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Hamas And Israel Finally Agree To Ceasefire-Hostage Deal; Biden Warns Rise OF Big Tech, And Oligarchy In America; Biden Touted The Accomplishments Of His Administration; Confirmation Hearing For Secretary Of State Nominee, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL); Gaza- Ceasefire-Hostage Deal To Take Effect Sunday; Crews Making Progress, Winds & Hot Spots Still A Threat; Ban On TikTok Could Hit The U.S. In Just Days; Bytedance's New Sales Feature Faces Uncertain Fate In U.S. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired January 16, 2025 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:37]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Four hundred and sixty-seven days of war in Gaza, 411 days of negotiations to reach a cease fire. Hello, I'm John Vaughn. And ahead here on CNN Newsroom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED BIN ABDULRAHMAN AL THANI, QATARI PRIME MINISTER: This deal will bring us peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Hope, celebrations and cautious optimism in Gaza and Israel. But will both sides honor this agreement?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: In his farewell address, U.S. President Joe Biden warns about future threats to American democracy, urging Americans to be vigilant about erosion of their rights and freedoms.
And also, firefighters could get a reprieve from dangerous conditions fueling the extreme fire threat in Southern California with winds expected to ease in the coming hours.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: After more than 15 months of war, leaving more than 47,000 mostly Palestinians and Israelis dead, an unprecedented Israeli military offensive which has laid waste to most of Gaza amid one of the world's worst ongoing humanitarian crises, negotiators have finally broken a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. If fully implemented, it should see the release of the last 94 of 250 hostages and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territory. The ceasefire is set to begin Sunday. It's yet to be approved by Israel's cabinet, but that's expected in the coming hours with negotiators saying the main points of contention have all been resolved.
In Tel Aviv, relief for families and friends of the hostages. But many say they will not feel joy until all of their loved ones are released. In the first of three phases, 33 hostages held in Gaza will be set free over 42 days. At the same time, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will also be released. There were celebrations across Gaza as word spread of the deal, bringing hopes of a surge in desperately needed humanitarian assistance.
The Israeli military will also begin withdrawing from parts of Gaza. Qatar's prime minister says negotiations took 411 days to reach a deal which includes a role for the Qatar, Egypt and the United States to monitor both sides.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL THANI: We will continue to do everything we can, everything possible, together with our partners to ensure that this deal is implemented as it's agreed. And this deal will bring us peace, hopefully at the end of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: This cease fire comes in the final days of the Biden administration and it's mostly the same plan proposed back in May. As President Joe Biden prepares to leave office, he now says there are genuine opportunities for a new future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: The road to this deal has not been easy. I've worked in foreign policy for decades. This is one of the toughest negotiations I've ever experienced and reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas backed by the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Live now to Abu Dhabi, CNN's Paula Hancocks is standing by.
And Paula, there's a lot of detail here. There's a lot of confidence building measures which are yet to take place. And there is still so much which could go wrong.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, John. I mean, the first phase, we have the details that has been hammered out very carefully over recent months. But of course, that does have to be that agreement and continued negotiations for phase two.
So what we're seeing in phase one, we're expecting this to start on Sunday. There will be a pause in the war, a cease fire. We also know that there will be three female Israeli civilians released as the first part of that phase. Within the six weeks, there should be about 33 hostages being released.
Now, we have had -- really that the term we are hearing is cautious optimism from all sides at this point. From the Israeli side, we haven't heard from the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yet. He said he wants to wait until everything is ratified. The security cabinet and the government cabinet has to approve this in the coming hours in Israel. But we have heard from the Israeli president.
[01:05:07]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ISAAC HERZOG, ISRAELI PRESIDENT (through translator): We are much stronger than we imagined. The decision must be clear and unequivocal. We save them, we free them, we bring them home urgently down to the last one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANCOCKS: Now we also have a statement from Hamas. They say, quote, "The agreement to stop the aggression against Gaza is an achievement for our people, our resistance, our nation and the free people of the world. It marks a crucial turning point in the struggle against the enemy on the path to achieving our people's goals of liberation and return."
So we have been seeing celebrations in Gaza, those on the ground speaking of hope going hand in hand with pain because of what they have lost over the past 15 months. Similar scenes in Tel Aviv, for example, at Hostage Square as they are very hopeful of what could come. But of course there is trepidation that not all the hostages will come home. John.
VAUSE: One of the most urgent priorities, of course, is getting badly needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Are there plans in place now for that to happen? How soon and how much?
HANCOCKS: Well, we've heard from the State Department spokesperson Matt Miller. He had a quote of well over 500 humanitarian aid trucks a day. The hope is they could get more than that into Gaza. Now we know that there is a desperate need for more humanitarian aid. There has been for months upon months now.
And of course, at a time when you will have in the first phase this cease fire, Palestinians able and allowed to return to their homes. There will be a realization that many of those homes are rubble. They simply don't exist. So there will be a need for food, for water, for shelter for many of those now on the move. And of course there will be a need as well to try and create and rebuild or repair some of those hospitals, particularly in northern Gaza, that have been put out of action over recent months.
So the need is very acute. The State Department saying they hope at least the security situation will improve, which means they will be able to get the aid to where it needs to go. John.
VAUSE: Paula, good to see you. Thank you for being with us. Paula Hancocks live in Abu Dhabi.
CNN's Bianna Golodryga spoke with Israelis at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv about their cautious optimism as well as their relief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But I think, you know, it's not a celebratory mode because everyone knows it's not a perfect deal. But I think every single hostages and come back, it's as if we can save the whole humanity. So on the one hand there's relief and hope that some of the hostages and women and children especially will come out. But I don't think there's any, you know, celebration because we also know that on the other hand, some terrorists that have killed a lot of people are going to come out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Alon Pinkas is a former Israeli Consul General in New York. He joins us now live from Tel Aviv.
Ambassador, good to see you again.
ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK: Good morning, John, good to be with you again.
VAUSE: Thank you.
Now, the Prime Minister of Qatar may have answered our question from yesterday about how both sides will honor their side of the ceasefire agreement. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL THANI: There is a follow up mechanism that Egypt, Qatar and U.S. are going to handle. It will be placed in Cairo. And this follow up actually will be a joint team from the three countries that will monitor the implementation of the agreement. And everything is being agreed upon and will be in place hopefully on the day of execution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: So he's talking about monitoring this agreement, not enforcing this agreement. Seems like there's a world of difference between the two.
PINKAS: Oh, there's a huge difference because this agreement does not cover and does not even reference to the whole thing called postwar Gaza governance. The agreement is as it should be, as it was intended and designed to be, a hostage deal and a ceasefire. The monitoring seems to replace the postwar Gaza plans until those are put in place. However, you know, it remains to be seen how this monitoring process or mechanism is going to work. VAUSE: And while we're talking to you, so we're just looking at live images of Khan Yunis there. It's just gone after 8:00 in the morning in Khan Yunis. There is just utter devastation across Gaza as we've been seeing. And it's just interesting to keep -- to look at this scene because this is what they're going to be dealing with. So if phase one of this deal does not collapse, then we get to phase two, and that's when it gets really hard.
[01:10:16]
There's a sticking point that there'll be the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, which Israel says will only happen once Hamas is eliminated as a political and military force.
I want you to listen to the U.S. National Security Spokesman, John Kirby on Hamas. Here he is.
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JOHN KIRBY, WHITE HOUSE SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESMAN: Hamas is a radically different organization today than it was back in May. They were stronger in May and throughout the summer. But over the course of those many months, due to IDF military action, Hamas became dramatically weakened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Dramatically weakened is not eliminated. And they're still recruiting volunteers. If Hamas is left in some kind of de facto leadership role in Gaza, then what's the point of the last 15 months?
PINKAS: It's a good question. I don't think there is -- there was a point. I think this agreement could have been signed in March of 2024. It was presented by President Biden again in late May 2024. It was again rekindled in July and in August of 2024.
And the only reason it went on and on and on is because Mr. Netanyahu prolonged the war for his own purposes. You know, floating around all these cliches about total victory and elimination and eradication and so on. The U.S.'s position is, I have to admit, is pretty peculiar because they're not blaming Israel, because by blaming Israel for not accepting this deal, they're basically blaming themselves for not exerting enough pressure or not seeking this forcefully. And they are at fault for this, the American administration, as long as they were involved. But here we are, and there is an agreement.
And as you indicated a few moments ago, John, it all hinges on the durability and sustainability of the ceasefire. Even phase one will not be -- even phase one is divided into several phases and will not be completed unless the ceasefire holds. Which brings the question, given the devastation and lawlessness in Gaza, what would constitute a violation of the ceasefire? Because you could see that, you know, with Mr. Netanyahu's coalition problems and the somewhat subdued response in Israel to this, that people are skeptical that this will move into phase two. So people are saying, well, the Americans gave assurances that Israel would not resume the war, therefore phase two will be implemented.
But the question is, John, who gave those assurances? Because we have a weird situation here in which two administrations were involved, an outgoing and an incoming, number one. Number two, is Israel bound by these assurances and who exactly were they given to? So it is very, very precarious.
VAUSE: You touched on this. Phase one comes with six other different phases within it. There'll be batches of hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. In that first batch, they're talking about maybe two or three hostages being released at a time. This is going to be an incredibly painful drip, drip, drip for the Israeli public.
This will just add to what has already been, this incredible national moment of scarring. And it's set to get a whole lot worse.
PINKAS: You're absolutely right. I mean, one of the things some people around the world don't fully understand is how devastated and dejected Israelis feel since October 7, 2023. Now that there's an agreement, you would have expected some sort of elation and celebratory mood. And yet what you see is exactly what you just pointed to. You see a realization that this torment is going to continue because of the structure of the deal.
Now, on the one hand, a lot of these deals are phased in order to guarantee that they will be complied with. On the other hand, structuring it in a phase or gradual way exposes it to the -- to its own weaknesses. And that -- and the main weakness is, as I said before, the durability of the ceasefire.
So, yes, you're going to see a trickling of one batch of three or four, then another, maybe another. And then before you know it, there are all these skirmishes throughout Gaza and both sides are saying, well, no, no, no, no, this is not -- this is not a violation of the ceasefire, but one side may decide that it is a violation of the ceasefire and the entire agreement is no longer implemented. This is a worst case scenario, granted, but, you know, it needs to be discussed now because people assume, OK, it's just phased and within 42 days it'll all be done. No, there are a lot of hurdles and challenges in these 42 days.
VAUSE: It's going to be a very awful time. It is good news, it's happening. But -- yes, there are still a lot of hurdles, a lot of pain to come.
[01:15:07]
Ambassador Pinkas, as always, sir, thank you for being with us at this time of day. Your insights are very much valued, sir. Thank you.
PINKAS: Thank you, John. Always a pleasure.
VAUSE: Thank you. Thank you.
Well, now that cease fire deal has the initial green light, the United Nations hopes to surge aid into Gaza. Here's the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: This deal is a critical first step. Our priority now must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict. The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Aid workers warned months ago Gaza is on the verge of famine. One U.N. official says the situation will not suddenly disappear just because a ceasefire begins.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM FLETCHER, U.N. EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR: A cease fire deal doesn't suddenly make this an easy situation in which to deliver aid. The security situation remains very, very tough. We're barely able to get a fraction of the aid through that we need to at the moment and that won't suddenly change. So, we'll have to work in a very agile, creative way that will also work with ambition because that's what the people so badly need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: U.N. agency which is in charge of Palestinian refugees welcomed this agreement, adding that many have been hoping for it for the past 15 months. Saying the deal will bring much needed respite for the people of Gaza as well as the release for hostages.
Norwegian Refugee Council says the ceasefire must lead to an enduring truce that can pave the way for peace as well as human rights.
In a moment, President Joe Biden giving his final speech from the Oval Office. A lot of warnings about big tech and a power grab by the super wealthy. Details in a moment.
Also a defiant Yoon Suk Yeol stonewalling a criminal investigation, taking the fifth. The arrested South Korean president faces an impeachment hearing today. About the very latest from Seoul when we come back.
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VAUSE: U.S. President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation Wednesday, just days before he leaves the White House after more than 50 years of public service. He warned about the looming threat from what he called the tech industrial complex, where he said the truth is smothered by lies told for power and profit. First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and others joined the President in the Oval Office for the address. Biden also says he's concerned that a few wealthy people are holding a lot of power which could threaten democracy. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. This is a dangerous -- and that's a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people. The dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms. And a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:20:18]
VAUSE: In Los Angeles now, Ron Brownstein, CNN senior political analyst and a senior editor at the Atlantic. Good to see, Ron.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, John.
VAUSE: So, not so much a farewell speech, but kind of more of a obviously warning to the country about dangers ahead.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VAUSE: And he talked about this tech industrial complex. Here's a little more. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platform accountable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Kind of like President Eisenhower warning about the military industrial complex in his farewell address. That warning went unheeded. Given the outcome of November's election, did Americans actually vote for misinformation? Voted against the free press? Voted against fact checking?
BROWNSTEIN: They voted as if that was less important to them than their immediate concerns about inflation and to some extent the border. I mean, this was a more substantive and meaty speech than I expected. I mean, the first half was kind of the anodyne, you know, president out the door. I have a lot of faith in America. We did a lot of good work together.
Our best days are ahead of us. And then he very sharply pivoted to a very specific and extended warning, both about what he called an oligarchy and also what he called the tech industrial complex. And I think in the process, he laid down some important markers, both in terms of the long term health of our civic society and our democratic institutions. But also in the near term, I think he kind of dug deeper the lines that I think Democrats are going to follow over the next two years. I mean, if there is a road back for Democrats after this very disappointing election, I think it's going to be centered on arguing that Trump promised to deal with your problems, solve your problems, and all he's doing is enriching a lot of his very rich buddies.
VAUSE: There's also climate change, as Biden touched on. And he can claim a lot of credit here for progress on alternative energy infrastructure and a lot of jobs along the way. The president-elect has promised to undo a lot of what Biden has done on climate change.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VAUSE: But the real question here is how much can Trump actually do here? Because a lot of this stuff is already locked in.
BROWNSTEIN: Well, no, Trump can do a lot I mean, this is kind of the whiplash we've been going through in the last few administrations where each one comes in and tries to erase the blackboard left by the previous. I mean, Trump will certainly try to repeal the two rescind, better word, the two fundamental EPA regulations requiring automakers to move toward electric vehicles and requiring power companies to move toward clean power. The Republicans are already floating plans to pay for their big tax cut by rescinding again, many of the tax incentives created in the Inflation Reduction Act, which have generated an enormous amount of new investment in plants for producing clean energy. The biggest defense that those programs have is that a disproportionately proportionate share of the investment, 80 percent the last time I looked, has actually gone into Republican held districts. Not shocking those tend to be on the periphery of major metros where there's more room for, you know, manufacturing plants.
But the fact is that Republicans in Congress will be voting in -- I think, in the next few months to repeal incentives that are creating jobs in their own districts. And we'll see how many of them are, in the end willing to do that.
VAUSE: Then there is also the Gaza cease fire. A deal is in place. But a question which was put to President Biden earlier in the day. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?
BIDEN: Is that a joke? Oh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Who gets credit for this? You or Trump? Is it -- it's not a joke. Here's part of what Donald Trump --
BROWNSTEIN: No.
VAUSE: -- posted on Truth Social, "This epic ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our historic victory in November, as it signaled to the entire world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans and our allies. I am thrilled."
Yes. Depending on where you are, you know, it's a Rorschach text in many ways for Democrats and Republicans.
BROWNSTEIN: Yes.
VAUSE: Republicans see it as a Reagan moment. Democrats see it's a result of Biden's hard work. How do you see it?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, yes, look, I mean, I'm not in the room. I don't know exactly how much Netanyahu's calculations was affected by the message he was getting from Trump's, you know, envoys. But the basic framework of the deal is the deal that Biden put on the table months and months ago. And of course, it is the tragedy of the Biden administration. I'm sure you had the same experience.
[01:25:03]
I mean, really, since January, people in the administration have been telling me they expect this deal or something like it to be coming next week, you know, and both Netanyahu and Hamas waited until the 11th hour and, you know, 50 minutes to do it. Trump, I think, you know, by the evidence, had some influence, but certainly so did Biden. We'll see what happens going forward because, you know, Trump has kind of a mixed or divided attitude about Israel. On the one hand, he's appointed a whole series of officials who are sympathetic to the furthest right elements of Israeli politics and their maximalist vision of controlling the occupied territories. On the other hand, you know, Netanyahu kind of rubs him the wrong way, and he seems to be happy often to put him in his place.
He also wants to continue to make progress with Saudi Arabia. So how he squares all of those circles in office is going to be, I think, fascinating and very difficult to watch.
VAUSE: Well, come Monday, it's all on his watch, so I guess we'll find out.
Ron Brownstein, thank you, sir. Always good to see you. Appreciate it.
BROWNSTEIN: Thanks, John.
VAUSE: Throughout the U.S. presidential campaign, Donald Trump warned his political rivals, critics, prosecutors, judges, journalists, they could all face prosecution. But now, as the twice impeached convicted felon president-elect is set to take the oath office, his choice of attorney general is seen as crucial. Will they support his agenda? Here's CNN's Manu Raju on the confirmation hearing for Trump's choice for America's top cop.
MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, Pam Bondi's nomination to be the Attorney General of the United States seems to be on a glide path in the United States Senate. She seems very likely to be confirmed after a confirmation hearing. Even though it was contentious at times. Democrats questioned whether she would be truly independent from Donald Trump and whether she would resist if Donald Trump urged her to do anything illegal. She said those are hypothetical questions that she didn't want to engage in.
She did say that she would not do anything that she believed were improper. And there were questions about her comments that she made in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Then she called herself a, quote, "advocate for the Trump campaign." The question is, would she have -- would she -- did she accept the notion that Joe Biden won legitimately? She had some nuanced response about that, although she did say she accepted the election results.
I caught up with Democratic senators and Republican senators about those remarks in the aftermath of the hearing, and their reactions broke down along party lines.
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SEN. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): I was concerned, I think you could tell that she simply couldn't answer very simple questions. Is there a factual basis to investigate Jack Smith? Got no answer. Can you tell us whether there was massive fraud that would have affected the outcome of the 2020 election? Wouldn't answer it.
You know, basic things that would have demonstrated if she was willing to answer it, her ability or willingness, her independence that would enable her to say no to the president if necessary.
RAJU: Democrats have been trying to press her about to say that there was no election fraud or that Trump actually lost in 2020, but she hasn't explicitly said that. Why not?
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): She said she accepted the result. She went to Pennsylvania, thought there was, you know, mistakes made. She's accepted there. Nobody cares. Trump won.
Let it go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: Now, despite those concerns from Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, we do expect her to be confirmed rather easily, potentially with some Democratic support as well. One Democratic senator, Peter Welch of Vermont, told me that he believed that she did a, quote, "good job" at the hearing and said they did not necessarily share those same concerns that other Democrats had about her not being independent enough from Donald Trump.
The chairman of that committee, Chuck Grassley, Republican from Iowa, told me that he plans to have a vote in this hearing once her paperwork is completed and that it will move rather quickly to the Senate floor where the Senate Majority leader, John Thune, is expected to try to expedite this nomination once it is out of committee. So a clear sign that Donald Trump could get one of his key picks across the finish line as Republicans feel confident that most, if not all of his nominees, will get confirmed. Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.
VAUSE: Very different atmosphere in the confirmation hearing for Donald Trump's choice of Secretary of State. Senator Marco Rubio received a warm reception from his Republican colleagues, as well as an endorsement from the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. During questioning, Rubio even voiced support for NATO.
[01:29:41]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE NOMINEE: Without the NATO alliance, there is no end to the Cold War. In fact, without the NATO alliance, it's quite possible that much of what today, at the time today we know as Europe would have fallen victim to aggression.
I'm not stating a public policy position, I'm stating a question to be asked, and that is, should the role of the United States and NATO in the 21st century be the primary defense role or as a backstop to aggression?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Rubio even cosponsored a bipartisan law which prevented the U.S. leaving NATO without Senate approval or an act of Congress.
In a moment, phase one of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is set to begin in just a few days. A at whether it's likely to last until the final phases.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IFAT KALDERON, COUSIN OF HOSTAGE OFER KALDERON: It's not a joy. It's not -- it's a bit a relief, but it's going to be a huge relief.
Whenever -- first of all, whenever I see Ofer and secondly, whenever I'm going to see the last hostages crossing the border.
And we're going to be here protesting every day until it's going to happen. Because I'm -- I don't know if it's going to happen. I don't know if we're going to get all of them back home.
And that's -- it's my huge fear that we're not going to get them all home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm filled with hope and pain. Pain for all that we've lost, for our loved ones and friends and family and neighbors and hope for the return of Gaza, for the return of our homes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The Gaza ceasefire brokered in Doha is a complicated and potentially delicate agreement, which should see the slow release of all Israeli hostages and ultimately the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory.
Well, there's a long way to go before that happens. And CNN's Becky Anderson has details on what comes next.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, so what does this deal look like? Well, what we know is it will be implemented on the 19th of January. That is Sunday, the day before, of course, president -- or President- Elect Donald Trump, soon to be President Trump is inaugurated.
It is in its first phase, 42 days. During that phase, 33 hostages will be released from captivity in Gaza by those who are holding them there. This is 33 of what is believed to be the 94 hostages who are still being held.
Sadly, I think it is clear now that many of those hostages haven't actually survived. But at some point their bodies will be removed from Gaza and repatriated home.
[01:34:46]
ANDERSON: So in the first instance, 33 hostages -- that will include children, women, the injured and people over the age of 50 -- 33 of those hostages will be returned home.
And this is in exchange for Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli detention. It is not clear until we see the actual detail of the deal just how many Palestinian prisoners will be exchanged for these 33 Israeli hostages in the first 42 days. But the number is believed to be in the hundreds, if not a thousand or so. So that detail still to be revealed at this point.
Also, the Israeli army will be withdrawing in a staggered fashion away from the Philadelphia Corridor, for example, and towards the beach in the -- towards the east.
Eventually, as we understand it from our sources, the Israeli forces will withdraw to a buffer zone on the border with Gaza, and Palestinians will be allowed to return home to their homes in the northern part of the strip. That is very important.
And crucially for Palestinians in Gaza, the prime minister here said that there will be a surge in humanitarian aid. Again, the details not clear as of yet. We are hearing as many as 600 trucks of aid a day will be let in. But again, we can't stand that up as of yet.
Look, this is a first phase and on -- at some point, and we believe that's likely to be day 16 of this first phase -- the negotiations will begin for a second phase, which is intended to end this war.
Is there an enormous amount of confidence about whether this deal will go beyond phase one? Well, that depends on who you speak to here. But certainly when I asked the Qatari prime minister what sort of confidence he had that this deal will continue past phase one and what sort of mechanisms there are in place to ensure that it moves beyond phase one and progress is made towards an end of this conflict, he said they have mechanisms in place.
They will work alongside the U.S. and the Egyptians, the other two key mediators in this, to ensure that things work on the ground, but didn't give any further detail, it had to be said, on exactly how that is going to work.
So have we got an end to this war, well, temporarily? Have we got relief for the hostage families that are hoping that their loved ones will be returned, whether alive or dead? Yes, hopefully. Certainly for the first 42 days.
Although of course, that is not the entirety of those hostages held, they -- some of those will have to wait until the second phase of this.
Do Palestinian prisoners who have been detained by the Israelis get to leave? Some of those may may be prisoners who have deemed to have killed Israelis. There are some, it seems, who are on the list to be released.
But what we have to underscore is the importance of this being the first six weeks. Can we get beyond this first six weeks? That's still a question that needs to -- is as yet unanswered. But six weeks, certainly in the can at this point.
Let's hope that that ceasefire, that temporary ceasefire holds for that first six weeks and that negotiators can get back at the table and ensure that we can get beyond this. Because ultimately, what the people of Palestine and many people in Israel and many people around the world want is a silencing of the guns in Gaza and completely and for the last time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Becky Anderson there.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about the ceasefire and hostage release deal with CNN's chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour, asking him about the impact of Donald Trump's election win on this breakthrough agreement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Many analysts are saying that actually, Trump's arrival has jump-started this and has focused people's minds and at least got this ceasefire to be serious. as you say, it's something that the president planned back in May and et cetera.
There are people like a very prominent Israeli hostage negotiator who says this is not a great deal, this interim one. It's only about 30 hostages. Many, many have died in the interim since May. That it could have been done much earlier.
And I know you often U.S. do blames Hamas for its role in delaying. But I don't know whether you saw what Itamar Ben Gvir said to "The Times of Israel" just over the last couple of days. He basically said that "me and Smotrich have successfully prevented any ceasefire deals for the last year, and we still want to prevent this one".
[01:39:53]
AMANPOUR: How do you react to that? And are you willing to agree that also Israel has held up what could have been the Biden ceasefire, which could have saved many lives many, many months ago?
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: So should this have happened months ago? Yes. Could it have happened months ago? Yes.
Were there occasions when each side did things that made it more difficult to get this over the finish line? Yes.
Including Israel, but predominantly it's been Hamas, and certainly in the last few months, Hamas had refused to engage. We finally got it to reengage.
And in these last weeks in particular, Hamas has been the party that's held back on finally getting to yes. But we've managed to push to a point where, as I said, were on the brink.
Look, I think what the basic dynamic has been this. First, what was so important was that there had to be an agreement that this would proceed in two phases, that we'd have these six weeks where everyone stops firing, Israel pulls back, hostages come out, prisoners are released, humanitarian assistance goes in, and final arrangements for an enduring ceasefire are made.
For months, Hamas wouldn't accept that.
The president went forward, went public in May, very end of May, early June with a detailed proposal for that. And then we went around the world and everyone came out in support of it, including the U.N. Security Council.
And at that point, Hamas was isolated, and it signed on to that framework. And ever since, as I said, we've been working to implement it to get the final arrangements.
But there have been two dynamics that have really, I think, held things back more than anything else.
One Hamas was hoping, hoping, hoping that the cavalry would come to the rescue. That it would get a wider war with Lebanon and Hezbollah, with Iran. And the actions that we took, along with Israel made it clear that the cavalry was not coming to the rescue. It couldn't count on that.
Second, it hoped that by holding back, pressure would just mount on Israel to give in and to accede to the terms of a ceasefire-hostage deal on Hamas' terms. And there again, that hasn't happened.
So I think as we look at it, as we've seen it, yes. Have there been moments when things have happened on one side or the other that have made it harder to get it over the line? Yes. But fundamentally it's been Hamas.
But now we're at the point where hopefully Hamas sees that the only way forward is through the ceasefire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That was Antony Blinken, the outgoing U.S. Secretary of State.
Let's go to Cape Canaveral, Florida now. And they're counting down to the launch of new Glenn rocket from Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space company. If successful, the rocket could bolster Blue Origin's position with NASA as it seeks to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX fleet.
Blue Origin officials announced a short delay of the launch until just after 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time, about 20 minutes from now. The delay, apparently due to a boat which came too close to the coast of Cape Canaveral.
The goal of this mission include landing the first stage booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean about ten minutes after the launch.
The second stage then continues towards orbit, carrying a prototype of a spacecraft that Blue Origin wants to market for national security and satellite missions.
We will bring that to you as soon as it happens.
In the meantime, the flames may have died down significantly, but firefighters in southern California warning about dangerous winds and hot spots.
That's up next on CNN NEWSROOM.
[01:43:17]
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VAUSE: Firefighters reporting tremendous success in containing the wildfires in the Los Angeles area but two major threats remain -- smoldering hotspots and unpredictable winds. Still, the Palisades and Eaton fires have not grown in the past few days.
Here's more now from L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR KAREN BASS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: We're not out of the woods yet. There is a chance that the Santa Anas might spike up again next week. But I think that we have to, while we're still being vigilant, while we're still in this emergency, we also have to begin the process of recovery and rebuilding.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
For all late-breaking details, here's CNN's Marybel Gonzalez reporting in from Altadena, California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRY MAGANA, DEPUTY INCIDENT COMMANDER, CAL FIRE: In the past 24 hours, there's been little to no fire growth on both incidents.
MARYBEL GONZALEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: CalFire confirming Wednesday morning that they may be getting the upper hand on two of the state's most destructive fires ever -- the Palisades and the Eaton.
As of midday, containment on both had risen slightly. However, air quality is posing serious health concerns.
Around 17 million residents are under advisories for windblown ash and dust through this evening. And there are many other fire zone hazards yet to tackle.
CHIEF KRISTIN CROWLEY, LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT: Including downed power lines, broken gas lines, hazardous materials and unsafe water.
GONZALEZ: The investigation into potential causes continues. Analysis of image from satellites and the wildfire cameras suggest the Palisades fire may have ignited near the burn scar from a blaze earlier this month.
In the Eaton blaze, newly-released video of flames near an electrical tower on January 7th might provide a clue to its origin.
A CNN analysis of recent available data from the ten largest U.S. cities and other comparable fire departments show L.A.'s manpower lower than almost any other major city, a disparity that was echoed in this warning last month.
FREDDY ESCOBAR, PRESIDENT, UNITED FIREFIGHTERS OF LOS ANGELES CITY: If we close one station, if we close one resource, the residents of Los Angeles are going to pay the ultimate sacrifice and someone will die.
GONZALEZ: Now at this hour, tens of thousands of people remain under evacuation orders, unable to return to their neighborhoods. But we do now know that the focus is also shifting towards cleanup efforts.
The EPA will be sending personnel in the next few days to help clean up some of the hazardous material of homes that were destroyed or damaged by these wildfires.
Reporting in Altadena -- I'm Marybel Gonzalez.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Earlier, I spoke with TV host, producer and podcaster Melissa Rivers, among thousands of people whose homes have been destroyed by the wildfires. I start by asking her how she's coping.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELISSA RIVERS, TV HOST: You know how -- one foot in front of the other that we are doing the best we can? No time to cry. I had a couple cries, and right now it's just about, you know, going forward. It's what I -- what we, we meaning my family -- it's what we do.
VAUSE: Yes. I know that your home was pretty much burnt to the ground. Have you been able to salvage anything?
RIVERS: Pretty much -- pretty much is very -- pretty much is very generous.
VAUSE: Right. Burned to the ground, nothing left? When you went back there, was there anything to be salvaged?
RIVERS: We haven't gotten in yet. They haven't really allowed anyone in. We are keeping tabs on that.
Obviously, we want to get back in as does everybody in our neighborhood. And we're hoping for maybe this weekend.
VAUSE: But when you actually got out of -- out of the house, there wasn't much which you were able to take with you. Just the clothes on your back and a few other important mementos.
RIVERS: I got out a photograph of my father. I got out -- my mom used to paint, that was how she would relax. And I have a little drawing that she made of myself and my son, Cooper.
I got her Emmy because I knew how much that meant to her. And I got out both of my parents' watches and my dad's dress watch, which I had given to my son when he turned 18.
[01:49:51]
RIVERS: And, you know, our animals and passports and paperwork.
VAUSE: But yet still, compared to so many others, you really are a lot better off in many ways.
RIVERS: It hit me like two days ago, even in this, I am -- as a lot of people are also -- so fortunate that we have good insurance. That we have the resources to hang on.
That I can still work, that people can still work, that my fiance can still work. And I really had to check myself hard about realizing that even in this, I'm lucky.
And how I cope is by reaching out to all these other people that I know that have also lost anything. And I mean just the people who are employed in our neighborhood, let alone the businesses that were owned by people who lived in the neighborhood.
And people really show themselves. And where I've seen the best of people, I have seen the worst in people. And it breaks my heart because even in this, you have to remember, if you have even just the insurance to get through it, you're one of the lucky ones.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: Thanks there to Melissa Rivers. We appreciate that.
Now, as the Supreme Court weighs the TikTok case, the Chinese owner Bytedance, still moving forward with plans to strengthen its presence further in the U.S.
We'll have all those details after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: The stowaway who allegedly hitched a ride on a New York to Paris flight late last year has pleaded not guilty. Svetlana Dali appeared in court in Brooklyn Wednesday, where she was indicted on a federal charge related to the incident. The judge also ordered her to stay behind bars.
Officials say Dali snuck into a Delta Airlines plane in November, made her way to Paris before she was arrested. She was later returned to the United States and released on bail, but then tried to flee to Canada.
Prosecutors say they now want to work out a plea deal. Dali's attorney says he also wants to get his client a psychiatric evaluation.
Well, it's tick-tock time for TikTok. The China-based owner, Bytedance, has just three days before the popular app is banned in the U.S. That is, unless the app is sold or the Supreme Court rules in TikTok's favor.
At the same time, Bytedance has been building its presence even further in the United States, not just through social media videos, but also as a source for shopping.
CNN's Marc Stewart reports from Beijing on what's happening in China may soon happen in the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Merchandise is moving at this Beijing toy shop.
Owner Wang Guifeng made a business selling model cars not just from her storefront.
We followed along as she used the popular Chinese social media app Douyin to livestream and sell her toys.
I'm watching on the phone as she's streaming. If there's a product I like, I just touch the screen. It takes me to a payment system. It's that easy.
Douyin is China's version of TikTok, also owned by Chinese tech giant Bytedance. It's a place for entertainment and an e-commerce hotspot in China with similar ambitions in America.
[01:54:51] STEWART: Wang feels it should be open to everyone and says it's a pity the U.S. is banning the app. It's been a game changer for her business.
WANG GUIFENG, BUSINESS OWNER: Because of Douyin, I make money both online and offline. It's great.
STEWART: Along with millions of other sellers, she can instantly chat with customers and build a personal relationship, a feature gaining popularity in the U.S. but already common in China.
DAN IVES, MANAGING DIRECTOR: It's very advanced in terms of the e- commerce platform. It's a one-stop shop, and that's what makes it so attractive.
STEWART: Bytedance is already pushing this new way of shopping in the U.S. Introduced in 2023, a similar setup, TikTok Shop brought in $100 million in single-day sales this past Black Friday.
While TikTok Shop is still a pioneer, its sister app Douyin is already a force. Ranked number 4 in 2023 among all e-commerce platforms in China, selling more than $300 billion worth of merchandise according to an industry report.
IVES: If you look what they did in China, the goal is that they can mirror that in the U.S.
STEWART: That's if a ban doesn't get in the way. In China, its already something businesses rely upon.
WANG: Without this platform, I don't know if my store would still exist.
STEWART: A tech tool whose fate in America is now with the Supreme Court.
Mark Stewart, CNN -- Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Well, a hot air balloon festival drew crowds and enthusiasts and tourists to southern India this week. Balloons of different shapes and sizes taking flight in very windy conditions.
Officials are hoping to make southern India a tourist destination for hot air balloon enthusiasts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is somewhere I've always wanted to come. This is -- this is one of -- one of my -- I wanted to do India. I wanted to come and see everybody. And I've never been -- this is my first time. So it's absolutely very special for me.
(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: Organizers say eight countries were represented this year, featuring pilots and crews from as far away as the U.S., U.K., Belgium, Brazil, France, Vietnam and Thailand.
I'm John Vause. Thank you for watching.
CNN NEWSROOM continues with my friend and colleague Rosemary Church after a very short break.
I'll see you right back here tomorrow.
[01:57:13]
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