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The Situation Room

NFL Honors Shooting Victims; SpaceX Rocket Launches; Palestinians Shot Near Site of U.S. Envoy Visit?. Aired 11:30a-12:00p ET

Aired August 01, 2025 - 11:30   ET

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

[11:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:31:09]

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: There's more breaking news coming into THE SITUATION ROOM right now.

Palestinians say Israeli forces shot at them near the aid site in Gaza visited by Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee.

Let's go live right now to CNN's Jerusalem correspondent, Jeremy Diamond, who is joining us from Tel Aviv.

Jeremy, what more are you learning?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this certainly isn't the first time that we have had reports of gunfire directed at Palestinians trying to seek aid from these Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites.

But what's notable about this incident is, it took place at the same -- near the same site that Steve Witkoff visited today, around the same time that he visited there. Three people were killed and six were injured by gunfire, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the victims.

But a Red Cross site is also believed to have received victims from this incident, and so we could see that death and injury toll rise. According to eyewitnesses who were on the ground, it was the Israeli military who opened fire on people who were headed to that site.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AHMAD ABU ARMANAH, WOUNDED IN SHOOTING (through translator): As soon as Witkoff arrived in the area, there was random gunfire. The shooting intensified, along with drones and quadcopters in the air, and they started firing at people. Bodies are scattered all over the place.

We can't survive like this. Open the crossings. We want a truce. We want to live. For the sake of God, we want to live. People are literally battling each other. Witkoff and his visit are nonsense. MAHMOUD AWAD, WITNESSED SHOOTING (through translator): As we arrived,

young men started getting shot. I haven't been to the aid area for 40 days, but I came today because the envoy was going to be there. What happened in front of me was shocking. Even before, when I used to go, I never saw what I saw today. Today was madness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAMOND: And, Wolf, a U.S. Embassy spokesperson just got back to me, saying -- quote -- "We have not heard any reports of clashes or injuries of any kind in the vicinity of the visit," referring to the visit of Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee.

The Israeli military, for its part, though, acknowledged having fired warning shots at a -- quote -- "gathering of suspects" who they said were advancing towards Israeli military troops in the Rafah area in Southern Gaza, but they said that they were not aware of any casualties -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Jeremy Diamond, you will update us when you get more information. Thank you very much.

I want to continue our conversation on Gaza right now. Joining us Dr. Zeena Salman, a pediatric oncologist and a co-founder of the organization HEAL Palestine. It's a U.S. charity that delivers urgent relief and long-term support to Palestinian children and families.

Dr. Salman, thanks so much for joining us.

I know you have completed more than a dozen medical missions inside Gaza personally. How desperate are the needs over there right now?

DR. ZEENA SALMAN, CO-FOUNDER, HEAL PALESTINE: Wolf, thank you so much for having me and for shedding light on this important issue.

The situation has gone from bad to worse every single day, Wolf, for 21 months now. We are witnessing now what was malnutrition has become starvation and widespread famine. We are witnessing the decimation of a health care system entirely, to the point that people can no longer seek medical care.

We are witnessing children who are two years and now going into their third year of missing school, who've lost family members, who've been displaced a dozen of times. The situation is dire.

BLITZER: Dire, indeed.

On Wednesday, Dr. Salman, you began the largest known medical evacuation of wounded children from Gaza to here in the United States. Can you talk about that? Can you tell us what's going on?

SALMAN: That's right, Wolf. It's a small silver lining in a really desperate situation.

[11:35:00] I'm a co-founder of HEAL Palestine, a U.S.-based NGO that's been providing care since January of 2024, since the situation began, really. And I can say that we are so grateful to have been able to evacuate 11 injured children, 37 total family members out of Gaza. They were received by our team in Jordan consisting of social workers, nurses, doctors, medical coordinators, nutritionists, and more, to assess their urgent medical, physical, and mental health needs as well.

We are glad that we are able to bring these kids to the United States, and we -- as the leading nonprofit bringing -- doing medical evacuations for children that come to the United States, and when these kids come, we will be at 65 children that we have brought here and over 100 family members.

When that happens, these kids will come here to communities where they will get medical care, mental health care, education, primary care, and so many more of the needs that they have missed for almost two years now.

BLITZER: Once healed, will these children remain here in the United States, or do you expect they will go back to Gaza?

SALMAN: Well, we hope that they would be able to go back to Gaza, because they're leaving their families behind in a really horrific situation. The goal is for them to come out and get the medical care that they need.

A lot of people call these children lucky, Wolf, because they're able to get out of Gaza in these very difficult times, but I think there's something perverse, there's something really tragic about the idea of a child who's been displaced a dozen times, has lost their home.

Some of these kids are orphans. They have lost their family members. They have lost their legs in many situations, and now they are beyond malnourished and starving. And finally coming out to just regain a small part of what they have lost makes them far from lucky, but we are grateful that we can care for them.

We will send these kids back to -- not back, but we will send them to Egypt, where we will continue long-term holistic support for them and their families, in the hopes that they can be reunited with the family members that they have left behind in this continuous trauma that they continue to endure.

BLITZER: And I know, Dr. Salman, you also advised on the establishment of the only pediatric cancer department in Gaza, and I understand that it's been severely damaged and has now to be rebuilt.

So what happens to children in Gaza who are battling cancer?

SALMAN: That's a great question, Wolf. And that's a question that could be applied to any child with any chronic disease or any child that's been injured in the last almost two years.

We have seen a complete destruction of the health care system in Gaza, a complete destruction. Doctors and nurses and pharmacists and more have been murdered. Hospitals have been bombed, which is against international law. And children don't have access to medical care, whether it's cancer care or otherwise.

As a pediatrician for over 15 years and a doctor who's been going to the Gaza Strip for 10 years and has taken care of some of the most difficult cases of cancer in Gaza, the issues used to be crossing checkpoints. The issues now are that, if a child is sick, they don't have access to chemotherapy. They don't have access to medications. They don't even have access to food.

So what we're seeing now is not only children who are injured who are losing limbs and losing lives, but also children who have chronic diseases who should be treated on their land, in their homes, with their families by their side, and don't have access to any of that care.

To me, this is a simple situation, Wolf. There should be no controversy about the fact that every child in the world, regardless of where they're from, should have access to food, to shelter, to health care and to safety.

BLITZER: Yes, they should.

Dr. Zeena Salman, thanks so much for the important work that you're doing. We're grateful to you. And thanks so much for joining us.

SALMAN: Thank you for having me, Wolf.

BLITZER: And we will be right back.

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[11:43:18]

BLITZER: Happening now, counting down the seconds until the launch of NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. You're looking at live pictures right now.

The crew of four astronauts will take off in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station. This morning's launch comes after a last-minute cancellation yesterday due to weather.

I want to bring in CNN space and defense analyst Kristin Fisher and former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino. He's the author of the book "Moonshot: A NASA Astronaut's Guide to Achieving the Impossible."

We're watching for this. This launch is about to take off any second now. So if I interrupt you, I want our viewers to see it live. I will.

But, Mike, tell us, first of all, about the astronauts on board. What's likely going through their mind right now?

MIKE MASSIMINO, FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT: Well, Wolf, I think they're pretty excited, of course, very hopeful at this. You don't know if you're really going until the rocket lights and then you know you're on your way.

So they had a dress rehearsal yesterday and they're hoping for better luck today. But I know they're very, very excited and looking forward to the launch and their mission.

BLITZER: So, Kristin, why is this launch so significant for both SpaceX -- that's Elon Musk's rocket company -- and for NASA.

KRISTIN FISHER, CNN SPACE AND DEFENSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is actually the most that this Dragon capsule, that any Dragon capsule has ever flown. This one is going to be flying in its sixth flight today, two NASA astronauts on board, one Japanese astronaut, one Russian cosmonaut, the head of Russia's space agency also here.

And, Wolf, I just have to point out yesterday around this time it's scrubbed due to the clouds. They have had a cloud issue again today, but now we are just 10 seconds away from launch, and go for launch, Wolf.

[11:45:07]

BLITZER: All right, Kristin, stand by, because I want to watch and listen to the launch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five, four, three, two, one, ignition. Ignition is full power, and liftoff. Go, Falcon, Go, NASA. Go Crew-11.

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Together, we rise as NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 heads up to the International Space Station.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vehicle is pitching down range.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One-point-seven million pounds of thrust.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... propulsion is nominal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... propelling Falcon 9 as the vehicle pitching downrange and making its way up the East Coast, and will soon join Expedition 73 aboard the orbiting laboratory, so far, getting good callouts on that first stage performance.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are now T-plus 35 seconds into the Crew-11 mission on board Dragon and Falcon 9.

The Falcon 9 engines...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stage one throttle down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... are throttling down to...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... telemetry are nominal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... to help pass through the period of max q, or maximum aerodynamic pressure on the vehicle during ascent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Max q.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just had a max q right there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Falcon 9 is supersonic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One minute nine seconds into what is a little bit more or less than a nine-minute flight uphill, as Dragon continuing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stage one bravo.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Copy, one bravo.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That one bravo, again, that's the abort zone, that last abort zone for stage one if necessary, the crew already pulling over two g's. And next we're going to have a couple of events happen in rapid succession.

We will be getting ready for the second stage to warm up and have the second stage MVac chill. And then we will also have MECO, or main engine cutoff, where the nine engines on the first stage will cut off ahead of the first and second stages, will then be separating from one another, and then the single Merlin Vacuum engine on the second stage will ignite and continue to carry Crew-11 to orbit while the first stage begins its journey back to Earth, as we're now a minute and 56 seconds into today's flight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The nine Merlin engines are starting to throttle down and are standing by for MECO, or main engine cutoff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: MVac chill started.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just heard that callout for MVac chill.

And coming up in under like 20 seconds, we have five events happening back to back, MECO...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stage one throttle down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... stage separation, stage one flip, SES-1 and the start of boost back-burn. It's going to be pretty quick. So keep a close eye on the action and the mission...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Main engine cutoff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... event tracker at the bottom of your screen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Main engine cutoff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stage two alpha.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stage separation confirmed. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: MVac ignition.

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there you see stage one pulling away, ignition of the lone Merlin Vacuum engine for stage two, and, again, those happening in quick succession, as we continue to get great views of that Florida coastline in the Eastern Seaboard there, as Crew-11 continuing its path to orbit, now approaching three minutes into today's flight, still a little ways to go, about six minutes left, as they continue to climb their way up and eventually track down the International Space Station.

And, there, a great -- you see the Merlin Vacuum Engine the second stage on the right-hand side and great views of the first stage that's making its return to Earth on the left, about 5.5 minutes of powered flight remaining, as we continue to monitor the progress of both vehicle stage two and Crew-11 making the climb uphill in stage one, looking to land, again, at landing zone one, the last landing at that location for this Falcon 9 booster.

BLITZER: Let me go to Mike and get your analysis, Mike.

You have been on spacecraft like this. What's your analysis of what we have seen, what we are seeing right now?

MASSIMINO: I think it's going really well, Wolf, as we can hear the callouts coming from the from the commentator there that things are going really well.

We also hear the crew giving their callbacks. So, here's Zena, the commander, talking about what's going on-, reporting back. So things are going really smoothly. And they're hopeful that it's going to continue as they go through each boundary, as they call it, each one of those boundaries, that gets you closer and closer to a totally successful launch.

And so they're trying to check those milestones off, making sure everything's going well, see if there's anything they need to do, anything they need to do to intercede, but right now it looks like it's getting great. And I'm sure the crew is all smiles and hoping for a continued successful...

BLITZER: We're happy to hear that, yes.

And, Kristin, talk a little bit about this spacecraft. What's unique about it?

FISHER: Well, what's unique about this particular one, Wolf, this Dragon spacecraft, is that it has flown more than any other Dragon spacecraft, six times.

[11:50:06]

This is exactly what SpaceX and NASA have wanted, to make these vehicles, these spacecrafts reusable and therefore much more affordable.

But, Wolf, what I'm really thinking about here as I'm watching this, just on a personal note, is what this moment must mean for two of the astronauts in particular that are inside that Dragon spacecraft, veteran NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, who is the pilot, and the commander, Zena Cardman, who is on her first mission.

Of course, as Mike knows, and you can ask him, Wolf, a spaceflight is always special. But I think, for those two, it's particularly special, because Mike Fincke has been waiting for over a decade to fly. He last flew in 2011. He's a veteran. He was first assigned to Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

You know, Wolf, how much trouble that spacecraft has had. And so then he was reassigned to the SpaceX Crew Dragon. So he's finally getting his first mission in over a decade. And Zena Cardman, she was supposed to fly about a year ago as the commander of a previous SpaceX flight, but she was bumped to make room for Butch and Suni, that mission to return them after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft was deemed unsafe to return to Earth.

So, just on a personal level, it's easy to get so technical here, but what an exciting moment that the commander, Zena Cardman and the pilot, Mike Fincke, are finally getting to fly after what had been some real setbacks for them.

BLITZER: And do we know, Mike, when -- how long it's going to take for this spacecraft and these astronauts to actually get to the International Space Station?

MASSIMINO: Yes, it's about -- this is a little bit longer than normal. It depends on the orbital mechanics, but in this case they're going to get there really early Sunday morning, like around 3:00 a.m.

It's about a 39-hour orbiting mission between the time that they lifted off just a few minutes ago until the time to get to the space station. And just to echo what Kristin said there, Mike Fincke, he's a really good friend of mine. We were astronaut classmates together back in 1996. I have known him almost 30 years, and we have been going back and forth texting.

And he said -- so I have a book out with astronaut advice in it that you mentioned, and he said: "I should have read your book, because it took me 14 years in between flights."

But he's going to be up for eight months, so he says he will try to read it in orbit.

(LAUGHTER)

MASSIMINO: So I thought that was kind of funny. But I'm really happy for Mike and for Zena and for the whole crew.

BLITZER: Kristin, what exactly will this crew be doing once they get to the International Space Station? And they're expected to be there, I take it, for the next, what, six to eight months FISHER: Yes, that's right.

I mean, this is a long-duration space flight. This is what NASA and SpaceX are now making look so routine and easy, and that's a good thing. That's what you want with space flight. These astronauts -- oh, and right here, you can see the Falcon 9 booster returning to Earth, landing very close to the launch site, where it just lifted off from, a beautiful booster return for SpaceX, again, SpaceX doing what SpaceX does best and just making this all look really easy.

But back to your question, Wolf, these astronauts are going to be conducting science experiments at the International Space Station. They're going to be conducting space walks, a lot of routine maintenance.

And just from a geopolitical perspective, Wolf, what really stood out about this mission was the fact that what we just saw at the Kennedy Space Center was the first meeting of the head of Russia's space agency, and well, the acting head of NASA, since NASA doesn't have a full-time administrator yet, meeting together in person for the first time since Jim Bridenstine met with his Russian counterpart back in 2018.

So, a really significant moment of that partnership up there between the United States and Russia up at the International Space Station, despite all these terrestrial troubles that continue with the ongoing war in Ukraine.

BLITZER: So far, very, very smooth. We're grateful for that.

Kristin Fisher and Mike Massimino, to both of you, thanks for your analysis. Appreciate it very, very much.

MASSIMINO: Pleasure.

BLITZER: And there's more news coming up. The NFL honored four victims who were killed by a gunman at a building in New York City that houses the NFL Manhattan offices. A moment of silence was held just ahead of last night's Hall of Fame game.

And Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, calling the shooting an attack on humanity.

Joining us now is CNN sports anchor Andy Scholes.

Andy, how has the league responded to this tragedy?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Well, Wolf, you could certainly tell that Roger Goodell was shaken by what happened at their league headquarters when he was interviewed on the broadcast last night before the game.

The shooting, it claimed the lives of four people. It was the deadliest shooting in New York City in 25 years. And Goodell said it wasn't just an attack on the NFL or New York. It was an attack on all of us. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROGER GOODELL, COMMISSIONER, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Remember, this attack is far more than on several individuals. This is an attack on humanity. This is an attack on our communities. This is an attack on New York. This is an attack on our way of life.

[11:55:14]

And all of us have to do more and make sure that we're doing everything to get help to people who need help and also to take the necessary precautions. And I assure you our employees are going to work hard. We're going to carry on, maybe with broken hearts, but we will carry on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHOLES: Yes, and Goodell stayed back in New York to attend the funeral of police officer Didarul Islam, who was killed in the shooting.

And before kickoff between the Chargers and the Lions, the league holding a moment of silence for those who lost their lives.

Now, as for the game, former third overall pick Trey Lance, starting for the Chargers, as he tries to win the backup job for L.A., and he looked pretty good, Lance completing 13 of his 20 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions, meanwhile, they didn't have any of their stars playing in this one. Their backups certainly did not impress.

They had five turnovers in the game, three interceptions, two fumbles, L.A. won big 34-7. In this game on Thursday night, we saw the debut of the new virtual first down measurement system. So the chains aren't going to be coming out to measure first downs anymore. It's going to be this virtual video showing if a ball is a first down or if it's short.

Now, Wolf, the chain gang will still be on the sideline like normal, but they're only going to come out as a backup. So no one's losing their job there. But as you can see the NFL now getting with the likes of tennis, soccer, using the virtual lines there, and baseball is going to get with it next year with the strike zone more than likely.

So, everyone's getting up with the technology when it comes to getting these calls right.

BLITZER: I always like the chain gang. All right, Andy Scholes, thank you very much for that.

And, to our viewers, thanks very much for joining us this morning. You can always keep up with us on social media @WolfBlitzer and @PamelaBrownCNN.

We will see you back here Monday morning, every weekday morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. "INSIDE POLITICS," today with Manu Raju, is coming up right after a short break.