mark, the horrific marks of Jewish is the Holocaust, and 7 of October. You're so right.

This is -- I think it will be staying in Israeli history and it will be worse if the hostages will not come back back, then I -- I will not -- I will not allow them to sacrifice my husband for the sake of war.

BLITZER: How are your other children dealing with all this now? They're young kids.

IDEN: They are young.

Sharon is 16. She turns 16. While this year has passed, and Yael is 12 and Shachar is 10. There's some good days and some bad days we are all talking about Maayan all the time.

They have some times that they are breaking down and crying and missing their sister and a few days ago, Sharon came to my room crying in the middle of night and said, I want my daddy. I want daddy here. I miss Maayan and I want daddy.

And me, too, and we need to hug her. Just -- what can I say to her? What can I say to her? What answer is there?

I can't bring her her dad. I wish I could. I would have in any means.

I need the government and everybody that are in the doing of this deal to bring Tsachi home alive, like he was taken. He was taken alive. He needs to come back alive.

BLITZER: I hope he does. I hope he comes back soon. That when he does, I hope to come and meet him.

IDAN: I promise you that when he comes back, we'll do a recap.

BLITZER: Good. I'd like to talk to him.

IDAN: I'm keeping the hope.

BLITZER: That's what we said the last time.

IDAN: Yeah, I know, and we are 330 days after.

BLITZER: Yeah, it's a long time.

IDAN: It's a long time. It's unbearable, Wolf. We need to breathe again. And to breathe, we need them back, all of them back.

BLITZER: Let's hope the next time we meet --

IDAN: Thank you. BLITZER: -- Tsachi is back.

IDAN: Oh, it's going to be amazing. I have this picture that he's coming back in a meeting in the hospital with the kids running toward him and Jay running toward him and its going to be a strong reunion and we needed to circle to be closed.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

BLITZER: As we say, let's hope.

IDAN: Let's hope. Bring them back please.

BLITZER: Please.

IDAN: Please.

BLITZER: Thank you.

IDAN: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And let's hope indeed.

"ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT" starts right now.