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NATO Chief Optimistic about Future of Alliance; Homan Claims ICE "Surge" in Minneapolis is Concluding; Bondi Clashes with Lawmakers over DOJ's Handling of Epstein Files; Trump Tells Netanyahu U.S. Will Continue Negotiating with Iran; World Central Kitchen Serves 1 Million Hot Meals Daily in Gaza; No Snow, No Problem for Irish Winter Olympians. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired February 12, 2026 - 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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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): And welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson

in Abu Dhabi, where the time is just after 7 in the evening.

And we begin with words of optimism from NATO's secretary general at a meeting of defense chiefs in Brussels. Mark Rutte upbeat about the future

of the alliance in comments just a few moments ago. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK RUTTE, SECRETARY GENERAL, NATO: And today, the discussions focused on strengthening our deterrence and defense and ensuring continued support to

Ukraine. Let me tell you what I saw and heard today is unlike any NATO meeting I've taken part in. We also saw evidence of something else, a real

shift in mindset, a unity of vision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, Reuters spoke to reporters as defense ministers met for the first time since U.S. president Donald Trump's threats of military

action to take control of Greenland from NATO ally Denmark.

And while that crisis does seem to have largely faded, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was noticeably absent from this meeting. Clare

Sebastian back with me.

Rutte dismissing concerns voiced or questions asked about Hegseth's absence, rather focusing on Europe and Canada, very much stepping up in

their leadership of the alliance.

What is your assessment of the framing of all of this?

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, clearly this was the NATO secretary general facing his latest major PR challenge. On the one hand,

having to, of course, reassert NATO's credible deterrence after the Greenland episode that we saw in January.

And on the other hand, obviously having to make sure that he can keep the United States engaged and involved. And this is why I think we hear these

superlatives coming from Mark Rutte about this being unlike any other NATO meeting that he's ever been to, the unity of vision that he saw from

members.

And he also spent a considerable amount of time talking up the increased investment on defense from members. The progress toward that target to

spend 5 percent of GDP on defense, that was reached last summer and was, of course, a key demand of president Trump.

But I think underscoring the challenge he faces were those questions that he continually got about the absence of Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon sending

undersecretary for policy Elbridge Colby instead. And, you know, take a listen to Mark Rutte, really trying to reassure people that this was not a

sign of U.S. indifference toward the alliance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUTTE: The U.S. is completely anchored. And at the same time, in NATO, where Europe is stepping up with Canada, taking more of a leadership role

and, at the same time, what you are seeing is therefore a stronger transatlantic alliance.

So yes, I think, as I said, this for me was one of the most pivotal meetings I've been part of since I have visited NATO meetings since 2010.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: I think clearly there are concerns behind the scenes about the signal this sends in terms of U.S. commitment.

But the other key urgent task for this meeting was to refocus back on Ukraine. And I think underscoring the urgency of that was the fact that

Ukraine had faced yet another barrage of missiles and drones overnight, just before this meeting, targeting its energy industry.

The new defense minister, Ukrainian defense minister, was there in Brussels, meeting on the sidelines with the NATO secretary general. We got

a new pledge of air defense missiles from the U.K.

But clearly with these Russian attacks mounting and with little to no progress in terms of diplomacy for Ukraine, the pressure on the alliance

and, in particular, its European members and Canada, is mounting.

ANDERSON: And just a reminder, it was this time last year, newly installed in his position as Defense Secretary, of course, that Hegseth lobbed real

sort of, you know, "IEDs," in inverted commas, metaphorically speaking, at the alliance at the Munich Security Council, which, of course, is this

weekend.

It's really fascinating to just witness his absence and these concerns, if you will, and well voiced, framed by you, you know, those who are certainly

feeling there may be some indifference being shown by the United States. I mean, you know.

[10:05:00]

The message was there this time last year, I think, you know, it would be fair to say that Mark Rutte is certainly suggesting that Europe and Canada

are in a very different space as far as the alliance members are concerned than they were in March of 2025.

More on that is coming up. It's really good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.

Well, in the past hour as well, we've heard from the U.S. border czar in Minnesota, saying that the surge in ICE operations there is coming to an

end. Tom Homan said a significant drawdown in ICE personnel is underway. But a small footprint, he said, will remain in the state.

Now this comes as lawmakers remain in deadlock over a new funding deal for the DHS which is facing a shutdown at midnight on Friday. The House Speaker

says the White House is sending new details to Democrats as part of the discussions. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-CT), MEMBER, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: The American people are demanding that there be significant, far-reaching

reforms to eliminate the brutality and violence and violation of basic rights on the part of ICE and CBP.

Until those demands are met, that the American people demand, I am unwilling to approve any more spending.

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Even a week?

BLUMENTHAL: Especially not a week, because if the White House is resisting providing a real response to the demands that we are articulating on behalf

of the American people, more spending on DHS, I think, is unconscionable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: This is really important stuff. Let's bring in CNN reporter, senior -- CNN Politics senior reporter Stephen Collinson, a good mate of

this show.

It's always good to have you. Trump's border czar said that surge in immigration enforcement agents to Minneapolis is coming to an end.

What do you make of this surge climbdown, if I can describe it as such, and the timing of this move, Stephen?

STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, the timing is clearly intended to coincide with this showdown on Capitol Hill, where

Democrats are trying to get changes in the way that ICE operates. So that's the first thing.

I do think it's right to call it a climbdown, even though Homan is not necessarily hinting that there will be deep changes to overall deportation

policy more broadly. That's because this was not just about immigration and Minnesota. It was about trying to impose president Trump's will on a

Democratic state. It was a power play.

And you saw the protests. You saw what happened after the killing of two citizens in Minneapolis by federal agents and the outrage that went across

the country.

The most important thing that the Minnesota operation achieved in fact, was stirring public anger and outrage at the way ICE has been behaving across

the country, not just in Minnesota.

It's turned immigration into a liability for Trump going into the midterm elections, where before it was a positive side of the ledger, one of the

few things which the American people supported in his program.

So that, I think, is the context to look at this. I'm sure that the ICE tactics will go on across the country. But they won't just do it so

obviously. There are still going to be draconian enforcement policies. They're still going to try and get their numbers up of deportations.

People who shouldn't be caught in the net will still be caught in the net. But it's not going to be this massive public relations open thing. And to

that extent, I think it's somewhat of a defeat for the administration.

ANDERSON: And are you of the view that this policy on immigration to secure the border, as you said -- I mean, it was a -- you know, he was

elected on a clear mandate from the U.S. public to secure that border. It was an enormous issue.

But it is the way in which that policy is being carried out, this surge in places like the Twin Cities, where we saw those two fatal deaths last

month.

You're of the view that that -- the policy doesn't change; it is just the strategies and tactics that you believe are so widely, wildly unpopular

that the Trump administration sees the need to climb down in what is an election year, of course, this year.

[10:10:00]

COLLINSON: Yes. Well, you can go around cities in the United States and there are increased ICE presences. People are aware of those agents in

their neighborhoods.

For example, there have been cases around Washington, where people where people have reported that ICE agents have shown up at Home Depots, where

often people looking for day labor gather early in the morning. Some of those people might be undocumented migrants.

So I'm sure that's going to carry on. Homan said that what their priority is getting criminals off the street. If that is true, it probably would

have support among a majority of the American people, as did president Trump's success in closing down the border which was neglected by the Biden

administration.

But history shows that this administration probably will go too far again and again. It will have to step back because it will alienate people

politically. This has become a really dangerous issue for the administration as they go into a midterm election year when Republicans are

already looking at quite a shaky position.

So it's a political retreat. And I think that eventually there will be pressure within the administration from people like Stephen Miller, the

deputy chief of staff, to get the deportation numbers up. So we could come to another confrontation point.

I think the visibility of what they were doing, with thousands of agents flown into Minnesota, gangs of roving agents going around in pickup trucks

and asking people for their papers, that is not anymore politically sustainable.

So I think it's going to have -- we have to keep a close watch on it -- Trump isn't stepping back on deportations. He might be stepping back on

doing it so obviously.

ANDERSON: Yes, yes, damage control. Stephen, thank you.

And Stephen spoke to the significance of the timing of this Homan announcement. Let's get reaction from Capitol Hill now. Manu Raju is

standing by.

What agencies will be or would be affected if the DHS shuts down?

And is this the fix that the Trump administration needs to avoid that?

RAJU: Look, I mean, it seems very likely, Becky, that there will be a government shutdown at the end of the day on Friday, irrespective of what

just happened in Minnesota and Tom Homan's announcement.

And the thing is that ICE agents will still be deployed around the country, even if there is a government shutdown over this very issue because a

separate piece of legislation that was passed last year, known as the one big beautiful bill act that Donald Trump signed into law, includes tons of

money for ICE deployments.

So Democrats are fighting to change the policy of ICE going forward but may not be able to change the impact, that ICE officers are still going to be

in various cities around the country, even if the government is shut down.

Now, if this agency does shut down, the Homeland Security Department, it won't just affect things involving immigration but it could also -- it

would also affect major federal agencies like the Transportation Security Agency, which deals with airport security, airline security. They would be

shut down in addition to FEMA.

That's the emergency response agency here in the United States, hugely significant dealing with natural disasters. So many communities, states and

cities rely on FEMA being fully functional. It would shut down.

And also the Coast Guard, another critical agency, those are among just some that are underneath the Department of Homeland Security. Remember,

this will be the third government shutdown of Donald Trump's second term.

We saw a broader government shutdown happen just a couple of weeks ago over the same issue of ICE. Democrats had demanded that changes be made in the

wake of those two fatal shootings in Minneapolis involving federal immigration officials and two American citizens.

After that, Democrats said there must be a wide range of changes from how they use force on the ground, how they get warrants to go after immigration

suspects, requiring them to wear body cameras, take off masks, many changes that simply the White House and Republicans have yet to agree to.

The Republicans put out their own counteroffer last night. Democrats are telling me they are not in favor of that counteroffer, which leads to the

very, very likely possibility of yet another government shutdown and the impact for so many Americans will be felt potentially almost immediately,

Becky

ANDERSON: Good to have you. Manu Raju is on the Hill.

Well, the dust finally settling after Wednesday's fiery hearing on Capitol Hill. U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi fighting with lawmakers on the House

-- U.S. House Judiciary Committee in some of the tensest and, frankly, most combative testimony that we've seen to date from a Trump cabinet official.

[10:15:04]

Perhaps the most testy you may ever have seen, Bondi deflecting questions about her department's handling of the Epstein files released during the

hearing. That went well over four hours.

If you're a regular viewer of this show, you'd have been with us as we were listening in this time yesterday. I want to bring back Stephen Collinson

now.

And I do perhaps -- for those who weren't watching with us and weren't able to witness this, I want to play some of Pam Bondi's exchanges with

lawmakers. Stand by, Stephen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: You're about as good of a lawyer today as you were when you tried to impeach president Trump in 2016.

Have you apologized for that?

The Dow is over 50,000 right now. The S&P at almost 7,000 and the Nasdaq smashing records. Americans 401(k)s and retirement savings are booming.

That's what we should be talking about. We should be talking about making Americans safe. We should be talking about.

What does the Dow have to do with anything?

That's what they just asked.

Are you kidding?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Perhaps not actually the fieriest moment, although certainly Pam Bondi there deflecting from questions asked. And there will be folks

watching this who were watching yesterday, frankly, who will find it incredible that a U.S. attorney general would speak to lawmakers in this

way.

What did you make of her comments and, frankly, let's call it this, her performance?

COLLINSON: Right. Well, it was kind of farcical. It made a mockery of the idea of congressional oversight. And in that I think it was a microcosm of

much of the Trump administration over two terms.

There is complete contempt for the idea that Congress has a role in overseeing and checking the executive, the White House. And Bondi, I think,

exemplified that. It was also, as you point out, a performance for president Trump, who would no doubt be watching on television.

In many ways that was what she was appointed to do, to look good on TV and to pursue the stunt politics that Trump has pioneered.

Pete Hegseth, who you mentioned earlier, the Defense Secretary, he's there for exactly the same reason.

That said, I do wonder whether some Americans watching that and seeing her talking with almost contempt about the Epstein situation, not really fully

acknowledging the survivors that were standing up behind her, did that really service the administration's goals in the long term?

It provided a whole night of coverage for conservative TV. And it probably pleased the president. Bondi has almost been on the outs a little bit with

the president because of her handling of the Epstein issue and because he thinks that not enough of his opponents have been prosecuted.

But did that really serve the administration as it tries to extricate itself from this almost endless controversy over Epstein?

It probably didn't that (ph).

ANDERSON: Good to have you, Stephen. Always a pleasure, thank you.

All right. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, out of Abu Dhabi. Coming up, details of what came of president Trump's closed

door meeting with the Israeli prime minister yesterday. More on that is after this.

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[10:20:00]

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ANDERSON: U.S. President Donald Trump says he will keep on pursuing a diplomatic agreement with Iran, at least for now. He says he met with the

Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the White House on Wednesday following a three-hour meeting entirely behind closed doors.

Quite unusual for these two. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, there was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that

negotiations with Iran continue.

Well, joining me now is Firas Maksad, the managing director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Eurasia Group. Good friend of the show, good

friend of mine.

And it's good to have you here. Thank you.

FIRAS MAKSAD, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA MANAGING DIRECTOR, EURASIA GROUP: (INAUDIBLE).

ANDERSON: During Netanyahu's visit, it was announced that Israel has also, of course, joined the board of peace, which we hadn't had confirmation of

before. I wonder, let's start with that meeting yesterday and then we can broaden our scope.

What do you believe Netanyahu took in and what did he take out?

MAKSAD: Maybe he has a reason to be concerned. The longer these negotiations take place, the more worried he is that perhaps a strike won't

take place. A strike that not only targets Iran's nuclear program but, more importantly for Israel and for Bibi, the missile program, which Israel

continues to be vulnerable toward.

So he went there to make his case as to why a nuclear deal, particularly one that only touches on enrichment and perhaps not, you know, full non-

enrichment, perhaps not zero enrichment, is of grave concern for him and for Israel.

ANDERSON: I want to get a sense from you of where the region stands when it comes to what is going on between the U.S. and Iran at present. We still

don't know, of course, when these talks will take place. But certainly the suggestion it seems, from the White House and Donald Trump himself, is that

that's what he wants to see happen.

So you, I know, have had some key meetings with leadership around this region in Saudi and Qatar, here in the UAE.

What are you hearing about the region's perspective at this point?

MAKSAD: Well, Becky, if we have Bibi on the one hand, whispering in one ear, we have the Arabs and the Turks whispering in the other, there's a

grave concern here, right?

First, for the Arabs, particularly of the Gulf, there is a risk of blowback. They have their oil facilities. They have American military

bases. And there's a real concern that, if there is a military showdown, that they will become target. Their countries will become targets.

The Turks also have a broader concern. Some of the Arabs share in that, which is the balance of power in the region, as Israel is increasingly

emboldened and empowered on the back end of October 7th, really restoring its deterrence and projecting power.

And Iran is weakened further and further. There are countries, Turkiye amongst them, who worry about the balance of power in the region becoming

too much in favor of Israel.

So again, if Bibi is whispering in the direction of, let's strike and take military action, particularly against the ballistic missile program, the

Arabs and the Turks are signaling concern.

ANDERSON: And you see complete alignment, do you, even between members of the GCC?

You know, the UAE and Saudi, who we know at present are not aligned across the board.

MAKSAD: On other issues they're not aligned. On this issue there is shared threat perception, particularly in terms of American basing and energy

infrastructure in all these countries.

ANDERSON: Turkiye's foreign minister told the "Financial Times" that, and I quote, "The Americans appear willing to tolerate Iranian enrichment

within clearly set boundaries."

He also said broadening talks to cover Tehran's ballistic missile program would risk, quote, "nothing but another war."

It is important, because in 2015, back in 2015, when the region didn't have a seat at the table, felt completely excluded and wanted the deal that was

cut by Obama back then to be wider than just a nuclear deal, this time around, they get more action. They get more opportunity.

And yet what they're not getting, it seems, from this Trump administration, is anything more than a conversation about a nuclear deal at this point.

[10:25:02]

MAKSAD: President Trump is very clear. It's going to be his decision. He's -- has respected partners in this part of the world. He certainly listens

to the Saudis. He listens to the Turks.

He said a lot about President Erdogan and what he thinks of it. He listens to NBC. But it's going to be his call. I think, Becky, we are closer to

strikes rather than we are to a deal.

ANDERSON: That's interesting.

MAKSAD: We're still positioning -- U.S. is still positioning military assets. You know, there's a second carrier group now that's been ordered to

deploy. And so president Trump has an interest in continuing these negotiations until all the assets are in theater.

This is something that will be with us for maybe a couple of weeks before we know which way things are going to go down.

ANDERSON: You recently wrote a really interesting piece, which identified -- I want to talk about the kind of wider region here, because there's an

awful lot going on. This is a central issue, of course, as this region looks to navigate a new Middle East with the great visions here and in

Saudi.

You know, a regional stability is a must in order for this region to go beyond this sort of, you know, cyclical kind of conflict-ridden, kind of,

you know, a situation that we've been in of late.

But you wrote a really fascinating piece about the split in this region, between what you defined as the Islamic kind of, you know, body on one side

and what you described as the Abrahamic ideology on the other.

Can you just explain to our viewers the conceit of what you were writing?

MAKSAD: Happy to.

On the back end of October 7th, with Israel empowered in the region, I think countries have a choice either to balance against, to maintain the

balance of power or to bandwagon with Israel.

And I think some countries in the region have made the decision to bandwagon with. And they are joined in the eastern Mediterranean in an

anti-Turkiye posture by Greece and Cyprus. And further to the east, perhaps India, closer to them in an anti-Pakistan posture.

And so you have one coalition; they're not alliances just yet. They're not exclusive. But they're clearly a group of countries that are closer

together. And with Israel.

And on the other hand, you've got more of the status quo power, the traditional powers of the Middle East -- Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan,

which we saw after the Israeli strikes on Doha last year.

We saw a mutual defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Egypt and between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. And increasingly, Egypt is also moving

in that direction.

ANDERSON: So if we are genuinely seeing -- and I -- and I certainly I think there's some real merit in your argument -- if we are seeing the

emergence of an Islamic bloc on the one side or alliance on the one side and Abrahamic alliance on the other -- and there will be people around this

region, by the way, who don't agree with --

(CROSSTALK)

MAKSAD: Oh, I've heard that.

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: -- and genuinely believe that, you know, that there's -- this framing doesn't work for them.

But were they -- were this to be the case, what are the consequences?

MAKSAD: Well, I think for the U.S., it certainly has to make some tough choices here.

Does president Trump want to try and consolidate a post-Iranian Middle East?

Because whether or not there is an American strike against Iran, we have to be clear with ourselves. Iranian ability to project power is no longer what

it used to be. Hezbollah, the crown jewel in Lebanon, has been degraded. The Assad regime is no longer there.

You've got some lingering influence, perhaps in Iraq, and the Houthis are a bit more independent than Hezbollah was. But the Iranian axis is no longer

there. So it's going to be these new two -- these two new coalitions that are going to be shaping the region, both American partners and allies on

both sides.

But the president either needs to consolidate, the U.S. either needs to consolidate the region, try to bring those coalitions and countries

together or the other choice is to be an offshore balancer.

Meaning you tip the scales one way or the other, depending on what you want. But you really stay hands off and don't interfere. It seems so far

that the president is really not interested in consolidating just yet. But we've yet to see what's going to unfold with Iran.

ANDERSON: Fascinating times.

MAKSAD: Always.

ANDERSON: It's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.

All right, coming up, after this short break, we'll hear from the World Central Kitchen on how 1 million meals a day are now reaching families in

Gaza. More on that after this.

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[10:30:00]

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ANDERSON (voice-over): Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson. These are your headlines this hour.

NATO secretary general Mark Rutte calls today's NATO meeting in Brussels one of the most pivotal he has ever been part of. Reuters says NATO defense

chiefs forged a, quote, "unity of vision" as they discussed defense and deterrence and support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Well, the U.S. border czar has announced that the surge in ICE operations in Minnesota is coming to an end. In the past hour, Tom Homan said that a

significant drawdown is underway and will continue over the next week. He added that a small footprint of personnel will remain in the state.

As the searched for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie enters its 12th day, neighbors are being asked to review their security footage from two days in

January, as investigators work to piece together a potential new timeline in the case.

That's according to a post shared on the Neighbor app by Ring. It's unclear whether the alert was posted at the request of authorities.

ANDERSON: Well, just before the break, we spoke about Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, where he confirmed

Israel will join president Donald Trump's border peace initiative.

The group is set to meet next week to discuss Gaza's reconstruction. And the ceasefire on the ground -- excuse me -- remains fragile. Gaza health

officials say at least 591 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire took effect in October.

As the humanitarian crisis does deepen, one group has been working to ease the suffering and it's passed a major milestone in Gaza. World Central

Kitchen is serving 1 million meals a day. That means close to half of the population of the enclave can now count on one nutritious meal a day.

Joining us is the interim CEO of World Central Kitchen, Javier Garcia.

And it's good to get you on. And it is it is comforting to report the milestone that you have covered.

Can you just explain under what circumstances and restrictions you guys are working at this point?

What are the challenges?

JAVIER GARCIA, INTERIM CEO, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Well, thank you for having us first. The challenges continue to be many although the situation

has improved since the ceasefire has been implemented.

Organizations started to feeding in Gaza over 2.5 years ago. We started with small operations. We just started -- we hit the milestone of cooking 1

million meals a day. Our efforts have been being able to be sustained since the ceasefire is being implemented.

But the challenges in Gaza continue to be many. There is more help needed. Although our organization is doing 1 million meals a day, there's a

population of 2 million people with many, many challenges beyond water.

[10:35:00]

And again, it is a situation that have improved substantially. We have been able because of that being able to scale our operation. But the challenges

continue to be many and mostly on the access of more food and more organizations like ours that can contribute to solve many of the challenges

that the population of Gaza is having.

ANDERSON: Yes. And I wonder what you make of the progress of any phase two that is effectively, ostensibly ongoing at this point when it comes to the

relief for the people of Gaza and the, you know, move into what should be a period of rehabilitation and reconstruction.

What do you make of where we are at present in this very fragile -- and let's call it fragile -- ceasefire still holding at this point?

GARCIA: Yes. I agree 100 percent, is fragile peace. The ceasefire need to be filled every day. We hope that the next phase and all the important

conversations are going to be happening next week. But peace need to be fed every day. The people, the ongoing humanitarian crisis continue conditions

to improve.

There is not going to be a next phase without a first phase. And again, there is -- food is horizontal for arcades (ph), food touches many things

and, in this case, peace as well.

And again, our role is not only continue to make sure that the successful phase two for peace conversation happening but making sure that the people,

while those conversations are happening, the people of Gaza continue to get fed.

And we hope for that soon those reconstruction started happening. Organization can transition to making sure that the people of Gaza can

sustain and feed themselves. And again, it is when that happens, what we hope that happens, the organization will support the people of Gaza in any

way we can.

ANDERSON: And the security situation, how would you describe it?

After all, the work that you are doing is absolutely crucial at a time when Israel has banned over 37 aid organizations from operating in Gaza,

including UNRWA. That's forced more reliance, of course, on your organization.

GARCIA: Yes, the challenges continue to be many. Again, we have been able to cook over 270 million meals and (INAUDIBLE) over the last two years,

with many challenges. Security be the main one. Humanitarian work, humanitarian workers should be protected.

And that's been extremely challenging. And all this -- of this conflict situation on the ground, it's a little bit better right now on security.

But access, again, continue to be a challenge.

There is more food needed. There's more help needed. And definitely there's more access to other organizations needed on the -- on the ground. So again

we -- it is our hope that the next phase of peace conversation is implemented.

All of these challenges on the ground, including security, improved substantially. As of today, civilians continue to die and we hope that that

as ceasefires, peace conversation hold, we need to urgently put an end to this.

ANDERSON: The work that your organization is doing is remarkable. And it is, you know, it's good to be able to report the milestone that you guys

have reached. I know the work is difficult. It's tough. You've lost members of staff yourselves over the past couple of years.

So all credit to the work that you and your colleagues are doing. Thank you for joining us today out of Jerusalem.

Well, you are watching CONNECT THE WORLD. There is a lot more ahead. Stay with us.

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ANDERSON: Ireland isn't known for snow but it is producing Olympic skiers. And one has been competing today, finishing 37th at the alpine skiing men's

Super-G, as it's known. Cormac Comerford is one of four athletes representing the Emerald Isle at the Winter Olympics. CNN Academy's Ophelie

Jacobson with this report

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OPHELIE JACOBSON, CNN ACADEMY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the lights turn on and the lifts start up, that's when you know it's almost time to

hit the slopes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On Wednesdays, we just put up a race course for the kids to have a quick practice on.

JACOBSON (voice-over): Carolyn Dent-Neville is a coach with the Ski Club of Ireland. Her goal is to help kids sharpen their ski skills.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love the kids and seeing them improve over the years is great as well.

JACOBSON: When you think of sports in Ireland, skiing may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But these dry slopes in Kilternan have produced

some of the best winter athletes in the country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he was about 10. He joined the race squad. I'm not sure the exact age or year.

JACOBSON (voice-over): Olympian Cormac Comerford got his start on this hill with no snow in sight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I just remember those children's championships and when he was getting a little bit cocky. And we kind of joke about it

now because he'd suddenly gotten so good.

JACOBSON (voice-over): Dent-Neville was his coach back in the day. But she doesn't like to take much credit for his success.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got him started when he was little and did our best with him. But he outgrew our coaching at this club quite young.

JACOBSON (voice-over): The whole club is excited to cheer him on, especially Bailey Collum (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody here is absolutely buzzing to see him on the slopes.

JACOBSON (voice-over): Comerford coaches young athletes like Collum.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's always ready to lend a hand if it's like for a race or even just training.

JACOBSON (voice-over): The 17-year old says his example carves a path for rising stars like her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think many people would have ever thought that someone from an artificial ski slope could make it to the Olympics on

snow. And the fact that he did it, it really proves that you can really do anything if you put your mind to it.

JACOBSON (voice-over): Kilternan's three slopes are the only spots in Ireland to learn the sport. The main slope stands at 180 meters, made from

synthetic, durable plastic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would compare the dry slope to practicing your golf in the driving range, for example. So you can go to a driving range for

years and years and years and you can practice your golf. But you don't really learn the craft of it until you're on a golf course.

JACOBSON (voice-over): Conor Collum went from coaching Comerford as a kid to coaching alongside him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're too far back, Bailey.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The likes of Cormac, then coming out, he you know, it's one in 1,000,000 getting someone like that to the Olympics.

JACOBSON (voice-over): Comerford will compete in all four disciplines of alpine skiing in his Olympic debut.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just shows them what can be done, because you wouldn't think that, coming from this slope, that you could hit the

Olympics. So yes, I think it'll show them that, if they want to, they can do it.

JACOBSON (voice-over): In Wicklow, Ireland, Ophelie Jacobson, CNN Academy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Good on him. That report produced by a team of CNN Academy goers, including Eve Henderson (ph), Hannah Cate Castelo (ph), Rodrigo Dos

Santos (ph), Ann Donkand (ph) and DZUA (ph) Michelle Maye (ph).

Call out to all of them.

Well, more on the Winter Olympics on "WORLD SPORT" with Andy Scholes.

END