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Israel, Hamas Agree to a Ceasefire-Hostage Deal; Biden Delivers His Farewell Address to the Nation; Phase One of Ceasefire-Hostage Deal Takes Effect on Sunday; British Prime Minister Visits Kyiv to Sign a Treaty with Ukrainian President. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired January 16, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world and to everyone streaming us on CNN Max. I'm Rosemary Church.

BECKY ANDERSON CNN ANCHOR: I'm Becky Anderson, live in Doha in Qatar for you. Just ahead, a ceasefire deal in the Middle East. We have the details of an agreement between Israel and Hamas that could bring hostages home.

CHURCH: Gaza are celebrating, but questions remain about the deal on the table. We'll look at the concerns aid groups are raising.

ANDERSON: Plus, we'll hear from Qatar's foreign minister about what it took to reach this difficult, long-awaited deal.

Well, after more than 15 months of bitter war in Gaza and uncertainty over the fate of the hostages, Israel and Hamas have finally agreed to a long and elusive ceasefire. Now, the hope is that the temporary truce set to start on Sunday will ease the heartbreak and torment from the October the 7th terror attacks, the relentless Israeli bombardment of Gaza and the growing humanitarian crisis there.

Israel's cabinet is expected to vote on the agreement today, but negotiators say that the main sticking points have been resolved. According to Israeli officials, phase one of the ceasefire is to last 42 days, with 33 hostages released. It is believed most of them are alive, but some bodies could also be returned.

Israel's military will pull out of some parts of Gaza, but remain along the Gaza-Egypt border in what is known as the Philadelphi Corridor. The IDF would also maintain a buffer zone inside Gaza. And the residents of northern Gaza can go home. Israel's president touted the agreement, but warned that the tough times are not over.

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ISAAC HERZOG, ISRAELI PRESIDENT (through translator): As the president of the state of Israel, I say in the clearest terms, this is the right move. This is an important move. This is a necessary move.

Let there be no illusions. This deal, when signed, approved and implemented, will bring with it deeply painful, challenging and harrowing moments. It will also present significant challenges. This is not a simple situation. It is among the greatest challenges we have ever known.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, in Tel Aviv, the deal drew both protests and cheers from groups representing the hostage families. A bittersweet moment, especially for those whose loved ones will not yet return. Well, in Gaza, there were widespread celebrations, Palestinians eager for a surge in humanitarian aid and an end to the airstrikes. It is believed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be released under the deal.

Well, CNN's Paula Hancocks is covering all of this live from Abu Dhabi. And you've been monitoring the atmosphere and the scene on the ground in Gaza since news of this announcement broke. Paula, what have you witnessed?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we have seen celebrations. We had our cameraman filming in Khan Younis in the southern part of Gaza, and the celebrations were palpable. You could see people cheering, the utter relief that this is hopefully over for good. Of course, we know at this point that it is a ceasefire that should last some six weeks.

The second phase and the third phase yet to be negotiated in full. But this is the reaction that we saw in Gaza, knowing that soon the bombs would stop falling. It's worth pointing out, though, that after this announcement, the Israeli airstrikes did continue.

We heard from the Gaza civil defense that at least 45 Palestinians were killed overnight and in the early hours of this morning in airstrikes across different areas of Gaza. So not completely over for them yet. But we did hear from many of those Gazans saying that they have hope, but they also have pain. So, a quick look at what we are expecting to happen imminently.

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We understand this deal will start on Sunday, the 19th of January. Now, it is a six week pause in fighting for this first phase of three phases. And really, this first phase is the one where the details have been hammered out. It has been negotiated to the utmost degree. The second and third are still to come.

But we know that there will be 33 hostages throughout that time that will be released. We understand from Hamas, they believe that there will be three female Israeli civilians released at the start of this phase. Then a week later, there will be four more, a week later, there will be three more. And that will continue for the six weeks until the final week.

The remainder of those that are pegged to be released will be set free. Now, we understand that it's females. It is the young, the old, the sick, the wounded that will be within this first phase. Now, when it comes to what Israel will be doing, they will be releasing an undisclosed, at this point, number of Palestinian prisoners in return for the hostages.

They will also maintain a presence in Gaza. We know that they are going to pull out or should pull out from the population areas, the heavily populated areas. They will maintain this presence along the Philadelphi corridor. And this is really one of the main stumbling blocks over many months that Israel wanted to have that presence on the border between Gaza and Egypt, they say, to prevent smuggling. It was something Hamas resisted for some time.

But they will be there at least during that first six weeks. And we understand there will also be a buffer zone inside of Gaza where Palestinians will not be able to go. So that is what we know about the first phase. Of course, the second phase is potentially where things get even more

difficult because the negotiations of the exact details are yet to happen.

We understand that somewhere around the 16th day of this first phase, negotiations have to start again and they have to figure out how to make this temporary ceasefire permanent, which is what the second phase would be. And the Israeli military pulling completely out of the Gaza Strip and then all remaining living hostages, including the men and the male soldiers, will be released as well in return for more Palestinian prisoners.

So that, of course, is of a concern. There is optimism. But the fact that this is a gradual process does leave concern that there could be hurdles along the way. Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Thank you, Paula.

Well, since the deal was announced, those gathered at Hostages Square, as it's known, in Tel Aviv, have been wary but hopeful. Some Israelis told CNN there is a moment of relief, not of celebration, though, since only a small number of hostages will be freed at first. No one knows what conditions they will be in. CNN's Bianna Golodryga is at Hostages Square with more.

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BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR AND SR. GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: I'm standing in a much more subdued Hostages Square than the one we've become familiar with over the last 15 months. You see people singing behind me a candlelit circle with those gathering.

It's not a celebration, I'm told. It's more of a reflection on the painful year and optimism about the release of 33 hostages that may begin as soon as three days from now on Sunday with phase one implementation, the hostage ceasefire deal that was agreed to between Israel and Hamas. Nonetheless, mixed emotions in terms of just the pain that's been felt in this country without having these hostages home. The excitement about seeing hostages return, concern about their

physical state and their emotional state, and obviously concern about those hostages that remain in Gaza and would only be released if phase two of the deal is implemented. Phase three would see the remains of those hostages who have been killed over the course of the last 15 months finally returned home. Bianna Golodryga, CNN, Hostage Square, Tel Aviv.

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ANDERSON: Well, the U.S. president says the deal has the exact framework his administration pitched back in May. Joe Biden said this has been a real time of real turmoil in the Middle East, but added that as he gets ready to leave office, there are genuine opportunities for a new future.

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JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: 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. I've reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas, backed by the United States.

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ANDERSON: Well, meanwhile, incoming U.S. President Donald Trump posted that he is thrilled about the ceasefire deal and said it could have only happened as a result of his historic victory in November. Well, I want to talk to Sophie Driscoll now, she is the policy advocacy and communications coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory with the International Rescue Committee.

And Sophie joins us now from Amman in Jordan. And the president of the IRC, David Miliband, has said in a tweet that the ceasefire was beyond urgent. He told CNN "there needs to be a massive scale up of the aid flows, that's medicines, that's non-food items, that is food, that is water, basics of life and the fuel to get those goods around the Strip. And he said conditions need to be safer for aid workers to do their jobs to support the people."

We are, what, not even 24 hours into the announcement of this deal, Sophie, it is to be implemented as long as it is approved by the Israelis on Sunday, the 19th of January. Just give us a sense of the scale of what is this operation to support the Palestinians in Gaza.

SOPHIE DRISCOLL, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE: So at IRC, we are cautiously optimistic about the ceasefire being reached. And we are also very optimistic about our ability to scale up humanitarian needs. As you say, the needs are immense and Palestinians are now living with

the consequences of prolonged restrictions on humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, supplies essential for their survival, such as food.

So really, the work starts now to ensure that we're able to meet those needs and that we're also able to ensure the safety and security of our staff as well in delivering the much needed immediate relief. And also, I just want to reiterate whatever happens with the ceasefire

deal, whether the ceasefire holds or not, the obligation for parties to the conflict to facilitate humanitarian aid is non-negotiable and applies regardless of what happens with the ceasefire.

ANDERSON: Yes, and I've heard those words echoed by others, Sophie. Just talk to us about the mechanisms that need to be in place to ensure that this aid, when it starts flowing and according to the deal, this is a significant uptick.

This is a surge in humanitarian aid, food, fuel, medicines. What needs to be put in place and who needs to agree to what? I'm talking about the specific parties on the ground here to ensure that this aid flows effectively and efficiently.

DRISCOLL: So, what we really need to see in the immediate term is an opening of all available crossings into Gaza. So that includes Rafah, that includes the crossings in the north. We really need to have access unimpeded to all areas of Gaza.

So, we're really relying on Israel to ensure that we have access to all of those crossings and also that we're able to reach those areas that are most impacted by the hostilities. So, for example, I'm talking about northern Gaza, which, as you'll be aware, has been under a prolonged siege since October last year.

We really need access to those areas and we need to ensure that we're able to surge food aid as a priority to the civilians who are living in those areas and who have not had access to aid for months and who also are facing the threat of famine as well as we speak now.

ANDERSON: So, you're appealing to the Israelis to ensure that these borders are open and they can provide security on the ground for the distribution of this aid. Over the months, I've talked to a lot of people on the ground who say the other issue, of course, is criminality and security inside of Gaza. Now we've seen images of trucks being looted and perhaps there is some sense of understanding as to the desperation on the ground.

But there's that and then there's the criminality involved here. So as you appeal to the Israelis for unimpeded access. So, what is your message to those on the ground who should be able to help but might put roadblocks in place here?

DRISCOLL: So, you're absolutely right that the looting situation is largely driven by the desperation of civilians.

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And also when we talk about criminality and the criminal aspect of looting, when we talk about armed gangs, this is also driven by desperation and scarcity. So, you know, of course, there is a black market for those goods. So we do need to ensure, firstly, that we have guarantees of security for our aid trucks and that we also have guarantees that our work will be protected and will be facilitated by all parties. ANDERSON: Sophie, it's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. I mean, you know, your organization has been so important in the work that's been going on, albeit so tough, facing so many challenges to date. Let's hope this is a window of opportunity in the first six weeks,

which can be extended. Of course, that, you know, obviously is the hope going forward.

Sophie, thank you for joining us. And we've got a lot more coverage of the long-awaited ceasefire deal coming up with -- coming up this hour. So do stay with us.

CHURCH: And just ahead, U.S. President Joe Biden's farewell to the nation is full of warnings and also a special wish for the next president.

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BIDEN: And I wish the incoming administration success because I want America to succeed.

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CHURCH: Details on President Biden's final speech from the Oval Office after the break. Plus, political revenge, election misinformation and presidential pressure. Nothing was off limits as senators grilled Donald Trump's choice for U.S. Attorney General. We'll take a look at that.

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CHURCH: U.S. President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, just days before he leaves the White House for good and after more than 50 years of public service. The president issued a stark warning about the looming threats from what he called the tech industrial complex, where he said the truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit.

First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and others joined the president in the Oval Office for the address. President Biden also said he was concerned that a few wealthy people holding a lot of power could threaten democracy. Take a listen.

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BIDEN: I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. This is a dangerous country 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. I'm equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country as well.

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Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation. I'm so proud of how much we've accomplished together for the American people, and I wish the incoming administration success because I want America to succeed.

That's why I have held my duty to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power to ensure we lead by the power of our example.

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CHURCH: A third day of confirmation hearings is set to begin in the coming hours on Capitol Hill after two days of heated conversations. Donald Trump's picks to fill his cabinet and other leadership roles will continue to endure questioning by senators, many of whom have concerns the incoming president may go after his political enemies once back in the White House.

Lawmakers are also calling out the lack of experience in some of the nominees. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer noted Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth is, quote, "woefully unqualified for the job amid his other controversies."

Some nominees are ready to get to work, including Transportation Secretary nominee Sean Duffy. The former congressman and Fox Business co-host outlined multiple issues he wants to tackle, including restoring global confidence in jet maker Boeing.

More now from CNN's Manu Raju on the hearing for Pam Bondi, Trump's pick to be the next U.S. attorney general.

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MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: 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 did not want to engage in.

She did say that she would not do anything that she believed were improper. There were questions about her comments that she made in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Then she would call 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. 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 Jackson? She 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 results. She went to Pennsylvania, thought there was, you know, mistakes made. She's accepted there. No, nobody cares. Trump won. Let it go.

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 he 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, a Republican from Iowa, told me that he plans to have a vote in this hearing once her paperwork is completed and then 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.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: TikTok could be just days away from being banned in the United States unless China-based owner ByteDance sells off the app or the Supreme Court rules in TikTok's favor. Right now, it appears America's highest court is poised to keep the law that will ban the app in place. At the same time, leaders on both sides of the aisle are considering ways to delay a ban.

That includes President-elect Donald Trump, who sources say is weighing a possible executive order that would give the administration time to potentially cut a deal with a U.S. buyer to save the app.

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It's worth noting an executive order on January 20th, when Trump takes office, would come one day after the ban is supposed to take effect. South Korea's arrested president is again refusing to answer questions from investigators on the second day of his detention. Lawyers for Yoon Suk-yeol said he would not attend Thursday's questioning and they're challenging the arrest warrant in court.

Meanwhile, oral arguments were set to begin today in Yoon's impeachment trial. South Korea's constitutional court will decide whether to uphold his impeachment and remove him from office or restore his presidential powers. All of this stemming from Yoon's failed martial law decree in December, which led to charges of insurrection.

More now from CNN's Mike Valerio in Gwacheon, South Korea.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE VALERIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a motorcade that signaled surrender from a standoff, defiance turning into disbelief as supporters of South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol watched the former prosecutor arrested by authorities. He's now South Korea's first president to be detained while in office.

DO MYOUNG-JA, YOON SUPPORTER (through translator): I don't know what to say. It's too much that I don't want to live too tough. This is not normal.

VALERIO (voice-over): It was the second attempt this month to arrest the suspended president. The first happened on January 3rd.

But that day, Yoon's equivalent of the Secret Service refused to give him up. This time, presidential security backed down. And Yoon said in a pre-recorded address he left with law enforcement because he did not want violence.

YOON SUK-YEOL, SUSPENDED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Responding to these illegal and invalid procedures is not an acknowledgment of this, but at heart to prevent unsavory bloodshed.

VALERIO (voice-over): This moment brings South Korea ever so slightly back from the brink of crisis. Yoon's opponents, saying South Korea's sitting president must answer investigators' questions about why Yoon declared martial law in December, leading, his critics say, an insurrection.

Yoon Suk-yeol, who is supposed to uphold the constitution and laws, has committed grave crimes, opposition lawmaker Park Chun-dae said, violating the constitution and laws to declare martial law, but also obstructing justice through force and turning the Republic of Korea into a lawless state.

VALERIO: Being questioned here is only one of Yoon's problems. He's a suspended president because right now he's going through an impeachment process over December's martial law. And that process could remove him from office within the next few months.

VALERIO (voice-over): For now, weeks after hundreds of thousands of Yoon opponents took to the streets celebrating lawmakers greenlighting the first steps of the impeachment process, Yoon's most ardent supporters say they are not backing down, some supporting martial law to further Yoon's conservative agenda.

UNKNOWN: Now I fully, fully support the martial law and including how it was executed. Nobody got hurt. Nobody got arrested.

VALERIO (voice-over): Mike Valerio, CNN, Gwacheon, South Korea.

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CHURCH: That's what it looked and sounded like just a short time ago when Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin Space Company successfully launched its new Glenn rocket for the first time. The launch could help bolster Blue Origin's position with NASA as it seeks to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX fleet.

Today's liftoff was delayed a few minutes when a boat in the sea off Cape Canaveral got too close to the launch area. They also attempted the landing of the first stage booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. But officials say the booster was lost.

The second stage continued into orbit, which was the mission's primary goal. It's carrying a prototype of a spacecraft that Blue Origin wants to market for national security and satellite missions.

ANDERSON: Well, a ceasefire may be on the horizon in Gaza, but chronic food shortages haven't gone anywhere. An aid group say bringing in food and medical supplies is a key priority once the fighting there stops. Details on that after this. Plus, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump claims credit for the Gaza ceasefire deal. We asked the spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry about that.

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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, more now on our top story, the long- awaited announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. The first phase of this is set to begin on Sunday and includes a pause in fighting the release of 33 hostages being held in Gaza and Israel's release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. CNN's Jeremy Diamond has reaction from Gaza and from Israel.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After 15 months of war, children in Gaza finally have a reason to celebrate. Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement set to deliver at least six weeks of peace. In Israel, a wave of relief, dozens of hostages will finally be coming home.

MOHAMMED BIN ABDULRAHMAN AL THANI, QATARI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): It's a pleasure for the state of Qatar, the Arab Egyptian Republic, and the United States to announce that the negotiating efforts have been successful for the two sides to reach an agreement regarding the exchange of prisoners and hostages and a return to total calm. The agreement will go into effect on Sunday, the 19th of January.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Over six weeks, Hamas will release 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. Israeli troops will withdraw from populated areas, remaining inside a buffer zone along Gaza's border with Israel, leaving Palestinians free to return to northern Gaza.

The ceasefire will also deliver a surge of humanitarian aid, up to 600 trucks per day to alleviate dire humanitarian conditions in the besieged enclave. For the families of the 94 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th, relief is also mixed with uncertainty.

YOSI SCHNAIDER, COUSIN OF HOSTAGE SHIRI BIBAS: It's like a rollercoaster, I'm not breathing right now, we don't know if they're on the list, if they're going to come back in the first phase, if they're alive.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: 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.

DIAMOND (voice-over): The deal is based on a framework President Biden announced in late May. In the nearly eight months of start and stop negotiations that followed, more than 9,000 Palestinians and at least six hostages were killed.

[03:35:02]

More death could still come before the ceasefire goes into effect on Sunday. But for now, Palestinians are celebrating what will come. "The feeling is indescribable," Alaa Abou-Karj says. "We never expected to get to this stage, even now we don't believe it."

"Look how happy I am," this girl says, pointing to her smile. "There is no better day than today." Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Tel Aviv.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, Qatari officials say the last couple of days were absolutely crucial to get this ceasefire deal across the line. I spoke just after this announcement late last night to Majid al-Ansari, who's the spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry, about exactly what happened.

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MAJED AL-ANSARI, QATAR FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON: Everything has been hashed out. Everything has been discussed in a very clear manner and we do believe that we have the checks in place, we have the processes in place, and we have the commitment from both sides in place that will ensure that the agreement is implemented. But of course, through our operations room in Egypt that will have all

of us together collectively, the U.S., Qatar, and the United States, we will work to ensure that there are no delays in the implementation that might make it difficult for the process to continue.

ANDERSON: What can you do if there are delays or if indeed somebody breaks the ceasefire?

AL-ANSARI: Now it's a case-by-case basis, but I can tell you that we are all working together and we have the mechanisms in place to make sure that that goes positively.

ANDERSON: Can you confirm on which day the negotiations for a second phase will begin? I've seen reports that the negotiations for a second phase will begin on day 16. Is that correct?

AL-ANSARI: I mean, I don't want to get into the details of the agreement. You probably have seen a lot of these documents flying around, but what I can tell you that it will take some time for the negotiations to begin. We want to ensure that we have the processes in place and the commitment to start the negotiations and we will be pushing for that to happen.

ANDERSON: How many Americans will be released in the first phase?

AL-ANSARI: I'm sorry, I don't have any information right now, but I hope to see all of them with their families very soon.

ANDERSON: So, you have confidence that this deal can get beyond phase one, correct?

AL-ANSARI: I mean, we remain hopeful, we remain confident, we remain very, we believe in the process itself, but obviously it's dependent on both sides of that.

ANDERSON: Joe Biden said tonight that this deal is exactly the same as the one that he proposed back in May. Now, I remember you and I have been working almost in tandem on this. We've seen each other a lot over the last 15 months or so. Is Joe Biden correct when he says that this deal is exactly the same deal as he proposed back in May of 2023? And if he is correct, why has it taken so long?

AL-ANSARI: Well, I would leave the answer to the second part of your question to the parties who were negotiating with us all through these months. But I can tell you that the document was progressing.

The spirit of the document is very similar to that that was in May, actually very similar, that it was in May. But obviously, the devil's in the details and this was what we were working on for the past 400 days. It's finding the right mix in the details.

ANDERSON: Can I ask you, Steve Rykov said that he thought a deal could have been cut some 10 days ago and he's really disappointed that it wasn't. He said this a couple of days ago, he said he was confident some days ago that a deal could have been cut. What was holding things up in the last 10 days?

AL-ANSARI: I don't want to get into the details of what was holding this up, but I can tell you that a lot of push was done positively during the past days and this is why we have a deal now.

ANDERSON: Last four days have been crucial, correct?

AL-ANSARI: I would say that yes, the last couple of days have been quite crucial in getting the deal across.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, now that that ceasefire deal has the initial green light, the United Nations says it is time to start sending desperately needed aid to Gaza. Here's U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking after the agreement was announced.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONIO GUTERRES, UNITED NATIONS 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)

ANDERSON: Well, aid workers warned months ago that Gaza is on the verge of famine and one U.N. official says this situation will not suddenly go away when that ceasefire begins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FLETCHER, U.N. EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR: A ceasefire 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.

[03:40:05]

So, we'll have to work in a very agile, creative way, but we'll also work with ambition because that's what the people so badly need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, the U.N. agency in charge of Palestinian refugees welcomed the agreement, saying many people were hoping for it for 15 months. It added that the deal will bring a much needed respite for the people in Gaza and the release of hostages, of course.

Well, the Norwegian Refugee Council said the ceasefire must lead to an enduring truce that can pave the way for peace and human rights. Well, I'll be back with more from Doha later this hour. Rosemary, for the time being, it's back to you in Atlanta.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: All right. We'll see you then. Thanks, Becky.

Coming up, an update on the Southern California fires is just ahead. We will look at how the black community in Altadena has been especially hard hit. That's next on "CNN Newsroom."

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CHIEF KRISTIN CROWLEY, LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT: We understand your desire to return to your community, however, significant safety and infrastructure issues remain, including downed power lines, broken gas lines, hazardous materials and unsafe water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Authorities in Southern California are telling residents not to remove or clean up fire debris until a hazardous materials inspection is complete.

Red flag fire warnings are set to expire in the coming hours as cooler temperatures and more humid air move in over the weekend.

Firefighters hope that will help them get greater containment of the wildfires that have ravaged the area for more than a week. They're claiming tremendous progress but warn smoldering hot spots remain a danger. Well, the black community in Altadena, California, has been especially hard hit by the fires. CNN's Nick Watt has that story.

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NICK WATT, CNN U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They called in vain. Delise Curry, known as Mama D, is dead, aged 95. Also dead, Rodney Nickerson, been here since 68.

KIMIKO NICKERSON, LOST FATHER IN EATON FIRE: My son tried to get him to leave and my neighbors and myself. He said he'll be fine. I'll be here when you guys come back.

WATT (voice-over): A multicultural community that took 50 years to build ripped apart in just hours.

WATT: Katherine, you've been here since 1972?

KATHERINE ANDERSON, ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA RESIDENT: I put down $300 and I bought my home on McNally. If you want me to say it, I will.

WATT: Say it.

K. ANDERSON: It was called White Flight. And they moved out of the neighborhood and the black people were able to buy homes and they've been there ever since until the fire just destroyed everything.

[03:45:05]

PASTOR VESTER PITTMAN, LOST HOME IN ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA: It's a large black population but it's not all black, man. It's mixed. I know people from every race that lives here and they're happy and they get along. It's nice. It's almost a perfect community.

WATT (voice-over): Donny Kincey filmed its destruction.

DONNY KINCEY, VIDEOGRAPHER: I'm really afraid to see what's going to happen to my neighbors and, you know, who's going to stick around after this.

WATT (voice-over): Brian Perry, a middle school principal, moved here for community.

BRIAN PERRY, LOST HOME IN ALTADENA CALIFORNIA: It was, to me, the ideal place to raise my son because he got to be around people who were like him, people who weren't like him.

WATT (voice-over): Nearly 8 in 10 residents own their own homes. It's a rooted community in what can feel like a transient city.

WATT: Is this community going to lose that?

PERRY: That's the danger. A lot of the people who live in Altadena, we're working class people. You know, we're not the rich celebrities. We don't have the ability to just go back in.

WATT (voice-over): Fire can destroy more than the tangible. Fire can destroy community. The people of Altadena are determined that won't happen here.

PITTMAN: Restoration is going to happen because of the people.

K. ANDERSON: I lost everything that I had in that fire. We left with just the clothes on our back. I asked God for 10 more years to see my daughter rebuild her home, yes.

WATT: Behind me used to be Rosebud Academy. In the past hour or so, we've seen search and rescue firefighters coming through doing a final sweep looking for human remains. What happens to the school? Where do the kids go?

Do they go to other schools? Do they meet in church halls? They have no school supplies. And for kids, community largely revolves around the school. Nick Watt, CNN, Altadena, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Rich Thompson is an incident meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Los Angeles office. And he joins me now from Oxnard in California. Thank you so much for joining us and for all the work you do.

RICH THOMPSON, INCIDENT METEOROLOGIST, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE; Well, thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

CHURCH: So, you are in charge of providing weather forecasts for firefighters battling the Palisades fire. How difficult has that been since you were deployed at the start of these fires?

THOMPSON: This particular incident has been very stressful just because the amount of damage and destruction and just, you know, impact upon the communities. So, it's been a very tough incident in that respect.

But in terms of doing the job that we do as an incident meteorologist, it's gone pretty smoothly, you know. So, I can't say anything bad about that. But just the overall devastation of this incident has been just very stressful for me and for everybody, obviously.

CHURCH: Yes, totally understand that. And of course, you and your unit are known as incident meteorologists, specially trained to deploy whenever large fires like these break out. So how does that process actually work within these incident command teams? And you mentioned how stressful this can be. If you could just go a little deeper into that.

THOMPSON: Okay, as part of the National Weather Service, I'm an incident meteorologist, and we are dispatched to incidents such as wildfires, maybe disaster recovery things, oil spills, or even big, you know, big events such as maybe a big concert or political convention, things like that.

And we're there to provide on-site weather support. We do that through weather forecasts, briefings, media interviews like this, community meetings. And basically, our forecasts are being used to make a lot of significant decisions, whether it be where to put resources, what resources to get, or even such things as important as evacuation and repopulation decisions.

So, our forecasts are used for all these things. And so they can, you know, at times be a very high-stress environment because you want to make sure you give those, give the firefighters as good of a forecast as you can.

CHURCH: Good. And of course, as the lead forecaster, how does your day play out from the early morning start when you hold your morning weather briefing and by the end of the day?

THOMPSON: Basically, as an IMET, you put in 16-hour days. My day starts at 8:00 in the morning every day and usually ends about anywhere from eight to 10:00 in the evening. And in that time, I'm doing a briefing for all the crews going out to the fire line, which is very important. So, they have the latest information from the forecast so they can keep themselves safe.

I'm doing meetings with the incident management team who's managing the fire. And so they can make all the decisions they need to make in terms of what to do and where to put pieces and resources, things like that.

[03:50:00]

To do that and work on a forecast for the incident action plan, other briefings, occasionally press conferences and just things like that. So, it's definitely quite a busy day for us on an incident.

CHURCH: Yes, busy and a very long day indeed. And you also provide forecasting conditions for pilots and aviation crews who are playing a crucial role in fighting these fires. How difficult is that?

THOMPSON: That can be very challenging because the air operations folks, they have very particular conditions which they can fly and can't fly under. And so, you know, you're forecasting things such as winds, how strong the wind's going to be, how turbulent it's going to be, or even just if there's going to be any sort of like cloud or visibility restrictions that could impact them getting helicopters off the ground or airplanes off the ground.

So it can be very stressful because a lot of times that's some of the most challenging things to forecast is what the wind is going to do and what the clouds and the fog is going to do. That can be a very tough thing for meteorologists to have to forecast.

CHURCH: What are your biggest and most immediate concerns right now as you look at the weather forecast for the next few days and, of course, into next week?

THOMPSON: Well, for the next few days, if you're following the Palisades fire, we've been under a persistent red flag warning for the last several days. Well, fortunately, that red flag warning has expired this evening.

So, now for the next couple of days, from Thursday and through Sunday, we're just looking for very typical weather conditions for mid-January for the Malibu area and the Santa Monica Mountains, kind of just that onshore sea breeze sort of wind off the ocean, bringing in some cooler temperatures and some higher humidity, which is all very good things for the firefighters to be able to continue getting their hands around this fire.

But then, unfortunately, going into next week, beginning late Sunday night and continuing through most of next week, we're going to enter another round of gusty Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions.

So, are we'll have several days of critical or near-critical fire weather conditions across the incident. And so that's kind of the bad news, but at least good news in the short term. For two or three days, we have kind of a respite from all this constant Santa Ana winds that we've had.

CHURCH: Rich Thompson, we want to thank you for joining us and, of course, for these long days and the hard work trying to help contain these fires. I appreciate you.

THOMPSON: Well, thank you. I appreciate you. Have a good evening.

CHURCH: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. Starmer's office says the leaders will sign a treaty for a new 100-year partnership, deepening the country's military and economic alliance.

The Prime Minister is also expected to announce a new support package for Ukraine, including lethal aid and funds for Kyiv's economic resilience.

25 Ukrainian prisoners of war are finally back home after a prisoner swap with Russia. They were exchanged for 25 Russians held by Ukraine on Wednesday in a swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the released Ukrainians include both soldiers and civilians, many of whom are severely injured or ill.

Among them are Ukrainian troops who fought in the infamous Siege of Mariupol in the early months of the war. Moscow says the released Russians were sent to Belarus for medical and psychological support. And still ahead, the latest on our top stories, back in just a moment.

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[03:55:00]

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: After 50 years of public service, I give you my word. I still believe in the idea, for which this nation stands. Nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it's your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: U.S. President Joe Biden there just days before he leaves the White House for good, delivering his farewell address to the nation Wednesday. The President warned Americans about the threats from what he called the tech industrial complex. And he said he was concerned that an oligarchy of extreme wealth and influence was taking shape in the U.S., which could threaten democracy.

The President will leave office with a majority of Americans, 61 percent, seeing his presidency overall as a failure. 38 percent viewed it as a success, according to a new CNN poll. In his speech, President Biden also emphasized that he wished success to the incoming Trump administration.

And finally, I want to get you caught up on the top story, the proposed ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. It will take effect on Sunday if approved by Israel's cabinet. In Tel Aviv on Wednesday, there was cautious optimism about the agreement among those gathered in Hostages Square. In Gaza, there were celebrations. Streets were crowded with people cheering and waving the Palestinian flag.

The deal will be implemented in three phases. There will be a six-week temporary ceasefire under the first phase. Hamas will release 33 hostages held in Gaza, including some bodies. Israel will withdraw from or withdraw most troops from Gaza and release some Palestinian detainees during this phase. There will also be an influx of aid into Gaza. Details of the second and third phases are still to be decided.

This is the second ceasefire since the war started. The first, which took place in November 2023, lasted about a week. Thanks so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church in Atlanta. "CNN Newsroom" continues next with Becky Anderson, Max Foster and Christina Macfarlane.

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