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Connect the World
CNN Goes Inside Gaza, Al-Shifa Hospital With Israeli Military; UNICEF: More Than 700,000 Children In Gaza Displaced; World Health Organization: 11 Infants Evacuated From Gaza In Critical Condition; United States, Qatar Optimistic On Hostage Negotiations; United States Defense Secretary makes Unannounced Visit To Kyiv; 500+ OpenAI Staffers Threaten To Quit After Altman Firing. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired November 20, 2023 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANANOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD WITH BECKY ANDERSON.
[10:00:43]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Welcome to what is the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD, with me, Becky Anderson. 7:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi.
5:00 p.m. in Gaza.
Planning (PH) the past few hours, premature babies from Gaza, have arrived in Egypt, via the Rafah border crossing. An Egyptian official says 28
babies made it into the country a short while ago.
These images from the Egyptian Ministry of Health show medical workers waiting with incubation units for those newborns, as we've been reporting.
They were transferred from the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which has become a flashpoint in this war.
Well, this is Israel comes under international pressure to provide evidence that Hamas uses that hospital for combat purposes. The IDF has released
this video footage that it says shows two hostages being taken into al- Shifa, through the main entrance.
The footage appears to be dated October the 7th. The day of that Hamas massacre. Well, the IDF has also provided video of Israeli soldiers
investigating a tunnel at Al-Shifa. It begins on the outside before a camera is lowered down, revealing a set of spiral stairs and later tunnel
wells.
Israel, says Hamas has used the al-Shifa to cover up an extensive terror infrastructure underground, something Hamas and hospital officials denied.
CNN's Oren Liebermann has more reporting on this IDF video. Oren's team also visited the Al-Shifa Hospital complex and other areas of Gaza under
IDF escort to get a look -- a closer look at their findings. CNN has retained editorial control over Oren's final report.
Here is that report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): We go in under cover of darkness. And as we crossed the border fence, its lights out
across the Gaza Strip.
Escorted by a tank, we switch into an armored personnel carrier for the final stretch. Even through a night vision screen, you can see the
magnitude of the destruction on the streets of Gaza City.
We off-load at the Al-Shifa Hospital, pick our way along Ibn Sina Street, or what's left of it.
LIEBERMANN: Watch your feet. Let's go.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): We have to keep our lights off most of the time or risk exposing our position.
CNN reported from Gaza under Israel Defense Forces escort at all times. As a condition for journalists to join this embed with the IDF, media outlets
must submit footage filmed in Gaza to the Israeli military censors for review.
Now, at the hospital compound, we wait inside a structure to make sure the area is secure before moving the short distance to the exposed tunnel
shaft.
LIEBERMANN: And here is the entrance. You can see what looks like a ladder access into it. And as I step over here, it's very difficult to see how far
down it goes. But it looks like there's almost a central shaft for a staircase. And then, the shaft of it disappears, then, down into the
darkness.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): We move around the opening for a better look at the shaft itself. What's clear is this is meant to go deep underground.
LIEBERMANN: Which direction does the tunnel go?
MAJOR NIR DINAR, SPOKESPERSON, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: We assume that the tunnel goes out, and it has another corridor to this way.
LIEBERMANN: Towards the hospital?
DINAR: Towards the hospital. Meaning it connects the hospital to outside, which implies, with the way that Hamas is working, Hamas is going out
somewhere, shooting at our forces, and going back inside to a safe place.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): We weren't allowed to enter the shaft, but the Israeli military sent special gear down to see where it leads.
Inside, the video shows a spiral staircase, and as the camera-oriented self, it moves forward into a tunnel. The tunnel makes a sharp left turn,
and at the end of another path, with concrete walls and an arched concrete top, a metal door they say they have not yet opened, because they fear it's
booby-trapped.
IDF spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari says some of the Israeli hostages taken on October 7th were also brought through the hospital. He says the body of
Noa Marciano was discovered 50 meters from the compound.
REAR ADM. DANIEL HAGARI, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES (through translator): We have evidence that they were holding hostages in Rantisi, but also, we have
evidence that they were bringing them to Shifa Hospital. We are still looking for the places they might have held them.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): This is not proof of a Hamas command center or headquarters underneath the hospital, but Israel continues trying to build
its case that Hamas uses the sanctuary of the hospital for cover, which Hamas and hospital officials have denied.
[10:05:06]
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): The IDF's ability to continue its operation in Gaza and the credibility of Israel are at stake here as the number killed
in the fighting surpasses 12,000, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
The IDF says one of its missions is to destroy Hamas, but with international criticism mounting, Israel has to show the terror
organization is using Gaza civilians and infrastructure as cover to justify an ongoing war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: I want to bring in Oren to discuss his report. And Oren, a week after the IDF launched its raid on the Al-Shifa Hospital. What do we know
conclusively?
LIEBERMANN: Well, crucially, the first bit of seeing what this tunnel shaft was, was geo locating it where it is in the hospital. And we were able to
do that fairly quickly. When just a couple of days earlier, they released what was essentially the discovery or the uncovering of that exposed tunnel
shaft.
From there, we had the opportunity, as you just saw in that story, to go in and see it for ourselves. And there we could see the shaft itself and the
description of it from what I showed you, it goes downwards. The IDF then, went on to say, in a later release that it goes down 10 meters or some 33
feet and then continues the tunnel that is for 55 meters until the door you saw there.
Crucially, the video they put out of the tunnel that we used in that piece, we were able to see where it started. And as that special asset was lowered
down as the camera went down, and we see that it started at the same location.
This is significant. It is arguably the most compelling evidence they have put out so far that there is a tunnel underneath the hospital, and we were
able to geo locate and see where the journey into that tunnel begins. And that's important, because it is at the Al-Shifa complex.
Is it proof that there is a command network or some sort of command-and- control headquarters or node underneath? No, but it is certainly part of building that case and substantiating the claim.
Now, they are -- the IDF that is, is still operating at the hospital. And as we saw them put out more video in the past, we expect them to put out
more video in the future.
Now crucially, well, they haven't opened that door yet. What's on the other side there? That's a critical part of this.
Are there more tunnels there? Also, a critical part of trying to substantiate that there is a Hamas structure or Hamas uses the area
underneath the hospital.
But Becky, I think at this point, you can say the case that the IDF is trying to prove is being built and this is a critical part of it.
ANDERSON: Oren, leaving with his reporting. Oren, thank you.
Well, UNICEF says more than 700,000 children have been displaced in Gaza. In a recent statement, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said,
and I quote, "This pain, dread, and fear etched on the faces of children, women, and men, is too much to bear. How much more violence, bloodshed, and
misery will it take before people come to their senses? How many more civilians will be killed?"
Well, the chief of communications for the U.N.'s children's agency. UNICEF. Here is Toby Fricker. He joins me now from Amman, in Jordan.
Sir, it's good to have you.
And I want to start today on a story, which, you know, is I guess some light and then we should describe it as such within so much darkness. That
is the successful trip for some premature babies, who were originally at the Al-Shifa Hospital, moved down to the Emirates hospital.
And then, onto -- and through the Rafah Border Crossing, these are the smallest, most vulnerable victims of this conflict.
And on International Children's Day, should we need a better, you know, opportunity to talk about, you know, these very small children. And what's
UNICEF's response, in principle, at least to this success story?
TOBY FRICKER, CHIEF OF COMMUNICATIONS, UNICEF: Yes. I mean, thank you. I think it's hard to classify a success story in the current situation, but
at least these 31 premature babies, like you said, were safely moved from Al-Shifa, which tragically in itself has become this sort of center point
of the war zone.
And the babies went down to the south to near Rafah, and now, most of them are in Egypt being cared for.
Thankfully, my understanding is their conditions are stable. They are getting the best care they can now, and that is something that we can, at
least, be relieved about, because some of those premature babies had already died before the UNICEF U.N. mission and with our partners could get
to the hospital. So, that is one, let's say, success story.
But it comes on while Children's Day, you know, when we've once had the tragedy, you know, the Israeli children killed, Israeli children abducted,
who are still being held hostage, and now, the more than 5,000 reported children killed inside the Gaza Strip.
[10:10:02]
ANDERSON: How important was the passing of a resolution at the U.N. Security Council last week? It was sort of termed a children's resolution.
It very specifically talked about urgent and multiple humanitarian causes, particularly highlighting the importance of supporting and protecting
children in Gaza.
How important was that? And do you see any evidence that, that sort of as a mechanism, can be used to actually effect some sort of solution on the
ground?
I mean, you know, are you seeing at UNICEF, are you being spoken to? Are you seeing any evidence of the fact that these pauses are either in effect
slowly or possible at this point?
FRICKER: Yes. I mean, the resolution is very important. I mean, it's like you said it was a very child centered resolution, it was really recognizing
the specific impact, massive impact that this crisis is having on children, specifically, you know, the horrific numbers of children killed and
injured.
And that is critical. And it brings together many international players, the international community to come together and say, let's have an
immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Let's get the hostages, particularly, the children, Israeli children held, who are abducted, free.
Let's get life-saving aid at scale into the Gaza Strip in a safe and unimpeded way. These are all critical measures that need to be done now,
because what we see now is we have children, civilians, you're more than 1.6 million in shelters.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Right.
FRICKER: You have in horrific conditions.
ANDERSON: That's my point, we need to see these multiple and urgent humanitarian pauses now. Does UNICEF see any evidence that, that is, you
know, as a practical possibility, in the immediate future, and I'm talking about tomorrow.
FRICKER: Well, I mean, we hope -- we're at humanitarian agency, we hold on to hope, we keep pushing, we keep calling. We know that many others are
doing the same thing to try and secure the ceasefire -- humanitarian ceasefire. We know that many others are committed to saving lives. But it
needs to happen now, as you said, because the winter months are coming. There is heavy rain, it's getting colder, and children have very limited
access to safe water, sanitation conditions in the shelters are horrific. And we're very concerned for obvious reasons of the outbreak of diseases,
waterborne diseases and others.
You know, as the day by day, this gets becomes more and more real. And that's a massive concern of a catastrophe upon a catastrophe.
ANDERSON: In the first hour of any humanitarian pause, and we have to believe, because we have to be glassed half full on this, at this stage,
because this is way too dark otherwise, that there will be some humanitarian pauses in the immediate future. What will UNICEF do? What are
your priorities at this point?
FRICKER: Yes. I mean, number one, is to get that life-saving in -- aid in at scale. And that means getting medical supplies to the hospitals that are
still functioning, it means critically getting fueled to hospitals. Getting fuel to desalination plants, which are water plants that produce safe
water.
Yes, we know that 33 liters of water per day per person roughly at the moment, which is -- which is tiny compared to what it should be, which is
15 liters per day in emergency threshold. So, these are critical elements.
And in the shelters, we urgently need to get hygiene kits, we need to improve the sanitation. You have one toilet for 500 people in some areas.
And this is horrific.
Yes, the sanitation conditions are going to lead to a massive outbreak of disease. And it -- but we know we can stop that if we get aid in quickly
and can support populations who are living in densely populated.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: right.
FRICKER: You know, 10 families in one classroom, for example.
ANDERSON: I know you've been on standby for weeks. You want this humanitarian pause as much as anybody else. Do you see -- and I want to ask
you again, and just press you on this. Have you any intelligence that suggests or is the agency been spoken to, you know, given any indication
that there will be a pause anytime soon?
FRICKER: Well, like I said, I mean, we really hope so. And I cannot speak specifically to that. But what I can say is that our teams are preparing
around the clock, preparing to scale up the support as quickly as we can that life-saving assistance.
And it's not just UNICEF, it's many others, you know, working with the U.N., working with other partners to be able to move anywhere across the
Gaza Strip to provide aid wherever it's needed.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you.
Well, the White House says hostage negotiations are making progress. So does Qatar, which is mediating the talks. It is believed more than 200
hostages are being held in Gaza and we are learning details of a draft proposal.
Sources familiar with the talk say it would involve freeing an initial 50 of those hostages and pausing fighting for several days.
[10:15:06]
Let's get you to CNN's Arlette Saenz at the White House.
Children, of course, amongst those being held in Gaza by Hamas and others. That's a discussion I've just been having there with UNICEF. After weeks of
mediation, Arlette, to secure their release, there does seem some real confidence from sources that we've been speaking to at CNN, that those
kids, or at least some of those kids could be released imminently. What do we know at this point?
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the White House has been expressing cautious optimism about the potential release of these
hostages with a principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, over the weekend, saying that they are closer than they ever have been as these
negotiations have been conducted.
But there are still a host of issues that need to be fine-tuned and agreed upon by the two parties, by Israel and Hamas, when it comes to securing the
release of these hostages.
Now, as you mentioned, there is a draft proposal that has proposed a four to five day pause in fighting in order to secure the release of around 50
hostages. That's according to sources familiar with the talks.
But Israel publicly, of course, has called for the release of all hostages, but one source says that they have presented a list of about 100 hostages
many presumed to be women and children that could be potentially released by Hamas.
Now Hamas has indicated that they would be closer to a 50 individual range than 100. And that this would need to take place over that multi day pause
in fighting.
But there are a lot of questions about if an -- a deal is reached, how exactly they would implement that? There are concerns about some of the
humanitarian aid that could be part of this deal, trying to nail down how many trucks of aid would be going into Gaza, how these trucks would be
inspected, and how they could also ensure that the aid was going to civilians and not Hamas fighters?
But it's clear that this still remains to be a very fluid situation, even as negotiators are hinting that they may be getting closer and closer to a
deal. Of course, President Biden yesterday wouldn't put a timeframe on that. He said he simply wants to get the hostages out. But there has been
these notes of optimism from officials here and negotiating parties that this could soon happen.
ANDERSON: Arlette Saenz on the story. Thank you.
Well, throughout this war, the U.S. has struggled to strike a balance between full support for Israel and concerns for civilians in Gaza. Now,
new polling shows American voters are not pleased with President Biden's performance. And the president's overall approval rating is at the lowest
level of his presidency.
Let's dig into this a little further. CNN's senior data -- senior data reporter Harry Enten joins us now.
Just break down for us what this latest poll has found.
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: Yes, Becky.
Weak, weak, weak. That is the way that I would describe Joe Biden standing. You know, his overall approval rating, as you said, it's all-time lowest
level in the NBC News poll, just 40 percent.
You go back to history presidents at this point, very few of them have an approval rating this low. Jimmy Carter was actually the last who had one
that was even lower than this.
But this extends out just beyond his overall job approval rating. Right? It extends to the Israeli-Hamas war. And what we see there is his approval
rating on that particular issue is also really, really, really low.
Look at this, if you look across parties, he just gets 51 percent of Democrats. 51 percent of Democrats within his own party. You look at
Republicans, he gets 22 percent there. And of course, the issue for Joe Biden in this particular thing is Democrats overwhelmingly want him to ease
up on the support for Israel, while Republicans wanted to be even more support of Israel.
And within the Democratic ranks, you have this massive age divide, whereby, younger Democrats want him to be much more sympathetic towards the
Palestinians, while older Democrats want him to be much more sympathetic towards the Israelis.
So, the fact is, you put this all together, Becky, and I'm just not sure at this particular point how Joe Biden supposed to handle this situation. And
the result of this all is an approval rating that is just 34 percent on the Israel-Hamas war.
It's a number that has gotten lower and lower and lower as this conflict has gone on. And I don't know how it's going to get higher, Becky.
ANDERSON: With a year to go, and seemingly, the democratic presidential candidate because there isn't an obvious other one at present. That must be
very worrying for the Democrats.
Thank you very much, indeed.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin makes his second wartime visit to Kyiv. This time, with a message from the Biden administration. Tensions in the
Middle East will not change America's support for Ukraine.
[10:20:09]
More on that coming up.
And a far-right outside has become Argentina's next president. Hear what former U.S. President Donald Trump and others have to say about the new
president elect?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Right. America is in it for the long haul. Apparently, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reassuring Ukraine's president of his
country's unwavering support. During an unannounced visit to Kyiv, fits Austin's second trip there since the Russian invasion in February 2022. And
it comes as the Biden administration's push for additional aid for Ukraine is stalled with opposition from some Republicans in Congress.
CNN's U.S. national security reporter Nasha Bertrand is -- Natasha Bertrand, sorry, Natasha, following the latest from the Pentagon.
Listen. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, you know, will be keeping a keen eye on what is going on, on the Hill. And frankly, must be very concerned about what he
is seeing at this point. Just how significant and important and consequential is this trip by Lloyd Austin?
NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Becky. Look, I think it's a huge show of support at a moment when Ukraine is feeling a little
bit neglected by the U.S., by its international partners, of course, because of all of the chaos unfolding in the Middle East and how the
world's attention has really shifted to Israel, and Gaza.
And so, I think this is a really important moment for the Ukrainians, especially ahead of winter when the fight is going to get particularly
difficult for Secretary Austin to be visiting.
Of course, he has already said that the U.S. is going to continue to support them with the weapons capabilities that they need, including, in
particular, air defense systems, which is something Ukrainians are going to be really, really needing this winter as Russia ramped up.
It's expected they are going to increase their attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure. And so, I think that at this moment, you know,
even while the U.S.'s attention has really been turned towards the war between Israel and Hamas, showing the Ukrainians that they haven't
forgotten about, of course, this very brutal war they're fighting against the Russians is really key.
Now. The question, however, is what Austin is going to be learning from the Ukrainians about their battlefield plans over the coming months, and even
longer than that, because some U.S. officials, some Western officials have expressed some concern that the conflict has reached a stalemate.
Now, senior defense officials briefing reporters this morning, they said they don't believe that it has reached that point and that Ukraine has made
some pretty significant advances. But the question is, how long can the U.S. sustain Ukraine, especially, as you mentioned in the intro there
without that supplemental funding that Congress has to authorized. And the funds for Ukraine, they are running it extremely low at this point.
[10:25:02]
The Pentagon has continued to warn. And so, we'll just have to see whether something like this gets passed on the Hill here. But for now, the U.S.
saying that they are going to do whatever it takes to continue supporting the Ukrainians. Becky.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. All right. Well, good stuff. Thank you very much, indeed.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have taken to social media to celebrate election results from Argentina. Provisional
results show Javier Milei, has won, at least, 55 percent of a presidential runoff, besting his rival, Sergio Massa.
Now, he run a bombastic anti-establishment campaign against the backdrop of one of the world's highest inflation rates. Trump wrote on Truth Social,
"Make Argentina great again. And that has a familiar ring to it, doesn't it?
Joining me now with more is journalist Stefano Pozzebon. We have a new president elect, what do we know about him? And what are like -- what are
likely to be his first steps?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN JOURNALIST: Yes, Becky. In the previous hour, we talked a little bit about the international stand that Javier Milei, as the
new president of Argentina wants to take away.
His pledge to take, for example, today, he announced that he will travel to the United States and to Israel ahead of his inauguration on December 10.
Milei has always considered himself a very strong ally of not just Israel, but in particular, of the government of Bibi Netanyahu. And he has pledged
to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on the campaign trail.
And also, Argentina we need to say is has one of the largest Jewish communities in South America.
However, I want to bring your attention to some of these first steps in the domestic in the Argentinian politics. He has promises on the campaign
trail, and what he proposes risk really, of bringing Argentina decisively to the right.
Argentina is often considered one of the most European South American countries because much of the state has a strong presence in the economy.
Think for example of a state's oil company, public education, public health, public broadcaster, and he has pledged multiple times to try to
privatize that as much as possible.
Now, all of these reforms, of course, it will have to pass through Congress, and right now really enjoys it just a very small and thin
majority in Congress.
So, on one side, we have his bombastic approach that was really successful on the campaign trail, he won with a -- with an over 11 percent -- 11
percent pointer of a margin ahead of his opponent, Sergio Massa.
But we think that governing and ruling and passing these reforms will be much more difficult. In particular, for example, the idea of tolerizing
Argentina and closing down the central bank as the solution to the country's chronic hyperinflationary problems.
We can see that we're in for a bumpy ride ahead, you know, Argentina for the next four years. And so, we should really closely watch these pace to
see what happens down in Buenos Aires as Milei tries to translate his momentum from the campaign trail into actual effective government. Becky?
ANDERSON: The story out of Argentina. Thank you, Stef.
Just stay on CONNECT THE WORLD. Why a hijacked cargo ship is at the center of some major international diplomacy? That is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:37]
ANDERSON: Welcome back, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. And the time here is a half past seven. We're out of Abu Dhabi
for you.
While the time there's so much bloodshed, there is a glimmer of hope. 28 babies from Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza are now in Egypt for
treatment. There were fears for their lives because power to run their incubators was running out or had run out.
Meanwhile, Hamas-run health authorities say Israeli tank fire hit the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza. They say 12 people were killed,
including patients and a member of the medical staff. Israel's military hasn't given details of its ground operations. today.
Let's bring in CNN's Nada Bashir from Jerusalem. And Nada, Israel's military focusing on hospitals, which it says are being used as Hamas
command centers. These hospitals are now in tatters. What do we know about how many are operational? How many have any hope of getting operational
again?
And what, you know, what doctors are telling us about what the situation is now on the ground? What moments six weeks into this conflict?
NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL REPORTER: We'll look, Becky, the overwhelming majority of hospitals in northern Gaza, where the focus of
Israel's air campaign has been over the last six weeks are now in operation.
We've been hearing from health officials and doctors on the ground describing the deteriorating situation that these hospitals are facing for
weeks now, they have been quickly running out of supplies, at least at the Al-Shifa Hospital, which has been the focus, it has to be said of the IDF's
ongoing military raid.
As we know, the Israeli military says, it believes there is a Hamas command and control center beneath the Al-Shifa Hospital. They have been carrying
out raids that we've been hearing from doctors and one Palestinian journalist on the ground at the Al-Shifa Hospital describing doctors is
facing questioning by IDF soldiers on the ground.
And, of course, as we know al-Shifa has been facing limitative shortages in medical supplies, in fuel to keep the hospital going, and oxygen supplies
for key units their operational seats, completely out of service.
Now, and this is a huge point of concern. We did see over the weekend, hundreds of civilians evacuating the Al-Shifa Hospital, waving makeshift
white flags. We've seen thousands of people of course, trying to evacuate northern Gaza head south as per the orders of the Israeli military.
But this is a situation that is reflected across northern Gaza's hospitals. A severe shortage in medical supplies, a severe shortage in food and safe
drinking water as well.
We've been hearing from doctors inside Al-Shifa, who have said that they were provided some supplies of food by the Israeli military, but this isn't
enough. They do need more support and are calling on an urgent intervention by the international community.
And, of course, as we know what we are seeing hundreds if not thousands of civilians moving southwards. Hospitals in southern Gaza are also deeply
overwhelmed. And as you mentioned now, we are continuing to see strikes and fighting near hospital complexes this morning. We're hearing of those
strikes at the Indonesian Hospital. Some patients are reportedly injured and killed as a result of tank fire. That's according to health officials
on the ground. But, of course, no further details on that from the Israeli military.
And as you begin to see more and more people evacuating southwards, there is growing concern for their safety and security. The U.N.'s humanitarian
warning there simply isn't anywhere safe inside the Gaza Strip.
[10:35:06]
And as we begin to see suggestions and indications that Israel's ground incursion could begin to move further southwards, there is growing concern
over what that will mean for the 1.5 million Palestinians, who are now internally displaced, many of them, of course, in southern Gaza.
And, of course, we do also have to think about the weather situation that many are facing in Gaza. It is getting very cold, it is raining more and
more, many of those families that have been displaced are now living in these temporary tent cities in southern Gaza.
That will not be sustainable and there is mounting concern over the humanitarian situation over the spread of infectious disease, and of
course, over the fate of those who are now displaced living in these dire conditions. Becky?
ANDERSON: Nada Bashir, on the story. According to one IDF spokesman overnight, terrorists opened fire from within the Indonesian Hospital in
Gaza towards IDF troops operating outside the hospital. In response, the IDF troops directly targeted the specific source of enemy fire.
The situation on the ground according to the IDF and reporting there from Nada.
Well, Japan says it is working to try to free a hijacked cargo ship and its crew. The Galaxy Leader was captured Sunday by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the
Red Sea. The Iran-backed Houthi -- Houthis claimed it is an Israeli ship, while Tokyo says the vessel is operated by a Japanese company. Israeli
media, meanwhile, reporting that an Israeli businessman is a part owner of the company that owns the seized vessel.
Well, CNN's Ben Wedeman, watching much of what is going on in Israel and around the region from his vantage point in Beirut and Lebanon. What do you
make of the status of this hijacked ship? And the story around it, Ben?
ANDERSON: Well, certainly, this does represent another sort of escalation in this conflict that is really spreading beyond Gaza. We've seen, since
the 8th of October, daily clashes on the Lebanese border, the Houthis firing missiles in the direction of Israel, and of course, yesterday, or
yesterday morning, in fact, I was watching Jazeera Arabic, when a spokesman for the Yemeni military, the Houthi military, came out and said that the
Houthis would target any ship with an Israeli flag, owned or operated by Israelis.
And it was just that afternoon that, in fact, it does appear that they targeted a ship.
This is the Galaxy Leader, that flies under the Bahamian flag. But, as you mentioned -- and anyway, this company -- this ship is operated by NYK,
which is a Japanese company. But Israeli media is reporting that the ship is actually owned by a British company, which is partially owned by a
Lebanese millionaire, by the name of Rami Unger.
Now, the Japanese government has condemned this seizure of the Galaxy Leader. It is in touch with Israel and it is asked Saudi Arabia, Oman, and
Iran, to contact the Houthis, and urge them to release the ship and its crew.
The Japanese say there are no Japanese nationals among the crew.
But this certainly represents a rather dramatic extra development in this galaxy of events that have unfolded as a result of the war in Gaza. And, of
course, it brings into question the safety of shipping in the Red Sea. The Red Sea being one of the busiest naval routes in the world. Becky?
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman, thank you, sir.
Coming up, the employee revolt at OpenAI hundreds of workers. Something like 70 percent of these - the company's roster. The artificial
intelligence firm threatening to quit office stunning new developments in this story. The very latest is just ahead.
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[10:41:36]
ANDERSON: There are fast moving developments in the ongoing upheaval at OpenAI. This is the firm that runs a popular ChatGPT platform. More than
500 employees of the artificial intelligence company are now threatening to resign after the stunning leadership changes that have taken place there
over the past few days.
Now, let me get this straight for you. It all began on Friday, when the OpenAI board fired the CEO Sam Altman, without giving a clear explanation
why.
Microsoft, which has invested billions in the company tried to get Altman reinstated. Over the weekend when talks hit an impasse, it announced,
Microsoft announced that it was hiring Altman instead.
Well, now how OpenAI staffers are demanding that Altman get hired back, and that the board members that ousted him resign. A letter to the board says,
in part, and I quote here, "Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI. We are unable to work with, for or with
people that lack competence, judgment, and care for our mission and employees."
Wow, that is quite something. Joining me now, Eric Xing, the president of Mohamed Bin Zayed University of A.I. here in Abu Dhabi. This is the world's
first artificial intelligence postgraduate research university.
And a fantastic resource for us. We, of course, have programs here in our programming hub out of Abu Dhabi. And I lean into Eric, regularly when we
have a big A.I. story. And this is a big A.I. story. It doesn't get let's, let's have this conversation, Eric, much bigger than Sam Altman, when
you're talking about A.I.
ERIC XING, PRESIDENT, MOHAMED BIN ZAYED, UNIVERSITY OF A.I.: Yes. Yes, yes.
ANDERSON: What do you make of what's going on here?
XING: Well, the past 48 the hours has been a roller coaster ride for the entire A.I. community. We've never seen something that big.
I think, overall, it is a big blow to the community, because it will change the cadence and also the directions of A.I. development.
ANDERSON: How?
XING: Because, look, you know, maybe what I'm going to say, we'll be making some of my colleagues unhappy, but along the pathway of artificial general
intelligence, artificial super intelligence. You know, OpenAI is clear at the front end.
And it is having more mature, more complete and more advanced products, and also potentially technology within the company. When anything happened to
the company, when it's in turmoil, the outcome is paramount, because you can see already.
You know, there is a landscape kind of earthquake, you know, people moving out are in two different directions. And also, there are different parties
playing along the ideological front of safety and others things.
ANDERSON: You know, that's what I want to bring up. Because there is a -- there is a real sort of fissure, isn't that, in the world of A.I. between
those who say, careful where we're headed, because -- and these are the what you might call the doom mongers.
XING: Yes.
ANDERSON: And those who are incredibly optimistic and see this as, you know, on the whole, good for society, good for you and me, and we should be
sort of, you know, accelerating down the road.
You're telling us what's going on at OpenAI. Under Sam Altman, certainly was, you know, an incredibly exciting time.
[10:45:05]
Sam Altman, himself, despite the fact that he is warned that things are going, perhaps too quickly, he is an optimist, correct?
XING: Yes, I think so.
ANDERSON: You think, therefore, the doom mongers are winning out here?
XING: Well, at least this is a one showdown moment in between the two camps. And it is hard to tell which sides is winning, because it is a
developing story, right? So, we've heard on policy already, Microsoft CEO, Satya, is making a master move in getting Sam into the Microsoft ecosystem.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: What does that mean for Microsoft? Where does -- where does A.I. fit into the sort of Microsoft -- I'm going to call it 2.0, let's call it
3.0 world.
XING: Well, Microsoft as a profit company does, you know, one to make sure that they're interested in protected business world. And therefore, GPT --
ChatGPT, as a product is definitely very important, you know, for Microsoft to have a saying,
And now, wastes their stake in OpenAI, and also waste their better control over Sam. They actually get almost everything I can imagine from OpenAI. In
Microsoft, the methodology, the model weights, the data, and also the people.
ANDERSON: 500 of the 700 staff in their letter --
(CROSSTALK)
XING: I'm not sure they're going to join Microsoft or not. Because I know that many other tech companies are hunting for these people now.
ANDERSON: But they have certainly suggested that they have most of them have been offered an opportunity at Microsoft, should they want to go.
You use the term just earlier on there. Microsoft is determined to commercialize its A.I. opportunity. And here -- herein lies the issue,
doesn't it?
You know, I think many people left to Open-A.I. are saying, is this a company that's really prepared to commercialize? You know, this A.I.
technology?
This is a -- this is a $100 billion organization, which is ultimately not for profit. What -- how does that all stack up? Is that been its problem,
OpenAI from the outset?
XING: Yes, I think, you know, OpenAI is really into charting into unknown territory in terms of its operations. It has (INAUDIBLE).
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: It's going to make money.
XING: It has a nonprofit aspect, you know, which wants to build to advanced technology to serve humanity in their charter. But then, they need to feed
themselves. And also, they need to get resource, you know, to prepare the ramen (PH). To therefore, commercialization is definitely you know, one of
the, you know, necessity for that.
ANDERSON: How important -- and then, coming back to Microsoft here, because I think it's really fascinating to consider where Microsoft is in the much
broader world, the many of our viewers might have considered about what is happening up in the cloud and the kind of its investment in architecture
going forward to the extent that it is looking to compete, and perhaps already successfully (INAUDIBLE) with the Huaweis of this world.
Is this a company that -- I'm not asking you to be a betting man here. But if you were a betting man, do you see Microsoft as running in the right
direction as a -- as a behemoth organization going forward among with real opportunity through its A.I. investment?
XING: Yes, it depends on where you sit yourself, right? From a business perspective, I cannot imagine a better move than what Microsoft is doing
now. Because it is really taking the best advantage of the situation to get as much as possible a hold, a control of the best people, the best
(INAUDIBLE) product.
Although, it doesn't mean that the A.I. research and development as a whole is necessarily the winner. Because I think A.I. is such a complex and the
developing technology that requires a bigger community to be contributor.
When you have a high concentration of resource and brain power in one location, obviously, it is going to benefit fewer people, depending on how
you're mistreated.
And also, there is additional nuances in terms of governance and safety regulations and so on.
ANDERSON: eric, we'll have you back. It's always a pleasure to have you on as I say. I lean into -- to this moment. Well, I need some questions
answered, some really important questions I answered on the world of A.I.
It's terrific having you back in thank you very much, indeed. Joining us --
(CROSSTALK)
XING: Thank you so much. It's good to have to be.
ANDERSON: I'll be back with more news after this.
XING: Thank you.
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[10:51:06]
ANDERSON: Water scarcity is an increasing problem with U.N. estimating 2.3 billion people live in water stressed countries. Well, here in Abu Dhabi,
researchers have discovered a hopeful solution amid the arid desert. They are turning to the resilient power of desert plants to combat what is the
pressing issue of water scarcity. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR (voice over): Marieh Al-Handawi, a scientist from NYU Abu Dhabi is going in search of new water sources, gathering her
research tools, she's heading into the desert. She is here to study a plant that thrives in this arid climate.
MARIEH AL-HANDAWI, POST DOCTORAL ASSOCIATE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, ABU DHABI: I'm here to study these specific desert plants, or what we call them as
halophytes.
GIOKOS (voice over): Marieh is set to see how these plants have managed and adapted to survive in one of the world's harshest climates. To the naked
eye, they don't look like much. But under a microscope camera, Marieh discovered a natural wonder. Entire branches covered in thousands of salt
crystals.
AL-HANDAWI: This salt crystals are very hygroscopic, which means that they like to attract water from the air and at very low humidity, and condensed
that on the surface of the branch. And this is very important for the research that has been done in water to combat water scarcity.
So, the idea is we have this environmental-friendly material that is excreted by these plants, these salt crystals that love water, and they can
capture water from the air.
GIOKOS (voice over): Marieh's findings have just been published in a scientific journal, she has further research to do, but is confident that
after finding a desert plants that can harness water from the air, it will have positive implications for our water security.
AL-HANDAWI: Right now, we've discovered this natural system.
GIOKOS: So, this is the thing. How would you put this into practical use? How would you deploy that in the real world?
AL-HANDAWI: We can easily make them in the lab. We could make small devices using the source to attract and capture water from the air.
If you want to take a look at the bigger picture, if you want to take it, for example, water crisis, we need a lot of water, right?
So, what we think is that these salts might play a role in cloud seeding. And the idea of cloud seeding is very simple. They spray them in the air in
the clouds, the salts will capture some water from the air. The droplets will grow larger in size, and then, they will drop to the ground in the
form of rain and precipitation.
And what makes these plants so special is that they are capable of attracting and condensing water at low humidity levels. You don't really
need a lot of water in the air to condense that.
Even if you have very few water droplets in the air, these will be collected by the special salt.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, tributes to former U.S. First Lady Rosalyn Carter pouring in from some of the biggest names in politics.
CNN's Priscilla Alvarez has more on how U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are remembering her.
PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, reflected Sunday on their long-standing relationship and
friendship with Rosalynn Carter, following the announcement of her death.
President Biden telling reporters that he spoke with the family on Friday, when it was announced that the former first lady had been placed in hospice
care.
The president went on to say that he spoke with a family spokesperson on Sunday, following the announcement of her death, saying that the family had
been alongside Jimmy Carter, the former president.
Now, the former first lady had a significant and influential presence in the White House, when her husband held office. And in a statement on
Sunday, the White House reflected on her accomplishments. Saying, "Throughout her incredible life as first lady of Georgia and first lady of
the United States, Rosalynn did so much to address many of society's greatest needs.
[10:55:09]
She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls, and advocate for mental health and wellness for every person, and a
supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities.
The statement went on to say that on behalf of a grateful nation, we send our love to President Carter, the entire Carter family, and the countless
people across our nation and the world whose lives are better, fuller, and brighter because of the life and legacy of Rosalynn Carter.
Now, over the course of Sunday at former presidents and politicians pay tribute to Rosalynn Carter, all of whom citing many of those
accomplishments that the White House reflected on.
Now, the president and the first lady visited the Carters in 2021 in their Georgia home.
And on Sunday, the president again, underscoring that close relationship.
Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, at the White House.
ANDERSON: Well, you been watching CONNECT THE WORLD. That's it for this evening. Stay with CNN. "THE STATE OF THE RACE" with Kasie Hunt is up next.
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