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The Source with Kaitlan Collins

Family Of Infant Hostage Pleads For His Safe Return; 4-Year-Old Abigail Edan Discharged From Hospital; Relative Of Six Freed Hostages: We Should "Use Momentum" From Truce To Get More People Home. Aired 9- 10p ET

Aired November 28, 2023 - 21:00   ET

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

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[21:00:19]

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Want to take a moment, to let you know about something that's important to me.

Tomorrow morning, the first episode, in Season Two, of my podcast, "All There Is" comes out. It's about grief and loss, which is something we all have, or will experience, but rarely talk about. I certainly haven't.

I didn't plan on doing a second season of "All There Is." But in the last few months, I've come to realize how little I understand my own grief, and how much more there is to learn.

If you haven't listened to the first season, it's available now. And the new season starts tomorrow. We've got some really interesting guests coming up, including President Biden. You can find Season Two of "All There Is" tomorrow morning, on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. I hope you like it, and find it helpful.

The news continues. "THE SOURCE WITH KAITLAN COLLINS" starts now.

KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN HOST: Good evening. This is THE SOURCE. I'm Kaitlan Collins, live from Tel Aviv, tonight.

Israel has just gotten the list of the sixth group of hostages, expected to be released, tomorrow. And we are told by sources that the families, right now, are being notified. But the major question that still stands, tonight, is what happens, on night seven, when this truce is set to expire?

CIA Director, Bill Burns, was in Qatar, for meetings, today, where I'm told he pushed, for an expanded hostage deal that would include men, and potentially IDF soldiers. We don't know where that is going to lead.

But what we do know, right now, is that 10 more Israelis, who were being held hostage, for more than 52 days, are back home, tonight, as well as two Thai citizens, who were also being held hostage, have been released. We saw them being handed over, in Rafah, earlier tonight. In the video, large crowds are lining the street, and jeering, as the hostages are paraded through members of Hamas. Some could be heard chanting "Allahu Akbar," while an elderly woman was being transferred, in a wheelchair.

Today's freed hostages are all adult women, except one. 17-year-old Mia Leimberg. She was released, along with her mother, and it turns out their family dog was also with them.

No Americans were a part of this group, today, as the White House says they're still hopeful some could be released, tomorrow, on day six, when this truce is set to expire.

Also, not released, the youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, a hostage, for 53 days now, along with his 4-year-old brother Ariel, 53 days. We have an emotional interview, with Kfir and Ariel's relative, who is worried that the baby could starve. We'll see that in just a moment.

But I want to start now, with the latest, with CNN's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent, Matthew Chance.

Matthew, we're seeing this video. Can you just kind of walk us through what -- break down what we're actually seeing in this video that's released, tonight.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It's quite interesting, because this is Hamas being filmed, filming them releasing this latest group of hostages.

And so, you can see the video equipment they're using. You can see how they're sort of tracking the wheelchair, which is being pushed, with one Israeli elderly woman, being taken to the Red Cross ambulances.

You can also see the crowds. They obviously all have been told to come there. And they are baying, they are heckling the hostages, as they're sort of handed over, to the Red Cross. And so, it's interesting in that sense.

But we've seen videos like this sort of every night. And I think Hamas obviously releases its own version of this. And it plays well, I think, to the supporters of Hamas, in the region, and around the world, that shows them as magnanimous that they are releasing people. I mean, that is something an aspect of their image they're obviously very keen to play up.

COLLINS: It's just jarring to see elderly women, being jeered, by the people, in this crowd. I think that's what, it's just like, it's hard to watch almost.

CHANCE: Hard for us to watch. But imagine what it must be like for those hostages. They don't know what's happening to them. They must be absolutely terrified.

In fact, we've spoken to relatives of people, who've gone through this. They spoke to us about how their car was being shaken, by the thronging crowds, outside. It must have been, I mean, absolutely terrifying.

And so, it's just part of this ordeal that these people have been going through, and continue to go through, now even though they're back in Israel.

COLLINS: Yes. One woman's relatives, Adina Moshe, told me she didn't know if she was going to be executed, when she was released, or if she was actually being released, until she saw the Red Cross cars.

We did get good news though. Emily Hand, she is reunited with her father.

CHANCE: Yes.

COLLINS: And that's just a story that everyone has followed, for the last 50 days. But we're also hearing, from the father, tonight.

CHANCE: Yes, that's right. He gave a very emotional interview to CNN's Clarissa Ward, where he spoke about, first of all, his joy, holding his daughter once more.

[21:05:00]

But he also sort of had some really emotional and fascinating detail, about how she's coping. As I said, she had this trauma October the 7th, of being held as a captive. But that trauma does not end once you get home. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS HAND, FATHER OF 9-YEAR-OLD RELEASED BY HAMAS: It was beautiful, just like in -- just like I imagined it, you know, running together. I squeezed -- I probably squeezed too hard. And it was only when she stepped back a little that I could see her face was chiseled, like mine, whereas before she left, it was chubby, girly, young kid face.

The most shocking, disturbing part of meeting her was, she was just whispering. You couldn't hear her. I had to put my ear on her lips, like this close, and say, "What did you say?" And she was like (ph) "I thought you were kidnapped."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHANCE: Incredible. I mean, just how damaged must that young child be, and her family as well.

And the 12 hostages that were released, today, they're now in Israeli hospitals. And they're going to be starting as well, this sort of very careful process of rehabilitation that all 81 hostages, who have been released, so far, are undergoing.

COLLINS: Yes. And still waiting to see who could potentially join them, tomorrow.

Matthew Chance, thank you, for that report.

CHANCE: Of course.

COLLINS: And it is still a question. I mentioned there, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas. He and his 4-year-old brother, Ariel, as well as both of their parents, all kidnapped, on October 7th.

We saw a video initially early on that seemed to indicate they had been separated. We've now heard from the IDF, who says Hamas is actually not holding them. It still says it's their responsibility to return them. The question of which group, which terror group, in Gaza, is potentially holding them, is still an open question, no one seems to know.

I spoke with a cousin, of the family, Eylon Keshet, earlier tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EYLON KESHET, COUSIN OF KIDNAPPED FAMILY: We are really, really worried about him. He's just he's now approaching 11-months-old. We have no information at all about their condition. And we know that these are not conditions to raise a baby. We're not sure if he's malnourished, if he can make it.

Every day that he's staying there is a real, real danger, for his life, and his development. And we don't want to get him, or the rest of the family, in body bags. It's really, really -- we are really, really afraid about them, yes.

COLLINS: I mean, he still gets a bottle. I mean, he's in diapers. He's this tiny baby, and.

KESHET: Exactly. We don't know if they -- if they're nourishing, if they're giving him what they need. He's so miserable. He's not even -- when he got kidnapped, he was still at the stage that he's not entirely -- can be able to eat solid food. And he needs a baby formula, because unfortunately, Shiri can't breastfeed. So, we're really worried that he will starve to death, in lack of better words.

And also, Ariel is unfortunately a fragile child and has several medical conditions. And he has a skin condition that he can bleed from, if he doesn't get special treatment. And we are so worried about them, so.

COLLINS: And he's just 4-years-old.

KESHET: He just --

COLLINS: You were telling me how much he loves tractors.

KESHET: Yes.

COLLINS: And --

KESHET: Ariel is such -- such a lively child. And he really likes cars and tractors and --

COLLINS: And you were telling me you remember when Kfir was born, you met him, when he was just 2-weeks-old.

KESHET: Yes.

COLLINS: Just this tiny baby.

KESHET: Yes. I -- it wasn't so long ago, because he's only not -- 11- months-old, right now. He was two weeks -- he was only 2-weeks-old. And I held him in my arms, like very gently. And I was shocked that he was a redhead, just like his elder like --

COLLINS: Like his brother.

KESHET: Yes, unfortunately, now the red -- the redhead became a symbol of normal, beautiful life, in front of very unbelievably evil that just came and shattered it to pieces. And I can't believe these two redheads had to -- hadn't have to experience what they're going through.

Their grandparents were murdered. And they probably -- Yarden and Shiri, the mother probably don't even know this. And the --

COLLINS: Yes.

KESHET: And they were taken very violently. The home was -- is full of gunshots, the home itself, and they drilled into the house and destroyed it. They've left nothing. They've left nothing there.

[21:10:00]

His -- Yarden's sister was there, to check if there's anything left. And they just destroyed or took everything they could, and they had to go through gunshots, and shouting, and blood, and body parts, in the street. This is the reality they had to go through.

And now, 53 days, they're going through this nightmare. And it doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense that anyone can let this -- keep going that a baby and a 4-years-old with his mother (ph). They shouldn't be kept like this. It's inhumane. It's so scary. It really is.

Just we can't get -- we can't let it go on. Just think about it. If this was your child, would you want them to be in terrorists' hands, in captivity? Even not seeing them for 53 days, is just is so hard, like, are these the enemies of Hamas? Are these the enemies of anyone?

Should these children be used as bargaining chips? No, they shouldn't. This is the simple answer. They shouldn't be used as bargaining chips, for any political or religious or whatever reason. There is no justification for using them like this. So, we just -- we just want them back, really. Sorry.

COLLINS: It's OK. Thank you so much for sharing that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: It is agonizing, for these families, for what they are going through, on a daily basis. And getting more hostages, out of Gaza, really depends on this temporary truce, between Israel and Hamas. Does it stay temporary?

As of now, that pause in the fighting is slated to end, tomorrow night, just 24 hours from now. That's why CIA Director, Bill Burns, was in Doha, today. He was meeting with the Qatari, Israeli, Egyptian counterparts, to try to see if a second extension to this truce is possible. And what could come after that? What it'll take to make that happen.

I'm joined tonight by Axios foreign policy reporter, Barak Ravid, who I'm also happy to note, is also CNN's newest Political and Foreign Policy Analyst.

Barak, it's so great to have you, especially given how well-sourced you have been, in all of this.

On this matter, tonight, how likely is an extension? What are your sources saying about how long that extension could go on, if there is one?

BARAK RAVID, CNN POLITICAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ANALYST: Good evening, Kaitlan. It's great to be here. It's -- I'm still under the impression of the previous interview you did. It's just -- it's just very hard to watch this, and this crazy situation.

But to your question, I think your question is very much connected to this interview. Because one of the things that Bill Burns, the Director of CIA, and the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the Egyptian Intelligence Chief, Abbas Kamel, what they heard today, from the Director of Mossad, David Barnea, is that Israel is not ready to discuss any future deal, on hostages, on men, on soldiers, on anything, before all the women and children are released, as part of this current deal.

And I think that one of the reasons he said that is because of the Bibas family, and those kids, that Hamas gave, according to Israeli intelligence, Hamas gave to another faction, in Gaza, and now pretends that it doesn't know where they are.

COLLINS: Yes. We actually spoke about that off-camera, where he was saying that they feel like that's just Hamas, trying to say, "Oops, sorry, it's not us." But they were saying, we do still expect Hamas to be responsible, for bringing.

I mean, that just shows how complicated this is, because if they do have this agreement, all women and children, obviously Shiri, their mother, and those two babies would be included in that. But if Hamas can't produce them, then what happens?

RAVID: Well, again, according to Israeli officials, and according to what the Mossad Director said, today, in Qatar, if Hamas cannot produce this family, and other women and children? There are still, other than the Bibas brothers, there are still seven children in Gaza. There are still something like 25 women, aged 21 to 50, in Gaza. If Hamas cannot produce them, then the fighting will resume. And there will be no more hostage deals.

And it's -- Israel has been very clear here. And I hear it from at least three Israeli officials, just today. And, I think, Israel is now putting a lot of pressure on Hamas. It's willing to extend the pause, by another two days, three days. But it wanted hostages back.

[21:15:00]

COLLINS: Yes. And Americans are still part of that. We haven't seen them get out.

You mentioned, if they don't come to an agreement? And you've been reporting on what Israel is preparing to do next. It seems very clear that that could involve going into the south. I mean, would that happen instantly, if they don't agree to an extension, to a truce, by tomorrow night?

RAVID: I don't think it's going to happen instantly, because Israel still has a few targets in the north that it still did not touch. Several Hamas targets, in northern Gaza, I think they will go there first. That's at least what I hear from Israeli officials.

And then, they'll go to the south. I mean, the plans, the operational plans, for the south, were already approved, by the cabinet, and by the IDF leadership. And they're ready to go.

And this is why, by the way, you hear from U.S. officials that they're more and more concerned, about such a move, because they feel that it might be coming, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not the day after, maybe the pause will be extended, by a few days. But it's just a matter of time. Another five days, another week, we will get there.

COLLINS: Yes, the U.S. has been warning them to be "Surgical," has been the term that we're hearing from officials. Is your sense that Israel is heeding those warnings, from the United States, about how to conduct that next phase of the military operation?

RAVID: I think there's still going to be some discussions about this, this week. I think that when Secretary of State, Blinken, will arrive in Tel Aviv, on Thursday, the possibility of an operation, in the south, is going to be a main focus, of him -- of his, in those talks with Netanyahu, and with the war cabinet. And there'll be a lot of discussions about it, between the U.S. and Israel.

And I got to tell you, I don't know how you can operate surgically, in Khan Yunis and in Rafah, when you have 2 million people there. I just -- I just don't know how such a thing is possible.

COLLINS: Yes, it is. I mean, that's where they have truly sent everyone. So, the question is, where do those people go now? I mean, the north has been destroyed.

A lot of great questions ahead. We'll have a lot of your reporting ahead, on this show. Barak Ravid, thank you for that tonight. And welcome to the CNN family. It is great to have you.

RAVID: Thank you, Kaitlan. Good night.

COLLINS: Ahead, an update on the only American, who has been freed so far, as a part of this temporary truce. That's 4-year-old Abigail Edan. She was released from the hospital, today, here in Israel. The world has been following her story. Both of her parents were killed, on that day.

We're going to speak to someone, who knows her very well, about how she's doing, now that she's out.

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[21:21:45]

COLLINS: 4-year-old Abigail Edan is, back home, with her family, finally tonight. She was discharged, from the hospital, here in Israel, where she was receiving medical care, after she was released, on Sunday. For 50 days, she was held captive, by Hamas. She's returning home an orphan, after Hamas killed her parents, in the October 7th attacks.

I'm joined now by her great aunt, Liz Hirsh Naftali.

Liz, it's so great to have you on, now that there is good news. Last time, we spoke, Abigail was still being held.

LIZ NAFTALI, GREAT AUNT OF ABIGAIL EDAN, 4-YEAR-OLD HOSTAGE RELEASED BY HAMAS: Yes.

COLLINS: How's she doing, now that she's out of the hospital, and back with her family?

NAFTALI: She's re-blossoming. You think about it. She spent 50 days, away from her family, somewhere in the dark, after being under her father's body, after he was shot and murdered by Hamas terrorists. So, where she is now is she's left the hospital.

And when you say she's gone home, she didn't go home. Her home was destroyed. And I think people have to understand that this home was destroyed, the neighborhood was destroyed. And so, when she goes home, she is now without her parents.

She's with her family. She's with her siblings, which it's been a blessing, because for 50 days, all they wanted these two little kids was for their sister to come home. But she's come home without a mother and a father.

She has an amazing aunt and uncle, who will be taking care of her, and her siblings. Her grandparents are wonderful, truly part of her life, day in and day out, before this. But she's not in her home. And she's not in a home that she lived in. She's in a home full of so much warmth and so much love.

But when you ask that question, I want people to understand that coming home is so bittersweet. And for us, it's like a blessing, because it's a miracle. This child is our hope. But she did not come to her home. She came to a new place with all new un-navigated territory.

COLLINS: Yes. That's a -- it's a really good point, because there's so many families that they have nowhere to go.

NAFTALI: Right.

COLLINS: I mean, elderly grandmothers, who their homes that they've lived in their entire lives are destroyed.

NAFTALI: Yes.

COLLINS: And Liz, she's so young. And that's why her story, I think, has stood out to so many.

And we've been hearing stories, from other parents, other families, about noticing these changes, in their children, in their nieces, in their grandchildren. They're crying. They don't want to be touched. Emily Hand whispering to her dad?

I mean, have you noticed changes like that as well?

NAFTALI: Well, what we see is that when she first came, she was just clinging to her aunt, and her grandmother. And she still is very close to them. And they are her comfort.

But when her siblings came in, her brother and sister, and her cousins, she lit up, and she started to be smile and be joyful and laugh.

And one of the things that when she arrived, she was hungry. And obviously, she had not been fed what we want a 3-year-old, who just turned 4-year-old on Friday. And she was just telling them what she wanted. And she wanted bagel, which are like little pretzels. And she wanted juice. And so, she's been very clear about what she needs.

[21:25:00]

And she was sort of the one in the family, the littlest of three, who was a bit bossy, and would tell everybody what to do, and was kind of always running the house. And she's sort of back to that, which is a beautiful sign.

One of the things that I think about is that during these 50 days, we kept hope that she was with this mother and her three kids, when she was taken from the kibbutz, when they were kidnapped and abducted. And we just hoped that she was with this woman, Hagar. And she was. And she was very much attached to her. And that I think, was also part of her ability, to cope, in such an atrocious, terrible situation.

But she's home with her new family, in her new surroundings. And she is, I think, each day going to be able to feel more comfortable, and run around.

And my hope -- and this is a very private family. They're not out there talking about all of the little details. And they've asked us to be very thoughtful in how we talk about it, because for them, the privacy, and Abigail is turning -- she's 4, and she needs to go back to nursery school.

And she needs to go out and play soccer, which she loves to play with the big kids. And she was always playing with them. And she was always at the ball, even with the 6-year-olds, 8-year-olds, and 10-year-olds, and 12-year-olds.

And the one thing that I really --

COLLINS: Yes.

NAFTALI: -- think that we all think about is like Abigail is this beautiful 4-year-old, we can all relate to, we all want to give her a hug. But we all want to see that she has a beautiful life. And she's a symbol of hope that we have that she can grow up in a world that is much kinder than it was to her as a child.

And those are kind of the things that I think about, at this time, when I look at her. And I see her, and I think, we just want her to have a beautiful life, a healthy life. And time is going to tell. But to me, that is the goal of where we are with Abigail and her story.

COLLINS: Yes, I think everyone is rooting for that.

Liz, it's so great to have you on, with this great news. Liz Naftali, thank you for that. Thank you for that update, on Abigail.

NAFTALI: Thank you for having me.

COLLINS: Up next, we'll speak with an Israeli government official, because there are major questions, about what is going to happen here, next, whether this truce goes on, beyond this two-day extension. It expires, tomorrow night.

Also, what is happening in the occupied West Bank, tonight? We are hearing the heavy sound -- or sounds of heavy gunfire, I should say, as the Israeli military says it's conducting counterterror activities, there on the ground. That's an update, next.

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[21:31:14]

COLLINS: Amid this shaky truce, between Hamas and Israel, there has been fighting, today, in the occupied West Bank.

The IDF telling CNN it was conducting counterterrorism activities, in Jenin. Video, from the area, shows heavy gunfire, near that refugee camp there, in Jenin. Doctors Without Borders says that two Palestinians died, after Israeli military vehicles blocked the entrance to a hospital.

Here with me now, tonight, is a member of Israel's Knesset, and a former Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, who's quite familiar, on this show.

What is the IDF doing, in Jenin, tonight? What's the purpose of this operation?

DANNY DANON, FORMER ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO UNITED NATIONS: We are preventing terror attacks, in Israel. Hamas is also active in, in the West Bank, in Judea and Samaria.

And we know that Hamas Gaza is pushing Hamas Judea and Samaria to be active, to produce terror attacks, in Israel. So, what we do? We prevent those attacks. Almost every night, we send our special troops, into the areas, where we know we have the Intel, about the cells getting ready to send attack into Israel, and we prevent those attacks.

COLLINS: So you're saying this will continue?

DANON: Absolutely we are. Whenever we will know about a threat to Israel, we will be very active in Judea and Samaria. Some time we cooperate with the PA. Most of the times, we do it ourselves.

COLLINS: We just heard reporting, earlier this hour, about whether or not there's going to be an extension, to this truce. It's set to expire 24 hours from now. Is there going to be an extension, do you believe?

DANON: We want to see more hostages coming back. We see all those staged events, in Gaza. That's sickening. And you spoke about it earlier. But to see the Hamas actually producing a daily show. So, we're not happy about the show. But we're happy about the hostages coming back into Israel.

So, if they can provide more hostages, we will be willing to consider an extension, but until the point that they will provide hostages. After that, we are getting ready for the next stage. And I don't see anyone, who will stop us, from continuing in the war efforts.

COLLINS: How many days could the extension go on for, do you believe?

DANON: So, the government decided that it can automatically continue until next Monday. After that, the government should meet again, have a vote, and decide whether to extend it or not.

COLLINS: So, on Monday, the wartime cabinet would have to have a meeting.

There were these meetings, in Doha, today, where top officials, from here, Egypt, the U.S., all meeting to talk about potentially extending this deal. And there was some reporting about this idea of potentially releasing all hostages, in exchange for an end to the war. Is that something Israel would ever consider?

DANON: Absolutely not. We have two main goals for the war, releasing the hostages, and eliminating Hamas. So, we are not even considering such an offer, because for us, if we stop now, we allow Hamas to exist. They will rebuild their power. And it's only a matter of time until we'll see rockets, here in Tel Aviv, in another attack against our communities.

COLLINS: How long is Israel prepared to wait before restarting its military operation, in Gaza?

DANON: So, you know I speak a lot with the military. And they tell me it's not easy for us. It puts the lives of soldiers in threat. But if we can bring more hostages back, we are willing to pay that price. So, if we need to wait another few days, another week, we will do it. And after that, the military will go south, and will continue with the operation.

COLLINS: OK. But can you explain this to me? If Israel goes into Gaza, and they go into the south, where do the people go that Israel just told to leave the north, and go to the south? Where are they supposed to go?

DANON: So, I cannot go into details. But we will do our best, to minimize civilian casualties, like we did in the north. There are still places in Gaza, they can move, next to the --

COLLINS: Where?

DANON: -- next to the beach area, or other areas that we can work with the U.N., to find shelter for them. We will do our best, to minimize casualties, for the civilian.

COLLINS: And it's big enough for 2 million people?

[21:35:00]

DANON: Well, it's not going to be easy. But the responsibility is for Hamas to ask those questions. But we will make sure that we minimize civilian casualties. That's how we conduct the war.

COLLINS: Is Israel already creating those? You said that you were open to creating those safe zones for people. Is Israel forming those yet, or no?

DANON: So, we're actually identifying the areas that we would ask the population, to move into. Though they realize -- we haven't announced yet, but it will be announced.

COLLINS: We just got word that Israel has now gotten the sixth list of hostages who are set to be released, tomorrow. Do you know if any Americans are on that list?

DANON: Well, I cannot go into the details. But we were very happy to see the names. And we still have Americans. We still have babies. We have the Bibas brothers that we don't know where they are.

And the idea that Hamas is actually trading hostages, can you believe that, Kaitlan? They are selling hostages to different gangs, in Gaza. That's --

COLLINS: Did they sell the Bibas brothers?

DANON: Well I will not go into details. But we know that they actually sold hostages in between the groups of Hamas in Gaza, in between gangs in Gaza. That's something we never heard about that you sell hostages to somebody else.

COLLINS: How many hostages, do you believe that they've sold to other groups?

DANON: We know about that sickening movement of hostages, from one group to another group. And that showed that with whom we are dealing. That's why the people in Israel here, they're very united, and determined that this time, we have to go all the way. We have to finish the job, this time.

COLLINS: That is disturbing news, especially for the Bibas brothers, and all of them.

Ambassador Danon, thank you for your time, tonight.

DANON: Thank you very much.

COLLINS: With that disturbing development there that Hamas is apparently, according to the Ambassador, selling and trading hostages, of course, with each hostage release is the harrowing story of what happened to those people, while they were there in captivity.

I just sat down with a family member, who had six of her relatives, just released. Seven though were being held captive. That means one is still in Gaza, tonight. That fight to bring their final loved one home is continuing. Her story, right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:41:03]

COLLINS: Six members of one extended family, kidnapped by Hamas, have now been freed. They have returned home to Israel. That includes two 8-year-old -- that includes two children, 8-year-old Naveh, and 3- year-old Yahel Shoham. But the children's father, Tal, remains captive, tonight.

I sat down with their relative, Shira, to learn more about how her freed family members are doing tonight, and also their efforts underway to get Tal home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHIRA HAVRON, RELATIVE OF SIX FREED HOSTAGES: Obviously, deeply traumatized. We don't know what they saw yet, and what they've been through. And obviously, it's going to be a long process of recovery and healing. And we're going to be there for them.

And, of course, the most important thing, it's, they can't really relax, and get comfortable, and get back to reality, until Tal is back, and everyone else will be back.

COLLINS: The kids are so young. They're 8-years-old and 3-years-old.

HAVRON: Yes.

COLLINS: Their dad is still being held by Hamas. I mean, how are they doing without their dad at home?

HAVRON: Not good. Not good. Kids need their dad. It's very, very simple.

Obviously, they are strong kids now. And they've been through a lot. And they're open, and they -- happy to see people. And they hug people. And they're happy to be back with their familiar surroundings.

But obviously, their immediate need of their dad is not fulfilled. It's not there.

COLLINS: When you look at whether or not the time here? I've heard a lot of people say, "We're worried about the window closing." What do you think about that?

HAVRON: I mean, obviously, we feel the momentum of this moment, of these days, the releases. It's amazing to see people coming out every day. And we had our moment, on Saturday. And since then, people are having these moments.

And yes, it's scary. It's scary that the fighting will continue. And then, we don't have any guarantee that they'll stop again soon. And so, I think, we should use the momentum.

And every day we said, this is more important, it has to be more important. It has to be the goal of this war, now that it's happening. And after the -- after it's done, the hostages will be home.

Hopefully, soon the war will be over, because also this humanitarian pause is giving a lot of, I'm sure, civilians in Gaza, for them, to get help as well, is so important. And hope. Obviously, we hate seeing suffering anywhere.

COLLINS: I find it really interesting that you bring up the Palestinians, because sometimes there's people, who seem to be of the mind that you can only care about bringing the hostages home, or eradicating Hamas, or also caring about the Palestinian civilians. You say you can do both?

HAVRON: Of course, you can do both. If you define yourself as a person that supports human rights, you have to do both.

And we see the demonstrations all over the world. I see a lot of people, I know, supporting Palestine. I support the Palestinians' rights to have their freedom, their country.

But I think people don't understand something very profound. There is a separation, a very clear one, between Palestinian civilians, and Hamas as a terror organization.

[21:45:00]

And for me, people ask me, after this, the 7th of October, "How can you still believe in peace?" Peace is an obligation for us now.

Because, my family should be the last people that are dying in a war, that are brutally massacred in a war, and are kidnapped, into enemy territory, and suffer under horrible conditions, and are traumatized for life. They should be the last people.

We have to make an arrangement, where we have to find a solution, a political solution, for this problem, because everyone's suffering for it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Ahead, how the U.S. is taking advantage, of what is happening, right now, this temporary pause, where it is quiet, in Gaza, for the first time in weeks, now getting planeloads of desperately-needed humanitarian aid, to those civilians, in Gaza. A Biden administration official is here with a critical update.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[21:50:06]

COLLINS: The U.S. military, taking advantage, of this temporary pause, underway, between Hamas and Israel, to fly plane loads of critical supplies, into Egypt, where they can then be brought into Gaza. The first of three C-17s delivered more than 54,000 pounds of food, medicine and warm clothes, today.

Joining me now, for an exclusive interview, is Samantha Power, the Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development, and a former Ambassador to the United Nations.

Administrator, thank you, for being here, tonight.

Obviously, more than 1.7 million people, of the 2 million people, who live in Gaza, have been internally displaced. It is now becoming rainy season. How vital as in the things like dry clothes, food and medicine get to them right now?

SAMANTHA POWER, USAID ADMINISTRATOR: It's absolutely critical.

And that is why we are seeking, with our international partners, to take full advantage, of this pause. But also, to make sure that the flow of trucks and supplies continues. That this is not -- that this becomes a new normal, where we now have 240 trucks a day going in. That's still only a small fraction of the kinds of supplies that flowed in before this war began.

So, sustaining that flow, increasing it further, getting more fuel, more winterization supplies, as the climate changes, all of that is going to be absolutely critical.

COLLINS: Yes, it is critical. And as you mentioned, it's not even close to what it was before. It was 500 trucks about that each day going into Gaza, before this. Obviously not close to that now.

And you mentioned a new normal. I mean, when does it become a point, where it's the sustained delivery of commercial goods, in addition to just the basic aid that's going in now? POWER: Well, again, we are very clear that there has been progress, but that what is going in is still not enough. And that is both because the humanitarian supplies should increase.

I convened my international counterparts, from all around the world, and implored them to increase the amount of funding they provide, to U.N. agencies, and non-governmental organizations, so that cash and actual resources don't become a limiting factor here.

It had been that the inspections and getting supplies in were the limiting factors. You'd hate to see it be just a shortage of money, on the part of the World Food Programme, or UNICEF, or other partners. So, that is key getting, again, those -- that flow going.

But it will be ultimately inadequate, without commercial traffic as well, accompanying humanitarian traffic. This is something that President Biden has raised, at the highest level. It is something the White House has seized with our Special Envoy in the region, as well is pushing for commercial access.

So again, each week we see more progress, in terms of supplies, going in. The pause has given us a chance to expand dramatically, again, the throughput as they say. But we need to supplement humanitarian supplies with commercial supplies. That is by far the most important next phase of the supply issue.

COLLINS: It is a critical next phase. But how do you ensure that that aid continues to get in, once Israel, as they have made very clear, resumes its military campaign?

Because they've told all these people to go to the south, to leave the north. It's over a million people that have fled to the south. But they've made clear that that fighting is likely to move to the south, very soon.

So, how do you make sure aid can still get in while that's going on?

POWER: It's a great question. It's one we're very seized with, even as we're trying to take advantage of the pause that now has been extended. We're also looking ahead. And Israel has made clear that it intends to pursue Hamas into the south.

Here, again, President Biden who's been a kind of humanitarian desk officer, from the beginning of this conflict, again, increasing these supplies in, is also extremely focused, on civilian protection, on the fact that civilians need to be accounted for, as this next phase of the military campaign begins, or as Israel plans it now, with an eye to internationally humanitarian law, to the need to have spaces, in the south, like hospitals, like U.N. shelters, that are zones, where civilians can gather, and know that they will not suffer bombardment.

And so, these are the very, very detailed conversations that are going on. There is receptivity to this message. But again, the planning is key. Applying the lessons of the conflict, in the north, to the conduct of warfare, in the south, is absolutely critical because, again, civilians must be protected. There are no law-free zones in war.

COLLINS: Samantha Power, thank you very much, for your time, tonight.

POWER: Thank you, Kaitlan.

[21:55:00]

COLLINS: Up next, former President Jimmy Carter made a rare appearance, emerging from hospice care, today, to attend the memorial service, for his beloved wife, Rosalynn. We have scenes, from that emotional tribute just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: There was a powerful moment, today, at the tribute service, for former first lady, Rosalynn Carter. Her husband, of 77 years, former President, Jimmy Carter, emerged from hospice care, to attend. He was seen there, in the front row.

We didn't hear from him. But their daughter, Amy, did share a letter that he wrote to her mother, 75 years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMY CARTER, DAUGHTER OF JIMMY AND ROSALYNN CARTER: My darling, every time I have ever been away from you, I have been thrilled when I returned to discover just how wonderful you are.

[22:00:00]

While I am away, I try to convince myself that you really are not, could not be as sweet and beautiful as I remember. But when I see you, I fall in love with you all over again. Does that seem strange to you? It doesn't to me.

Goodbye, darling. Until tomorrow. Jimmy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Theirs was quite a bond.

Thank you so much, for joining us, here in Tel Aviv, tonight.

"LAURA COATES LIVE" starts, right now.