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Israeli-Hamas Talks Enter Second Day in Egypt; Israelis Mark Two Years Since Hamas Attack; Pam Bondi Testifies Before Congress; Trump to meet with Canadian PM Mark Carner at WH; Hostage Families Thank Trump; Israelis Call for Accountability and Answers. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired October 07, 2025 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi.
I'm Becky Anderson, where the time is just after 6:00 in the evening.
You are seeing live pictures from Washington where U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is testifying before Congress and we'll get you more on that
shortly.
Well, today, of course, marks two years since the horrific October the 7th attacks on Israel. This is Tel Aviv's Hostages Square right now where
families of the hostages are gathering to commemorate their loved ones while peace talks are taking place as we speak in Egypt.
Well, it is a day of reflection and remembrance for Israelis as they mark two years since the Hamas-led October the 7th attacks. Well, hundreds
gathered today at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, which some describe as an anchor point over the past two years for those seeking solace and
community. It's a place to show solidarity with the families of those taken captive by Hamas and a place to demand those still being held in Gaza be
brought home. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid was there among the crowds. He talked to my colleague Oren Liebermann about the ceasefire and
hostage negotiations happening right now in Egypt and says he is upbeat about the possibility of a breakthrough.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YAIR LAPID, ISRAELI OPPOSITION LEADER: The fact that President Trump has put all his weight into -- threw all his weight into the arena, saying, I'm
going to make this happen, is a cause for optimism. One would think that the Israeli government should have done this a long time ago, but as it is
right now, there is more. It's a somber day today, but I don't want to wallow into self-pity of any kind. So, we are hopeful. We want to see
what's going on in Egypt coming through, and we want this to happen. And there's more than a hint of optimism in the air, even in this sad day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Apologies. In Gaza, a deal would be a welcome reprieve with more than 67,000 people killed there in two years of war, more than 20,000 of
them, of course, children. CNN's Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv this hour. And, Jeremy, as you and I speak, can you describe the atmosphere where you
are today?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly is a somber mood today across Israel, as this country is commemorating two years
since the October 7th attacks that took place largely in southern Israel, as thousands of Hamas militants stormed into Israel, killing Israeli
civilians in their homes, as well as soldiers on bases. Nearly 1,200 people were killed that day, the majority of whom were indeed civilians. More than
250 people were kidnapped, 48 of whom remain held hostage inside of the Gaza Strip.
But today, given the fact that this war is still ongoing, given the fact that there are still hostages in Gaza, it is not simply a day of
commemoration, it is also a day to reflect on what is very much still happening. And, indeed, in Israeli society two years later, there are so
many battles that are still underway beyond the fights that are happening inside the Gaza Strip.
Families are fighting for their loved ones who are still held hostage. You have others whose relatives were killed who are still fighting for answers
and accountability, calling for that state commission of inquiry that the Israeli prime minister has refused to establish two years into the war. So,
many questions and sense -- and questions of responsibility still left unanswered.
And then more broadly, of course, we are witnessing an Israeli society that is still quite divided and that is fighting over what the future direction
of this country will be, what its character will be, particularly as we are watching the death toll in Gaza continuing to rise.
[10:05:00]
I've been speaking with the families of Israeli hostages in recent days, and I can tell you that given the fact that this two-year anniversary also
comes amid these negotiations happening in Egypt, despite the somber mood today, there is also a sense of hope, a sense of optimism, that perhaps
this can all finally come to an end if those talks in Egypt are indeed successful, something that still remains very much a question mark at this
stage. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, and we will get to those momentarily. Before we do, Jeremy, of course, this does also mark two years of war in Gaza. And just remind
our viewers of what the situation is there today.
DIAMOND: Yes, that's right. Beyond the two-year anniversary of October 7th, this also marks two years since Israel launched its war in Gaza in
response to that attack from Hamas. And in those two years, we have seen absolute devastation across the entire Gaza Strip. So, many of -- you know,
the overwhelming majority of the buildings in Gaza have been razed to the ground by Israeli bombardment, Israeli bulldozing. We have seen more than
67,000 Palestinians who've been killed there, according to the Ministry of Health, more than 20,000 of whom are children. The majority of those 67,000
also indeed believed to be civilians.
And the toll is, of course, enormous on the people of Gaza. It has also affected Israel's international standing, as we have watched, as more
countries have come to accuse Israel of war crimes and of genocide in Gaza as well, charges that the Israeli government, of course, rejects. We have
also seen the impact of policies that the Israeli government has imposed in Gaza in terms of the effect on what international organizations call a
famine there, with more than 460 deaths so far recorded due to starvation.
And again, the people of Gaza as well are in a situation where they are hoping that those talks in Egypt go well. They have had enough of two years
of war, and everyone in this region very much would like to return to a much calmer situation, one with far less death and destruction. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, and we hear that echoed across the region. Jeremy, thank you. Talks in Egypt then have entered their second day as negotiators try
to get Israel and Hamas to agree on implementing President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end that conflict. Qatar's foreign ministry says that many
details do still need to be addressed.
A senior Hamas source tells CNN the group's delegation in Sharm el-Sheikh includes three members who survived Israel's attack in Doha last month. I
want to bring in Nic Robertson who is following developments for us in Cairo. We are in a bit of a holding pattern, Nic. What is the feeling there
in Egypt today?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, a holding pattern that really feels like, and indeed according to Hamas sources, it's sort of
enveloped in a higher level of secrecy, if you will, than around any other talks.
Hamas has described the talks yesterday where the mediators were just sort of listening individually to both sides and were expecting the talks to
begin round about this sort of time. Qatari officials say yesterday there were about four hours of talks. Hamas described those talks, as I say, of
listening by the mediators.
Today, Hamas officials are saying that they expect the real negotiations to begin, the mediators to begin to sort of, if you will, shuffle ideas and
exchange ideas and begin that process of negotiating down to a more agreeable position.
That said, you know, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman, of course they're mediators in this, has been clear that it's not clear, again,
secrecy, not clear, it's not clear what the outcome is going to be. But he also said that it's too soon to be thinking of other plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJED AL-ANSARI, QATARI FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): Now, it's early to talk about any alternatives to any plan. We're talking
about implementing this plan, Trump's plan, and applying this plan. All parties have agreed to this plan. So, there are no obstacles now in terms
of agreeing to the 20 points contained in President Trump's plan. The obstacles now are in implementation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So, Egypt's foreign minister has cast these talks as really just trying to get that first phase agreed. 20 points out there. Qatar is
saying, obviously, that they believe that broad agreement on that. But the Egyptian foreign minister is saying, look, most important is that first
phase, which is the ceasefire, which is the agreement for the hostage release. And it's being characterized still as in a positive atmosphere.
So, I think if we can glean anything, it is, quite simply, the talks get into the weeds today. They're still ongoing.
[10:10:00]
ANDERSON: Last hour, I spoke with Yossi Beilin, who, as you know, is the former Israeli minister of justice, involved in the Oslo peace process. I
asked him if the Israeli government would commit to a withdrawal from Gaza. This is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOSSI BEILIN, FORMER ISRAELI JUSTICE MINISTER: Just to withdraw from Gaza is not such a big deal. And at a certain point, especially if there is a
serious replacement of Hamas, then Israel will be very happy to withdraw from Gaza. I presume so. But for the lunatics in the government who want to
build their settlements and things like that. But this is not -- they are not representing the majority.
So, yes, I mean, the idea of leaving Gaza is not such a big deal. The big question is about the other -- the vision, which is part of Trump's plan,
speaking about statehood. And these things are rejected by Netanyahu, regretfully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Do you agree with his comments, Nic?
ROBERTSON: Becky, I'm really sorry. There's so much traffic noise here. The line is so bad. I really couldn't hear in detail to what Yossi Beilin
was saying. I'm sorry.
ANDERSON: Yes. I mean, his point was he didn't see the commitment to a withdrawal from Gaza as necessarily being a key sticking point from this
Israeli prime minister. What he said is it's what comes next, the implementation of a comprehensive deal and what Gaza would look like going
forward. He suggests that the Palestinian Authority should be involved and effectively from the outset. That is not what Netanyahu wants, nor is he
prepared to talk or sanction talk of a two-state solution at this point. That's where he sees the sticking points in these negotiations.
ROBERTSON: Yes, Prime Minister Netanyahu comes to this from an absolute security point of view and has consistently said that Israel must have the
right to maintain and control security. And at the moment, it appears under the 20-point plan as if that would be done through an international
implementing force, which has to be -- the details of which have to be agreed. The force of we don't know how many hundreds or thousands of people
needs to be found, needs to be put in place.
So, in the short-term and interim, the IDF still maintains a very strong security presence. And from Israel's perspective that they weren't getting
the security they wanted through the ceasefire, I think, and this would be Hamas's concern and the concern of other diplomats, that Israel would
restart security military operations.
The longer-term of having a Palestinian body, a political body, that would have authority there and the questions would be who is in it, the 20-point
plan at the moment talks about that body being made of technocrats and it talks about having an international body that has political diplomatic body
over that, that has oversight.
And in all these mechanisms, we don't quite have a clear idea and understanding of Israel's role, but a position that would have a powerful
Palestinian of political authority in Gaza that would be attentive to its own security needs would be antithetical to the position that Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has at the moment. We're such a long way from that.
And again, we don't know the details. The 20-point plan is bare bones, and I think the detail is going to inform us much better about what's possible,
Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. And a reminder, the first sort of phase of this plan in its implementation would be the release of all hostages in -- return of a
significant number of Palestinian prisoners and a huge surge in humanitarian aid. And then, the rest will cascade from there. It's good to
have you, Nic. Thank you.
While these Gaza talks continue, Israel's prime minister is making a new claim about Iran's potential weapons capability, seemingly to get President
Trump's attention. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Iran is developing now ballistic missiles that are intercontinental ballistic missiles for 8,000-
kilometer range. What does that mean? They add another 3,000 kilometers, and they've got, under their gun, under their atomic guns, the New York
City in target, Washington, Boston, Miami, Mar-a-Lago.
[10:15:00]
ANDERSON: Well, the prime minister was talking there to conservative American commentator Ben Shapiro. As of now, there is no known evidence to
support his claim. Iran's long-range missiles are thought to be able to reach targets about 2,000 kilometers away, as far as southern Europe.
Well, happening right now, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi being grilled by lawmakers in her first appearance in front of Congress since taking office.
The details on that are after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Our federal surges in Washington, D.C. and Memphis are a perfect example of how the Department of Justice should
operate. We created strong partnerships with local leadership, working hand-in-hand with both cities to send resources where they were needed
most.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, that's U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi facing questions in Congress this hour. In her first appearance, she took over that post. Bondi
is in the middle of some of the most controversial issues in this presidency, not least Donald Trump's order to send National Guard troops
into U.S. cities, which you heard her mention in her opening statements there.
Mr. Trump now threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act to carry out his operations, a law that would allow him to federalize the National Guard and
widely expand its power to act in American cities. CNN Senior Political Reporter Stephen Collinson cuts to the heart of why this is so
controversial.
In his latest column, he writes, and I quote him here, "In a nation founded on a revolt against tyranny, the notion of American troops being sent onto
domestic streets has always evoked a specter of liberty in peril." Stephen joins me now live from Washington. David Schultz is an expert in
constitutional law, joining me from Minneapolis in Minnesota. Good to have you both.
And, Stephen, I want to come back to the conceit of your piece there. Before I do, David, let's just begin with Bondi's hearing here. There is an
unusual standoff happening within this that really speaks to the climate in the U.S. right now. Trump has called on the Justice Department to indict
one of the senators on this judiciary committee that Bondi is facing today, the Democrat Adam Schiff. What do you make of what we are seeing on Capitol
Hill today?
DAVID SCHULTZ, PROFESSOR, HAMLINE UNIVERSITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL LAW SCHOLAR: Well, what we're seeing right now is really the culmination of
what's been emerging for perhaps a generation where the polarization is so intense at this point that the two sides are -- you know, Democrats and
Republicans, are at different ends of the political spectrum. And in and of itself, that's bad enough.
But now, what we're getting is to a point where we have Trump basically investigating, you know, Adam Schiff, indicted Comey, you know, former FBI
director. I mean, I hate to sort of put it in this kind of language of saying, this is what we see in non-democratic states where we have a power
--- the ruling power going after the opposition. And that's really what's happening.
[10:20:00]
And the hearing today is capturing that also in the sense in which both sides are -- that is Bondi versus the Democrats, are literally yelling at
one another at this point with all types of political accusations about investigating opposition, trying to use federal troops to intimidate
people. It's a very acrimonious and very ugly hearing that we're watching today.
ANDERSON: And we are keeping an eye on it. And you're right, I mean, it's very acrimonious. It's very sort of combative. Stephen, I think, you know,
for our viewers sake, it's important that we just step back from the sort of theatre on the Hill today and really sort of understand what's going on
here.
On Monday, Donald Trump suggested he could invoke what is known as the Insurrection Act as legal justification for sending U.S. troops to
Portland. Can we just explain to our viewers what the act is and what it would mean for a president to invoke it?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, this is an act that goes back to some of the earliest days of the Republic, and it has only
rarely been invoked. What it would do in a nutshell is allow the president to federalize National Guard reservists who are normally under the command
of state governors and use them to put down a rebellion against the federal government in the states.
The issue here, which is quite obvious, is that there is no rebellion against the federal government in the states. The administration is trying
to portray protests and some scuffles and unrest between federal agents conducting the mass deportation program of the Trump administration and
protesters as domestic terrorism, as a threat against the rule of federal agents conducting their duties. But several judges, most notably in
Portland, Oregon, one of the cities under the microscope here, have said that this is patently absurd.
So, what it looks like the administration is trying to do is to create an impression of chaos and unrest in order to use federal forces in states
against the Constitution to impose Donald Trump's writ. And if that were to go ahead, I think that would be another challenge from an administration
that has often come close to and perhaps encroach the rule of the law and the Constitution, especially during the second Trump term.
ANDERSON: David, before I move on, can you just explain away perhaps what we are hearing from a Trump administration official who is deeply involved
in what is going on here? This is a man by the name of Stephen Miller. He has effectively sort of pitched himself against the rule of law in the
United States. Can you just explain for our viewers what Stephen Miller's position is when it comes to his narrative that says, you know, we can
avoid U.S. law in favor of carrying out the policies that this administration has been elected to execute on?
SCHULTZ: Sure. Well, what he's basically taking a position is the argument that the president has broad extra constitutional powers beyond what
written in the Constitution to be able to do whatever they want to be able to move their policy agenda. And that's exactly what comes into the
conflict with the whole concept of rule of law and American constitutionalism, which is the idea that it's a limited government, that
there is no extra constitutional power.
So, he's making an incredibly broad assertion about presidential power and constitutional power that we really have not seen in the United States, at
least arguably, since Abraham Lincoln, you know, in the Civil War. And it really does threaten this very concept of rule of law.
What it's also doing here -- commenting here, is that we've only seen the Insurrection Act invoked 30 times in American history, very rarely. And
here what the president seems to be doing is creating the very emergency with his own actions that he can then justify to use the Insurrection Act.
This is an effort to really, what, stifle opposition, to stifle free speech. And that's consistent with Stephen Miller's arguments that, what,
the president gets to do whatever he wants because he's the president of the United States. And again, that goes against very, very basic concepts
of constitutionalism.
[10:25:00]
ANDERSON: Yes, important insights, David. Thank you. Stephen, I'm going to push our viewers to your very good analysis online. You're a good friend of
this show and we regularly push our viewers to your articles because they're excellent. And while I've got you, I just want to move the
conversation on because I know that you're watching the Donald Trump meeting with his neighbor, Canadian PM, Mr. Carney, today at the White
House. What are you looking at and what can we expect from that?
COLLINSON: Well, this is a very interesting meeting because you'll recall that Carney was elected as the Liberal Party Prime Minister in Canada on an
anti-Trump platform, reacting to Trump's incessant claims that Canada should be the 51st state, which really radicalized Canadian politics and
did for the hopes of the Conservative Party leader in Canada during the election earlier this year.
But now the Canadian economy is really suffering. Unemployment is up to 7.1 percent, I believe, and the impact of Trump's tariff war is really creating
some real problems for the Canadian government. So, Carney is coming to Washington to try and alleviate some of that pressure.
He has had a better relationship with President Trump than the previous Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau. So, he's walking a very kind of
delicate balance here between standing up for the values on which he was elected, which is trying to protect Canadian sovereignty, and trying to
mitigate the impact of Trump's policies.
ANDERSON: Stephen, always a pleasure. David, thank you for joining us. It's an important day. We are keeping an eye on what is going on on Capitol
Hill. Pamela Bondi is still getting cross-examined there by the committee.
Well, let's turn now from President Trump's onshore politics to his offshore policies. In an exclusive report, CNN has learned that the Trump
administration is claiming the power to designate drug traffickers as enemy combatants and have them killed without legal review, according to multiple
sources. Those sources telling CNN that the Justice Department has produced a legal opinion that argues that the president is allowed to authorize
deadly force against a secret list of cartels and suspected traffickers on the grounds that they pose an imminent threat to Americans.
Now, to date, the U.S. military has carried out at least four strikes on boats operating in the Caribbean, killing people. The Trump administration
claims aren't affiliated with drug cartels. Let's get you more on this. CNN's Zachary Cohen is following this story for us from Washington. What
more do we know about this memo and this sort of offshore policies, as it were?
ZACHARY COHEN, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Becky, this appears to be another example of the Trump administration really pushing
the legal bounds as it relates to the power of the presidency itself. And this is a classified memo, we're told, that was produced by the U.S.
Justice Department.
And it appears to argue that the president has the power to authorize lethal military strikes against a broad array of drug trafficking groups,
suspected drug traffickers and cartels in the name of U.S. national security, claiming that these groups pose an imminent threat to the United
States. Therefore, they can be labeled as enemy combatants, much in the way the U.S. has characterized terrorist groups in order to conduct similar
strikes against them. And that all without due process, without arrest, without a trial, without prosecution. So, this is really representing a big
shift.
One former defense attorney -- or Defense Department attorney told us that this memo appears to give the president the power to wage a war even more
expansive than what was granted to the president after the 9-11 attacks here in the United States. So, that just gives you some context into the
potential scope of these military strikes and the power that it grants to the president.
ANDERSON: I was hoping we might have some sound for our viewers to hear there, but we haven't. So, I'm going to move it on. We've heard a number of
Latin American countries, Zach, condemning these attacks. I want you to take a listen to Stephen Miller and how he talked about Venezuela
yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN MILLER, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: There's a $50 million bounty that has been placed on Maduro in connection to his indictment as a
narco-terrorist drug trafficker, and he needs to be brought to justice for the crimes for which he was convicted in an American court.
[10:30:00]
Venezuela is run by a drug cartel that is guilty of not only flooding our nation with TDA and other foreign terrorists, but of course helping to kill
hundreds of thousands of Americans through deadly drugs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: In listening to that, I wonder, is the administration here gearing up for something bigger?
COHEN: Yes, Becky, it certainly appears so, and we've done a lot of reporting on the effort inside the administration to really lay this
groundwork, as far as Venezuela goes specifically, to connect Nicolas Maduro to some of these drug cartels that the Trump administration has even
publicly labeled as foreign terrorist organizations.
We've obviously seen simultaneously this buildup of U.S. military forces in the Caribbean and resulting in these four lethal strikes. And, you know,
coupled with this Department of Justice legal opinion, that really does serve as the backbone for the broader strategy here and potentially goes
beyond just Venezuela itself.
We know from sources inside the administration and allies on Capitol Hill that there are many within the Trump administration who really do see this
as an entire Western Hemisphere mission, one that they do intend to expand beyond Venezuela itself. But as we said, the efforts to label Nicolas
Maduro as the, quote, "illegitimate leader of Venezuela" would suggest that the Trump administration doesn't feel the need to get his approval before
potentially conducting strikes inside Venezuela itself. And we know that is something that the president has been considering for at least a few weeks
now, and it's something that he suggested just the other day that might be coming.
So, this could extend to other countries, but Venezuela really seems to be the proving ground, at least, for both this legal theory that the Justice
Department has put together, as well as the U.S. military strategy as it relates to the entire Western Hemisphere.
ANDERSON: Zachary Cohen, with your exclusive reporting here on CNN, sir, it's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.
Well, you are watching Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi. These are two faces
of heartbreak on a tragic anniversary. I'm going to be talking to the mother of one of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas. She says she's had no
sign of life from her son for two years. More on that is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching Connect the World with me, Becky Anderson. Here are your headlines this hour.
And Israelis are marking two years since the devastating October the 7th attacks by Hamas. People gathered in several meaningful locations,
including the site of the Nova Music Festival, while crowds demanding the release of hostages paused their protest.
[10:35:00]
U.S. President Donald Trump is now suggesting he may invoke the Insurrection Act to send National Guard troops to cities he calls war zones
if the court system in the U.S. blocks his deployment of these troops. Now, this centuries old law gives a U.S. president the power to deploy armed
forces to suppress rebellions and civil unrest. It comes as Oregon, Chicago, and the State of Illinois challenged the Trump administration in
court against efforts to deploy these troops.
Well, outgoing French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu says he should know by Wednesday if he can stabilize the government. He resigned his post on
Monday after less than a month on the job and just hours after unveiling his new cabinet. French President Emmanuel Macron asked him to hold talks
to form a new government one last time.
Well, after months in U.S. federal custody, a deported journalist is starting to adjust to his new normal. Spanish language live streamer Mario
Guevara gained popularity by documenting immigration raids in Georgia.
He talks about his bittersweet return to El Salvador and his advice to others who are thinking about migrating to the US. CNN's Gustavo Valdes
reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Mario Guevara is a tourist in his own country, rediscovering a place he left over 20 years ago after
facing threats for his work as a journalist.
This is where he was attacked, he said, with sticks and rocks before fleeing the country. He sought asylum in the United States, but it was
denied in 2012. But yet, immigration authorities allowed him to stay and work as a journalist.
That changed in late June when he was arrested by local police while covering a protest in Atlanta. Immigration authorities took notice and
reopened his immigration case and detained him for nearly four months. He says an agent confronted him while in custody.
MARIO GUEVARA, JOURNALIST DEPORTED FROM U.S. TO EL SALVADOR: Mario, why are you following us? You give us a hard time. I tell you, don't take it
personally, it was my job. I tried to inform my community. It was nothing against you.
VALDES (voice-over): He was deported last week. And as he finds again the city he grew up in, food is helping him deal with the change. He lost 30
pounds while detained. So, for now, he's allowing himself to regain some of it back. Sharing the experience with the family he left behind, he says he
was ready to comply with the judge's order to return to El Salvador in 2012. But immigration authorities told him he could stay. Now, he wonders
if it would have been better if they had.
GUEVARA: They have to be honest. They have to tell the immigrant, you don't have options. You don't have a choice to stay here. You will lose the
case, you will lose the case, and you will be deported. You only waste time and money. Don't do it.
VALDES (voice-over): He admits he likes some of the ideas put forward by Donald Trump, because the ideals of the Republican Party align more with
his Christian faith. But he regrets dismissing Trump's message on immigration.
GUEVARA: But I never imagined there would be something like he's doing now. He's doing something terrible against our community.
VALDES (voice-over): This week, he gets to enjoy time with his two sons, who came to visit, and deliver equipment so he can go back to be in our
reporter. A journalist who says his stories about the immigrant experience will now be different.
GUEVARA: I think it's more human, because I will understand more than before, because now, I'm sure where they live, I'm sure what they told me.
VALDES (voice-over): For the people who are thinking about migrating to the U.S., he has a message. Don't do it. It's not worth it right now.
GUEVARA: The only thing I can say, President Trump, is be fair with others. Don't matter the color of their skin.
VALDES (voice-over): Gustavo Valdes, CNN, San Salvador.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, one of America's leading advocates for science, Bill Nye, The Science Guy, is urging Congress to save NASA from President Trump's
proposal to slash billions of dollars from its budget.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY AND CEO, THE PLANETARY SOCIETY: If we cut NASA budget in half, science budget in half, that's pretty much ending it. It's
pretty much done. All these technicians, scientists, engineers have to get other jobs. You can't restart these things. Now, just economically, we have
spent at least $23 billion over the last couple decades exploring Mars alone, let alone all these other -- the outer planets. Everybody knows the
expression black hole, everybody knows Big Bang. That's from space exploration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[10:40:00]
ANDERSON: Well, Nye took his campaign to Capitol Hill on Monday, warning lawmakers that crippling NASA would hand the advantage in space technology
to China and to other rival powers.
I'm Becky Anderson. I'll be back with more news in just a moment. Do stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson. More now on our top story. Commemorations taking place in Israel and across the world on the second
anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks of October the 7th, 2023. The Israeli government says 47 people taken hostage that day are still in Gaza. 20 of
them are thought to be alive.
The families of the hostages and their supporters gathered today in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square. Many of them are thanking U.S. President Donald
Trump for his efforts to finally secure the release of their loved ones.
Well, Herut Nimrodi is the mother of hostage Tamir Nimrodi. He was 18 when he was kidnapped by Hamas two years ago today. His mother says she hasn't
received any sign that her son is still alive in all that time. She wants to emphasize that even families who've been told their loved ones are dead
need proof of that if they are to accept that reality.
Well, Herut joins me now from Israel. It's good to have you. Thank you for joining us. I know this day must be extremely difficult for you, as are all
of the days over the last two days, I'm sure. How are you and the family coping, firstly?
HERUT HIMRODI, MOTHER OF HOSTAGE TAMIR NIMRODI: Well, first of all, thank you for having me today. Today is a hard day, not only because this is the
second time we're mentioning this date, but also, because there are negotiations going on right now and we are very anxious to know what will
become of it.
This is a rough day, a rough morning. I'm having interviews all day long. Maybe that's keeping me busy, not to think so much. But I wonder whether my
son is still alive. Is there a chance that I will be reunited with him or will I have a last goodbye? I have no idea. I'm in a tough spot, but this
is my reality, unfortunately, and I'm still waiting.
ANDERSON: Tell me a little bit about Tamir.
[10:45:00]
HIMRODI: Well, as you said, Tamir was taken when he was only 18 years old. He was an IDF soldier. He was a non-combat soldier. He was an education
officer. He was actually a part of the COGAT, which mainly deals with humanitarian issues for the Palestinians in Gaza. He felt that he was doing
something very important. He wanted to -- for us to coexist together, and that is why he was on the border that morning.
As any 18-year-old boy, he was a regular boy. He was very intelligent, liked to spend time with his friends, go to a bar from now and then, have a
drink, to fight with his sisters, like any other boy. He irritates me when he can, but I really miss our talks.
We had -- we were more than a mother and a son, we were friends, and I miss him a lot. I can hardly remember his voice or his laughter. So --
ANDERSON: And sadly, you haven't been told whether your son is dead or alive. And of course, I know you'll hope that he is alive. What have you
heard from the Israeli government when you press them on this matter?
HIMRODI: There is no -- we are the only family without indication -- the Israeli family with no indication for whether Tamir has survived or not.
They -- Hamas doesn't give any details, so it's very hard to know. They're keeping everything very -- so, everything is very blurry.
There's nothing the government can do about it. So, hopefully, as we know, the first stage of the deal is the return of the entire 48 hostages that
are still in captivity. So, I believe that if we get a deal done by the end of this week, so we will know. I can tell you that it's terrifying.
Unfortunately, we got used to live this way without any knowledge, but we're afraid to find out the worst that happened to him.
ANDERSON: Yes. Herut, does it feel different this time when we talk about these talks?
HIMRODI: Yes, I can say it most definitely sounds different. In the past, we had offers on the table, but they -- we didn't think there was a chance
for them to evolve, and it didn't. This time, it does sound different. The fact that that the entire -- or most of the Arab countries are behind this
deal, and Israel supports it. And of course, President Trump pushes forward. We believe there is a real chance for this deal to succeed.
We're waiting on the edge of our seats to see every tweet, everything. We're trying to understand what is going on behind the scenes. We don't
have any information. All we can hear for now is from the media. So, we're waiting and hoping that this time, for real, we're going to see our
children back home.
ANDERSON: Yes. And I can only imagine what you're going through. And, you know, I think there is solid support behind this plan. You know, it's time
to get these hostages out and to end this conflict. There were failures by Israeli authorities to prevent the attacks, of course, of October 7th. Do
you -- and I know this probably isn't paramount in your mind today. You want to see your son back with you, but do you want to see accountability
for those failures?
HIMRODI: Anything that goes wrong, you should explore it and understand and learn from it. And yes, accountability, of course, for everyone who was
involved in it. But there's time for everything. And now, the most important thing is to get them out of there as soon as possible and we will
deal with this later on.
[10:50:00]
ANDERSON: Thank you for joining us. And we wish you and your family the very best. Thank you very much.
You're watching Connect the World. I'll be back with more news after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. Well, as we mark two years since the horrific attack on Israel led by Hamas, we remember the victims and think of the
hostages still in captivity and their families. The world, of course, is waiting for some news out of the ongoing negotiations to get those released
from Gaza and put an end to the suffering there. Those talks, of course, happening this time in Egypt.
At the same time, there is a growing call for accountability and for the Israeli government to explain how such a devastating security breach could
have been allowed to happen. Earlier, you heard from CNN's Jeremy Diamond covering a gathering in Tel Aviv. He's also been speaking to a couple who
helped found the October Council, which is pushing for an independent inquiry into the failures that led to October the 7th, two years after
their daughters were slaughtered at the Nova Music Festival.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking for the truth.
SIGAL MANSURI, DAUGHTERS KILLED IN OCTOBER 7 ATTACKS: We want to know the truth in a legal way, in a decent way, in a respected way. We want to know
what led us to October 7th. We want to know how come the IDF didn't respond for so many hours.
DIAMOND: But two years later, can you believe that you still have to fight for all of this? Did you think this fight would last this long?
MANSURI: No, no. You know what? It's even more than that. I didn't think that we'll have to fight for this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, I spoke with Yaakov Katz, who has a new book called "While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle
East." He says in the book, quote, "On October the 7th, the IDF was not ready when Hamas breached its border. The powerful Israeli military was
completely taken by surprise." Well, I asked him how he thought this could happen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YAAKOV KATZ, AUTHOR, "WHILE ISRAEL SLEPT": Two years later, almost, that's still the question that a lot of people are just mystified by. They see
some of the amazing operations, the pager beeper attack against Hezbollah, what Israel did during the 12-day war against Iran, and it doesn't make
sense. How could Israel do that there? But with Hamas, it failed to stop a terrorist invasion when it knew that the terrorists were there.
And we go back and we trace the intelligence. We see that there was a flurry of activity in the 12 hours preceding the 6:29 a.m. on October 7th
when that invasion began. I think what we saw here, Becky, was a state of complacency, a paradigm, a way that Israel, a prism through which Israel
viewed Gaza that was relying on technology, the Iron Dome to shoot the rockets out of the sky, a fence and an underground wall to stop the
tunnels. It believed that no one could cross in. But how many Hamas guys crossed in on October 7th in tunnels? Zero. But they did penetrate the
border at 60 different locations.
[10:55:00]
ANDERSON: Do you see the events of October 7th as a catastrophic failure from the Israeli government?
KATZ: 100 percent. It's a failure of the largest kind that Israel has known. It demands great accountability on the side of the government and
the military.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the families affected have shown that they will not back away from demanding that accountability. The questions they have for the
Israeli government will not go away when the war ends and the hostages are home. Let's hope that day comes soon and lessons are learned so that the
mistakes of the past will not be repeated.
Well, that is it for Connect the World. Stay with CNN. One World is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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