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The Brief with Jim Sciutto

CNN International: Hundreds Feared Dead After Flood Hits Nepal-China Border; At Least 14 Newborns Killed by Hospital Fire in Pakistan; Meta to Pay $18B to Settle Lawsuit Over Child Safety; Devastating Flash Floods in Nepal; Former Israeli Hostage Speaks to CNN. Aired 6-7p ET

Aired August 26, 2026 - 18:00   ET

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

[18:00:00]

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR, "THE BRIEF": Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington, and

you're watching "The Brief."

Just ahead this hour, a desperate search for survivors underway after this catastrophic flooding hits the Nepal-China border. A landmark settlement

that agrees to pay some $18 billion over claims its platforms intentionally harmed children.

Also, ahead --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVYATAR DAVID, FORMER ISRAELI HOSTAGE: I almost collapsed. It was almost impossible for me to do. And I'm telling them that it's very hard, but they

didn't really listen, didn't really care.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: -- a former Israeli hostage speaking to CNN in his first international interview since his release from Hamas captivity.

The full-scale of catastrophic flash flooding is now becoming apparent as a new day begins in Nepal and the Chinese-controlled region of Tibet. I

should warn you, we're about to show you graphic images of the devastation just as it unfolded. That moment there, apocalyptic. You're looking at

people fleeing as that huge wall of water engulfed the border crossing. The area is popular with religious pilgrims, particularly this time of year.

Similar images as floods swept down the river and right through this Nepali village.

Nepal's police say at least 157 people have been killed. That number is expected to rise. Hundreds of others remain unaccounted for, many of them

foreign nationals. The torrent of floodwater debris has carried away entire bridges, homes, roads. Nepal says the waters are so high that rescue

helicopters have struggled to land. China is now mobilizing multiple disaster response agencies.

It's believed this began when a powerful landslide blocked a major river, then sending a torrent of water downstream all the way from China into

Nepal. Will Ripley has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A bridge snaps before being swept away as floodwater pours into Nepal's Trishuli

River. Video shared on social media shows people running and riding away on motorbikes, realizing how little time they have to get to safety.

At this Himalayan border crossing, people on the street could probably hear the danger coming before they could see it. A recently rebuilt earthquake-

resistant building blocked their view of the monster wall of water until it was too late.

From this view, you can see the floodwater's ferocious speed and massive scale. People desperately running for their lives have nowhere safe to go.

In what appears to be about 20 seconds on video, the flood consumes everything in its path. A row of buses, a four-story building, a bridge,

gone, buried beneath a black wall of water.

From the air, a helicopter pilot watches the disaster race through the valleys below, sweeping away homes, trees and roads.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole scenario, it was horrendous, it was uncanny, anything like you've ever seen before.

RIPLEY (voice-over): On this bus in Nepal, passengers spot the giant waves crashing into the bridge behind them. The streets are full of people trying

to get away. Panic fills the bus as passengers look out the windows at the horror unfolding.

In the same town, from the safety of a hillside temple, people watch helplessly as the deluge of dark water breaks apart a bridge like a toy,

dragging it downstream. This video from the Nepal Red Cross captures the speed and strength of the water, whipping around cars and tearing down

power lines in its path.

[18:05:00]

The flood came crashing down from high in the Himalayas. Scientists at Kathmandu University believe an avalanche of ice and rock may have blocked

a river until the water broke through. A torrent of water, mud and debris forcing its way downstream, submerging or destroying buildings, tearing

villages apart. Mile after mile of these majestic mountain valleys, a dark scar carved into the landscape. Foreign tourists, including Americans, are

among the missing. At this vital land gateway between China and Nepal, the mudslide ripped apart roads, knocking out power and communications, leaving

communities on both sides of the border cut off.

On the ground, people get their first look at what little the flood left behind. And amid the horror, hope, a helicopter makes a daring rooftop

rescue, one of many in the hours and days ahead.

Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: Just awful in the scale, shocking. The U.N. cites Nepali authorities saying 10,000 households need immediate relief. The U.N. says

its agencies and partners are already providing support on the ground. They report major challenges include the destruction of infrastructure such as

roads, bridges, energy facilities.

Let's go live now to Nepal. Mona Sherpa is country director for CARE Nepal and joins us from the district of Mustang, which borders Tibet. It's good

to have you. It's just an awful, awful tragedy that unfolded before our eyes there. The first question is this, really. What is the best estimate

at this point as to how many people are still missing?

MONA SHERPA, COUNTRY DIRECTOR, CARE NEPAL: Thank you. This is definitely, as you said, a very tragic moment. However, the numbers are growing. It's

evolving every time. And thus, it's very difficult to say, like, you know, the right number and the official numbers have not yet come out. National

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has said that there are 10,000 households that's been affected. But then there are like numbers of

like, you know, the numbers of loss of lives, missing people. The dead bodies found is growing.

But also, there were lots of Nepali people. There were lots of tourists as it's a touristic trick. And also, the economic hub, you know, for Nepal,

the place where the flash flood happened.

SCIUTTO: Yes. I've been through that valley myself going from Tibet to Nepal. And I can remember those tight those tight valleys right with the

river at the bottom. We're hearing of helicopters, for instance, struggling to land because of the high flood waters. CARE is attempting to deliver aid

where it can. How are you able to do that with the roads, the bridges taken out and even helicopters having trouble accessing those in need?

SHERPA: No, at this point of time, actually, the access, be it road or communication, all those things are very difficult. And it is government

who has actually got into search and rescue effort and is coordinating with the different organizations like CARE Nepal. And CARE Nepal's priority

right now is also to understand the needs, coordinate with the government and humanitarian clusters. But at the same time, engage with the local

authorities and partners to gather those information so that like the assistance reaches people quickly and safely.

We are ready with the CARE emergency packets for to do like, you know, with several kids on it. However, and then our local partners are the ones who

are gathering information and all. However, distribution of the materials, materials itself hasn't had been like, you know, possible. And we hope

like, you know, we are planning to do it this morning, like today. It's almost like 4:00 a.m. here. And then we are planning to take it and

coordinating with the government at this point of time.

SCIUTTO: What are the most urgent needs right now for people who have survived the flooding? Because I imagine many people are going back to

their homes and their villages and their towns and there's nothing there.

SHERPA: Yes, the whole village has been swapped away, you know, as you saw in the video also earlier. But then people who have survived, they will be

immediately in need of food, ready to eat food, shelter, wasp facilities, some hygiene kits. But also, if there are like, you know, vulnerable

groups, women and kids and all, they need special support. And that is exactly what we are trying to gather to see, like, you know, where exactly

government can resettle them.

[18:10:00]

And then in those resettled areas, CARE can also provide its care package for emergency with all these different kits bundled in one package.

SCIUTTO: Before we go, is there any resource or central authority where people who might know someone affected or might be looking for someone

affected by this, someone missing, where they can go to get information?

SHERPA: Wherever there is internet connection or mobile network connection, government has shared the emergency lines and that can be

coordinated. But also, the request from the government has come to project how you are there, just to share it with them. The local government, the

police and army, all those information are shared.

In Nepal, 100, just like 911 and all, 100 is the number where we can dialogue so that we can connect with each other. Right now, the whole

rescue team is the one who is actually looking for the people and everybody is actually supporting and whoever is getting information has been shared

with each other through these emergency numbers that's been circulated.

SCIUTTO: Well, Mona Sherpa, we wish you, we wish CARE luck as they continue to do their best in the midst of this awful tragedy. Thanks so

much for joining.

SHERPA: Thanks to you as well for this opportunity to share about the situation.

SCIUTTO: Well, another story we've been following closely, at least 14 newborns have died in one of Pakistan's deadliest hospital fires in

decades. Rescue sources say hospital workers were able to save one infant. CNN's Gage Goulding has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GAGE GOULDING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When you really think about it, this fire started in what could be the worst part of a hospital, a nursery,

where infant children, we're talking about babies, maybe just a few days old, recently born, were, and they can't fend for themselves here. We're

told that this fire started around 7:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Sources telling CNN that an air conditioning compressor exploded starting

that fire in the hospital.

And at this time, what we're also being told is only one baby was able to be saved, and more than a dozen children were killed in this fire. I mean,

you could only imagine. These are parents that just went through what could be one of the most joyous experiences of their lives, now facing burying

their young children. The prime minister of Pakistan is saying that he's, quote, "deeply saddened and vows an investigation and to hold anybody that

is responsible to the strictest of penalties."

The government, they're actually forming a fact-finding committee to investigate this. But it's important to note that government facilities,

especially hospitals here, are chronically underfunded. There have been hospital fires before due to aging infrastructure. So, whether there truly

is an investigation to be had, that's something that will come out. But I think there's nothing that is more important right now than thinking about

the families that now have to bury their young children, more than a dozen babies killed in this fire.

Gage Goulding, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Still ahead, it is perhaps the largest big take settle Big Tech settlement in history, Meta agreeing to pay some $18 billion to settle

claims that its products are designed to be addictive to children. I'll speak to the head of a group fighting for sweeping social media

protections. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:15:00]

SCIUTTO: Welcome back. In today's Business Breakout, U.S. stocks finished today's session a little changed. Markets, however, pressured by

discouraging new report on inflation. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation rose to a slightly higher than expected 3.7 percent year-over-

year rate in July. Inflation has now exceeded the Fed's 2 percent target for 65 straight months.

After the closing bell, A.I., chip giant NVIDIA reported stronger than expected quarterly results. Revenue more than doubled. The company is also

raising its forecast shares up about 4 percent in after-hours trading.

An abrupt end to the Meta social media addiction trial in California, the company has agreed to pay some $18 billion to settle the case a little over

a week after opening arguments began. The judge announced a short time ago she has approved the terms of the deal. But the legal threat is far from

over for Meta. It still faces hundreds of similar lawsuits nationwide claiming that its products are addictive to children.

As part of the settlement, Meta has agreed to put in place new safety features to lessen the harm its products such as Facebook and Instagram

pose to children. Those measures include a two-hour cumulative daily time limit for 13 to 17-year-olds, a night mode blocking access to its apps from

midnight to 6:00 a.m., and a school mode to reduce notifications in the classroom. Meta will also invest in technology to better catch kids trying

to lie about their age online. An independent auditor will also be brought on board to make sure Meta complies with all of that.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who helped spearhead that multi- state lawsuit, told CNN's Richard Quest that what happened today is historic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROB BONTA, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: I think people will look back and see this moment as that inflection point, that transformative moment, that

watershed moment when things changed. Of course, there was wind at our back with the Southern California lawsuit, the verdict of the individual who was

harmed, as well as New Mexico, their verdict.

But this is 51 states, the District of Columbia, and territories all standing together, banding together, holding the line bipartisan, holding

Meta accountable, and making unprecedented historic transformative changes, which will echo and permeate throughout the industry. It's just a matter of

time, in my humble opinion, before TikTok and YouTube and Snap come on board. So, I think this is that moment.

There are a lot of similarities to tobacco, some differences for sure, but one similarity is Congress is not acting appropriately, and attorneys

general have had to step up and take the leadership role. That's happening here. That happened with tobacco.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Joining me now is Julie Shelfo. She is the founder and executive director of Mothers Against Media Addiction. Many of its chapter leaders

across the country have children who've been severely harmed by social media. Julie, thanks so much for joining.

JULIE SCELFO, FOUNDER, MOTHERS AGAINST MEDIA ADDICTION: Hi, Jim. Thanks for having me.

SCIUTTO: So, first, I have to ask a very basic question. Who gets this money and when and how much? Because as you know, with class action

lawsuits, I mean, $18 billion sounds like a lot of money, but many of those impacted don't see much.

SCELFO: So, the monetary amount in this settlement is substantial, and it is historic, but it doesn't come close to accounting to the full scale of

harms that Meta has wrought. So, part of the announcement today, you will hear from individual attorneys general, like Rob Bonta from California,

like the attorney general of Massachusetts. They already have some dollar figures sorted out about what exactly each state will get.

[18:20:00]

But this is just a small amount of money to try to cover a vast array of harms that have been costing states, hospitals, school districts and

individual families mightily. So, we really see this as a first step. And what we'd like to see now is Congress take action to ensure bills like the

Kids Online Safety Act, the Senate version, finally get passed.

SCIUTTO: OK. Tell me about those changes, because we listed them, as you heard in the introduction here. And of course, I got a few kids and I'm

thinking they're going to find ways to lie about their age or to mess with their phones in ways that I don't understand to get around those time

limits. I mean, do you have confidence in these changes they've committed to?

SCELFO: So, look, Jim, I wasn't a perfect teenager, and I will admit on television, I'm old enough for my parents to hear this. I did actually

taste beer before I was 21. But we have strong safety laws in place and we don't make it easy for kids to access alcohol. We don't let them go into

liquor stores. We don't let them sit at the bar. We don't let them go to casinos or buy cigarettes. And so, yes, I have confidence that with

appropriate safeguards and policies in place and with some of these new agreements that Meta is stipulating and because our attorneys general

ensure there will be third party audits, these are all are some very important safety steps that we need to see through.

So, yes, this will make a difference. It has to do with the media addiction of our whole society. We live in a world now where we've just been putting

screens absolutely everywhere. We've allowed our kids to spend sometimes more than 10 hours a day on screens and it's not healthy or safe for their

bodies or their minds. So, some of these specific changes, like not allowing kids to get notifications on school nights, they will make a big

difference and they will help kids be healthy.

SCIUTTO: Yes, I was looking at some of those changes. I was thinking like adults could benefit from that, too, like the 12:00 to 6:00 a.m. thing. Not

the worst rule you can imagine. I do want to play part of Mark Zuckerberg's apology back in February from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and

get your reaction on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSH HAWLEY (R-MO): You're on national television. Would you like now to apologize to the victims who have been harmed by your products? Show

them the pictures. Would you like to apologize for what you've done to these good people?

MARK ZUCKERBERG, CEO, META: I'm sorry (INAUDIBLE) it's terrible in knowing that to go through the things that your families have suffered and this is

why we've invested so much and are going to continue (INAUDIBLE) to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things that your families

have had to suffer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCIUTTO: Now, you posted on X after that. I just wonder, as you heard those words, did you buy them?

SCELFO: You know, Jim, I was sitting right behind him and he actually looked me straight in the eye when he was delivering that apology. And the

thing is, there are no words now that can make up for the deeds that have cost children's lives, have wrecked families' lives.

And so, you know, I wrote a piece a couple of years ago about why I wish Mark Zuckerberg would start thinking like a dad instead of a CEO. And I

don't buy it. And my heart hurts not only for the families who still have this huge hole, but honestly, for Mark Zuckerberg's kids, because they are

born into a world now and they are going to grow up having to overcome all of the terrible things that have happened because of the design choices

that Meta made with its algorithms.

SCIUTTO: Do you expect other social media companies such as TikTok, which we know kids spend a lot of time on as well, YouTube, to face similar

pressures now for real change?

SCELFO: I mean, look, we see where Meta is coming out already. You know, they have put out a request. There's a post on Instagram right now with

Meta asking TikTok and asking YouTube or the parent company Google to make changes and abide by the same new safety mechanisms that they're putting in

place.

And really, it's about market share, because this is all about money and it's all about corporations not wanting to cede even the tiniest bit of

profit. And of course, we know they have billions of dollars in profit. So, I agree with Rob Bonta that this is a watershed moment because it's making

it very clear what we have been saying for several years now, which is we parents will not stop until these products are safe by design.

Part of what makes this country great is that over the last century, we have ensured that our food supply is safe, that our roads are safe, that

all of our products are safe. There is no reason that digital products, whether we're talking about social media or artificial intelligence, should

not be held to the same standard.

SCIUTTO: Well, Julie Scelfo, as a parent, I appreciate the work you've been doing.

SCELFO: Thanks. I'm a mom myself.

[18:25:00]

SCIUTTO: Now, well, checking some of today's other business headlines now. Bill Gates is out with a stark new warning on the dangers of artificial

intelligence. The co-founder of Microsoft says preparing for its impact should be the world's top priority. He says, however, the tech industry is

downplaying the risks of A.I. because it stands to make a fortune from it. Gates also writes on his blog that significant limits to A.I. are necessary

immediately.

New data shows U.S. consumers are pulling back on spending due to the higher cost of living. The U.S. government says consumer spending came in

flat in July. That's a sharp slowdown from the almost half a percent rise the month before. Economists say consumers may become even more cautious in

the months ahead as inflation continues to outpace wage growth.

Some are calling it a landmark moment in the fight against one of the deadliest forms of cancer. U.S. regulators have approved for the first time

a pill to treat pancreatic cancer. The pill made by the firm Revolution Medicines. It is designed to block a protein responsible for pancreatic

tumor growth. Studies show the drug doubled the rate of overall survival to 13 months.

Still to come on "The Brief," we're going to take a closer look at the unfolding tragedy in Nepal and how the climate may have played a role.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: Welcome back to "The Brief." I'm Jim Sciutto and here are the international headlines we're watching today.

A desperate search still underway for any survivors of a catastrophic flood along Nepal's border with China. More than 150 people confirmed dead. That

number is likely to rise. Hundreds are still missing including many foreign nationals. Nepal says that waters are so high rescue helicopters have

struggled to land.

[18:30:00]

Meta has agreed to pay some $18 billion to settle a landmark child safety lawsuit filed by dozens of U.S. states. The settlement comes just about a

week after the case went to trial in California. Meta has agreed to a sweeping set of measures to help ensure child safety on its apps. The

states accused Meta of intentionally designing their platforms to be addictive to young people and that that harmed their health.

Hollywood is remembering actor Tim Curry, who has passed away at the age of 80. Curry, known for his roles in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and

"Clue," among many, many others. He had been dealing with health problems after suffering a major stroke back in 2012.

More now on our top story. Hundreds of people are missing after deadly flooding at the border between Nepal and China. Will Ripley joins me now.

And, Will, I know you've been monitoring this from Taipei. I mean, the essential question now is the scale of this, right? With hundreds of people

still missing, it seems that the estimates of the potential death toll keep rising.

RIPLEY: Yes, Jim, exactly. I've had conversations with people who I met in Nepal during the 2015 earthquake who basically said that hundreds of

missing is optimistic if it stays in the hundreds. They're very concerned that there could be a lot more people than that because of the fact that

this route was so popular not only for Hindu pilgrims but also for foreign tourists. And this is the time of the year that people were there visiting

this beautiful area.

And it was actually, you can see from the video, blue skies, perfect weather. Normally, this area, which has been prone to floods in the past,

it would be a monsoon rain-fueled event or a glacial lake-fueled event. And in this case, there was no rain. So, people really didn't see this coming.

And it's going to be really difficult to get a full assessment of the damage also because of how extremely remote this Himalayan terrain is near

the border between Nepal and China. You're talking five to six hours by jeep in normal conditions. And now, with so many of the roads just

completely washed out and some areas only reachable by air, but because of the high-water levels, impossible to land.

You know, you have some very skillful helicopter pilots taking off from Kathmandu. They fly tourists for scenic tours of this area all the time.

And they've actually been descending down very close to buildings and plucking people off of rooftops, very daring rescues. And we've seen some

of them on video that have been going successfully. But there are clearly many people in need of rescue. So, that's an effort that's going to be

continuing over the coming hours and days.

Along with the question as to how this happened, how did you have the river rise by 30 feet in 30 minutes? Waves that one helicopter pilot who watched

the disaster unfold was estimating between 15 and 20 feet high. And if you could see from the video of just these buildings that appeared to be

several stories tall, at least four stories tall, being completely overtaken by this black water, probably the result of not just the water,

but this fast-moving mix of mud and rock and debris that kept piling up. All the cars, all the pieces of buildings were destroyed. The bridges that

were snapped into pieces as if they were toys by the sheer force and violence of this water.

And then the people that you could see in some of the video, particularly at the Nepal-China border crossing, who couldn't even see the water

approaching because the building at the border crossing, which was just rebuilt and reopened several years ago after the 2015 quake, this concrete

building blocked the view of the water until the black waves came up and over the rooftop of the building and completely obliterated everything in

sight.

It's hard to imagine that anybody in that building could have been safe, and certainly not the people on the ground who were trying to run

desperately to find coverage in. It's really horrifying. As for the cause of this, they're looking at the possibility that a piece of glacier may

have broken off. It was described as a rock and ice avalanche that lodged itself in a river.

The avalanche itself may have actually triggered an earthquake that was detected in the area, but then somehow when the water broke through at that

incredible force causing this violent flooding and causing the horrible scenes that we've seen, probably one of the most dramatic and devastating

natural disasters ever been recorded on camera, there are just so many questions that people are going to be asking.

And then a handful of survival stories, including one of a worker who was swept downstream but actually survived by clinging to a mango tree. People

are going to be holding on to those uplifting stories of people who did survive and hoping that their loved ones who were among the scores of

missing will have been lucky to somehow find a way to live through this. Jim.

SCIUTTO: I mean, we have to be conscious as we show those videos that you sadly are watching people lose their lives in the midst of that just awful

torrent. Will Ripley, thanks so much.

[18:35:00]

Well, satellite photos reveal the massive scale of this deadly disaster. They show the aftermath of the flooding in Nepal and how quickly the

landscape was transformed. Scientists believe the disaster may have been caused by a chunk of ice, as Will was saying there, coming off a glacier

during a landslide, sweeping ice rock and mud down the mountainside.

Joining us now is Allison Chinchar from the World Weather Center. And, Allison, you know, I wonder, if you're talking about pieces of glaciers

falling off as the cause of this, are we looking at a climate impact here?

OK. I -- oh, there she is. Sorry, we didn't hear the top of that, Allison, so maybe you want to start at the top.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, CNN METEOROLOGIST: OK. Sounds good. So, what I was saying was we don't actually know what the true cause was of this. If you

remember from the very beginning when we first started getting reports of this, they believed it was, in fact, an earthquake that caused this because

we did have tremors that measured on the seismograph machines. Now, what the U.S. Geological Survey is saying is, no, it was just that powerful of a

landslide that shook the ground around it to cause the 5.2 measurement on those seismograph machines.

So, now, we kind of show you the overall scope of what we're talking about. This occurred in the Himalayan region, OK? So, again, you've got a lot of

very high topography that's coming into play for this general area. This is the landslide starting point. That is based off of the U.S. Geological

Survey using satellite imagery to kind of find that initiating point. And essentially what happens is where it started, everything in this general

area, the ice, the snow, rocks, boulders, all of that then falls down into the valley. Here's the Glacier Tongue that then continues down into the

River Valley.

Now, we kind of flip this image to show you those before and after images of what took place in the area. So, here again, this is the Glacier Tongue,

just a different view of it. Now, notice again here, the green area, this was taken yesterday. We fast forward to today after we had the landslide

and all of this area becomes brown from where all of that debris flow then just covered that entire valley region.

So, again, it's really important to note that it wasn't just there, but then all of that has to go somewhere. It flows farther downstream, so it

continues down what would be the River Valley into this area right here. You can see some of these buildings, all of that water, all of that debris

coming down from this direction. And when it gets to where those buildings are, this is what you end up seeing, just that wall of dirt, rocks, mud,

water, all of it just kind of obliterating everything in this particular area. It wasn't the only place because, again, it just continues even

further downstream.

So, any of these areas along the path, including towns and villages that were further down, these two included, you kind of zoom in and really kind

of get the scope. I mean, again, all of these areas, you've got homes, you've got businesses through all of these areas. You also have bridges.

Take, for example, this bridge right through here. We're now going to show you video of that bridge as that wall of water rushes right by that bridge.

Again, it is an immense amount of power that is being pushed by that water. It's also debris. Anything it's picking up, pieces of buildings, cars, all

of that is also right there along with it.

Now, eventually, it just kind of overtakes this river bank, starts to flow into the towns and the nearby buildings that you can see here. It also

eventually becomes simply too much force even for that bridge. And at some point, that bridge is going to eventually collapse just simply because of

the force. And you'll see it right there start to then be carried down along stream with everything else.

Again, the key thing with this was it wasn't just one spot that was impacted. There were so many areas downstream, communities, villages, spots

like that that were impacted by the sheer force. And it's going to come in waves. It doesn't just go right through and then it stops. One of the

biggest things is really going to be the forecast, however, coming up for any of the recovery and rescue efforts that take place here. There's not

much today.

You probably noticed the sky in many of the videos was blue, but that could change. We are anticipating rain showers in the forecast as we go through

the day Thursday and Friday. So, that's certainly going to be a concern, as we mentioned, for any of the recovery and any of the rescue efforts that

are about to take place.

SCIUTTO: Good Lord. Again, the scale of it all. Allison Chinchar, thanks so much.

Coming up on The Brief, a former Israeli hostage describing the horrific experience he endured in Hamas captivity.

[18:40:00]

SCIUTTO: Former Israeli hostage, Evyatar David, giving his first international interview since his release last year. You may remember this

emotional video of him as he returned with his family. At one point, he had appeared in a Hamas propaganda video, digging what he said was his own

grave. He spoke with CNN's Bianna Golodryga about that harrowing experience. We should warn you, some of the images in this report are

disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): It's an image that shocked the world. The emaciated figure of Evyatar David in a Gaza tunnel. After being

held by Hamas for more than two years, Evyatar was finally released last October, back into the arms of his family.

Now, nearly a year later, in his first international interview, Evyatar, who has made a remarkable physical recovery, says he's still dealing with

the mental toll.

EVYATAR DAVID, FORMER ISRAELI HOSTAGE: One hour, I can be fine and happy. And the second one, I can remember something from captivity and get

flashbacks. And also, I can wake up at night from nightmares.

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): Evyatar was kidnapped from the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, and dragged into Gaza. He was held alongside his best

friend since childhood, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, for much of his captivity.

In a propaganda video released in August 2025, Evyatar was forced by his Hamas captors to list the days he went without food, his skeletal body

looking close to death.

DAVID: We were in extreme starvation. Everything I'm saying there and doing, they tell me what to do. But of course, how you can see my body,

it's all through. I couldn't -- I could barely move, could barely do anything.

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): In an act of horrifying psychological torture, Evyatar was also forced to dig his own grave.

DAVID: When I tried to dig the grave, just to hold the shovel, it was almost impossible. Probably the hardest physical thing I ever did. They

took me like 50 meters walk. And for me, it was almost -- I almost collapsed. It was almost impossible for me to do.

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): Evyatar says his captors would sometimes eat in front of him, another kind of torment.

DAVID: I can hear them laughing and eating cakes and drinking tea. There is no person that walks next to them and looks like a skeleton. But this is

how they are, they are very cruel.

[18:45:00]

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): Since those scenes of jubilation, when after 738 days, he and Guy became some of the last hostages to be released from Gaza,

Evyatar and other survivors say they haven't had enough help from the government. His family and friends launched a crowdfunding campaign to help

pay for his recovery.

GOLODRYGA: What could you tell this government or the next government, because there are elections just weeks away, about what they could do

differently and better?

DAVID: We don't have enough help. This is why I do the campaign that my family and friends did for me, for raising money. And I hope the next

government will do better.

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): As for the broader situation between Israel and Hamas, Evyatar does not have high hopes for a resolution. The U.S.-backed

Board of Peace announced in recent weeks that Hamas had agreed to disarm if Israel withdraws its troops from Gaza, a move which President Trump called

historic, but which has so far been rejected by Israel.

GOLODRYGA: You spent over two years underground with some of these men, these terrorists. You know them in a way no negotiator ever will. Do you

allow yourself to envision a Hamas-free Gaza and peace?

DAVID: No, I don't think it's possible, because they're pure ideology. They just want the whole land. They don't really care about Gaza. I could

see it in their eyes. It's the thing that they want the most. I never saw something like that. It's scary, really.

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): For Evyatar, each celebration of life's milestones now represents victory. He recently attended fellow former hostage Eliya

Cohen's wedding.

DAVID: You know, they tried to take all of us and take our lives and ruin our family's life and everybody here's life. Eventually, they didn't manage

to ruin Eliya and Ziv life. Eventually, they got married under the chuppah, and it's the biggest closure and victory.

GOLODRYGA (voice-over): Bianna Golodryga, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCIUTTO: A ceasefire last year ended major combat in Gaza, but Israel's military operations continue there. Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday

reportedly claimed the lives of at least four people, health officials in Gaza say nearly 1,300 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire

took effect in October. During that time, the Israeli army says four of its own soldiers have been killed.

Khaled Elgindy is senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Khaled, I just wonder where all these talks stand,

right? Because the ceasefire was meant to be just a step to then smooth the way to negotiations on the more intractable issues like disarming Hamas,

like leading to the withdrawal of Israeli forces. But that hasn't happened. And I just wonder, do any of the players, Israeli, Palestinian, American,

believe there's going to be real progress on those issues anytime soon?

KHALED ELGINDY, SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW, QUINCY INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT: Well, that's the million-dollar question. I mean, here we are

10 months after the last Israeli hostages were released, and we just heard the harrowing story of Mr. Evyatar, and when we were supposed to have a

full ceasefire.

But we've not seen really Israel hold up its end of the bargain. Most of its phase one obligations have not been met. Israel is still restricting

aid, not to the same degree as it was before. But there is chronic malnourishment across Gaza. There are pretty awful conditions in terms of

sanitation, rampant disease and rodent infestations. There's been no reconstruction. Israel's not allowing temporary housing. And as you just

pointed out, Israel is continuing to bomb Gaza more or less on a daily basis.

And so, it's hard to call this a ceasefire at all. I mean, what sort of a ceasefire do we actually have a death count or a death toll? As you said,

almost 1,300 Palestinians have been killed since this ostensible ceasefire. So -- and I think the problem is really on the Israeli side and in

Washington, because if you recall, Prime Minister Netanyahu never wanted the ceasefire to begin with. He sort of was dragged, kicking and screaming

by President Trump.

[18:50:00]

And since then, the Trump administration has given Israel considerable leeway to more or less continue the war, albeit on a lower scale.

SCIUTTO: But what about the other players here? I mean, Hamas is not disarmed. You know, Arab nations were talking about supplying peacekeeping

forces, right? We haven't seen that in the U.S. as well. We haven't seen that. I mean, who's living up to their obligations here?

ELGINDY: Yes. Well, right now we're stuck. The whole process is stuck. And it's because the breakthrough, and I would call it a breakthrough, the fact

that Hamas, for the first time in its history, a group that is dedicated to armed resistance, has agreed to gradually disarm. That's a pretty big

development, and I would agree with President Trump that it is historic.

But the details of the plan matter, because Hamas's disarmament is, according to the plan, is supposed to be in parallel with an Israeli

withdrawal. That is how the process was negotiated. And that's a way to ensure that each side meets its obligations and that progress continues.

But Israel has said openly that it will not withdraw at all from Gaza until Hamas is disarmed, which is not what the agreement calls for.

And so, I think we have a situation where we have an Israeli government that refuses to take yes for an answer, and it's largely because of

Netanyahu's coalition. It's made up of extremists who would like to expel the population from Gaza and continue the war. But it's also a problem with

the United States, because they have an obligation as the main mediator to ensure that both sides meet their obligations.

SCIUTTO: Yes. Not a lot of follow-through. Khaled Elgindi, we appreciate you joining. And please do stay with us. We'll be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCIUTTO: The world is saying farewell to Dr. Frank N Furter. Tim Curry has died at the age of 80. The English actor became hugely popular for his

performance in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," later "Clue," and the TV miniseries "It." He was known for his ability to play comedic villains.

In addition to his decades-long career in film and television, Curry also did voice work and was a composer and a singer. He suffered a major stroke

in 2012 and had faced health problems in the years since. According to a statement from his publicist, Curry passed away peacefully at his home in

Los Angeles on Tuesday.

[18:55:00]

Well, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived back in the U.K. This is according to multiple British media outlets. They report that Prince Harry,

Meghan and their two children landed Wednesday at Birmingham Airport. The family had been living in the U.S. for the past six years after stepping

back from royal duties.

News of the return of the U.K. was revealed last week. The children, Archie, age seven, and Lilibet, age five, are already enrolled in British

schools for the coming term. Harry and Meghan will live in the U.K. as private citizens and will not be resuming any official royal duties.

Also, in the U.K. today.

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SCIUTTO: That's a U.K. military band at Buckingham Palace giving a tribute to who? Well, Dolly Parton. You might recognize that song, "9 to 5." A

video was posted on social media by the king and queen. They said, remembering the late great Dolly who brought joy, comfort and inspiration

to so many, including millions of children, given free books through her Imagination Library. We will always love you. That's also a bit of a hat

tip to a Dolly song.

Thanks so much for joining. I'm Jim Sciutto in Washington. You've been watching "The Brief." Please do stay with CNN.

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