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Hamas Releases Two of Six Israeli Hostages; Trump administration Fires Top U.S. General, Navy Chief; U.S. Special Envoy Kellogg Calls Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "Embattled and Courageous Leader"; Accused CEO Killer Luigi Mangione Appears in Court; Hamas Expected to Release Four More Israeli Hostages Soon. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired February 22, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN ANCHOR AND NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We begin with breaking news in the Middle East. Want to give you now a live look at Rafah in Gaza, where Hamas has just released two Israeli hostages.

We've seen these pictures just a few moments ago where the handover was official with Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu. The Red Cross will take them, has already taken them to the -- at least they have custody of them.

They are caring for them and they will be heading to the military at least to join the Israeli military forces before they are eventually reunited with their loved ones. The families had been watching carefully.

We are still expecting the release of four additional hostages soon at a separate location; 27-year-old Eliya Cohen, 22-year-old Omer Shem Tov, 23-year-old Omer Wenkert and 37-year-old Hisham al-Sayed.

More than 600 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released in return as part of the deal. Let's go now to CNN's chief diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, who is live in Tel Aviv, has been joining the crowds there who have been watching very closely the developments on the monitors.

You see behind, behind you, I wonder if you could just remind us what you saw just a few moments ago when we witnessed those two, those first two hostages be handed over officially to the Red Cross and out of the control of Hamas.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. Let me just tell you what we've got on the screen behind us right now. This is the family of Avera Mengistu celebrating, singing. You know, he was just 5 -- he's 39 now, 39; he's been held for 11 years -- he was 5 years old when his family moved from Ethiopia. And we just heard them singing songs there in celebration of his

release. It's kind of uplifting and I think the crowd gets that here. There will be more of that here today if everything goes to plan.

Tal Shoham released as well with him, forced to make a speech, looking thinner than when he was taken into captivity hostage by Hamas 505 days ago. Both now on their way to that connection with the IDF. They'll be handed to the IDF.

I think what we'll expect initially there, the IDF will release some photographs; a little after that, they'll release some video of that handover. Then those two men will drive from that first handover point to another processing point a few miles up the road.

And as they do that, they'll see the crowds at the side of the road there to support them there, to welcome them home, there to say hello there to cheer them on their way. But when they get to that processing point, that's when they'll be able to meet with some, a few members.

Normally we've seen before of their family, then get taken on to hospital for full evaluation and treatment and an ongoing check, full medical checks, welfare top, top to bottom. And also, you know how they're doing mentally.

There are still professionals who've been through this so many times now with released hostages to help them navigate those early and hard days and the weeks ahead, probably years. There's none of this, none of this return to normal life comes easily, for people. And that's what they'll be helped through, through that process.

SANDOVAL: Yes. It does not come easily, especially if they've been exposed to so much anguish for, in some cases, a decade now. I certainly do wonder if you could just remind us what we expect to happen in the hours ahead at a separate location with another four Israeli hostages expected to be released by Hamas.

Can you just preview what we're expecting in the coming hours, please?

ROBERTSON: Yes, great expectation coming there. Eliya Cohen, 27 years old. He went to the Nova music festival with Ziv, his fiancee. She took along with him as well, her nephew and the nephew's girlfriend.

When, Elio was taken hostage, Hamas was opening up with gunfire and Ziv literally hid under the bodies of her nephew and the nephew's girlfriend, who were killed.

[03:05:00]

Shot dead in front of him. She had been campaigning so hard for his release. Obviously a very big day --understatement, right -- ahead for her. Omer Shem Tov, his -- he went with two friends to the festival. They were kidnapped as well, taken hostage by Hamas. They were released in the early phases of the release.

So one of them injured quite badly. Omer Wenkert (ph), he, you know, went as well to the Nova music festival. Their families obviously waiting to see them and the other long term hostage as well, held for 10 years, Hisham al-Sayed.

His -- he was held since 2015. So his family too waiting for his release, expected to happen in the coming couple of hours. The location for that we understand is Nuseirat, which is sort of north central Gaza.

And the handover taking place, they're expected to follow a similar pattern to what we've witnessed this morning. Not quite clear on the details but, again, underlying concern given to us by Israeli officials.

The welfare of these men not known, a level of concern about it, of course. This is the process that has happened so many times. But until it happens, until they're in the hands of the Red Cross and the IDF, they cannot have that level of certainty that it will go ahead.

But, of course, everyone here hoping and anticipating and believing, hope by hope, that it will happen.

SANDOVAL: Nic, we've seen since January, since the implementation of the ceasefire, several long overdue reunions with those hostages that have been released alive. I wonder how what were -- how today's releases compare to what we've seen in the past.

And what I mean is the significance of what we're seeing today versus the previous ones.

ROBERTSON: Yes, this is the seventh round of hostage releases as part of phase one of the agreement, which envisaged 33 hostages being released. By the end of today, it will be 29 hostages and remains of hostages released, just the remains of four hostages to be released next week ahead of the deadline at the end of phase one of March 2nd.

I think what we're witnessing today is significant because it's the last agreed handover of living hostages. Of course, the next phase of the agreement, phase two, which should have begun discussion three weeks ago and hasn't got underway yet, only has another eight days or so to run to get those negotiations going.

So what we're witnessing, what that means, is there's a high level of uncertainty about phase two. Therefore, a high level of uncertainty about when, how the next batch of living hostages will be released.

And therefore what we're witnessing here today is, for now, the last known handover of living hostages. And, of course, that's a concern to the vast majority of people in Israel right now.

When are those other living hostages going to be handed over?

Today is the last living hostages being handed over that we're aware of, that's agreed, that's established, that's significant.

SANDOVAL: With so many people behind you hoping that it will not be the last, should there be a phase two. Nic, thank you very much for walking us through all of that again. We'll let you go now.

ROBERTSON: I might just jump. I might --

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ROBERTSON: If I can just jump in for -- just jump in for a second. We just got a round of applause there. That round of applause is because the crowd has heard that the two of them have now been handed over from the Red Cross to the IDF, safely in IDF hands. That's what the round of applause was.

So that next step in the release that's happened.

SANDOVAL: Referring to Hisham and Avera, did they actually confirm that just now?

ROBERTSON: Referring to a Avera Mengistu and Tal -- the other Israeli hostage, yes. Tal. Sorry.

SANDOVAL: OK, Nic, thank you so much for that. Your eyes and ears on the ground, really appreciate that.

Let's bring in Gideon Levy, now columnist with Israel's "Ha'aretz" newspaper, joining us at this hour from Tel Aviv.

Gideon, you just heard it right now, that announcement being made in Hostage Square, people applauding, a lot of tears. One can only imagine what that reunion will be like, particularly for those men who have been away, who've been in Gaza for at least a decade.

Do you, as we wait for the next round of hostage releases in the coming hours, at least four more, could you just tell me what your understanding of -- is there any urgency, perhaps, for the Israeli government to proceed to phase two, despite no shortage of skepticism, that it will actually make it there?

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GIDEON LEVY, COLUMNIST, "HA'ARETZ": The urgency is beyond any question, obviously, because those people will not survive another year or two or God knows how much. And also Gaza cannot get into another phase of war.

Don't forget that, if we don't get into the second phase, it means renewing the war, which means more destruction, more killing with no taste and no reason and no perspective at all.

So from any direction that you look at it, either the fate of 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza or the fate of another 36 hostages, part of them alive and part of them, unfortunately, not, there is no question there is a high urgency to get into the second phase. But this does not mean that we are getting there.

SANDOVAL: It certainly would hesitate to, to use the word "success" to categorize or to describe phase one. But I do wonder if it could be seen as a passing of a test, because we saw dozens of hostages released.

We saw hundreds of Palestinians released by Israel, prisoners.

So I wonder, how do you think both sides will look back on phase one before they look ahead?

LEVY: That's a very good point because it's hardly mentioned. You would expect a terrible chaos in Gaza. You would expect Hamas not being to deliver the goods. And here we are, week after week, facing that.

The word of Hamas is a word that can be implemented; their promises, except of this unfortunate mistake yesterday with -- which was immediately a -- overcome, immediately corrected with the body of Shiri Bibas.

But all the rest worked really, as we say in Hebrew, like a Swiss watch. And that's that. This should encourage us. But unfortunately, in Israel everything is portrayed under the label, under the indoctrination, I would say, that Hamas are monsters and Nazis.

And you cannot say anything which does not fit this image of the monsters, the demons of Hamas, which they may be, are, but not in everything.

SANDOVAL: Do you believe that -- we will certainly continue to see pressure, perhaps, on the Israeli prime minister to actually -- will he feel any pressure from his own citizens to return to the negotiating table and to extend this ceasefire and to enter the next phase, to bring back some of his residents?

Or do you think that it will simply be too much pressure from that small handful of conservative members of his coalition?

LEVY: No, that's not the real arena. This is totally irrelevant. The pressure from the Israelis, who go for demonstrations -- very devoted, very impressive demonstrations for over a year now -- is not his political base and had very little influence. It's really very touching to see them. But not they who decided who will be released and when.

The answer is in Washington. And the question should be, how much pressure would a Mr. Trump and Mr. Witkoff, who was until now very effective over prime minister Netanyahu, how much pressure are they ready to put over Netanyahu?

It depends right now -- really, I am not oversimplifying it -- it depends only on those two people. If they will want the second phase to be implemented, it will be implemented. If they will let it go -- and I heard already, president Trump yesterday saying that both ways are OK with him, I mean, renewing the war or going to the second phase.

If this is the case, there will be no second phase.

SANDOVAL: Gideon Levy, always some extremely valuable and critical insight from you through this. I really, really do appreciate your time. Thank you. And let's keep this conversation going. We're going to take a very

quick break. In the meantime, we leave you now with some live pictures coming out of Tel Aviv with the crowds gathering, observing two former hostages now safely in the hands of the Red Cross, waiting in the coming hours for four more men to be released.

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We'll be right back.

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back. An update now on the breaking news that we're following out of Gaza.

The Israeli military now has two hostages that Hamas released just a short time ago. Some of the pictures taken just a few moments ago. They're out of Rafah. The militant group handing over 40-year-old Tal Shoham as well as 38-year-old Avera Mengistu. They are now in the care of the Red Cross in the last hour.

You see them these pictures from a few moments ago where they were officially handed over and now safely with the Red Cross. We hope now will come next will be those will likely be an incredibly emotional reunion with their families.

The military currently taking them back to Israel where they will have medical checkups and also they will eventually be reunited with their loved ones. Still, though, we are watching closely for four more hostages that are expected to be released soon at a separate location.

As part of the deal, Israel is expected to free more than 600 Palestinian prisoners. Stay with CNN for the very latest updates as they unfold out of the Middle East.

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In the meantime, we want to take you now back to the U.S., where another major story that we're following. President Donald Trump has fired his top general just only moments before his Defense Secretary terminated the Chief of the Navy.

Trump is calling former Joint Chiefs Chairman Charles Q. Brown a, quote, "outstanding leader." This comes as the Pentagon says that it plans to fire between 5 percent and 8 percent of the military's approximately 950,000 civilian employees. Here's CNN's Oren Liebermann from Washington.

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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: This is an unprecedented purge at the top of the military, one that's been rumored and speculated about for weeks now.

It started with president Donald Trump announcing on social media that he was firing the top U.S. general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General C.Q. Brown. Trump said Brown was a, quote, "fine gentleman."

Brown had been a frequent target of right wing criticism and there had long been speculation that he was going to be fired quickly. We just didn't know quite how quickly. Now we have that answer, one month into the Trump administration.

Now just days before he was picked to run the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Brown should be fired along with the other, quote, "woke" generals and admirals.

But at least for the time, the two had worked together, having daily or near daily meetings. In fact, Brown was visiting the southern border just hours before he was fired.

Trump immediately announced his pick to replace Brown, recently retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine. Trump has long had a fascination with Caine, bringing him up in several speeches over the last four or five years. He says Caine was instrumental in the defeat of ISIS.

Trump hinted at more firings to come and it was only a few minutes later that Hegseth announced the Chief of the Navy, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, was also being terminated. Hegseth called her a DEI hire in his book that came out last year.

In a Friday night statement, Hegseth also indicated that the top judge advocates general in the Army, Navy and Air Force will also be replaced. That, too, is an extraordinary move. The JAGs, according to a former judge advocate general, are the conscience of the military, the guides on what's right and what's wrong, what's ethical and moral.

Hegseth called them "jagoffs" in his book and questioned their value. Taken together, these firings are an unprecedented reshaping of the top of the military -- Oren Liebermann, CNN, in Washington.

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SANDOVAL: And earlier, CNN asked military analyst Gen. James "Spider" Marks for his take on this major dismissal. Here's what he said.

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GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, certainly it is unprecedented in many domains.

Normally what you see with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an administration change between presidents is that chairman remains in place. It's the continuity that all predecessors, I must say, as we look back through history, have embraced.

So the fact that the new president came in and said, I'm ready to have a new guy, I got it. I mean, it's -- frankly, we all need to keep in mind that the president has the responsibility and the obligation to choose those that he wants to serve at those highest and most responsible positions.

So general officers serve at the pleasure of the president of the United States. So if we take -- if we want to try to suck the politics out of this for a second, new guy comes in and says, I've got a choice for the chairman and I'd like this guy to be the chairman.

Let's make that work itself through the process. There are historical precedents where we've seen things like this before. So it's not totally unusual.

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SANDOVAL: Just days after calling president Volodymyr Zelenskyy a dictator, Donald Trump says that the White House and Kyiv are pretty close, he said, to sealing a deal related to Ukraine's rare earth minerals.

The agreement would give the U.S. access to Ukrainian reserves of the elements used in many types of consumer technology, from cell phones to hybrid vehicle batteries.

The ownership deal would reportedly be a way for Ukraine to compensate the U.S. for the support it has given the capital city of Ukraine since its war with Russia began three years ago.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Today, the teams of Ukraine and the United States are working on a draft agreement between our governments.

This agreement has the potential to strengthen our relations and, most importantly, the details must be arranged in a way that ensures it works; I hope for a result, a fair result.

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SANDOVAL: The news of the possible deal came as the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine and Russia was wrapping up his visit to Kyiv. Keith Kellogg meeting with dozens of wounded Ukrainian troops undergoing treatment at a military hospital.

During the visit, one soldier asked the envoy whether they could trust Russia to negotiate, to which Kellogg replied, quote, "all wars end through negotiation."

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Kellogg also spent some time with the Ukrainian president and, in a sharp contrast to the language coming from the White House, the U.S. envoy described the Ukrainian president as a, quote, "embattled and courageous leader" of a nation at war.

As president Trump talks about negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine, the fighting is just raging on. And it seems Moscow is sometimes struggling to keep a strong presence on the front lines of those battles.

Russian soldiers say that they are being sent back to join the fight, even after suffering serious injuries. Here's CNN's Nick Paton Walsh with more.

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NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The tiny, grainy glimpses of Ukraine's horrors sometimes beggar belief. This is a Russian soldier, trying to run at the front line but he seems to be on crutches.

Probably wounded earlier, barely able to move and, regardless, a sitting target for a Ukrainian drone.

WALSH: Now evidence is growing that Russia is sending its wounded troops back to the front line to fight; even those who can't walk. "Recycling," Western officials have called it.

Now these are documents found by Ukrainians on the bodies of dead Russian soldiers on the eastern front line, showing some of them recently injured before they were sent back to the front to die.

Some say this growing savagery is a sign that Russia is running short of troops.

WALSH (voice-over): Dragged into an ambulance here, in video from outside a Russian military hospital, is a patient.

Inside, once the vehicle is moving, he exposes the injuries that, in almost any other army, would keep him in hospital.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (from captions): It is eight hours on the bumpy road and it is already very painful. I also want to tell you I don't have a finger; they sewed it up yesterday.

WALSH (voice-over): The others show their wounds. Not all injured soldiers are trapped in continued service.

Oleg fled Russia while on a 30 day leave after being wounded in the leg by a drone.

OLEG (from captions): They don't extract the shrapnel for anyone. They just put on some green sanitizer. When the wound heals slightly, they discharge you from the hospital.

I was in a group where people are sent after hospital. Some have no arms, some have no legs. Everyone is covered in a cast. People are walking on crutches. They spend a month there and they are throwing them back to war.

Well, most likely this is a "one way ticket" for a person to go missing.

WALSH (voice-over): Russian military bloggers have also posted videos from units where the wounded are sent back to battle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (from captions): I fought five times; two severe injuries and a severe brain injury.

WALSH (voice-over): Ukraine may be exhausted but, judging by these images, clearly, Russia is too -- or just so tolerant of cruelty to its own, it may never seek peace -- Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

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SANDOVAL: CNN has reached out to the Russian ministry of defense for comment but we have not yet received a reply.

Well, doctors treating Pope Francis say that his condition is not immediately life threatening while his treatment takes effect. But they do add that he is not out of danger overall. He will remain hospitalized for at least all of next week, according to his doctors.

The 88-year-old pontiff has been in the hospital since last week. Just days ago, he was diagnosed with pneumonia in both his lungs. He's currently receiving oxygen but he is able to breathe and to eat on his own.

Catholics in Rome and really all around the world continue to pray for the pontiff's swift recovery.

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SANDOVAL (voice-over): There is still much more on the way, including the breaking news out of Gaza. Two former Israeli hostages, back in Israel after their release a few moments ago. They are back with IDF forces. Four more hostages expected to be released.

In the coming hours, perhaps even minutes, we're going to have more on that coming up.

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SANDOVAL: An update now to our breaking news at this hour.

Two hostages released by Hamas earlier, they are now back in Israel. We now know that Tal Shoham and Avera Mengistu, they will be reunited with loved ones shortly, before heading to a hospital for medical checkups.

We are still expecting the release of four more hostages potentially soon here at a separate location. They've been identified as 27-year- old Eliya Cohen, 22-year-old Omer Shem Tov, 23-year-old Omer Wenkert and 37-year-old Hisham al-Sayed.

More than 600 Palestinian prisoners, they are expected to be released as part of this deal. CNN's chief diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is live in Tel Aviv.

Nic, in the last hour, you and I watched live as those two hostages were released.

Are people still waiting for the next four hostages to be released by Hamas any moment now?

ROBERTSON: They are. Some of the music that's being played here is quite uplifting. And let me share with you what Tal Shoham's family is saying right now about the situation.

We know that he and Avera Mengistu have been handed over to the IDF. They are with the Special Forces. They are getting those first sort of medical checks now.

But Tal Shoham's family are saying this, this is an unforgettable moment, where all emotions rapidly mixing together. Our Tal is with us. We thank all the people of Israel who stood with us for the long days. During these days we need private -- during these days -- meaning now we need privacy with Tal.

This is what we've heard and we've seen, of course, with other hostage families. But this idea of all emotions mixing, this is what we've seen. We saw Avera Mengistu's family celebrating, singing songs, as they await, being, having him close and getting him in their clutches again after 11 years.

But I have to say, having looked at both men being taken out of the Hamas vehicle, Tal Shoham first, 505 days in captive or hostage, he looked as if he'd lost weight. He looked a bit shaky on his feet. He was put on the stage first. He was forced to give a speech.

Avera Mengistu, really shaky on his feet. He's been in captivity for 11 years. It took two big, burly Hamas fighters to sort of keep him on his feet and get him on stage. And he looked a little bit uncertain about the situation he was in.

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There have been concerns for his mental welfare during this whole period. So such a long time in captivity. But now both of them are getting those first checks.

And as you say, expecting -- and this crowd expecting here but a different look to see at a different location in Gaza, those four other hostages to be handed over. We don't really have a timeline on that at the moment but it's expected to be fairly soon.

SANDOVAL: If everything goes according to plan, as you say, we could see four more men released by Hamas militants.

I wonder, can you tell us a little bit about the conversations you've had with the people around you there in Tel Aviv?

Is there, amid the celebration certainly, is there also some pretty stiff and realistic expectations among those people that their prime minister will be receptive to sort of turning the page on the next chapter, which could potentially be the next phase?

That could mean more hostages but also some concessions, if you will, from the Israeli government.

ROBERTSON: Yes. I'm not sure of the concessions that people here have in mind. I mean, there is this real understanding here that the next phase is going to be difficult. It's going to be hard. It's not in place. There's a lot of uncertainty about it.

I was speaking just a couple of minutes ago with the mother of the last remaining alive American hostage, Edan Alexander. He was 19 when he was taken into captivity, taken hostage by Hamas, he's 21 now, his mother was telling me.

And I was asking her because he would be released, expected to be released under phase two. But, of course, phase two is not there.

And she said, look, we're really hoping that the prime minister does it, that president Trump and all his people, she said to me, hope that they do it, hope that they put the pressure on, hope that they can make it happen.

That's the message. She told me she stayed an extra week here in Israel to see these releases. But she's from New Jersey. She said she'll be staying here an extra week.

A day like today does that, does that, does that make you feel good?

And she said, look, yes, I'm feeling good for all those families today whose loved ones are coming back. Yes, it gives us some additional hope. But she's realistic. about the days and the tough days to come. But she believes it will happen.

Interestingly, she told me she had some first hand, from former hostages, understanding of her son, Edan, in captivity, some of the early hostages who were released late 2023.

She told me, you know, her son was there giving support to the other hostages, trying to negotiate with Hamas about the Thai hostages.

Trying to get the Thai hostages released, explaining to Hamas that they were just in Israel as workers, trying to push for their release, giving hugs to give strength and support to the other hostages he was in captivity with.

And she said, you know, that really buoyed her. That made her realize that her son was being strong, that he was being helpful to the other hostages and that gave her hope that, despite the 505 days that he's been held now -- and it will be more days -- that he has started strong. He's in a good mental position at the beginning.

And she is really, really hopeful that the pressure will come and that the deals will be made to get those 20 or so remaining living hostages released. Edan Alexander, the only living American hostage still held by Hamas, she is hoping her son, Edan, will get released. SANDOVAL: Nic, we cannot thank you enough for really underscoring and

reminding us of the civilians that were thrust into this war on October 7th.

And as we learned today, even beyond that, with two of the hostages, had been in Hamas captivity for at least a decade. So thank you for that reminder that the people, the families that have been affected by this, are civilians that just want to see their loved ones again. So thank you for that.

And thank you for the conversations you're having with the people around you, Nic.

All right. Well, let's go on now to some of the -- some of the news in the U.S. The man accused of killing a U.S. CEO here appeared in New York, at least in court, on Friday. We're going to have the very latest on that court appearance.

And how Luigi Mangione defense team, how they're responding to evidence turned over by prosecutors, a highly watched case.

Plus, a judge handing the Trump administration a win as it tries to slash the federal workforce. We're going to bring you the very latest right after this break.

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SANDOVAL: An update now on the breaking news we're following out of Gaza; two hostages that Hamas released just a short time ago, they are back in Israel again. The militant group handed over 40-year-old Tal Shoham and 38-year-old Avera Mengistu.

They handed them over to the Red Cross in the last hour. Well, the Israeli military then took them back to Israel, where they are currently reuniting with loved ones and also getting medical checkups.

Four more hostages are expected to be released soon at a separate location, so we're watching for that. As part of this deal, Israel is expected to free more than 600 Palestinian prisoners. So do stay with CNN.

We are closely watching the potential developments here and the potential in the next minutes or hours and we'll bring those to you as they unfold.

In the United States, crowds swarmed a New York courthouse on Friday to see the man accused of killing a U.S. health care CEO. During Luigi Mangione's status hearing, prosecutors outlined the evidence that they've turned over to his defense team. Here's CNN's Kara Scannell with more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Luigi Mangione, the accused killer of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, was back in court Friday. The prosecutor spent most of the hearing talking about the evidence that they have recovered and have begun turning over to his defense team.

That includes police body cam footage, surveillance video, DNA analysis, forensic files from the medical examiner and an autopsy report. They also said that they've turned over some of the evidence that they collected from the Pennsylvania police, who had arrested Mangione at the McDonalds in Altoona.

Now that's where Mangione's lawyer started to show what might be some of her legal defense. She said she thought that the search of Mangione in Pennsylvania was unconstitutional and none of that evidence should come in.

The judge set a motion schedule. He said he will have everyone back in court at the end of June. Now the whole hearing lasted only 20 minutes.

[03:45:00]

But there were spectators that were lined up since 5 am on Friday, lining the hallways of the courthouse. One person wearing a free Luigi scarf. Others there hoping to get inside the courtroom.

They erupted in applause when his attorney entered the floor of the courtroom. Outside, there were more spectators, more supporters, some of them chanting "Free Luigi," chants that we could hear inside the courtroom.

But as of now, Mangione will be back in court at the end of June and the judge will rule on those motions -- back to you guys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Thank you. Kara.

A federal judge has canceled the upcoming corruption trial for the mayor of America's largest city, Eric Adams from New York. But that doesn't mean that the charges are going away.

Adams is facing counts including bribery, corruption, wire fraud and soliciting and accepting donations from foreign nationals. The Justice Department of the U.S. decided to drop those charges.

But the judge in the case appointed an attorney to challenge the department's decision. The case saw eight federal prosecutors resign in protest rather than agreeing to drop the case against Mayor Adams.

Now to a legal win for the Trump administration. A federal judge is giving president Trump the green light to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development. CNN's Jeff Zeleny with more on that.

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JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: As president Trump enters his second month in office, the court cases are coming in from some of his biggest actions during his first.

A big ruling on Friday here in Washington, with the federal judge ruling the Trump administration can go forward with its plans to dismantle the USAID programs.

Of course, those are the centerpiece programs for foreign aid around the world that have been really one of the hallmarks of the challenges here of the early days of the Trump administration.

But that judge ruling on Friday that the administration can go forward and effectively end those programs and dismiss those workers.

Now one question here had been, some workers who were posted around the world, would they have the security?

Would they be able to be dismissed?

This judge ruling on Friday that there was no evidence of harm for these workers. They would still be protected. So at this point, this case will be appealed by workers and labor unions who have brought this suit going forward.

But the judge ruling on behalf of the Trump administration. It's only the latest example of a federal judge appointed by this president but also other rulings have been by -- appointed by other presidents ruling on behalf of this White House, saying that employees have not shown irreparable harm.

So this is a major case going forward here. USAID might be dismantled just as the president has wished -- Jeff Zeleny, CNN, the White House.

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SANDOVAL: Germans head to the polls on Sunday to choose a new government. But with no party expected to gain a majority in parliament, it's likely going to require some, you could say, complicated coalition building for anyone to actually govern.

The conservative frontrunner for chancellor insists that there will be no cooperation with the far right AfD party, which polling puts in second place.

Friedrich Merz says that the first task of the new government must be to give Germany more weight in the European Union.

Also, a quick programming note, CNN will have complete and special coverage on the German election on Sunday, starting at 6 pm Berlin time. That's 5 pm in London.

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SANDOVAL: Back to our breaking news in Gaza. Two hostages released by Hamas in Rafah have crossed into Israel, 40-year-old Tal Shoham and 38-year-old Avera Mengistu. They have been handed over to the Israeli military by the Red Cross earlier.

You see some of these pictures that took place there at Rafah, as well as Hamas militants handed them over. They are expected to be reunited with loved ones and get medical checkups in the hours ahead.

Four more hostages set to be released soon at a separate location. We will bring that to you as soon as it happens; 27-year-old Eliya Cohen, 22-year-old Omer Shem Tov, 23-year-old Omer Wenkert and 37-year-old Hisham al-Sayed are the other hostages we expect to be released.

In return, Israel is expected to free more than 600 Palestinian prisoners. Again, we will keep you posted with this continuing coverage.

But for now, let's go ahead and bring in now, Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science; also author of the book, "What Really Went Wrong: The West and the Failure of Democracy in the Middle East." He joins us now from London.

Fawaz, thank you so much for taking time (INAUDIBLE).

Prime minister Netanyahu, largely counting on support from Donald Trump. He also expressed some reluctance, as, you know, to actually enter the ceasefire in the first place.

So I wonder, just how confident are you that the cease will enter the next phase?

There's certainly no shortage of skepticism.

FAWAZ GERGES, DIR. MIDDLE EAST CENTER, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Thanks very much for having me. I think that the fact that the ceasefire has survived so far is a political miracle, truly. because the odds have been against the ceasefire surviving.

And I think we should celebrate, now, this particular moment of joy and relief for both the Israeli hostages and their families and the Palestinian captives and their families.

It's a moment of joy, a moment of relief. The challenge facing the ceasefire is the second phase of the ceasefire.

And I think the odds against the ceasefire, the temporary ceasefire turning into a permanent ceasefire that is ending the war in Gaza -- because Israeli prime minister and his coalition have made it very clear they will never end the war in Gaza as long as Hamas remains in Gaza, both politically and militarily and also they want to. [03:55:00]

Really, ideally, from their point of view, they want to carry out Donald Trump's idea for Gaza, depopulating Gaza, forcing the Palestinians, the 2.4 million Palestinians, out of Gaza.

So the reality is, so far, so good. But I take it -- and the odds are against the second phase of the ceasefire because of both the political ambitions of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the contradictory and the incomprehensible ideas of Donald Trump.

SANDOVAL: Professor, I only have about 45 seconds here.

But I do wonder -- and considering what we've already heard from the White House when it comes to their vision of Gaza, do you think the Trump administration wants to see us, wants to see the Middle East turn the page on phase one and enter phase two peacefully?

GERGES: I think so. I don't think Donald Trump wants the war to resume in Gaza or anywhere in the Middle East. We know that Donald Trump does not really believe in wars. He keeps talking about peace. That's not the question.

But the statements of Donald Trump really clash with his intention to end the war in Gaza. He is sending the wrong messages. He is complicating an already complicated situation. He has given Benjamin Netanyahu a green light to resume, to resume the war when and if he wants.

So the reality is you have contradictory statements coming from the White House and really pouring gasoline on the raging fire in Gaza and the broader Middle East as well.

SANDOVAL: Professor Gerges, thank you so much for all your patience and all your insight as well. Thank you very much.

That's going to be wrapping it up for our hour of coverage. I'm Polo Sandoval, live in New York City. There is much more breaking news coverage with Kim Brunhuber, Kim Brunhuber in Atlanta, right after this short break. Stick around.