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Hostage Families Await Reunion with Loved Ones Held in Gaza; Appeals Court Weighs Whether to Allow Federal Troops in Portland; HHS Secretary Again Links Tylenol and Autism During Cabinet Meeting. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired October 09, 2025 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: It has been two long years for Israelis whose loved ones were taken on October 7th. And now President Trump says that all remaining hostages, living and dead, are set to be released either Monday or Tuesday in the first phase of this ceasefire.

Forty-seven of the hostages taken back in 2023 are still being held today in Gaza. Twenty are believed to be alive, according to the Israeli government.

Let's go to CNN's Jeremy Diamond, who is in Tel Aviv for us. Jeremy, talk to us about the scene there tonight.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: I mean, Boris, I don't know if you can hear behind me, but this is a full-on concert that is now happening in the middle of Hostage Square, a very different atmosphere from the one that has really permeated this square Saturday night after Saturday night, as we have seen Israelis come here to raise their voices, sometimes in anger, sometimes in frustration, sometimes simply pleading with this Israeli government to reach a deal that would secure the release of all of the hostages.

And tonight, as that is set to become a reality, with the Israeli government preparing to vote on this resolution to allow this deal to move forward. We are watching as Israelis are engaging in these celebrations, enjoying this moment and waiting for the next coming days, when they may be able to finally see and, for some of them, embrace the hostages who have been held in Gaza for over two years now.

As I am speaking, we understand that the Israeli cabinet meeting is now underway. This is a meeting that could last several hours, as various ministers try and make their stance known on this momentous ceasefire and hostage release deal. The Israeli prime minister is not there for the start of this meeting, it seems, because right now he is meeting with Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, as well as Steve Witkoff, President Trump's special envoy. Those two men, of course, were critical, alongside President Trump, to making this deal a reality.

And the fact that they're meeting with Netanyahu and his closest advisor, Ron Dermer, is an indication of the fact that, you know, obviously, they are reveling in this moment, but also that there is still hard work that lies ahead. And that's because, despite the fact that we have heard from Hamas, from the Egyptians, from the Qataris, that this deal will lead to an end of the war in Gaza, and that the United States has provided assurances as such, the Israeli government has yet to actually say that this war is over once this ceasefire goes into effect. That is, however, the expectation.

And as soon as that cabinet votes, that ceasefire will begin in Gaza, and the next steps will then quickly unfold -- Boris.

[15:35:00]

SANCHEZ: Jeremy Diamond, live for us in Tel Aviv. Thank you so much -- Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: We are joined now by Yael Engel Lichi. Her nephew, Ophir, was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and released during a temporary truce in late November 2023. Yael, thank you so much for being with us.

How are you feeling today? How are you processing this news?

YAEL ENGEL LICHI, NEPHEW TAKEN HOSTAGE BY HAMAS AND RELEASED: Thank you, Brianna, for having me. And I think we must, or I feel that I must wait a bit with the celebration for two reasons. One of them is that until we won't see them on Israeli land alive, it's too early to be happy.

And second of all, we have to remember the thousands of people, citizens and soldiers that were killed in this war. And I think we have to celebrate with humility, you know, just a little bit. Not celebrate loudly, is what I think.

KEILAR: There's a sense of holding our breath, right? We are waiting to see, and it has been so long in coming, and there has been so much suffering since October 7. Family members who have been waiting, your family, you know what it's like to go through this waiting.

Have you spoken to Ophir about the deal? Are you able to share his feelings about it?

LICHI: I think we're all on the same page, as you say, because we are really waiting to see everyone here, the living for getting their life back, and the murdered hostages to be buried in Israel. We are waiting especially for Yossi Sharabi, Ophir's girlfriend's father, Ophir was kidnapped with him together, and he was with him all the time, he was there in Gaza. And after 100 days in captivity, Yossi was murdered by Hamas.

And now we really hope to bring him home and to bury him here in Israel.

KEILAR: Yossi's family has been through so much and lost so much. What will his return mean to his loved ones to be able to bury him in Israel? LICHI: I think it will be the first step to normal life again, because it's not, it's October 7, it's not something that happened in the past. It's an ongoing trauma that we all live in for the last two years. And I don't know what you see there in your television, but the situation here in Israel is very, very bad these two years.

We are all waiting for the people to come back. Soldiers are killed in Gaza. And I think the world should understand that most of the people in Israel are people of peace.

We want peace. We don't want that innocent people will be dead, not here and not in Gaza.

KEILAR: And this question may be early to ask you, because we may need to wait and see early next week when hopefully we do see hostages released and everyone returned. But when you think, it's been so long to think about what comes after that. Have you thought about that?

Have you talked with friends and family about, you know, what comes next for Israelis?

LICHI: Of course, we talk about it.

KEILAR: Can you talk to us a little bit about that?

LICHI: Sure. Israel needs to start healing. And Israel needs to start healing.

And after these two years, after they're all coming back and all the soldiers going out of Gaza, I hope we have a sense of safety and security here and we can start building again what we lost in these two years. And we talk a lot in our family. Before Ophir came back, these 54 days in hell, really hell, nobody can start to imagine what it is.

[15:40:00]

But even the day they told us he's coming back, we really waited until we saw him on TV on Israeli ground and then started to be happy. And even next week when everyone hopefully comes home, it's not the end because it's just the beginning of the long way that they have to do, all of us.

KEILAR: Yes, certainly. Yael, Engel Lichi, thank you so much for talking with us. We really, really, really appreciate it.

LICHI: I want to say just one thing.

KEILAR: Sure.

LICHI: I want to thank President Trump because we think here in Israel that he made it possible and we are so grateful for that.

KEILAR: Can you tell me a little bit more about that as you were thinking about what his role was in this? What have you been discussing as a family? LICHI: From the beginning, we saw that our government, we felt, OK, we didn't see, we felt that our government does not do everything to bring them home. And 41 hostages were murdered by Hamas while they've been there. And I think, and we as a family think, that they could be rescued if the deal was earned.

And I think we said it from the last year that when Trump will decide to make a deal, the deal will be made. So that's the proof. And we really, really appreciate that.

Without talking politics, just thank him for this humanity deal that he's making. And our government is sitting right now, this hour, yes.

KEILAR: No, go on. You said your government is what?

LICHI: Our government is, while we're speaking, they sit to vote for this deal. But as we believe, as we talk between us, that when Trump decided to seal the deal, there will be a deal. So, we really appreciate that and thank him for that.

KEILAR: Yael, thank you for speaking with us. And we'll be waiting with you and so many others waiting for this day to come. Thank you.

LICHI: Thank you so much. Thanks.

KEILAR: And we'll be right back.

[15:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Arguments have ended in the Trump administration's appeal to deploy federal guardsmen to Portland, Oregon, against the wishes of local and state officials. The appellate judge, a Trump appointee, is now going to take the case under advisement after grilling both sides about several topics, including the definition of a rebellion and the threat that anti-ICE protests have on federal agents on the ground.

Let's get some perspective now with Angelita Morillo. She's a member of the Portland City Council. Miss, thank you so much for being with us. I want to play some sound for you of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from the White House yesterday.

Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KRISTI NOEM, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: I was in Portland yesterday and had the chance to visit with the governor of Oregon and also the mayor there in town. And they are absolutely covering up the terrorism that is hitting their streets. These leaders in these local cities, along with Pritzker and Johnson, ignore what's going on or, sir, they're helping Antifa cover it up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: I wonder what you say to those claims, whether there is terrorism and whether you're helping Antifa cover it up.

ANGELITA MORILLO, PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: You know, I never thought that renowned puppy killer Kristi Noem would be so afraid of protesters wearing frog costumes and chicken costumes. But here we are. Our city provided very classic dignitary protections for dignitaries that come into our city.

It was nothing out of the norm. We were not hiding anything. The reason she didn't see anything on the ground is because everything here is under control.

People are exercising their right to free speech, as they are allowed to under the Constitution, if that still matters. But no, nothing is out of control. There is no terrorism happening here.

I think that they are just a very scared people.

SANCHEZ: What about the claim that Antifa is operating outside this ICE facility? Have you seen evidence of that?

MORILLO: I don't know what the word Antifa means to them. To me, it means people who stand against fascism. So, they would label anyone who is anti this current administration imbuing our local governments and taking over everything as fascists, I presume.

SANCHEZ: And what about this claim that local officials, including the mayor and governor -- and you heard Noem allude to some of it there -- that they've refused to render aid to ICE officers because there have been even limited incidents of folks with incendiary devices outside that facility and some of the demonstrations have gotten rowdy.

[15:50:00]

Have any local officials intervened to not allow local police to render aid?

MORILLO: I would love for you to define what incendiary devices mean or what a crowd being described as rowdy means, because it's my understanding that, again, people are still allowed to protest and get a little rowdy and exercise their First Amendments. That doesn't mean that we need the National Guard or the military to come in to intervene.

Portland is a sanctuary city, which means that our police are not allowed to aid ICE in their deportations. But the police have actually made arrests of protesters on the ground, both right-wing agitators who have come in to get good clips for their live streams and protesters here from Portland. So, this idea that our police are not handling the situation fairly is, I would say, inaccurate.

SANCHEZ: Sure. There was a report of some form of incendiary device. I don't have the description right in front of me, but I combed through some of the police reports over the last several months, going back to June, and you're right.

There have been dozens, you could say, of arrests, but nothing that amounts to an actual terrorism charge. Nevertheless, if the appeals court does rule in the president's favor, allowing the deployment of National Guard into Portland, how do you think local officials will respond?

MORILLO: I mean, let me be unequivocally clear. The city of Portland does not need the National Guard or the military to come in. And even if protests elevate, that does not mean that it is normal under this country to have the military or the National Guard come in.

That's just not something that has ever been acceptable historically and is not acceptable right now. So, we have seen the decision in two lower courts that reaffirmed this and that have told us people are on the ground, they are seeing the evidence. These judges who were Trump- appointed, by the way, observed that there was nothing happening on the ground that would require military intervention.

So, if this goes to the Ninth Circuit Court and they choose to reject that, then we are going to have to address that on a case-by-case basis. But I would be extremely disappointed if that were the ruling, and I think that it would be a breakdown of our constitutional rule of law here in this country.

SANCHEZ: Portland City Council Member Angelita Morillo, thank you so much for the time and point of view.

MORILLO: Thank you.

SANCHEZ: Ahead on CNN NEWS CENTRAL, reigniting the controversy over the White House's claim about Tylenol's link to autism. The latest on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s comments when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Well, the subject of Tylenol and a link to autism was part of the president's cabinet meeting he hosted at the White House today, despite decades of evidence that Tylenol is safe for pregnant women. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT F. KENNEY JR., Cuba has the highest -- the lowest level in the world of acetaminophen use, and it has the lowest autism rate in the world. This is not just positive. It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: We should note that according to the World Population Review's autism rates by country, Cuba does not have the lowest rate in the world, but is lower than the U.S. But it also notes that country to country comparisons can be misleading because of quality of health care systems and the ability to diagnose autism.

A new KFF tracking poll shows most Americans do not believe Tylenol and autism are linked. 65 percent saying that claim is either definitely or probably false. But when broken down, those numbers run more on party lines than scientific lines.

CNN medical correspondent Meg Tirrell has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MEG TIRRELL, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, this new poll finds that a majority of Americans disapprove of the job that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been doing. And this is a poll from the health policy and research firm KFF of about 1,300 U.S. adults conducted in the last week of September.

It found that 59 percent of respondents either strongly or somewhat disapprove of the job RFK Jr. has been doing overall, including 40 percent who said that they strongly disapprove. This was, however, really split by partisan lines. Among Democrats, 73 percent said that they strongly disapprove of RFK Jr.'s job so far, whereas 74 percent of Republicans either strongly or somewhat approve of the job he's been doing.

Now, the numbers are similar, but even starker when it comes to RFK Jr.'s performance on vaccines specifically. Sixty-two percent of American adults overall said they disapprove of the job RFK Jr. has been doing on vaccines. And, again, a split you see by party lines.

We also saw in these results a split in who Americans trust and for information on vaccines in particular. The top trusted source were health care providers. After that, among parents was the American Academy of Pediatrics, which we have seen split from the CDC on vaccine policy.

The CDC itself has been losing the trust of Americans, including during RFK Jr.'s term, when he said he wants to take actions to restore trust in the CDC. Now, 50 percent of Americans say that they trust the CDC for vaccine information. KFF says that is the lowest we've seen for trust in the CDC since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[16:00:00]

Finally, RFK Jr. came in last among the categories overall for Americans in terms of who they trust to get good vaccine information from, with 35 percent of total respondents saying that they trust him for that. Again, major splits along party lines.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Our thanks to Meg Tirrell for that report.

A quick separate health note. You may have noticed that Meg was wearing pink, that we're wearing pink. It's actually Pink October. It's being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Obviously, it impacts a lot of people, a lot of family and friends.

And so, it's just something to be aware of.

KEILAR: That's right. And we're here to wear pink to make you aware of it.

And "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts right now.

END