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IDF Secure Hamas Military Stronghold in Northern Gaza; Two-Thirds of Gaza's Hospitals and Medical Centers out of Service; More Foreign Nationals, Wounded Palestinians Cross into Egypt; Palestinian Workers Expelled from Israel Allege Abuse; G7 on Joint Language over Israel-Hamas War; Putin Seizes on Conflict to Rally against U.S. and the West; Going Green: Water Reuse Solutions; Israeli Father Learns Weeks Later that Daughter May Be Alive. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired November 07, 2023 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

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ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We start one month on from the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas. The IDF

has released this footage, claiming Tuesday that it has secured a Hamas military stronghold in northern Gaza.

Although CNN cannot independently verify the video or where and when it was shot. Meantime, Israeli forces also say they struck a building adjacent to

Al Quds Hospital in Gaza City.

On Monday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said strikes had hit near that hospital, which is sheltering around 14,000 displaced people.

It comes as the U.N. chief says that the death toll in Gaza, quote, "defies humanity." On, Monday Israeli prime Benjamin Netanyahu gave an insight into

what he sees as the potential future of the besieged territory. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: I think Israel will, for an indefinite period, will have the overall security responsibility, because

we've seen what happens when we don't have it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: In the meantime, people gathered in Tel Aviv Monday night on the eve of the brutal October 7th attack by Hamas. They remembered the 1,400

people who were killed and the estimated 240 people who are believed to be currently held hostage.

Let's bring in CNN's Jim Sciutto in Tel Aviv. We've also got Jeremy Diamond in Sderot, Israel. Both, of course, have been following this war closely

for the past month.

Your reporting absolute critical in understanding what is going on on the ground.

Jim, I would like to start off with you. We just heard from prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Israel will have an indefinite responsibility

for security in Gaza. I want you to give me a sense of how significant the statement is in understanding the future of Gaza and the role that Israel

will be playing.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: First of all, it's a change. That is not what we've heard from Israeli officials

in the immediate aftermath of the October 7th attacks.

But it also puts some daylight between the Israeli public position and the public position of U.S. leaders, including President Biden, who has stated

his opposition publicly to a reoccupation of Gaza.

Now Netanyahu did not say reoccupy; he said security, manage the security. It does not necessarily mean then that they would then control the politics

or re-enter as they were present, pre-2005, when Israel left. But to manage the security controls Gaza and he did not set a timeframe for that.

Is it weeks, is it months, is it potentially years?

So that signals ongoing Israeli involvement in Gaza for some time, with the unanswered question, as for how long.

But beyond the daylight on that issue, with its closest ally, the U.S., there is daylight on other issues. The U.S. has been pushing for a

humanitarian pause for some time. Netanyahu said, in the same interview, that he would be open to shorter term pauses but nothing quite like the

cease-fire that many Arab leaders have been calling for.

And his standard for doing so is also higher than we've heard from, whether it be U.S. leaders, Blinken when he was out here, or Arab leaders as well

because Netanyahu is saying he needs to see the release of all hostages.

That may not be realistic in the near term. The negotiations over the weekend focused on releasing women and children first. Of course, everyone

involved wants all of the hostages released as quickly as possible.

But if that is the standard and they don't appear to be close to that standard, then, of course, it sets up more daylight and perhaps between

Israel and the U.S. but also perhaps a greater delay between seeing any sort of sustained pause or cease-fire that many leaders in the region are

seeking now.

GIOKOS: Yes, exactly. And as you say, anything to do with a pause or even the notion of a cease-fire has really got to do, it hinges on the release

of hostages. Jim Sciutto, great to have you on. Thank you so much. We've got Jeremy Diamond on the ground for us as well.

Jeremy, you know you and I have been talking about these images out of Gaza, catastrophic, the tone of civilians and children really hard to

fathom. This as the IDF surrounding Gaza City. We know that you've got a few extra insights on that. It strikes continuing, ground incursion

continuing.

[10:05:00]

GIOKOS: So give us a sense of the latest here.

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right.

Just moments ago, the commander of Israel's Southern Command, General Finkelstein (sic), saying that Israeli forces are fighting not only in and

around Gaza City but he says that they, are, quote, "in the heart of Gaza City, in the heart of terror," is how he characterizes it.

We know that, overnight there was fighting in Gaza City, right outside of Al-Quds Hospital and that clearly, Israeli forces are advancing inside of

Gaza City from several directions.

That, is of course, very significant because we know that the deeper Israeli forces get into Gaza City, the more dense the combat becomes and

the more Hamas fighters are fighting from very established, very reinforced offensive positions and also, of course, taking advantage of their

expensive tunnel system below Gaza.

Even as that fighting is very much ongoing, we are also witnessing a lot of fighting behind, me in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces

there capturing a Hamas compound in northern Gaza, according to the IDF, and also destroying several tunnels in northern Gaza.

And, yet despite all of that military activity from the Israeli forces, despite the fact that they are fighting in the heart of Gaza City,

according to Israeli generals, we also just witnessed moments ago a barrage of rockets emerging from the Gaza Strip.

Heading toward Israeli towns and cities, so even as Hamas finds itself under siege by Israeli forces, they are still managing to fire off those

rockets, effectively to try and show that they are still there, that they are still capable of hitting Israeli cities.

Now amid all of, this we are also watching an increasingly large number of civilians moving from northern Gaza to southern Gaza, facilitating, the

Israeli military says, by these corridors, that they are trying to establish along Salah a-Din street, one of the main arteries that runs

north to south in the Gaza Strip.

Yesterday, the United Nations says that about 5,000 civilians took advantage of that four-hour window that Israeli forces told civilians to

leave from. We saw a video from today, as well, showing Palestinian civilians with their hands up, carrying white flags, as they also walked on

foot, moving north to south.

All of this developing, of course, as we expect that Israeli offensive in Gaza City to grow more intense in the coming days.

GIOKOS: Jeremy Diamond, thank you so much for that update.

As we've been reporting, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza appears to be growing more dire by the day. Right now, more than 60 percent of Gaza's

hospitals and medical centers are out of service, according to the Hamas- controlled ministry of health in Gaza.

The organization cites fuel and medical supply shortages, as well as damage from Israeli bombardments. Adding to the hardship, the United Nations

Relief and Works Agency says that 70 percent of people in Gaza are now displaced, with many living in, quote, "inhumane conditions" at U.N.

shelters.

Decomposing bodies under collapsed buildings amid limited rescue efforts have also raised concerns about disease. And now, one month into the war,

the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 10,000, according to the Palestinian ministry of health in Ramallah.

A short time ago, I spoke to Dr. Medhat Abbas, the director general of the Hamas-controlled ministry of health in Gaza, about the report that 60

percent of medical facilities are no longer functioning. Under circumstances inside the remaining hospitals, I want you to take a listen

to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MEDHAT ABBAS, DIRECTOR GENERAL, GAZAN HEALTH MINISTRY: Well, the problem is that, those hospitals without fuel, they have closed. And some

of them were partially attacked. And some of them were totally annihilated, like the eye centers in Gaza City.

So the patients was supposed to go, to be treated within those hospitals, are shifted to some other hospitals. The other hospitals are already

overcrowded because of the mass casualties, what is arriving along the hour.

Due to the excessive bombardment along the hour in the Gaza Strip for this month. For 50 days, day and night, continuous, ongoing, chilling and

bombardment from the sky, from the, sea from the eastern side of the Gaza Strip.

So with large numbers coming to the hospitals, in fact, the operating hospitals, the remaining hospitals still operating now are overcrowded. And

you can find the injured lying on the ground anywhere, in the emergency room, in front of the operation room.

And many of them were operated upon in the corridors without even anesthesia. Some amputations were performed and that was admitted by the

WHO, by the way. They were operated upon without anesthesia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: And as we've been reporting, the conditions for medical care inside Gaza are rapidly deteriorating. Dr. Abbas explains how this growing

humanitarian crisis is impacting the level of care patients are receiving.

[10:10:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBAS: Patients arriving to the hospitals there, they're in very bad conditions, mainly because of excessive (ph) bombing. Usually they are

civilians coming and recovered from there under the rubble because of their houses were bombarded, while they were inside, without any threats.

So they are totally disfigured with massive injuries. So then surgeons will prefer which case that can be saved and which one could not be, nothing

could be done and hopeless they leave, just like this, to die.

So it is a very miserable situation. And of course, with the shortage of medication and medical supplies, the situation is becoming worse and worse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: During our interview, Dr. Abbas details the type of injuries that doctors are forced to treat under harrowing work conditions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBAS: Let me explain to you exactly what I mean by massive injuries. You may have in the same patient head injury and a vascular (ph) surgery is

required; orthopedic surgery is required on the same patient. General surgery is required, plastic surgery is required in the same patient.

And of, course anesthesia doctor and nursing staff.

What about having 60 or 70 or 100 patients like this at once?

Which hospital could tolerate such a very big number at once?

And it is not only once, it is not any of the work would finish in one, it is a continuous (INAUDIBLE) for three days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Dr. Abbas painted a grim picture of what doctors must go through to treat patients inside of Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBAS: The doctors are very exhausted. They are working without any vacation, they are not enough. They only represent 30 percent of the

required need in the hospitals. And many of those doctors were killed and many others lost their families. And many of them, while working, he saw

his children coming on the stretchers, wounded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: During our wide-ranging interview, Dr. Abbas had this warning about the future, without the prospect of a cease-fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Abbas: This war continue like this, more children will be killed. More civilians will be lost. We will not be able to cope. We will certainly

collapse. The people will be dying. No ambulance can bring them from under the rubble. No hospital to treat them, if they could reach the hospital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: We struggled to conduct this interview with Dr. Abbas due to ongoing communication issues inside of Gaza. Phones would not properly

connect and a Zoom link cut off midsentence during our conversation. It is an important and vital account of what medical professionals are

experiencing inside of Gaza right now.

It is Election Day in the U.S. and Americans are heading to the polls to vote. There is a race for governor in Kentucky, where Democrat Andy Beshear

is seeking reelection against Republican challenger, Daniel Cameron.

Now if Cameron wins, he would be the state's first Black governor and the country's first Black Republican governor to be elected.

The big issues in Ohio are cannabis and abortion. Voters will decide on a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion rights in the state

constitution. Ohio will also vote on whether to legalize recreational marijuana.

In Virginia, the balance of power in both chambers of state government is up for grabs. CNN senior data reporter, Harry Enten, explained what is at

stake.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRY ENTEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Virginia is the other thing I'm watching. We have a Republican governor there, the House of Delegates is

controlled by Republicans. The state senate is controlled by Democrats.

All 100 seats in the House of Delegates are up, all 40 seats in the state senate are, up and, historically speaking, the party that wins the state

senate, at least the last few cycles, has done very, very well in the next year's presidential race.

So it is one of those tea leaves.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Well, in a deeply conservative Mississippi, a second cousin of rock 'n' roll legend, Elvis Presley, is challenging the incumbent governor.

We will have more details in "STATE OF THE RACE WITH KASIE HUNT at the top of the hour.

We will have more news, after this short break, stay with CNN.

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GIOKOS: Welcome back.

Now at least 140 foreign national have evacuated from Gaza into Egypt so far this Tuesday. That's according to an Egyptian border official who also

says more wounded Palestinians are being brought across the Rafah border today for treatment.

Aid is also flowing through the crossing, although humanitarian workers say it's falling far short of what is needed. A World Health Organization

spokesperson today pleaded for safe access for 500 aid trucks a day.

At this point, that's about the total number that have gotten through since the war started. I want to go now to CNN's Melissa Bell, in Cairo, Egypt.

The Rafah border crossing is really vital in terms of getting people out and getting aid in.

How seamless has it been?

What kind of problems have we experienced?

Because we've seen delays coming through. Usually it hinges on the politics.

MELISSA BELL, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's, right it is an extremely complex process, to try and get that crossing open and to keep it

open. And it involves, of course, negotiations between Israel, Hamas, Egypt, the United States, through the mediation of Qatar.

We know that over course of the weekend, the crossing had closed as a result of Palestinian demands that its ambulances be given safe passage

down to the Rafah crossing. Since the initial deal to allow anyone out at all was struck, to get foreign passport holders out, Eleni, but also the

most wounded Palestinians.

Now their insistence over the weekend was that the ambulances should get safe passage after the bombing of the Al-Shifa Hospital on Friday, that led

to the border being closed entirely for nearly 48 hours. It's now, of course, been reopened.

And what we've seen when it's open, are different kinds of (INAUDIBLE) problems.

There are the political issues we're getting open and, once it is open, there are the logistical issues involved, Eleni, in getting all of these

people out, out of a situation that is desperate inside, very chaotic, a system that is fairly opaque in terms of how the lists are drawn up.

We know that every day, a list is put up with several hundred names on it, of who will be allowed to get out on that particular day. Anyone who is on

the list needs to know (INAUDIBLE) bear in mind that we've had now three total blackouts where there were no communications at all.

And even when the communications are up and running, it is pretty patchy and difficult for people who are anywhere in the Gaza Strip to find out

that their name is on it.

Once they get, there and through the many crowds of thousands that have been camped out there for days in hopes of getting out, many of them -- and

we've heard so many stories of this -- will find that their names but not the names of their loved ones or their family members are on there as well.

So they decide to stay behind. It is 7,000 foreign nationals that are expected to be brought out as a result of these negotiations. But it is

extremely slow going and it is likely to remain very chaotic going forward.

GIOKOS: Melissa Bell, thank you so much.

Some Palestinian workers who were expelled from Israel last week have returned to Gaza with stories of abuse. CNN's Nada Bashir is following that

story for us and she joins us now from Jerusalem.

Nada, great to see you, we've seen the images and heard the stories of abuse. And I'm wondering how some of these people are feeling going back

home, essentially, which has now been turned into a war zone.

What are you hearing?

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look, Eleni. Hundreds of Gaza workers, who are stranded --

[10:20:00]

BASHIR: -- or detained here in Jerusalem and across the occupied West Bank have been explaining their joy really at being returned home and reunited

with their families and with their loved ones, despite the fact that the situation in Gaza is disastrous, to say the least.

Despite the fact that we are continuing to see those Israeli airstrikes raining down on the Gaza Strip. We've been hearing from Gazan workers, who

were bused to the border after being detained for weeks by the Israeli military and authorities there.

They were bused to the border and allowed back in, only some of them, as we, know many are stranded in the occupied West Bank. But many were

thankful to be returned home because they haven't had contact with their families, with their friends, with their loved ones, in weeks.

They do not know what the situation is like back home. Many were saying that they do not know if their family members and loved ones are still

alive. And of course, this has been a difficult few weeks for those who were detained.

We have heard those accounts of torture, of abuse, of harassment while in detention. Israel often gives out these permits for Gazan workers,

thousands of Gazan workers, to come and work in Israel, particularly in the areas of construction and agriculture.

But after those October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel, many were detained. And as we've heard in this story, many experienced abuse while in

detention. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASHIR (voice-over): Bound, blindfolded, some even stripped. In this video, the jeers of Israeli soldiers, abusing and mocking Palestinian

workers from Gaza, detained in Israel just days after the beginning of the war.

At the Kerem Shalom Crossing, men wait anxiously, hoping that their brothers, fathers, sons are among the Palestinian workers who have finally

been returned to Gaza by the Israeli military.

Thousands of Gazan workers, like these men, had their permits to work in Israel revoked after the October 7th Hamas attack. But with no option to

return home, many attempted to flee to the occupied West Bank, only to then be detained.

They tied our hands behind our backs, blindfolded us and led us onto a bus. I don't know where they took us. There were about 200 to 300 Gazan workers

held there.

Some of the men here are visibly weak and with each crossing, more stories of abuse and even torture. One man telling CNN, he witnessed the use of

electric shocks on detainees.

They put us in cages like dogs. They beat us and assaulted us. They didn't care if you were sick or injured. Some men even died on the way here

because they were beaten and subjected to electric shocks.

Every day felt like death. They would give us a cucumber to share between six people and a small piece of bread.

An Israeli security official could not say whether electric shock tactics were used. But told CNN that the IDF is aware of several incidents of abuse

against their Gaza workers and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Adding that these cases are being treated seriously with disciplinary

actions said to have been taken against several soldiers identified in social media video.

But NGO workers at the Palestinian Prisoners Society say this is a systemic issue with few legal safeguards in place for Palestinians.

We've received horrific firsthand testimonies, Amani Sarahneh tells me. They didn't do anything wrong. They weren't charged with anything. But many

of them were interrogated and systematically tortured. They were abused and brutally beaten. They faced all kinds of dehumanization and insults.

In the occupied West Bank, there are thousands of Gazan workers still stranded, desperate to be reunited with loved ones, praying every day for

their safety.

Maher Al-Sheik was working in Israel with his son, Mafiq. But he hasn't seen or heard from him in almost a month.

I don't know where he is, whether he is in prison or dead. He is my son. My whole life. He came here to work, to be able to feed his children. He

wasn't here to join in any fight. He wasn't here to cause trouble.

But just as there are fears for those still missing, at this center sheltering stranded Gazan workers, there was also indescribable anguish of

the safety of family members back home in Gaza.

My family is now spread out all across Gaza. They've all had to leave the Jabalya Refugee Camp because of the airstrikes. When I am able to reach

them, all I hear is misery. Every day is another catastrophe.

For weeks, many of these men have had no contact with their families. The Gaza they left behind now changed forever.

But for those now across the border --

[10:25:00]

BASHIR (voice-over): -- the relief of being freed from detention and reuniting with loved ones is clear.

Though many have not returned with thousands still stuck in the occupied West Bank and others still missing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASHIR: As you heard, an Israeli security official has told CNN that the IDF is aware of instances of abuse of Gazan workers and Palestinian

detainees. They are taken these cases seriously and carrying out investigations.

We also are aware the IDF has told CNN that they are aware of at least two Gazan workers who died after being in detention. They say these deaths were

not caused by abuse in detention but rather long-term chronic illnesses.

And what we are seeing now developing is at least six Israeli human rights organizations have now filed a petition with Israel's supreme court. They

have argued that these detentions, the detention of Gazan workers, Palestinian workers, were carried out without legal grounds.

That will be something that we will certainly be keeping an eye on. But as you saw, there are still thousands of Gazan workers stranded, in limbo, in

the occupied West Bank, unsure of how or when they will be able to return home. Many of them still struggling to make contact with their loved ones

back in Gaza.

GIOKOS: Nada Bashir, thank you.

A CNN journalist and his family were among those who escaped Gaza recently through the Rafah crossing. Ibrahim Dahman says that they feel relieved.

But he says his children remain traumatized. Listen to his account.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IBRAHIM DAHMAN, CNN JOURNALIST (from captions): Last month, my family and I fled Northern Gaza. Buildings were bombed before our eyes. We became

refugees in our own home.

I saw family members caught in the crosshairs.

ZAID, DAHMAN'S SON (from captions): They don't strike hotels, right?

DAHMAN (from captions): My own children feared for their lives.

We sheltered with over 100 other families in Khan Younis. We witnessed many airstrikes and survived blackouts. We tried to make the best of a bad

situation and distract our children. But we couldn't shield from the horror.

Last Friday we were told to go to the Rafah crossing. I was relieved to get out of Gaza. My home has become a graveyard.

In Rafah, I saw many families hoping to escape. My heart raced as our documents were checked.

Zaid, why do you want to go?

ZAID (from captions): I want a safe place.

DAHMAN (from captions): There are no safe places here.

ZAID (from captions): That's true.

DAHMAN (from captions): The names of a lucky few were called to board the bus to Egypt. Finally, it was our turn. My wife put on a brave face. We

both worry we will never see our relatives again.

The feeling of being in Egypt is indescribable.

Are you happy, Khalil?

What do you want to say?

KHALIL, DAHMAN'S SON (from captions): It was difficult but at the same time it was good.

DAHMAN (from captions): In Cairo, we no longer hear airstrikes. My sons look happy but I know they are traumatized. Sometimes they hear a plane

overhead and think it's a war plane. I have to reassure them they are safe now.

We don't know what our next move will be. For now, we can be a normal family again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: In what has been very difficult for a few weeks for Ibrahim Dahman and his family, happy to see them out and in safety.

We are going to a short break, we'll be back right after this.

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[10:30:00]

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GIOKOS: Welcome back, I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi.

Israel is claiming new progress as its war with Hamas moves into its second month. The Israel Defense Forces says it now controls a Hamas military

stronghold in northern Gaza. The military, releasing this video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS (voice-over): CNN cannot independently verify what it shows or when and where it was taken. Israeli forces say they found anti tank missiles,

weapons and intelligence materials. And the IDF says it struck a cell of about 10 militants.

The military said it had encircled Gaza City and was closing. In meantime, with silence and prayer, Israelis are pausing to remember the 1,400 people,

mostly civilians, who were killed in the Hamas attack one month ago today.

And more than 200 who are believed to be held hostage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: The Israel-Hamas war is at the top of the agenda. In the meantime, at the two-day G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Tokyo, U.S. secretary of

state Antony Blinken, seen here with Japanese prime minister Kishida, says it is important for the G7 to speak with one voice as the war enters its

second month.

But agreeing on joint language will be very tough. Japan also saying the Israel-Hamas war will not dim G7 support for Ukraine. We've got Marc

Stewart standing by. He's following all the action and joins us now from Beijing.

Great to see, you. Marc, it is about the language, isn't it. The G7 have a crisis-heavy agenda.

Can they showed unified response to all of these crises that are currently playing out?

MARC STEWART, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Eleni, this is tough and this is very tricky. As you know, from your experience reporting in the

Middle East, the G7 nations are a very diverse bunch.

They have very different needs. But they all do maintain some type of relationship with the nations in the Middle East. For example, Japan

depends on the Middle East as a big energy source. So there are economic concerns and there are political concerns, that all need to be reconciled

in perhaps portraying this unified force --

[10:35:00]

STEWART: -- as to how to handle this war that is taking place between Israel and Hamas. Obviously, secretary of state Antony Blinken is going to

be a big player in these discussions.

He just got back from the region. He had meetings with Israel, with Iraq, with Jordan, with the West Bank as well as with Turkiye. So he is coming to

these discussions with these G7 nations, with a whole new set of eyes, a whole new stack of new information, if you will, to help facilitate these

kind of discussions.

You mentioned the wording and the language. That is very complicated. There are, perhaps, some minute differences in the idea of a humanitarian pause

or a cease-fire. All of that language is going to matter to all of these different nations. So it's going to be a very tough task to reconcile all

of those points.

But it is one that these G7 nations certainly feel is necessary. One, they have to show that they are together unit, as these very large economies in

the world, not just in the Middle East but globally.

And thinking back to where I am right now here in China, it was just a few weeks ago that China hosted its Belt and Road summit. And one of the big

messages that came out of it was the fact that China would be perhaps an alternative player in a new world order, other than what we hear from the

West.

So while the West, the G7 nations, need to be strong when it comes to Israel, they also have to show the rest of the world that they are a

unified bloc. And again, Eleni, as you know, it is a very tough task.

GIOKOS: Exactly. Getting consensus on all of these issues is going to be vital, number one, to show that we do have unified nations working together

toward something at least, as international calls for a cease-fire gain traction.

So a lot on the table, Marc Stewart, great to have you on. Thank you so much.

As we mentioned earlier, Israelis are pausing to remember the 1,400 people, mostly civilians, who were killed in the Hamas attack one month ago today.

CNN correspondent Gustavo Valdes bringing us part of the story from Tel Aviv.

And remembering October 7th, the harrowing experiences and, of course, keeping in mind there are over 200 hostages currently trapped inside of

Gaza, an important time to remember where we are one month later.

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is correct. It has been a very emotional day from this morning, when they had a moment of silence, to, all

day long, people coming, praying and reflecting especially on the lives of those 240 people who are believed to be held in Gaza.

Here, outside the Tel Aviv museum apart, there are a number of exhibits, if you will, that celebrate, that remember those lives. From the posters with

the faces of those taken by Hamas, some flowers in the background, very colorful, with pictures of the children hanging from the petals.

And this very long table, white cloth, 240 chairs, empty chairs, one from each of the persons believed to be in Gaza. We talked to some of the

relatives that recognize that there is also -- the people in Gaza are hurting. The civilians are getting hurt and killed. But they say, that for

them, the most important thing is to have their relatives back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERAN MARGALIT, HOSTAGE OHAD MUNDE'S FRIEND: We want them back here, now. We want to see that they are happy and safe and, we will hug them and we

will hug them until, I mean, always. It's just we let them go once. We will not let them go again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALDES: And we heard from people who said they recognize that the Israeli offensive is also costing lives in Gaza. And they would like to see a way

to bring peace to the region, to stop the fighting. But they also recognize the need to bring their relatives safe home.

GIOKOS: Yes. Gustavo Valdes, thank you so much.

The Russian president Vladimir Putin is closely watching the conflict between Israel and Hamas as he wages his own war in Ukraine. And he's using

the war in Gaza to craft a new narrative about the West. CNN's Fred Pleitgen explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Israel's military continues its war against Hamas, Russian leader Vladimir

Putin --

[10:40:00]

PLEITGEN (voice-over): -- is framing the conflict as part of a global struggle of America and the West against the rest of the world.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): It's the current ruling elites of the United States and their satellites that are the main

beneficiaries of global instability. They extract their blood toll from it.

PLEITGEN: While many nations around the world condemned Hamas after the October 7th raid on southern Israel, killing more than 1,400 and taking

hundreds of hostages, including Russians, Russia invited a high-level Hamas delegation to Moscow for meetings.

A top Hamas leader saying the group would give preference to captives from what they call their, quote, Russian friends.

MOUSA ABU MARZOUK, CHIEF DEPUTY OF HAMAS'' POLITICAL BUREAU (through translator): This request from Russia we treat more positively and

attentively than others, due to our nature of our relations with Russia.

PLEITGEN: So far, no Russian hostages appear to have been released. Still, Moscow not criticizing Hamas, instead, ripping only into Israel for the

many Palestinians killed by the IDF's ongoing aerial campaign in Gaza.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Condemning terrorism, we categorically disagree that terrorism can be responded to by

violating the norms of international humanitarian law, including the indiscriminate use of force against targets where the civilian population

is known to be located.

PLEITGEN: But for years, it was Russia that waged a relentless bombing campaign against areas held by rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al

Assad.

The U.S. and various international aid groups accuse Moscow of deliberately targeting civilian areas including hospitals and markets, killing and

wounding scores even though the Kremlin has consistently denied those claims.

And Russia's war again Ukraine continues, Moscow once again harming civilian structures overnight in the port town Odessa, wounding several

people.

Vladimir Putin, though, trying to argue that Russia is invading Ukraine to help the Palestinians.

PUTIN: These are our soldiers and officers and the choice of a real man, a real warrior is to pick up arms and stand in line with his brothers, be in

a place where the fate of Russia and of the whole world is being decided, including the future of the Palestinian people.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: We'll be right back after this short break. Stay with CNN.

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GIOKOS: This week, we are highlighting innovative solutions to protect our planet's most precious resource, water. In San Francisco, California, one

sustainable start-up is giving wastewater a new lease on life. Bianca Nobilo has more.

[10:45:00]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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AARON TARTAKOVSKY, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, EPIC CLEARTEC (voice-over): The way we've designed our cities for the last 250 years has not really changed,

which is to say it's based on the centralized model of buildings, connected to underground water and sewer pipes, connected to a central facility.

And that approach can't keep up with urban population growth, with a changing climate that is making water scarcity more pronounced everywhere.

What we're doing is creating these smaller distributed systems that can go into a single building, a group of buildings, collect that water right at

the source, treat it and then we use it.

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Epic Cleantec is leading the charge for a water recycling revolution. And they are starting

in the epicenter of innovation in the U.S.

TARTAKOVSKY (voice-over): Here in California, we're going from drought to drought, to drought. There is no reason why we should be taking fresh water

from our national parks to flush the toilets of tech employees in downtown San Francisco.

We have technology available to us today, to take what is considered dirty or used water and turn it into this exceptionally high-quality treated

water.

NOBILO (voice-over): Epic's One Water system recycles water for reuse only in non-potable applications like toilets, irrigation and cooling systems.

TARTAKOVSKY (voice-over): When you put our systems in, you can recycle 95 percent of your building's water, which means you're only pulling in 5

percent from the city for things like drinking and cooking and those potable applications.

NOBILO (voice-over): The idea of using recycled water has met with some hesitation, Aaron says.

TARTAKOVSKY (voice-over): We've conditioned society to think that wastewater is waste. We put waste in the name. What we have done is really

taken an educational and science first approach.

We show people the water before and after and we actually took a portion of our treated water and we turned it into a beer. So this is our Epic

OneWater brew. This is a Kolsch-style ale, made with highly purified building graywater.

NOBILO (voice-over): While not for sale due to the regulations, the beer has generated quite a buzz.

TARTAKOVSKY (voice-over): So we found, is that once we put that water in the form of a beer, all of a sudden people got really excited. And it

allows us to start a conversation. And we were able to show people sort of the untapped potential of water reuse.

I think there's a shift just going on society, in the world, in the market, where people realize that we just simply have to change the way we do

things. In many ways, this is one of the key solutions to make sure that our planet continues to be livable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: For more, you can visit cnn.com/goinggreen.

Let's get you up to speed on some other stories that are on our radar right now.

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GIOKOS (voice-over): Britain's King Charles III delivered his first king's speech to Parliament earlier today. This marks the formal start of the

parliamentary year. King Charles said that Britain's government will hold other countries to their environmental commitments.

He is expected to attend the COP28 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates, which starts in just a few weeks.

The once high flying WeWork communal office space firm has filed for bankruptcy. At its peak, WeWork was valued at some $47 billion before the

work from home revolution made its business model less attractive. WeWork locations remain open, as it restructures operations.

Italian tax police have been ordered to seize more than $830 million from Airbnb Ireland. That is the company's European headquarters. The ruling is

tied to unpaid taxes between 2017 and 2021, after a 21 percent flat tax on short term rentals took effect.

We will have more news right after the short break.

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[10:50:00]

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GIOKOS: An Irish born Israeli father, Thomas Hand, was told that his 8- year-old daughter had been killed during the October 7th Hamas attacks. But now, nearly a month later, the Israeli army has informed him it is, quote,

"highly probable" that his daughter is alive and likely being held hostage by Hamas.

The Irish government said it had no certain information regarding the 8- year old's fate. CNN correspondent Ed Lavandera spoke with the father.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THOMAS HAND, EMILY'S FATHER: From the morning of the 7th until now is a nightmare, roller coaster tragedy.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The anguish Thomas Hand is about to describe has left him trembling for weeks. It's a

journey of death and a hope of resurrection, he says, is impossible to imagine.

HAND: On the day, it was Russian roulette whether you made it or not.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): On October 7th, Hamas fighters stormed the Kibbutz Be'eri, killing roughly 130 people and ravaging the community of 1,100

residents. That morning, Thomas' 8-year-old daughter, Emily, was sleeping at a friend's house. Thomas could not reach her as Hamas fighters took over

the kibbutz.

Days after the attack, the Irish-born father spoke with CNN's Clarissa Ward about the moment he was told his daughter had been killed.

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Thomas waited two agonizing days before getting the news.

HAND: They just said, "We found Emily and she's dead."

And I went, "Yes."

I went yes and smiled because that is the best news of the possibilities that I knew. She'd be in a dark room filled with -- Christ knows how many

people -- and terrified every minute, hour, day and possible years to come. So death was a blessing, an absolute blessing.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Thomas says leaders of the Be'eri kibbutz community told him Emily's body was seen in the aftermath. But almost a

month after the massacre, Thomas was given news that almost made him collapse. He says the Israeli Army told him it's highly probable Emily is

alive and a Hamas hostage.

LAVANDERA: How were you told the news Emily might be alive?

HAND: That was official from the Army. With all the information that they have, the intelligence that they have, it's very likely that she's been

taken to Gaza.

LAVANDERA: Thomas says he's been told Emily's body is not with the remains of victims and that there was no blood found inside the home where she

slept the night before.

Thomas also says that cell phones belonging to the family Emily was staying with have been tracked inside Gaza.

When you spoke with Clarissa Ward a few weeks ago, you said death would be a blessing in this situation.

HAND: That's how I felt at the time. Yes.

LAVANDERA: How do you describe where you are now?

HAND: Extremely worried about her, obviously. What conditions she's been held in. She's, you know, more than likely in a -- in a tunnel somewhere

under Gaza.

Your imagination is horrible. And it's her birthday on the 17th of this month, she'll be nine. She won't even know what day is. She won't know what

day is. She won't know it's her birthday. There'll be no birthday cake, no party, no friends. You just be petrified in a tunnel under Gaza. That's her

birthday.

LAVANDERA: Thomas is now flooded with the hope and the despair of what his daughter might be enduring. He prays she can somehow hear these words to

her.

HAND: If Emily is watching, just to let her know that we love her. All of us were all waiting for her to come back safely.

LAVANDERA: The survivors of the Be'eri kibbutz are temporarily living in a hotel. In the lobby, there's a vigil to all the kidnapped hostages. Now

Emily's family says the young girl's photo will be placed next to the others.

You described as being a hostage as worse than death.

[10:55:00]

HAND: I believe so. The unknown is awful. The waiting is awful but that's what we've got to do now. Just pray and hope that she comes back in some

broken state but we can fix her. We'll fix her somehow.

LAVANDERA: Do you allow yourself now to think about holding Emily again?

HAND: In my head, I can see, you know, like a beach scene her running to me and me running to her. Just picking her up. Never letting her go.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Ed Lavandera, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIOKOS: An absolutely heartbreaking story there.

That is it for this hour. Stay with CNN. "STATE OF THE RACE WITH KASIE HUNT" is up next. I'm Eleni Giokos in Abu Dhabi.

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