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Israel Bans U.N. Agency for Palestinians; Fallout Over Offensive Trump Rally at Madison Square Garden; Georgian President Accuses Ruling Party of Vote Tampering. U.N.: Entire North Gaza Population at Risk of Dying; Cubans Without Clean Water Amid Infrastructure Issues; Early Voting Could Make Difference in U.S. Election. Aired 12-12:45a ET
Aired October 29, 2024 - 00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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COATES: For example, and you're still able to be friends. And yet we don't often see people who have different viewpoints politically still able to overcome towards friends. Why do you think that's been such a hallmark of your own life?
FOLEY: You know, I can count on one hand the number of friends I've lost over politics. Friendships are stronger, family is stronger, the things that draws together so much more meaningful than the things that divide us. I mean, my most famous match with the Undertaker in Pittsburgh. That's part of the reason why I decided to come on because I have a lot of history in Pennsylvania. I lost these teeth in the match 25 years ago with the Undertaker and the reason I don't replace them is because of the respect I have for him and the history we made together.
And so when I see him for the next time, we'll hug it out, we'll agree to disagree, and we'll do the best we can to, you know, keep a 30-year friendship going strong.
COATES: That was a badass moment, my friend. Just now watching it in person. You know what, the show is over. Nothing else can be said right now. The man took his teeth out. He said respect the Undertaker.
Mick Foley, thank you so much. Nothing more to say.
FOLEY: Thank you so much for having me on, Laura. I hope everyone will vote wisely.
COATES: Thank you. Thank you so much for joining. What a pleasure to talk to you.
Hey, thank you all for watching. "ANDERSON COOPER 360" starts now.
ANNA COREN, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Anna Coren live from Hong Kong. Ahead on CNN NEWSROOM.
Israel bans a U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, a move critics say would have devastating consequences for Gaza. Thousands hit the streets in the former Soviet republic of Georgia
protesting an election they believe was stolen by the pro-Russian ruling party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not a Nazi. I'm the opposite of a Nazi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: And Donald Trump insists he's not a Nazi in response to fascism accusations from many Democrats and even his own former chief of staff.
ANNOUNCER: Live from Hong Kong, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Anna Coren.
COREN: The head of the United Nations says Israel's ban on the main U.N. agency that delivers aid to Palestinians could have devastating consequences. Despite strong international pressure, Israeli lawmakers have banned the United Nations Relief and Works Agency or UNRWA from operating in Israel.
The agency is not barred from operating in Israeli occupied Palestinian territories, but because it won't be permitted to transit through Israel experts say it will be harder for UNRWA to work in Gaza and the West Bank.
UNRWA supports at least six million Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Jordan and other parts of the region. It provides food, education, medical services, even jobs. The head of the agency posted this on social media.
"This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and de- legitimize its role towards providing human development assistance and services to Palestine refugees. Well, these bills will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians
especially in Gaza, where people have been going through more than a year of sheer hell."
Our Jim Sciutto has more on the ban on UNRWA and the backlash.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: This move by the Israeli Knesset to prevent UNRWA, the main U.N. agency for providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza, from operating inside Israel is receiving broad condemnation, not just from the U.N., but also from other countries around the world.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson said this is mistake. It's something that the U.S. opposes, and he said, quote, "There is nobody that can replace them, UNWRA, right now in terms of delivering crucial aid."
We also heard from the foreign ministers of a number of countries including Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom, saying that UNRWA provides essential and life-saving humanitarian aid.
UNRWA itself says that this will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians. It goes on to call this the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNWRA. Where does that come from? Well, Israeli lawmakers in passing this new legislation have cited investigations that showed that some members, some workers for UNWRA, participated in or were alleged to have participated in the October 7th attacks.
Now, UNRWA has said and even others involved in humanitarian work in Gaza, that this is a very small number of many thousands of people who worked for UNWRA. And of course they cite the ongoing humanitarian crisis there with shortages of food, basic medical care, and now the outbreak of disease.
[00:05:07]
In fact, the U.N. is saying that many people, particularly in the north of Gaza, are now in danger of dying because of that shortage. So this move by the Knesset, though long debated, is getting quite immediate opposition and criticism from around the world.
Jim Sciutto, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: For more, I'm joined by the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon.
Ambassador, thank you for joining us. Explain to us what this UNRWA ban means and when it will come into effect.
DANNY DANON, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: So, Anna, for almost a year, I addressed the Security Council with evidence about the infiltration of UNRWA by Hamas. Actually UNRWA became a chapter of Hamas and unfortunately we haven't seen any action taken by the U.N. or UNRWA regarding the allegations we submitted. That's why we decided to stop the connection with UNWRA.
We will continue to work with other U.N. organs which are not involved in terrorism like we are doing today. We are supporting humanitarian efforts in Gaza, the vaccination in Gaza, and other humanitarian efforts but we are doing it without UNRWA. There is no future for UNRWA Gaza.
COREN: And Ambassador, it is my understanding, though, that UNRWA did fire employees who believed to have links with Hamas. The U.S. among other countries urged Israel not to ban UNRWA because of the vital work that it does.
Let's now have a listen to what Matthew Miller from the U.S. State Department said a bit earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MATHEW MILLER, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: UNRWA plays a critical important role in delivering humanitarian assistance to civilians that need it in Gaza. There's nobody that can replace them right now in the middle of the crisis.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: Ambassador, no one can deny that a humanitarian disaster is unfolding in Gaza. That is happening before our eyes. So I guess my question to you is, who is going to do this work if not UNRWA?
DANON: Well, that is not the case. Today we deal with the humanitarian issues. We are doing it with (INAUDIBLE), with the UNICEF, with the World Food Programme, with many other NGOs, who are actually focused on humanitarian efforts and not in advocacy against Israel or supporting terrorism. And you know, you gave a quote from a U.S. official. But the U.S. Congress decided to stop funding for UNRWA because of the evidence that was submitted to Congress years ago about the involvement of terrorism and the fact they allowed terrorists to use UNRWA facilities and that's unfortunate.
So I think we should and we will engage with other organs to address the humanitarian challenges. But it will not be with UNRWA.
COREN: You mentioned these other U.N. organizations. You talked about the World Health Organization, UNICEF, but as we've just heard from Matthew Miller, as we heard from the U.S., these organizations, these U.N. organizations cannot do it alone.
Let me read to you some of the statistics of the services that UNRWA provides. It looks up to 1.7 million Palestinian refugees, among the 5.9 million across the Middle East. It employs 30,000 people in the Middle East and 13,000 people in Gaza.
Who is going to fill this void, Ambassador?
DANON: So let's continue with the fact check. You know, when you speak about humanitarian efforts that not involved in humanitarian work today. UNRWA's work mainly dealing with education and health services. And I think there should be other organizations who are doing it that would make sure that Hamas is not taking advantage.
You know, we have so many examples. I will give you one of UNRWA employees who penetrated Israel, kidnapped Israeli bodies into Gaza. So we cannot allow that. We cannot allow that people will be involved in terrorism while they are hiding behind the U.N. flag.
COREN: You mentioned these U.N. agencies needing to step up and step in. Will Israel step in?
DANON: So we will coordinate exactly the same way we are doing today. You know, we are fighting terrorism, we are fighting Hamas, but at the same time we coordinate and we cooperate with NGOs and we'll continue to do that. Yes. And I agree that there will be some things that will have to change, and that is our goal, to continue to support humanitarian efforts, but not to allow Hamas to take advantage of those humanitarian organizations.
COREN: Ambassador, what are Israel's plans for Gaza? Are we to believe the right-wing faction of Prime Minister Netanyahu's government, and that is for Gaza to be handed over to Jewish settlers?
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DANON: Prime Minister Netanyahu said it very clearly. We have no desire to stay in Gaza, period. You know, we are in Gaza today because we were attacked on October 7th because we have 101 hostages still after a year being held in the tunnels of Gaza. So I think once we will be able to release the hostages, and eliminate Hamas, then the time will come to speak about the future of Gaza, the reconstruction of Gaza.
But that will be only after Hamas will be eradicated. There is no future for the people of Gaza if Hamas will stay in power.
COREN: Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, we appreciate your time. Thank you for joining us.
DANON: Thank you, Anna.
COREN: Next hour we'll talk live with UNRWA's senior deputy Director of affairs in Gaza to get his perspective on the ban.
Well, at least 60 people were killed by Israeli strikes in eastern Lebanon on Monday night. That's according to the country's health ministry. They say it was one of the single deadliest attack since Israel's war with Hezbollah ramped up last month. Earlier on Monday Israeli strikes destroyed buildings in the southern port city of Tyre. Officials there say seven people were killed. Israel's military says it bombed Hezbollah targets in Tyre and issued evacuation orders for several parts of the city.
The race for the White House is entering its final week with the nominees trying to snag every possible vote in the key battleground states that will determine who wins. Donald Trump returned to Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday, promising to bring back the American dream before launching into a long list of false and mean-spirited remarks about Kamala Harris accusing her of destroying the middle-class and letting terrorists into the country.
The Republican presidential nominee also dismissed claims from Democrats and his own former chief of staff that he's a fascist and a Nazi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Kamala is now doing something much worse than what she was talking about. The newest line from Kamala and her campaign is that everyone who isn't voting for her is a Nazi. I'm not a Nazi. I'm the opposite of a Nazi.
(END VIDEO CLIP) COREN: Meanwhile, the U.S. vice president spent her Monday in the key swing state of Michigan speaking to union workers and young voters. Kamala Harris slammed Trump's anti-democratic messages and promised to protect reproductive freedoms.
Well, hanging over the entire racism and ugly episode that unfolded Sunday during a Trump rally at New York City's famous Madison Square Garden. The first speaker, a comedian, drew backlash after calling the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage. Further insults were lobbed at Latinos, black men, and other minorities. Amid the backlash, the Trump team said the remarks do not reflect the views of Trump or his campaign.
Well, Barack Obama seized on the offensive nature of the event during his own rally in Philadelphia on Monday. The former U.S. president, urging Americans to reject the politics of division and hatred.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: These are fellow citizens he's talking about. Here in Philadelphia they are your neighbors, they are your friends, they are your co-workers. Their kids go to school with your kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: There are growing concerns within the Trump campaign that the violence and vulgar language from the Sunday rally is overshadowing Trump's message.
CNN's Danny Freeman has reaction from the crucial state of Pennsylvania which has a sizable Latino population.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANNY FREEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Vice President Harris' campaign wasted little time Monday morning.
EDDIE MORAN, MAYOR OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA: They did us a favor. They woke up. They woke up. They woke us up. They woke us up.
FREEMAN: Assembling a host of Puerto Rican surrogates in Philadelphia.
QUETCY LOZADA, PHILADELPHIA COUNCILMEMBER: I hope that people are as angry and they turn that anger into votes.
FREEMAN: Pennsylvania has more than 480,000 residents of Puerto Rican descent, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. That's the most out of any of the battleground states. And the Philadelphia metro area is among the top regions with Puerto Ricans outside of New York and Florida.
Philadelphia city council member and Harris supporter Quetcy Lozada knew she had to speak up after last night.
LOZADA: I think that what folks don't realize is that Puerto Rico -- when Puerto Ricans get angry we turn into action mode very quickly.
FREEMAN: Around Philly's largely Puerto Rican Fair Hill neighborhood voters we spoke with had heard the comments.
JOSE VEGA, PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRAT: (Speaking in Foreign Language)
FREEMAN: He doesn't know what he's talking about. Puerto Rico is a beautiful island.
[00:15:02]
(Voice-over): 32-year-old Christian Hernandez is voting for the first time this year for Vice President Harris. The Trump rally remarks only solidified his vote.
You think Puerto Ricans heard those words from last night?
CHRISTIAN HERNANDEZ, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: Yes, for sure. A lot of Puerto Ricans, they're mad and disappointed.
FREEMAN (voice-over): Marcos Pagan didn't like the comments at all.
When you hear stuff like Puerto Rico is a floating island of garbage, what goes through your mind?
MARCOS PAGAN, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: To be honest, I feel disrespected because he doesn't know what we go through. You know? We've been through a lot.
FREEMAN (voice-over): But Marcos still is not sure who he's voting for.
When you hear comments like that, does that change your perspective about who you might vote for?
PAGAN: No.
FREEMAN: That's not enough?
PAGAN: I'd rather see it to believe it, you know. Everybody actually found the words.
FREEMAN (voice-over): Fernando Santiago already cast his vote for former president Donald Trump, but now he and his whole family are mad about last night's remarks.
What did you think about him calling Puerto Rico a floating island of trash?
FERNANDO SANTIAGO, PENNSYLVANIA VOTER: That must stop because that's my island, you know. I don't want people talking like that, you know. This is not right.
VEGA: (Speaking in Foreign Language)
FREEMAN: You think he's not going to go far because of this lack of respect towards Puerto Ricans?
VEGA: (Speaking in Foreign Language)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREEMAN (on-camera): Now we did reach out to the Trump campaign here in Pennsylvania for comment for the story. They just pointed us to the statement they released back on Sunday evening saying this joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.
I will note, though, former president Trump is expected to be in the city of Allentown on Tuesday. Allentown has an enormous Latino population specifically an enormous Puerto Rican populations. So we'll see if the former president addresses this controversy then.
Danny Freeman, CNN, Philadelphia.
COREN: For more, I'm joined by Isaac Arnsdorf, he's a national political reporter for the "Washington Post."
Isaac, good to see you. There's been quite a lot of backlash to that floating island of garbage joke. Are you surprised?
ISAAC ARNSDORF, NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER, WASHINGTON POST: Well, I mean, it's actually not something that Donald Trump himself said. It was one of the warm-up acts that has broken through as probably the single most important thing that came out of that rally and the thing that most people are hearing about it. And one of the reasons that it matters so much with only a week to go is that there's a huge Puerto Rican-American population in the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania, large communities in Philadelphia, and also in Allentown, a majority Latino city where Trump is actually scheduled to do a rally on Tuesday night.
COREN: Sure Trump didn't make that joke, but it was at his rally. And whilst his campaign has distanced itself, saying that it doesn't reflect the views of President Trump or his campaign, I mean, the entire rally at Madison Square Garden had racist overtures.
ARNSDORF: Yes, this was certainly not the only offensive thing that was said at that -- from the lectern at that rally. Puerto Ricans were not the only subject of those offensive jokes and remarks and we also should point out it's very unusual for the Trump campaign to walk back anything. Usually, they take a more in-your-face approach, so that's kind of an indication of how big a deal this is.
But there have also been mixed messages. I mean, at the same time that you've had the one campaign spokeswoman say that speaker didn't speak for the campaign, you've had another campaign spokeswoman and also the running mate J.D. Vance out there saying basically like, why can't people take a joke, don't get so worked up about this.
COREN: Why can't people take a joke? Well, I mean, you've got some pretty high-profile Puerto Rican celebrities speaking out, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, obviously all coming out and heavily endorsing Kamala Harris in response to that bad joke. Let me ask you, considering the Puerto Rican community within the
United States, I mean, how damaging were these remarks, these jokes to President Trump and his campaign?
ARNSDORF: Well. the Harris campaign and Democrats are doing everything they can to make sure that every Puerto Rican-American voter in the state of Pennsylvania hears about this. Texting them, sending ads to them, calling in on Spanish language talk radio. They are trying to make this on the president for this last week. And, you know, an election this close in the state that that's that close, you know, even a few people deciding to come off the sidelines could be the difference-maker.
[00:20:07]
COREN: Do you think that this will motivate perhaps some of those undecided voters?
ARNSDORF: Again, that's what Democrats want to see happen, and you know, some of the courting, the reporters who have been on the ground in Allentown have seen it break through and that it is -- it is making people think again about whether they want to vote or who they want to vote for. And, you know, just, there haven't been that many in such a fractured media environment and when so many people have already made up their minds, there haven't been that many moments since the debate between Harris and Trump when it kind of feels like the whole political conversation has latched onto something.
And, you know, obviously this isn't a level of a presidential debate, but it certainly does seem to be a breakout moment, kind of something that everyone is talking about.
COREN: They certainly are. Isaac Arnsdorf, we appreciate your time. Thank you for joining us.
ARNSDORF: Thanks.
COREN: Georgia's future hangs in the balance. Just ahead the latest on the fallout following Saturday's disputed parliamentary election and why the president is calling for an international investigation. Plus going thirsty while clean water flows through the streets. A deepening water crisis affecting more than a million people in Cuba is starting to take its toll. We'll show you what they're doing to survive.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: Thousands have been protesting outside the Georgian parliaments following the outcome of Saturday's crucial election and reports of voting irregularities. The former Soviet republic finds itself at a crossroads as the ruling party seeks to realign itself with Russia, while the opposition is pushing for E.U. membership with Georgia's president urging citizens to help save the country's, quote, "European future."
Our Fred Pleitgen has the latest. FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Tens of
thousands of people came out to the streets of Tbilisi supporting the Georgian opposition at the same time calling for the election results of the parliamentary election, which saw the Russia-friendly Georgian Dream Party declared as the winner for the results of that to be nullified. They are saying that the election was not free or fair and was meddled with by Russia and at the same time also by the Georgian Dream Party as well.
Now the president of Georgia, who has a largely ceremonial role, but he is very much pro-Western, also said that she believes the elections were meddled with when she spoke to our own Christiane Amanpour. Here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALOME ZOURABICHVILI, GEORGIAN PRESIDENT: 70 percent of the Georgian population in all opinion polls is supporting the European way and the European integration. And suddenly it's turned around in one election.
[00:25:02]
They have been using IDs that were taken from citizens and have been used seven times, 10 times, 17 times. We have known frauds of this extent and frauds of this multiplicity of manners is the first time is without precedent in Georgia and I think also in other countries.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: Now the Georgian opposition is saying that they believe that that election was meddled with both in the run-up to the vote and also in the vote as well. We heard from the president saying that electronic voting was obviously one of the big factors the opposition believes. But at the same time, they also believe that the playing field for the actual election was not level. They think that government funds in the run-up to the election were misappropriated by the governing Georgian Dream Party in order to try and buy votes. And at the same time that some voters were intimidated as well.
Of course, on the day of the election, there were some videos that surfaced, apparently showing some of the election workers being put under pressure and even possible ballot stuffing as well. The actual governing party, the Georgian Dream Party, did acknowledge that there were some irregularities. But at the same time said that the vote itself, it believes, was free and also fair.
The United States also calling for an investigation into the election, saying that there were irregularities. Of course, all of this already having a big effect for Georgia. The Georgian Dream Party put in place a law a couple of months ago, a foreign agent's law, very similar to the one in Russia, and that's already something that had caused the European Union to freeze ascension talks with Georgia.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE) COREN: And Russian attack has damaged a historic Soviet-era skyscraper in Ukraine. Reuters is reporting that the (INAUDIBLE) Building, which is one of the most celebrated landmarks in Kharkiv, was struck by a guided bomb on Monday. Kharkiv's governor says several floors have been completely destroyed. The building was completed in 1928 when Kharkiv was the capital of the Soviet -- of Soviet Ukraine. It was also on a tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The U.S. Defense Department believes North Korea has sent 10,000 of its troops to train in eastern Russia. Well, Pentagon officials say some of those forces have already moved closer to Ukraine and may soon be used to support Russian forces on the eastern frontlines or in Russia's Kursk region. NATO's new secretary-general says it's clear that Russia cannot handle its own war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK RUTTE, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: But the deployment of North Korean troops to Kursk is also a sign of Putin's growing desperation. Over 600,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Putin's war and he is unable to sustain his assault on Ukraine without foreign support.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COREN: The U.K. Foreign Office says Russia is rapidly losing troops on the battlefield. They estimate nearly 1200 were killed or wounded each day in August alone.
Well, growing concerns for civilians in Gaza after Israel bans the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. More on that controversial move ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COREN: Welcome back. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Anna Coren. Back now to our top story.
[00:30:16]
Israel's parliament has voted to ban a U.N. agency that provides aid to Palestinians in a move that's sparking international backlash.
Lawmakers signed off on two bills Monday, barring UNRWA from activity within Israel and preventing Israeli authorities from any contact with it.
Well, this is expected to restrict UNRWA's ability to operate in Gaza and the West Bank.
The U.N. chief is warning, quote, "There is no alternative to UNRWA. The implementation of the laws could have devastating consequences for Palestine refugees in the occupied Palestinian territory, which is unacceptable."
The World Health Organization is calling UNRWA an irreplaceable lifeline for Palestinians.
The director-general says, quote, "This is intolerable. It contravenes Israel's obligations and responsibilities and threatens the lives and health of all those who depend on UNRWA."
The concerns for Palestinian civilians are only growing. The U.N.'s top humanitarian official issued a dire warning that the entire population of Northern Gaza is at risk of dying amid an intense Israeli offensive in the area.
Since the operation began earlier this month, the Gaza civil defense says more than 1,000 people have been killed.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations are issuing stark warnings about the conditions in Northern Gaza --
DIAMOND (voice-over): -- making clear that life is simply becoming untenable for the remaining civilian population there, amid this major Israeli operation over the course of the last few weeks that has effectively besieged parts of Northern Gaza.
We are watching, of course, the impact, not only on the population who remain, those who have fled, but also, of course, on the hospitals, including Kamal Adwan Hospital, where we saw Israeli forces actually go into that hospital and arrest dozens of what they said were suspected Hamas terrorists.
But, of course, the hospital says that several dozen healthcare workers were also rounded up as part of those arrests.
As the situation in Northern Gaza is rapidly degrading, we are watching some movement on the hostage and ceasefire negotiations front.
On Sunday, we saw the Mossad director and other top negotiators head to Doha, Qatar, to resume negotiations that have really been frozen for weeks now.
And there is an interesting new Egyptian proposal on the table, which is no longer looking at a multi-phase deal to ultimately try and end the war in Gaza and see the release of all the hostages. Instead, they're looking at something far more limited, almost a confidence- building measure, a two-day truce.
Four Israeli hostages being released in exchange for an unsafe specified number of Palestinian prisoners.
The question is, is that something that Hamas could accept? The Israelis seem quite keen on this idea, but Hamas has, of course, made clear, for the better part of the last ten months, that they will only accept releasing hostages in exchange for a pathway to an end of the war in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
But the question is, will Hamas's position have changed in the wake of the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar? That may be something we get a better sense of in the coming days --
DIAMOND: -- as the mediators are set to meet with Hamas representatives very soon.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: Well, a spokesperson for Benjamin Netanyahu says the prime minister did not receive a two-day Gaza ceasefire and hostage release proposal following those talks in Doha, adding that, if a proposal had been raised, Mr. Netanyahu would have accepted it.
On Monday, anti-government protestors called for a deal to free the remaining hostages. A massive crowd took to the streets of Jerusalem chanting as Israeli police forcefully removed some of them.
Well, time is running out in the race for the White House, but for tens of millions of American voters, the election is already over. A look at early voting and the impact it could have on the election.
That's next on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[00:36:27]
COREN: Cuba only recently restored electricity on the island after a complete power grid failure due to severe weather. But more than 1 million people are still enduring a months-long water shortage, despite watching it flow through the streets because of poor infrastructure.
Well, CNN's Patrick Oppmann is in Havana with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some days, in many parts of Cuba, it seems there's water everywhere but actually inside people's houses.
Like the power grid that crashed across the island for more than three days earlier this month, the island's aging, poorly maintained water system is also barely functioning.
Enough water spills in the street in some places to even wash your car.
The day we first visited this hardscrabble neighborhood on the outskirts of Havana, residents tell us they've not had running water in over two weeks.
Some people, like Ani (ph), say they walk to areas where water does come in, even if only for a few hours, to carry back to their homes.
"We carry water to be able to bathe and cook," she says. "I have four tanks for water in my house, but there's not even a drop in them."
Cuban officials blame U.S. sanctions, in part, for the failing water system, but acknowledge the crisis has grown to impact nearly 10 percent of the population.
"We have around 1,013,000, 1,018,000 people without water," he says, "because of the pumps, energy cuts, pipe breakages."
The water shortages have led some Cubans to take to the streets in protest, something the government usually does not tolerate.
The worsening power situation has a direct impact on the water supply.
OPPMANN: Many people have not -- most people in Cuba don't get water every day. You might get water for a few hours every other day, every third day. It's what's known as "El dia del aqua," "water day."
But when there's a power cut, you don't get any water that day either.
OPPMANN (voice-over): The government says it sends water trucks to help with the problem, but there are not enough to go around. And residents here tell us you have to pay to get one of those trucks to actually come.
That's an impossibility for someone like Ani (ph), who says the more frequently the power goes out, the less water she will likely have. She says the country's leaders need to remember how poor people like her here live.
"The power doesn't go out for them," she says. "They need to put themselves in our place."
Just down the hill from Ani's (ph) house, a small river of drinking water runs in the street where a pipe is broken. She says residents have reported the problem for years to the local government, but no one has ever come to fix it.
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, Havana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COREN: "Washington Post" owner Jeff Bezos is defending his decision to not allow the newspaper to endorse a candidate in the U.S. presidential race.
In a rare op-ed published by "The Post" on Monday, Bezos said presidential endorsements do nothing to change an election, writing, "No undecided voters in Pennsylvania are going to say, 'I'm going with Newspaper A's endorsement.' None. What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias, of non-independence. Ending them as a principled decision, and it's the right one."
Well, the statement came hours after three members of "The Post's" editorial board resigned over Bezos's decision and thousands of readers canceled their subscriptions.
[00:40:00]
One week before election day in the United States, and more than 43.5 million Americans have cast their ballots in early voting. Among them, the man who, until about three months ago, had planned on being the Democratic presidential nominee.
Well, Brian Todd has more on that and a look at how early voting could impact the razor-thin margin in the race for the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is your ballot. You can slip right on over there.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Biden voting early on Monday in his home state of Delaware, a reporter asking him about casting a ballot that he had hoped to cast for himself.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it bittersweet for you?
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, this is just sweet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Detroit!
TODD (voice-over): The president's party, meantime, has brought out the star power to promote early voting. Former President Barack Obama hitting the trail in battleground states in recent days.
BARACK OBAMA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Find out where to vote early.
TODD (voice-over): So far, more than 43 million Americans have already cast their ballots, either in-person or by mail.
Michigan has never conducted early in-person voting in a general election until this year. The secretary of state in the Wolverine State says it's been a hit.
JOCELYN BENSON, MICHIGAN SECRETARY OF STATE: A quarter of a million Michigan citizens voted on the first two days alone.
TODD (voice-over): The state of Georgia got off to a record start for early voting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We thought we were going to get ahead of the game a little bit, but looks like everybody got the same thing in mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is first time I've ever done it. And the likes of this line, it may be the last.
TODD (voice-over): State officials in Georgia said that, as of Monday afternoon, more than a third of active voters in Georgia had already cast their ballots.
KAMALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: So now is the time to vote early.
TODD (voice-over): Once again, Democrats seem more likely to vote early, or at least by mail, if not in person. But Republicans are expected to turn out on election day.
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA CORRESPONDENT: Kamala Harris is almost certainly going to win that vote by mail. She leads in an average of the recent polls -- get this -- by 43 points. That early in-person voting, that's going to be pretty split down the middle.
But then, we're expecting that election day vote to be very good for Donald Trump. In the average polling, we see him up by 17.
TODD (voice-over): This year, more Republicans are voting early than in 2020, partly because the former president has changed his tune on it. For years, Donald Trump denigrated early voting as being suspect, even fraudulent. Now --
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Early voting is underway. Get everyone you know and vote.
TODD: Why do you think the Republicans have changed their messaging on early vote?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They know they've gotten trounced on this, right? The Republicans are playing catch-up. Whether or not they'll fully ever equal Democrats on the early voting front, unknown.
TODD: Analysts say it's almost impossible to project from early voting who will win this election.
One key reason why it's difficult to tell from that: the fact that the majority of states don't report to us the party affiliations of those who vote early.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
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COREN: Well, thank you for watching. I'm Anna Coren. I'll be back at the top of the hour with more of CNN NEWSROOM. But first, WORLD SPORT after this short break.
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