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Biden Says, "I'm Running and We're Going to Win"; Biden's Troubles Keeping Trump out of the Spotlight; Russia Reacts to Report on Assassination Plot in Germany; Ukraine Reflects on Results of NATO Summit; Gaza Rescuers Find Dozens of Bodies after IDF Operation; Rescued Hostage Describes Captivity in Gaza; AT&T Data Breach; Lavish Indian Wedding of the Year. Aired 4-5a ET

Aired July 13, 2024 - 04:00   ET

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

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KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to all you watching us around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

President Biden digging in his heels even further as the calls for him to end his campaign, grow. Details from his latest stop in a crucial state.

We will see how NATO's promise of a bridge to membership is being received in a part of Ukraine where blackouts can be more common than getting electricity.

And held hostage under the threat of death. CNN talks to a kidnapped Israeli rescued by the IDF about the ordeal he suffered at the hands of Hamas.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from Atlanta this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.

BRUNHUBER: In the coming hours, U.S. President Joe Biden has some tough meetings scheduled.

He's working to convince his own party that he's the right candidate to face Donald Trump. And Biden got a warm reception on Friday in the battleground state of Michigan. He was back on the campaign trail where he is often at his best, glad-handing and talking to voters. And he told supporters that he isn't stepping aside. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You've probably noticed, there's been a lot of speculation lately.

What's Joe Biden going to do?

Is he going to stay in the race?

Is he going to drop out?

Here's my answer: I am running and we're going to win. I'm not going to change that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: This comes as he faces more pressure to withdraw.

"The Washington Post's" editorial board writing in an opinion piece, "Mr. Biden seems to be somewhat oblivious to the political furor surrounding him. And in denial about his frailty, personally and politically."

It goes on to say, "We suspect Democratic fortunes would improve with a new national ticket."

At least 19 Democrats in the House and one in the Senate are calling on Biden to drop out of the race. On Friday in a virtual meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, congressman Mike Levin of California told him directly that he should quit.

CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz has more on Biden's reaction to the growing calls for him to leave the race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Joe Biden on the move to Michigan today, looking to get his candidacy back on

track.

BIDEN: There's more to do. I know I'm only 41. We've got to finish the job and I promise you I am -- I'm OK.

SAENZ (voice-over): The president working behind the scenes to shore up support, scheduling at least four meetings with key groups on Capitol Hill,

including Asian-American and Hispanic lawmakers.

The outreach coming after a private meeting between Biden and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Who said he directly expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward. A source familiar with the meeting telling CNN, Jeffries spoke

bluntly about House Democrats' views and did not offer an explicit endorsement of his own.

Biden hoping his Thursday press conference would put the Democratic doubt to rest but some still vocal with their concerns.

REP. BRAD SCHNEIDER (D-IL): We can't have a situation where every day we're holding our breath.

MAGGIE KULYK, DEMOCRATIC DONOR: I think persisting in this direction is really a huge mistake.

SAENZ (voice-over): Actress Ashley Judd writing "I now ask President Biden to step aside." Biden's top allies argue it's time for Democrats to

accept the president's decision.

CRAIG MELVIN, NBC NEWS ANCHOR: Should the conversation about the president getting out of this race, should that conversation continue?

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC): No, it shouldn't. If he decides to change his mind later on, then we would respond to that. We have until the 19th of

August.

SAENZ (voice-over): As he heads to Michigan, Biden is eager to turn the focus back to Donald Trump.

BIDEN: But do you think our democracy is under siege based on this court?

Do you think democracy under siege based on Project 2025?

SAENZ (voice-over): While one House Democrat from the state has called for Biden to step aside, the president will be flanked by elected officials in

a show of force, in a state the campaign argues is key to Biden's victory in November. The president's speech taking place at the same site where he

made this pledge in the 2020 race.

BIDEN: Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else. There's an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future

of this country.

SAENZ (voice-over): But four years later, Biden charging ahead as the Democratic nominee.

BIDEN: What changed was the gravity of the situation I inherited in terms of the economy, our foreign policy and domestic division.

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I've got to finish this job because there's so much at stake.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: Now one of President Biden's biggest supporters is Pennsylvania senator John Fetterman.

He tells CNN that the focus shouldn't be on Biden but on Donald Trump. Here he is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): On the ground, regular kinds of people in Pennsylvania are excited for Joe Biden. And I witnessed that when I was in Philadelphia last week. I would rather focus on the vulnerabilities of Donald Trump. He seems to have a pro porn star part of his platform.

And then also he's all about Project 2025 and he's a convicted felon. And he said a lot of crazy kinds of thing and he seems to have a strange love affair with Putin as well. I think I'm more concerned about those kinds of vulnerabilities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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BRUNHUBER: Richard Johnson is a lecturer on U.S. politics at Queen Mary University of London. And he joins us live from Oxford, England.

Thank you so much for being here with us. In Detroit yesterday, President Biden was fiery. He showed a lot more of the fight the Democrats have been hoping to see from him. His campaign says they need to see him in front of folks in order to convince everybody that he's up to it.

But will that be enough?

RICHARD JOHNSON, QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY: Well, the Biden campaign has certainly been in survival mode since the debate and, quite frankly, I do think that the Biden campaign has done everything that it could reasonably be expected to do, to try to put aside concerns about President Biden.

They've had him out on the campaign trail. They've had him do one-on- one interviews. They've had him do press conferences. They had him write a letter. They've had him shore up elected officials like senator Fetterman, who want to support him and speak out in favor of him.

The question you asked, is it enough, that still remains to be seen. Joe Biden is in the driving seat on this. He -- it is ultimately his decision, in effect, whether or not he will carry on, barring an extraordinary move under the 25th Amendment to actually remove him from the presidency.

And he has 99 percent of the delegates at the convention next month.

So ultimately, I think the question is, will the pressure be so much that Biden feels unable to continue?

But at the moment we're not getting any indication that that is his feeling.

BRUNHUBER: Yes. And on the pressure, I mean, we have, on one hand, Democrats like senator John Fetterman, as we just heard, coming out to defend the president. But every day, the trickle of Democrats and Congress calling for him to step down is increasing.

But why do you think the dam hasn't broken yet?

JOHNSON: Well, I think part of it is actually there are people around President Biden, who are thinking about Donald Trump in 2016.

And in 2016, when that "Access Hollywood" video came out and there were those awful comments that Donald Trump said about women, many elected officials in the Republican Party, including very senior members of the Republican Party, called on him to stand aside.

And Trump's closest advisers told him to stick it out and he stuck it out and he won. And I guess the key thing or the most interesting thing that Biden said, with respect to this question at the NATO press conference was, he's looking at the polls.

And the polls can tell you different things. But one thing that polls are showing is that in spite of the debate and all that we've heard about doubts about Joe Biden from senior Democrats in the last two weeks, it remains a dead heat. And Biden's going to continue to point to that as justification for him staying in.

BRUNHUBER: Yes.

It's surprising that there hasn't been more movement on the polls, showing how entrenched both sides are here.

So turning to Donald Trump and the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week, what's at stake here for Trump?

What will you be watching for, his vice presidential pick?

JOHNSON: Absolutely. The vice presidential pick will be a big part of the new cycle in the coming week. The last couple of weeks have felt rather strange. This presidential contest has very much felt, for the last -- well, really since it began, as the -- as the Donald Trump show.

And he's dominated most of the news coverage. Part of that is, in fact, been because of his legal troubles. But Trump seems to take a view that any press coverage, even negative press coverage, is good press coverage.

And yet for the first time really in this, in this campaign, we've had two weeks where very little has been said about Donald Trump and the focus has been on Joe Biden. This week will put the focus back on Donald Trump. And in a way.

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I'm not sure that, oddly enough, I think for the first time perhaps in his political career, Trump might not welcome that so much because I think that he has welcomed the internal divisions in the Democratic Party.

And actually, even in his campaign speeches, Trump has not spoken as much about Joe Biden's age or health as you might expect. Of course, he raises it but he doesn't make it the dominant theme of his discussions.

He's just been allowing the Democrats basically to tear themselves apart and stand aside. He won't be able to do that this week with the convention.

BRUNHUBER: All right.

We'll be watching. Always appreciate your analysis. Richard Johnson in Oxford, England. Thank you so much.

JOHNSON: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: And as I mentioned, Republicans are getting ready for their national convention, which begins on Monday. More than 50,000 visitors and attendees are expected to flood Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

But the biggest outstanding question of course, is who will Donald Trump select as his running mate for vice president?

Ohio senator JD Vance, North Dakota governor Doug Burgum and Florida senator Marco Rubio are on the apparent short list. Trump told a radio show Friday he's still considering his options. Here he is.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have some really, really good candidates and you know I may be leaning one way and that changes sometimes. You know, all of a sudden you see something that you like or you don't like and you lean a little bit differently.

It's like a highly sophisticated version of "The Apprentice." Ultimately, it's more of an instinct, you develop an instinct. But I'd like to know all the facts before the instinct kicks in.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: Also Friday, an Arizona a judge ruled that several people facing charges in the state's 2020 fake electors scheme can travel to the convention. Seven battleground states are sending individuals to the RNC, who worked to overthrow the 2020 election.

All right. Now to dramatic courtroom scenes in New Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE MARY MARLOWE SOMMER, FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO: Your motion to dismiss with prejudice is granted.

BRUNHUBER (voice-over): So that was the moment after Alec Baldwin wept when he heard the judge threw out the involuntary manslaughter charge against him in the "Rust" movie shooting. Baldwin hugged his wife before leaving without speaking to reporters.

The judge found the prosecution failed to tell the defense about bullets possibly linked to the case that were discovered later. The ruling means that Baldwin can't be retried.

Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on the set of the movie in 2021 when the supposedly prop gun Baldwin was holding went off, firing a live round. Baldwin denied pulling the trigger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: CNN has learned of a massive Russian plot to assassinate defense industry leaders across Europe. Ahead, how the Kremlin is reacting.

Plus living in darkness after Russia's strikes on Ukraine's power grid. We'll have a firsthand account of how Ukrainians are coping now that power blackouts have become a way of life. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Russia is dismissing CNN's report that the Kremlin was plotting to kill the head of a German arms manufacturer. Armin Papperger's company has been producing shells and military vehicles for Ukraine.

Earlier this year, U.S. intelligence discovered a series of Russian plans to assassinate defense industry executives across Europe who were supporting Ukraine's war effort. That's according to five Western officials familiar with the episode.

But the Kremlin says the story is fake and, quote, "cannot be taken seriously."

Barbie Nadeau joins us now from Rome.

Barbie, an unusual and disturbing story.

What more do we know?

BARBIE NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this seems much more like a Hollywood plot than it does an actual set of circumstances. But you know, this so-called proxy war has apparently been going on for quite some time. And the plot against the German arms Rheinmetall CEO was not the only

one. There were several other defense heads that -- arms heads. There were also apparently being targeted. This was just the most mature, according to these U.S. defense officials.

But there have been other acts of sabotage, fires in warehouses and all sorts of other proxy war type of maneuvers, to try to stop the flow of weapons, ammunition and these vehicles into Ukraine, allegedly by Russia.

Now the Kremlin spokesperson said that there are no -- this was fake news. It's not based on any facts and these are anonymous sources. But the U.S. intelligence officials have begged to differ and say that there is very much truth to this, these threats, Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Fascinating. Barbie Nadeau in Rome. Thank you so much.

So while most of the world was watching the NATO summit, waiting to see how President Biden handled himself, Ukraine had much more riding on the outcome. Kyiv knew, going into it, that alliance membership was off the table for now.

It got instead a bridge to membership at some undefined date along with more concrete security guarantees. Perhaps nowhere is the need for that support more evident than in Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, where some days power outages from infrastructure attacks last longer than periods when electricity is available.

That was the recent assessment from security expert Maria Avdeeva, who joins us now from that city.

Thank you so much for being here with us. It seems as if you do have power right now, which is good to see. The NATO summit, that's wrapped up the stakes for Ukraine obviously couldn't be higher.

What were people talking about more there, the pledges for Ukraine or the uncertainty over President Biden's future and what it could mean for Ukraine?

MARIA AVDEEVA, EUROPEAN EXPERT ASSOCIATION: Well, most people here are waiting for the aid to continue coming because this is crucial for Ukrainian troops to defend the battlefield and not allow Russians to come closer to the Kharkiv city itself. Ukrainian troops were able to stop Russian advance.

But this was an enormous effort. And also it was possible because the aid started to come. But if these talks and if there will be are shortages of aid and ammunition supplies, then Ukrainian troops will be not able to continue doing this anymore.

[04:20:09]

And Russians are slowly advancing in the east of Ukraine in Donbas region, which is also a big concern for Ukrainians. So people are very close with watching whether the unity is there and whether the supplies of the much needed ammunition, air defense and more shells are there.

And they will continue coming to the troops in the border regions.

BRUNHUBER: So last you and I talked, there were serious concerns about Russians gaining ground there.

From what you're saying, it seems as if things are much more hopeful. But in the meantime, talk to me about all the attacks on the infrastructure with still continuing, what effect they're having. I imagine people are having to get used to living in the darkness.

AVDEEVA: Well, people are struggling very much, not on -- in Kharkiv but across Ukraine.

So imagine, having no electricity for almost the whole day. It means in this extreme hot weather, people are not able to store food. They don't have water because the pumps are not working. They can't use elevators.

So imagine elderly lady trying to get down and up with a bottle of water. So for many people, this is a real struggle for life. But what strikes me is the resistance of Ukrainian people.

Because they know this is exactly what Russia strategy is, to crush Ukraine and to crush Ukrainian will to fight. And they are not succeeding in this because Ukrainians are still very strong and they say we are ready to overcome ever since what Russia and Putin tried to bring us, to withstand and continue fighting with the Russian aggression.

BRUNHUBER: Yes, that resistance that you're talking about there, something you've always emphasized in our conversations, the resilience of the folks there.

I want to play something that you posted on social media, something called a deoccupation shop. But let's have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AVDEEVA: It's called Lafka de Ocupaitsi, a deoccupation shop. And this is a social initiative where volunteer organization is coming to the occupied areas around Izyum And they buy these fresh vegetables, fruits and everything from the local farmers, who are struggling to sell their products because of the war.

They bring it to Kharkiv and then sell to people in Kharkiv.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRUNHUBER: So a deoccupation shop. I mean, take us through what these types of things symbolize in terms of how folks are carrying on, even as bombs are still falling.

AVDEEVA: Yes, people try to show unity and support to each other, like this Pacific initiative. They decided that the farmers are struggling in the deoccupied areas around Kharkiv because they can't sell their product and it's -- they just struggling for life.

And they decided to buy it from them and sell it in the city where people basically have better incomes. So and there are many things like that. So many people helping each other because they know, they know very well, that in unity is our strong.

And this is not just mere words. This is what people here feel, that helping each other, helping elderly people with disabilities, children. Like look what happened when Russia hit Okhmatdyt hospital. People go stay in lines to bring water, to bring help, just by their hands taking out the rubble.

And this unity, which we see in Ukraine, people here strive really, strive to see it also in the West, in the NATO, in our allies, to see the same kind of unity we feel here.

BRUNHUBER: Finally, before we go, I want to get your thoughts on the story that we were reporting just before you came on about a foiled Russian plot to assassinate CEO of -- CEOs of arms manufacturers that were sending weapons to Ukraine.

What does that suggest to you about sort of how the war is being essentially taken to the West here?

AVDEEVA: Yes, absolutely. People are usually seem that we're talk about, say them that Russia is not going to stop in Ukraine, that there will be literally physical war in Europe.

But this is how it's always starts. This is how Russia acts. They do not anymore act like specifically at taking a country at one moment. They start with this subversive operations, killing people, poisoning people. This already has happened on the European soil and Britain. They already tried to poison three parts and many others.

[04:25:00]

So this is a usual Russian tactics and they see that the response is weak. And this actually makes people -- makes Putin more aggressive. So not, this is not unity and strength that the world would -- this is weakness and weak response that makes people, makes Putin -- sorry -- think that if he can attack again and where he want to do it.

So in the nearest future, we will see more of this happening throughout Europe (INAUDIBLE) actually has lots of agent when every country. And this is a matter of time, when and how they will try to activate them.

BRUNHUBER: We'll, have to leave it there. Always appreciate having you on, Maria Avdeeva in Kharkiv. All the best to you. Thank you so much.

AVDEEVA: Thank you. Kim.

BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile, Ukraine wants the International Criminal Court to go after Russia for the recent strike, that we talked about there, on a children's hospital in Kyiv. The top Ukrainian prosecutor made the call on Friday, saying the court

could potentially show Russia is committing crimes against humanity. The hospital took a direct hit on Monday, leaving at least three people dead and 16 wounded. More than 600 children were there at the time, many receiving treatment for cancer or kidney disease.

Russia claims Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire struck the building but U.N. investigators and multiple experts who spoke to CNN say a Russian cruise missile is the likely culprit.

All right, still ahead, one of the Israeli hostages rescued from Hamas captivity speaks to CNN. He describes the psychological abuse and the harrowing moment Hamas militants took him into Gaza. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: Welcome back to all you watching us here in the United States, Canada and around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

Israel's prime minister is reversing course on a key concession in Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. Benjamin Netanyahu had previously agreed to allow Palestinians fully unrestricted access to northern Gaza during an eventual ceasefire.

But an Israeli source familiar with the talks tells CNN, the prime minister told his negotiating getting team this week to demand that armed men be barred from northern Gaza as part of any ceasefire and hostage deal.

The new demand could upend progress in the talks. Now that potential setback as the death toll in Gaza rises. Emergency crews recovered the bodies of at least 50 Palestinians in Gaza City on Friday. Many more were trapped under rubble.

Israeli forces pulled back from several areas in central and northern Gaza while carrying out operations in other parts of the enclave.

It's been just over a month now since four Israeli hostages held by Hamas were rescued by the Israeli military. They had been held in Gaza for eight months. Andrey Kozlov is one of them. In an interview with CNN's Bianna Golodryga, he detailed what happened next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREY KOZLOV, RESCUED ISRAELI HOSTAGE: Every day I feel much better than the last one. I appreciate all that I have right now. And I don't forget nothing. But someday even I feel good, in some moment suddenly I can start to cry. And if I hear some song that I remember, if I see some photos from my previous life before Gaza that I remember, of course, when it was in Gaza it's like main reasons of my tears.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR; SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: Once you got into Gaza, what happened?

KOZLOV: When we went through the wall, like through the gate, we saw big field. This field was full of people. Civilian people probably, I don't know. They were really happy. They had so much energy. And they were really like, wah, I was -- I hold handle of the current, somebody has started to argue.

GOLODRYGA: Were you scared?

KOZLOV: It was condition of shock. I was not scared. I didn't realize like what's going on. And they took us and they tied up the fence like this put us on the floor. And I started to explain them like, Ya Russkie, ya Russkie --

GOLODRYGA: I'm Russian.

KOZLOV: I'm Russian. Like (Speaking in Foreign Language). I don't speak Hebrew. I speak only Russian and English to explain them. Like, what can we do?

Some guy was from the left side of me. And he has like, gun I tried to like touch him and ask him like you asked killers.

GOLODRYGA: You asked him if they were planning to kill you?

KOZLOV: Yes, I asked him. Like it's so only one thought that I had like, what are they going to do with us?

In couple of hours so they brought Almog like the same day. And in some moment, one guy, he was like, I was really scared about him. I was really afraid. And he took fabric from my eyes and showed me with science like I, tomorrow. You, I will film you. And they will kill you. It was in the first day of our being in Gaza.

GOLODRYGA: Your mom said that you were tied up like that for two months?

KOZLOV: The first three days was with ropes. Until middle of December, I'll be with chains.

GOLODRYGA: You were tied with chains?

KOZLOV: With chains. They were afraid that we will run away like, maybe. I don't know.

But in December, they took off and we were free.

GOLODRYGA: And always the three of you together?

KOZLOV: Yes. Yes. But in some days, in three days, they started to treat us a little bit better. They started to give us food. And you already understand it.

[04:35:00]

Probably but they're not going to kill us. We're kidnapped. And they explained us, like, we want to change. Like they --

GOLODRYGA: Prisoner swaps?

KOZLOV: -- with signs, with signs. Like you're going to Israel. Our people go to Gaza and West Bank. And he don't understand like what will happen when we will go home. And you ask them, what going on outside.

They told us some news that is going on between Gaza and Israel, between the USA and Israel. And during all these eight months, we had, like, waves of our mood. Like, we have some good news, and after, like, phew, nothing. Like, the deal broken, something bad happened, like bomb, shooting outside, a lot of bombs.

And in the night, you wake up like it was a lot of times in different places.

You woke up, you wake up and like because of the really big bomb fall down, like, near to your place, like 50 meters maybe or 100. It's like sound from

hell. You wake up, you have heartbreak, like, pulse, maybe 200, I don't know. You have eyes like this and everybody woke up and we don't talk.

Only one thought that we have, I had, like, probably everybody had. Maybe the next bomb will be our.

GOLODRYGA: But obviously, you were aware that there was now a war going on and these were the IDF bombs that you were hearing that gave you heart

palpitations. Were you afraid you were going to die any one of those days?

KOZLOV: First three months, we were afraid of every bomb that we heard. Like every time you started to hide in the corners of our room. And

terrorists, like, what are you afraid?

In Arabic but we already understood it.

GOLODRYGA: The doctors, your mom, said that there was a lot of psychological warfare conducted and abuse. How often would you hear things

like that and how did it make you feel?

KOZLOV: Not from everybody but some of them, the last one, the last main bad guy who was with us. At the last -- our place, he told us a lot like, Israel wants to kill us and we are problem for Israel and they try to solve this problem like with the way of bomb, that your family doesn't try to

find you. And to Shlomi they said that your wife is probably looking for somebody else.

GOLODRYGA: Did you ever believe it?

KOZLOV: I try not to believe in this. Like, I was sure that my family is looking for me. I was sure that wife of Shlomi keep going and try to find

him. I was sure that Israel doesn't want to kill us. But they told us this a lot.

GOLODRYGA: Did you see any other hostages in your eight months there?

KOZLOV: I saw but I don't want to talk about it.

GOLODRYGA: Because it's too painful or because you're worried about them?

KOZLOV: It's painful. It's -- it can be dangerous for them. So I want-- I don't want to talk about it.

GOLODRYGA: Were they in worse shape than you were?

KOZLOV: Yes, they were.

GOLODRYGA: Many?

KOZLOV: Not many.

GOLODRYGA: When did you move to Nuseirat?

KOZLOV: I don't know but if you mean the last place, it started in the middle of December. This apartment was really big, maybe 180. And one half

-- in one of the half we were -- like we took place and another half, it was for family.

[04:40:00]

No one time we didn't see faces because like we were separated with the door.

GOLODRYGA: And you never saw them?

KOZLOV: Yes, we didn't see them, never.

GOLODRYGA: So tell me about that day of the rescue, June 8th.

KOZLOV: We were sure in that day, in 8th of June, that it was like regular morning. I was reading some book about Marco Polo. GOLODRYGA: They gave you books?

KOZLOV: Couple, like -- for like they gave us book only in April. They gave us also some stories about Quran. And you can read, you cannot read, we don't care. So we read it. Of course, we read because it's like to take our mind with something.

And sometimes -- like suddenly, like -- like, in every window that we had, like, started to -- little explosions, like -- and they already inside, like, they -- and I was like, ah, what's going on?

What's going on?

You're like, you're a little bit freezed. You're in shock. You're afraid. Of course. Of course. If they -- if it is like Israeli army, I thought that they told us that, if they come to rescue, we will kill you.

Like, don't think that we will give them to rescue. I understood that it's a -- that's

a hull (ph). I will -- I prayed, like, they had, like, couple of seconds to kill us. Like, I mean --

GOLODRYGA: They were in the room with you?

KOZLOV: Not in the same room but they have like five meters, like one shoot. No. But they didn't do this. Like they were killed maybe in like five seconds. They started to ask our names, like Sham, sham. Probably you saw it in the video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).

KOZLOV (voice-over): Andrey, Andrey. Shlomi.

We start to, like, it's Israeli army. And some guy, he was Russian speaker.

He ask me, like, Andrey, Andrey.

He told me in Russian, I will translate to you. Like, I will go with you. You will go with me, only with me. Two meters maximum from me. We will rescue. Today, you will be at home.

Seriously?

At home, today?

Already today?

(LAUGHTER)

KOZLOV: Really?

You don't joke?

Yes, yes, (INAUDIBLE). OK. I am (INAUDIBLE). Let's go. Let's do it. Let's do it. And

after they did what they did, what they can to say that, I smoke in tank, like, it was like, smoke in tank.

GOLODRYGA: You smoked a cigarette?

KOZLOV: Yes.

GOLODRYGA: Did you watch the video of your rescue?

KOZLOV: A lot of times.

GOLODRYGA: A lot of times?

KOZLOV: A lot. Even today.

GOLODRYGA: Why?

KOZLOV: It's something great. And it was something special for me and it's my third birthday. The first one was on 7th of October. The third one in

the end of the June. And of course, I -- like, I remember this. I made this tattoo. It's scars that I got from 7th of October when I fall from the

cliff and some bushes cut my skin.

GOLODRYGA: We all saw the video of when you were reunited with your mother at the hospital. As a mother, it brought tears to my eyes to see how you

fell down on your knees, hugging her. Do you know how difficult, I would imagine you do, those eight months were for them?

KOZLOV: I was so afraid not to see them.

GOLODRYGA: You thought you'd never see them again?

KOZLOV: I was afraid. I imagined how that.

[04:45:00]

My mother and father and brother, I will not hear the words I love you anymore. I know that 120

hostages are still there and fortunately for me, I was lucky. Unfortunately for them, they are still in Gaza. And they don't know when

they will come back. It's absolutely disgusting and terrible feelings.

I don't imagine how it -- like how to live in tunnels. We need bring them home as soon as possible. They can die there after months. And they are

waiting. They keep going and they -- all of them, they are already strong. But some of them, they don't have time. So we need deal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BRUNHUBER: A massive data breach involving nearly all of AT&Ts cell phone customers. Ahead, what was exposed and why the company waited to disclose the hack. Stay with us.

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BRUNHUBER: AT&T says nearly all of its cell phone customers had their call and text records exposed in a massive breach.

[04:50:04]

The telecom company says the data was illegally downloaded from its workplace on a third party cloud platform.

CNN cybersecurity reporter Sean Lyngaas has the latest.

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SEAN LYNGAAS, CNN CYBERSECURITY CORRESPONDENT: AT&T revealed Friday that tens of millions of its customers had their call and text data stolen in a hack carried out in April.

In a rare move, the U.S. Justice Department asked AT&T to delay notifying regulators of the hack because of the potential national security or public safety risk associated with the data.

AT&T said the compromised data includes the telephone numbers of nearly all of its cellular customers and the customers of wireless providers that used its network between May 1, 2022, and October 31, 2022.

It's the type of call data that could be highly valuable to foreign spies looking to track government officials or criminals looking to conduct large-scale fraud. One person allegedly involved in the hack is in custody, according to AT&T -- Sean Lyngaas, CNN, Washington.

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BRUNHUBER: An American woman who was arrested in the Turks and Caicos Islands earlier this year has returned home to Florida.

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BRUNHUBER (voice-over): Sharitta Grier is one of five Americans accused of bringing ammunition to the islands in recent months. Her attorney told CNN that she got a suspended 23-week sentence and a $1,500 fine at the hearing Thursday.

After landing back on U.S. soil, she warned other travelers to be careful. Grier said she had no idea two rounds of ammunition were at the bottom of her luggage when she flew into Turks and Caicos in May. The four other Americans have pleaded guilty to similar charges. They've been sentenced and returned to the U.S.

We'll be right back.

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[04:55:00]

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BRUNHUBER: After seven months of preparations now the son of India's richest man and his pharmaceutical heiress girlfriend are husband and wife.

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant tied the knot before thousands of guests on Friday. It's being described as India's wedding of the year. While Indian weddings are status symbols, this one takes the cake.

The Ambanis own India's largest private corporation, Reliance Industries. It's not known how much the celebrations cost but estimates are in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Guests included Nick Jonas, Kim Kardashian, John Cena and former British prime minister Tony Blair

All right, that wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Kim Brunhuber. I'll be back with more news in just a moment.