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Israel Prepares to Receive Hostage Bodies; Trump Escalates Zelenskyy Taunts; Mother of Hostage Pleads for His Release; FAA Insists Safety Jobs Remain Amid Trump Admin Firings; Rise of a Far- Right Party as Germany Votes This Weekend. Rise of a Far-Right Party as Germany Votes This Weekend; Hamas to Return Bodies of 4 Israeli Hostages; Source: Trump's Public Health Order to Target Migrants; Digging into DOGE's 'Wall of Receipts' for Government Savings; Vatican: Pope's Tests Show 'Slight Improvement'. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired February 20, 2025 - 00:00   ET

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

[00:00:14]

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: For Israel, a painful homecoming like no other with Hamas set to release the bodies of the two youngest hostages.

Hello, I'm John Vause. Ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We are bringing home four of our beloved hostages fallen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: A demonstration says Hamas of their commitment to a fragile ceasefire amid growing concerns the Israeli prime minister is not.

In just days the U.S. has gone from Ukraine's best friend and biggest supporter to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A dictator without elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he's not going to have a country left.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: The U.S. president unleashing a string of insults and lies while repeating talking points from the Kremlin.

And the real world tragedy born of a crackdown on migrants in the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): It's not fair. She was a happy girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: A mother in grief over her daughter's suicide after taunts from school bullies that her family would soon be deported.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with John Vause.

VAUSE: They were the youngest of all the 250 or so Israelis kidnaped by Hamas on October 7th. Ariel Bibas, just 4 at the time, and his 9- month-old baby brother, Kfir. And in the coming hours, their bodies and their mother's body, as well as one other, will be released by Hamas. This is the first time the remains of hostages who did not survive the war are being returned to Israel.

The two little boys and their mother, Shiri, were taken by Hamas militants from their home on a kibbutz in southern Israel. With their bright red hair, the family became the most recognizable victims of the Hamas terror attack. For more than 500 days those who know the Bibas family, as well as the nation left traumatized, have been hoping the boys would be returned alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YIFTACH COHEN, KIBBUTZ NIR OZ RESIDENT: So Shiri and the kids became a symbol. I am sure they are -- doesn't want it. But yes, I'm still hope that they will be alive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Images of the Bibas family remain on display in that kibbutz, as well as reminders of the brutal terror attack. The boys' father, Yarden Bibas, was also kidnaped but was released alive earlier this month.

The group representing the hostages and their families released a statement which read in part, "This news cuts like a knife through our hearts, the family's hearts and the hearts of people all over the world. It is with great sadness that we receive the news of the return of Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, along with Oded Lifshitz, who were kidnaped alive and will return deceased for eternal rest in Israel."

Oded Lifshitz was 83 years old when he was kidnaped along with his wife October 7th. She made it out alive, released later that month.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the hostage handover will be yet another very difficult day for the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NETANYAHU (through translator): We are bringing home four of our beloved hostages fallen. We embrace the families and the heart of an entire nation is torn. My heart is torn. Yours too. And the heart of the entire world needs to be torn because here we see who we are dealing with, what we are dealing with, what monsters we are dealing with. We are sad, we are hurting, but we are also determined to ensure that

something like this will never happen again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Live now to Abu Dhabi and CNN's Paula Hancocks.

So, Paula, I guess the question is, how will this actually play out in the coming hours? Will it be like the other Israeli hostages that we've seen released over the last couple of weekends? And I guess the other question is, why is Hamas doing this?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, John, what are expecting is that there will be a handover from Hamas to the International Red Cross, as we have seen in previous releases. We are seeing images of Hamas militants gathering in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip. You can see images there. We see a stage. We see chairs and also posters.

And what we are expecting is that the remains of these four deceased hostages will be handed over to the Red Cross officials, as we have seen in the past. From that point, we are expecting, and of course this is all what we are surmising from both sides and also Israeli military, Israeli media, we are expecting that the remains will then be taken to the Israeli military within Gaza itself, and then the Red Cross will hand the bodies over.

[00:05:06]

From there we understand that they will be brought back to Israel, and they will go to a forensic institution for identification to confirm exactly the identification of those four deceased hostages.

Now, this process could take up to 48 hours, we understand from experts. And then, of course, the burials will take place. And then the grieving process can begin for the families of those four hostages. So this is what we are expecting at this point. Obviously, it will be an incredibly somber day in Israel as this happens. It is the first time that we will see deceased hostages being handed back, as opposed to what we have seen in recent weeks -- John.

VAUSE: And just very quickly, for Hamas, this is seen as like some kind of gesture of their commitment to the Gaza ceasefire.

HANCOCKS: Well, we know that this is happening because of the negotiations that are happening at the moment between the mediators and also Hamas and Israel in Cairo. We understand that there was an agreement that there would be the remains of four released today, that there would be six live hostages on Saturday, as opposed to the three that had been agreed upon.

And then next week, another four remains of hostages would be released, taking us to the 33 hostages that were agreed upon for this first phase of the ceasefire hostage deal. Of course, the second phase is yet to be negotiated upon, but this was what was agreed with within the mediation in Cairo -- John. VAUSE: Paula, thank you. Appreciate that. Paula Hancocks live in Abu

Dhabi.

Among the dozens of hostages who will not be released during the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire is Alon Ohel. More than 500 days ago, he was at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel when he was kidnaped by Hamas militants. Every day since, his mother has been campaigning for his release, as well as the release of all those who were taken that day along.

Alon plays piano. He has plans to study jazz. And one way to honor him and remember him is with this piano in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.

And from Tel Aviv, Alon's mother, Idit Ohel, joins us now.

I cannot imagine how difficult this day is for you, and thank you for being with us. It's appreciated.

IDIT OHEL, MOTHER OF HOSTAGE ALON OHEL: Thank you. Yes, it is very hard for us. It shows that, you know, there is not much time and the Hamas is not an easy -- they're very harsh. Alon is alive. We know this a week and a half ago when the hostages came home. The hostages looked like they were not in 20 25. They looked like they were in 1940. Very thin. And you know, unnourished, and also Alon, Alon was with them the whole time. And they told us about him being in that position.

Alon has been in the tunnels for 400 days. Does not know the difference between day and night. Alon has been given maybe one piece of bread a day, which means that he is being starved every day that we're talking right now. Alon has been, you know, there's like chains. He's been chained in his legs so he cannot move much.

VAUSE: And he turned 24 last week. Right? He had his second birthday as a hostage.

OHEL: Yes. Yes, yes. That's right. That's right. So two days before we got the sign of life from the hostages that returned, and he has an eye injury which has not been treated so he cannot see in one eye. And we're worried, we know that he is in a humanitarian situation. The very badly. And we need, we need him to come home.

VAUSE: And knowing what you know about his condition, his health condition, how difficult has it been that he isn't among the 33 hostages being released in that first phase? Because that was meant to be the elderly, the sick, women and civilians.

OHEL: Well, it's very hard because, you know, knowing that that's what he's been through, that Hamas is very, is doing all this to him. And I bet others, I don't know. So it's been very hard for us. We're doing everything we can to make sure that he will be released also, because he's very humanitarian, and it's very crucial that he will come home as soon as possible so he can be alive. He doesn't have a lot of time. And we need this to happen now.

[00:10:02] So we're doing I think, I think President Trump is saying all the time that the hostages are important and that he is doing everything in his power to make sure that all the hostages are returned. And I'm glad for that. And I'm appreciative of that. And we're continuing, you know.

VAUSE: I know.

OHEL: Going all over the world and --

VAUSE: I mean, you're doing whatever you can. There must be just this incredible frustration. Your efforts are focused, obviously, right now on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They have been focused on him for quite some time to be committed to that second phase of the ceasefire and not just getting Alon home, but all of the hostages home. But the problem with that phase two, there does seem to be, you know, some questions here about whether or not Benjamin Netanyahu is entirely committed to making that happen, whether those negotiations will continue.

What can you do as the mother of a son who's being held hostage to ensure that the Israeli prime minister remains committed to those negotiations, committed to the second stage of the agreement, and committed to getting all of the hostages home as his first priority?

OHEL: Is talking and talking and talking and talking and making sure that Alon is, you know, in front of him, that he sees this, that our government, the Israeli government sees this as a first priority and does not see anything else. Coming also to the States and talking there and just doing everything I can just to make sure that Alon is on the media and that Alon is known. That's what I can do. You know, I mean, Alon's mother, you know, there's so much, you know, just trying to be where I can make a difference.

And hopefully people will hear me and people that are in these negotiations that they're part of it will try and make sure that I'm heard that, you know, that Alon is heard. I'm talking for him. You know, he could -- he cannot talk. So I'm screaming, you know, his scream, come and save me. Come and take me. You know? That's what I can do. But any mother can do. I don't think there's any mother in this world that would listen to me right now and be able to go sleep at night knowing that their son or daughter are not eating, are not getting any food, or getting any light for 400 days or being, you know, contained to not moving because of chains and shackles in their legs.

It's not something that you can even comprehend, I guess. So I'm trying the world to see this and not let anything, you know, come about and make sure that this is happening, that they're not thinking about something else and they're not -- hopefully getting all the hostages out. You know, Alon is alive. He doesn't have much time. So this has to -- this is crucial. They need to do it today.

And I'm not saying about second phase. I'm saying continue with first phase. More, more people coming out. I don't believe and I don't think phases is the right word for it. I think it should be the first phase, and we have to be continuous in getting everyone out.

VAUSE: Idit, I hope you'll wait for Alon to return home is over very, very soon. Thank you so much for being with us. I know that this is difficult what you're going through right now, but we really very much appreciate you sharing your experience with us. Thank you.

OHEL: Thank you.

VAUSE: Relations between the United States and Ukraine appear to have soured at record speed. The U.S. president, accused of parroting Kremlin talking points while trading insults with the Ukrainian president.

Donald Trump's uneasy relationship with the truth was on display again Wednesday with a flurry of falsehoods about Volodymyr Zelenskyy calling him a dictator while also overstating by almost $200 billion how much the U.S. has spent supporting Ukraine since the war began.

President Zelenskyy's more recent remarks are a little more diplomatic, saying the world faces a choice between Russia's Vladimir Putin and peace. But earlier he accused Donald Trump of living in disinformation.

For more now, here's CNN's Nick Paton Walsh.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This was the day it was all meant to get back on track. President Trump's envoy, Keith Kellogg, coming to town to listen.

KEITH KELLOGG, U.S. RUSSIA-UKRAINE ENVOY: We understand the need for security guarantees.

PATON WALSH: But he was walking into a storm. Hours earlier, Trump falsely said Ukraine started the war.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.

PATON WALSH: And he falsely stated Zelenskyy had only 4 percent approval rating. Basically, Kremlin talking points at which Zelenskyy hit back.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Unfortunately, President Trump, I have great respect for him as a leader of a nation that we have great respect for, the American people who always support us, unfortunately lives in this disinformation space.

[00:15:03]

PATON WALSH: Trump retorted with extraordinary words, calling Zelenskyy a dictator refusing to hold elections, falsely repeating half of USAID had gone, quote, "missing," and saying Zelenskyy wanted the gravy train to keep going and had better move fast if he wanted a country left.

Russia advancing still both on the frontline and on the diplomatic arena with Trump's top officials in Saudi Arabia. Imagine hearing today's outburst from your main backer while fighting on the frontlines, almost ripping up the U.S.-Ukraine relationship and making it harder still to answer the question of what peace deal works for Ukraine.

Mr. President, we've heard the idea of security guarantees again and again from the Americans, but they don't want to put troops on the grounds, they don't want to put you in part of NATO. How would security guarantees potentially look given those restraints? Can you explain what would work?

ZELENSKYY: What will work? I think NATO will work really, but I --

PATON WALSH: But they won't let you in.

ZELENSKYY: Yes, yes. Yes, it's true. It's true. The strongest -- but when they said, for example, no boots on the ground, you know, but they have ships, but they have air defense. They really have it. America, they have it. They have air defense. OK. Can we have 20 systems of Patriot? It's enough.

PATON WALSH (voice-over): We heard ourselves how the threat is over Kyiv most nights when the Russian drones come.

Let me just pause and let you hear that.

(Voice-over): This is why a peace deal must be real and urgent.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kyiv, Ukraine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Joining me now is Robert English, director of Central European Studies at the University of Southern California.

It is good to see you.

ROBERT ENGLISH, DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Glad to be here.

VAUSE: OK, so in less than a week, Ukraine has seen the U.S. go from being its biggest supporter to very vocal critic. The U.S. president repeating his attacks on the Ukrainian president during his speech just a few hours ago. Here's part of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: A dictator without elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he's not going to have a country left. I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job. His country is shattered.

(END VIDEO CLIP) VAUSE: At home, Zelenskyy has been called a dictator. Critics and opponents also calling out corruption within his administration. But that's, I guess, in the context of domestic politics. Seems to be a whole different issue when it's coming from the president of the United States.

ENGLISH: Yes. To whatever extent there are problems of corruption or authoritarian practice, it's wartime after all in Ukraine. The larger point is, of course, we are allies. We are on the same side. We're there to represent Ukraine's interests in high stakes negotiations with Vladimir Putin's Russia. This is the worst possible time to be sniping and showing division. We need to be united and speaking with one voice. This is very unfortunate.

VAUSE: And here's another attack on Zelenskyy from the U.S. president, which he posted on Truth Social. And it starts like this. "Think of it. A modestly successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy." Let's just pause it there because isn't that an insult which was often used by Russian state media to describe Zelenskyy after he was elected? And is there a significance here that it's now being repeated by Donald Trump?

ENGLISH: He was actually a very successful comedian. Wildly popular in Russia as well as in Ukraine. And his famous series called "Servant of the People," was actually -- I think you can see it on Netflix or Amazon Prime. He was a good comedian. So to put him down in this way is sort of a silly, derogatory slight of the cheapest possible kind.

VAUSE: Yes. And he then goes on to say Zelenskyy talked the United States of America into spending $350 billion to go into a war that couldn't be won, that never had to start.

So a quick fact-check, according to the U.S. government, which Donald Trump now runs, as of September 30, 2024, the U.S.-Ukraine response funding totals nearly up $183 billion. And when it comes to that issue of why this war began, that's a question for Russia. And this is the second time the U.S. president has in two days either falsely claimed or implied that Ukraine is responsible.

He may not be able to rewrite history here, but is Donald Trump at least hoping to maybe, you know, blur some memories?

ENGLISH: You know, I think Zelenskyy was right in one of his comments today, one of his responses, which is that President Trump lives in a different, an alternative, you know, media bubble or media-verse. He listens to Tucker Carlson. He's been listening to Steve Bannon, and God knows what other sources of ultra-right-wing revisionist, perhaps Russian influenced disinformation.

[00:20:01]

I think Trump really believes this. At the same time he is pressuring Zelenskyy there may be a negotiator's tactic here in which he's trying to keep Zelenskyy off guard, push him hard, and then perhaps he'll get quicker agreement on a deal, right? Trump always goes in with bluster and threats and thinks that will benefit the deal he gets in the end. Maybe he's trying that here. But it's not the right place and time to again be divided at home when we're facing such a deadly adversary abroad.

VAUSE: And in the same post, Donald Trump goes on to claim that Europe has contributed $200 billion less to Ukraine compared to the U.S., and he wants some kind of compensation because, he argues, this war is far more important to Europe than it is to us. We have a big, beautiful ocean as separation.

You know, maybe the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor put an end to this idea that the U.S. is protected by the oceans. But this says a lot about Donald Trump's worldview and why this week he demanded half of Ukraine's estimated $11.5 trillion in rare earth minerals. That deal was rejected by Ukraine. But for this U.S. president defending democracy, protecting Europe, following through on NATO commitments seem to be of no cash value.

ENGLISH: Yes. You know, once upon a time we chose our defense commitments, we backed allies, we intervened in foreign conflicts on the basis of our values, on the basis of defending the weak or oppressed, not to make the most cash we could out of the deal. So this is the most crass transactionalism, you know, in the worst possible circumstances.

All I would add to that crazy list of things you gave, it's just hard to keep up, that's like drinking from a fire hose. I'd only say that which big, beautiful ocean does he mean? The ocean of America West or the ocean of America East?

VAUSE: Robert English, always good to see you, sir. Thank you for your time and your insights.

ENGLISH: You're welcome.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:26:32]

VAUSE: Another mid-air collision in the U.S., this time at a regional airport in Arizona on Wednesday. Two people were killed in the collision between two small planes. One hit the ground and caught fire. The other plane was able to land.

Officials in the town of Marana, northwest of Tucson, say two people were on each plane without sharing their conditions. The Federal Aviation Administration says the airport does not have an operating air traffic control tower. Pilots often use a common traffic advisory frequency to announce their position to other pilots in the nearby vicinity. The airport remains closed during an ongoing investigation.

Elon Musk and his team of so-called special government employees now scrutinizing what they say are challenges at the Federal Aviation Administration. That comes less than a week after the Trump administration fired hundreds of FAA workers.

More now from CNN's Pete Muntean. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: The FAA's overarching goal is keeping flying safe. So it was an agency considered immune to possible government efficiency cuts. But I was given an internal memo from the acting head of the FAA, and in it, he says, so-called special government employees from Elon Musk's SpaceX have been deployed to the FAA to, quote, "engineer solutions" to what he calls the agency's challenges.

No doubt that they are numerous, and the FAA is facing a major shortage of air traffic controllers, many of them working mandatory six-day weeks of 10-hour shifts. In fact, DOGE employees already met with some of them this week.

We know from the memo that this DOGE team toured the FAA command center in Warrenton, Virginia. Also, Potomac TRACON. That's the air traffic control center responsible for the airspace around Washington, D.C. It is that facility that handled American Eagle Flight 4519 just before it was handed off to the control tower at Reagan National Airport. That mid-air collision happened three weeks ago.

The FAA has made changes to the helicopter flights over D.C. for the foreseeable future, but it has not announced any major regulatory shifts since that crash. The acting head of the FAA, Chris Rocheleau, was appointed to the job in the hours after that crash. And in this new memo, he insists that FAA workers who have already been fired by the Trump administration are not considered critical to safety.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said 400 were let go on Friday, but Duffy says that's out of a total of 45,000 FAA employees. He underscores that all were considered probationary, which means they were hired less than a year ago. But even still, the union that represents many of these workers tells me this is a huge blow to an air travel ecosystem already being stressed to the max.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Voters head to the polls in Germany this weekend in an election which has seen the far-right party AfD growing in popularity and gaining some international support, notably from Elon Musk, the world's richest man. The increased support domestically seems to be coming from young voters in Eastern Germany.

More details on that from CNN's Sebastian Shukla.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEBASTIAN SHUKLA, CNN PRODUCER (voice-over): Suhl is a sleepy town in former East Germany but over the last few years it has seen a major political awakening with the far-right, the Alternative for Germany, the AfD.

This region Thuringia is AfD heartland. In fact, it became the first regional state to elect a far-right party since the Nazi era. So we've come to hear from the most controversial figure in the region, Bjorn Hocke, and who might be listening to him.

(Voice-over): The AfD in Thuringia designated an extremist organization by German intelligence authorities. Hocke, as its head, has previously been convicted for the use of banned Nazi slogans.

Nevertheless, he's feted in these parts, in particular among young people. A question I put to him.

SHUKLA: There is rising popularity among young voters for the AFD. Are you a good role model?

BJORN HOCKE, AFD FACTION LEADER, THURINGIA, GERMANY (through translator): I hope that my performance is lively, and that the youth can also identify with me. And if they can do that and see a bit of a pop star in me, then that's fine. Because the youth also need idols like that.

SHUKLA (voice-over): Support from the youth for the AFD is growing quickly. In European elections last summer, votes from 16- to 34-year- olds increased 18 percent from 2019.

Young people we spoke to at the rally didn't hide their backgrounds either. Dante Riedel, a 26-year-old student, told me he's also designated an extremist and had clear ideological views.

DANTE RIEDEL, STUDENT, AFD SUPPORTER (through translator): Prussian virtues, things like diligence, discipline, etc. These are the things that are important, including the cardinal virtues from antiquity.

SHUKLA (voice-over): Eric Engelhardt spent his evening photographing Hocke, and as the regional head of the Young Alternatives, the AFD's youth wing, he's another party and Hocke disciple.

We met up with Eric and his friend Max the next day in picturesque Sonneberg. I asked Eric about Hocke's pop star comments.

ERIC ENGELHARDT, REGIONAL HEAD OF THE YOUNG ALTERNATIVES (through translator): I see him as a politician who can achieve a lot for this country. He stands for something. He stands for his cause.

SHUKLA (voice-over): The Young Alternatives are also designated extremists by the domestic intelligence services, something that Eric says is a political conspiracy.

ENGLEHART (through translator): Our secret service is controlled by politicians. It is an authority that is bound by instructions, and ultimately, it does what is said from above.

We ourselves are not extremists. There are no extremists in the Young Alternatives.

SHUKLA (voice-over): The association was recently forced to disband, effective 31st of March. But the mission isn't changing.

ENGELHARDT (through translator): Migration is the mother of all crisis. We have a lot of illegal immigrants in this country who are also on welfare, who are not behaving in this country.

Many young people are on the side of the AFD and naturally want change.

SHUKLA (voice-over): Eric says the youth won't be deterred. They will be back, more formally aligned with the AFD and under a different name, but with the same vision for Germany's future.

Sebastian Shukla, CNN, Thuringia, Germany.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And a programing note now: CNN will have special coverage on the German elections this Saturday from 6 p.m. in Berlin, 5 p.m. in London.

When we come back, more on the expected handover of the bodies of hostages released by Hamas and sent to Israel. A live report from Jerusalem in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:37:18]

VAUSE: Hello, everyone. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM, I'm John Vause.

More now on our top story. The bodies of four hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are expected to be returned to Israel within the hour.

Notably, three of the bodies are Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, among the most recognizable victims from the October 7th, 2023, attack.

The fourth body is Oded Lifshitz. He was kidnaped, along with his wife, from their home during that attack, but his wife was released alive later that month.

Live to Jerusalem now. CNN's international diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson.

And, Nic, the release of the remains of these hostages comes amid growing concerns in Israel about the prime minister's commitment to phase two negotiations of the ceasefire. So, what's the latest there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes, I think the latest is that the prime minister's office is pushing back at the notion that they are trying to delay phase two, and phase two is the phase that would bring about an end to the war, a permanent end to the war.

And that's a problem for the prime minister, because there are members of his government who say they just want to go back to war and threaten to, in effect, potentially collapse. The government is under pressure from President Trump, because President Trump wants a permanent end to the war and is under pressure because Hamas, he says, can have no future in Gaza. And Hamas is very much alive and with a -- with a level of power and influence, and weaponized inside of Gaza. So, all those things.

Hamas, on the other hand, and we're witnessing part of that today, having from last week saying that they would just throw up in the air the phase one agreement and not release any more hostages, suddenly seem to be accelerating through the last of the hostages, the 33 that were agreed to be released in phase one before March 2.

They're releasing the remains of four today that you mentioned, six living hostages on Saturday, and the remains of four other hostages sometime next week. And that will be all 33 released.

It gives the impression that Hamas is really trying to push forward to phase two and that complete end to the war. The government says, or the prime minister's office says that they are actually trying to elongate and lengthen phase one so that they can return all the living hostages.

It is about returning all the living hostages that the government says that it's focusing on right now, but it's contentious about how they're planning to do it -- John.

VAUSE: Nic, thank you. We know you'll be with us in the coming hours as this exchange, or return rather, gets underway.

Nic Robertson there, live for us in Jerusalem. We'll see you again soon. Thanks, Nic.

Israeli forces have demolished more than a dozen apartment buildings in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The military operation has displaced at least 40,000 Palestinians in the Northern part of the West Bank, according to the United Nations.

[00:40:11]

And a local official tells CNN the destroyed buildings housed dozens of families.

Israel launched Operation Iron Wall two days after the Gaza ceasefire began, saying the aim is to eliminate terrorists, as well as terror infrastructure.

The White House crackdown on migrants is stepping up along the U.S.- Mexico border in a move which is a flashback from its policies during the COVID pandemic.

Priscilla Alvarez has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Trump administration is expected to issue a public health order labeling migrants as risks for spreading diseases as soon as this week, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

ALVAREZ (voice-over): Now, this is a callback to the first Trump administration, when a public health order was issued during the coronavirus pandemic.

That at the time was a controversial move, because coronavirus was already within U.S. borders, and had received pushback from health experts, CDC officials, as well as some homeland security officials, who said that it later fueled repeat crossings, because there weren't the same level of consequences as there would be with the usual immigration law.

ALAVAREZ: But it has been something that has been floated for some time in the Trump orbit, particularly by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, who floated this before the coronavirus pandemic; had moved, along with the administration, to invoke it during the pandemic; and in 2023, told "The New York Times" that President Trump, or if he were to win at that time, would do it again.

Now, this has been something that has been worked on behind the scenes, and it really is a part of a string of moves by the Trump administration to double down on --

ALVAREZ (voice-over): -- the U.S.-Mexico border; to strengthen their posture, even as crossings have plummeted.

According to the White House border czar, crossings are just under 300 a day. That matches a trend of the decline over the last several months, but it's still a remarkable -- remarkably low number compared to where they have been over the last several years.

All of this, of course, intended to seal off the border to migrants, essentially making it --

ALVAREZ: -- almost all but impossible to seek asylum, according to legal experts.

Priscilla Alvarez, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: And legal services for migrant children and teenagers who crossed the border alone could soon be denied. That's according to a White House memo sent to a nonprofit legal group, which was seen by CNN.

And that orders legal services providers that are helping unaccompanied migrant children to stop their work.

The move is unlikely to affect those who already have legal representation. One group says other children and teens will now have to represent themselves in immigration court. The group calls that an unprecedented attack on immigrant children.

An investigation is underway in Texas into the death of an 11-year-old girl who committed suicide after reportedly being bullied over her family's immigration status.

Jocelynn Rojo Carranza was laid to rest at a church in Gainesville Wednesday. Her mother says the girl was taunted at school so much she started receiving counseling.

But according to the mother, school officials kept her in the dark about what was happening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARBELLA CARRANZA, JOCELYNN'S MOTHER (through translator): They told her that they are going to call immigration, so they will take her parents away, and she was going to be left alone.

Apparently, the school was aware of that, but they never told me what was happening with my daughter. Apparently, she went to counseling once or twice a week to report what was happening.

It's not fair, because the school knew. They didn't keep me informed of what was happening with my daughter, who was a very happy girl. She was a happy girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Carranza did not confirm the family's immigration status, and the school district did not acknowledge whether it's aware of the bullying reports, but says it has anti-bullying policies in place.

In a move which could clear the way for the first U.S. Supreme Court showdown over one of President Trump's controversial executive orders, an appeals court says it will not remove a court-ordered hold on the administration's plans to end birthright citizenship for certain children of immigrants.

A Seattle judge blocked the order, saying it is counter to the Constitution. The 14th Amendment states anyone born in the U.S. is automatically an American citizen.

Donald Trump says that should not apply to children born to parents who are undocumented or in the U.S. on temporary visas at the time of birth.

We'll take a short break. Back in a moment.

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[00:49:03]

VAUSE: Airport workers in Toronto have started to clear the wreckage of a passenger plane which crash-landed Monday.

The runway where debris of Flight 4819 came to rest belly side up, has been closed as investigators try to find out what went wrong.

The Delta flight was attempting to land when it appears the landing gear failed, causing the plane to topple onto its side, breaking off a wing before rolling and skidding down the runway. Belly up.

All on board survived, but 21 people were injured and have since been released from hospital. Delta is now offering $30,000 to all passengers, no strings attached,

just for hanging around.

Opposition is growing in the United States to Elon Musk's push to gut the federal government. Workers are gathering with communities across the country, protesting Musk's DOGE, Department of Government Efficiency, saying the world's richest man is looting public services and rigging the system in favor of the ultra-rich.

Researchers, healthcare workers, other government employees gathered for a national day of action Wednesday, dubbed the Save Our Services rallies.

The gatherings protested cuts across government agencies and warned of the impact these mass firings will have on the United States.

President Trump says his administration is thinking about giving 20 percent of the savings identified by the DOGE team back to taxpayers. DOGE claims to have already saved about $55 billion.

But then when you look closely at the numbers, they just don't add up.

CNN's Tom Foreman has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And also, could you mention some of the --

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The White House is rolling out its wall of receipts on the DOGE website, claiming an estimated 55 billion taxpayer dollars rescued through fraud detection, workforce reductions, regulatory savings, and more.

TRUMP: Not like a little bit. Billions, tens of billions of dollars. It could be close to $1 trillion that we're going to find.

FOREMAN (voice-over): But hold on. A closer look shows big problems.

For example, DOGE claimed axing a single immigration and customs contract saved $8 billion. Turns out that contract was worth a maximum of $8 million. And that was just a theoretical ceiling for the deal. Less than half that amount was actually slated to be spent.

DOGE corrected that error, but a CNN review of the more than 1,100 contracts listed on the DOGE site found about two-thirds made similar inflated claims.

And while this alleged outrage dug up by DOGE grabbed headlines.

KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There was about to be 50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. That is a preposterous waste of taxpayer money.

FOREMAN (voice-over): That proved to be dead wrong, as DOGE boss Elon Musk admitted. ELON MUSK, ADVISOR TO DONALD TRUMP: Some of the things that I say will be incorrect and should be corrected.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Still, even with the receipts not all adding up, DOGE keeps filing reports of alleged widespread waste in aid to foreign countries, deals tied to diversity programs, and millions of dead people collecting Social Security.

MUSK: We've got people in there that are 150 years old.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Analysts say that most likely reflects DOGE's misunderstanding of Social Security data, and a former federal official calls the notion laughably false.

MARTIN O'MALLEY, FORMER SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION COMMISSIONER: He has no idea what he's talking about. There -- there is not like a zombie apocalypse of people, you know, cadavers running around with Social Security checks coming out of their pockets.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: Thanks to Tom Foreman for that.

In a moment, an update on the health of Pope Francis as doctors continue his treatment in hospital.

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[00:55:06]

VAUSE: For the first time during the Gaza ceasefire, Hamas is expected to send the remains of four hostages back to Israel.

In the coming hours, the Red Cross is expected to collect those bodies in Khan Younis. The bodies of 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz, as well as Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir.

Their father, Yarden, was among those freed earlier this month. He'd been held for 484 days.

The Vatican says Pope Francis is showing some slight improvement just days after he was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. The Vatican says the 88-year-old pontiff had a peaceful Tuesday night in hospital in Rome, where he was admitted last week.

And in the pope's home country of Argentina, the archdiocese of Buenos Aires is urging all churches to hold mass and pray for the swift recovery of the Holy Father.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We always have faith in God, Jesus, and Mary for the pope. We pray for him, and we pray that God's desire is done. Obviously, we ask for him to get better.

When the community prays together, it has a much greater reach to God to make these transformations that can sometimes be miraculous.

That is the request we make at this time for the pope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: More details now from CNN's Christopher Lamb, reporting from Rome.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Some encouraging signs tonight about Pope Francis's condition. The Vatican saying --

LAMB (voice-over): -- that there's been some slight improvement, that he's stable, and that he was able to meet with prime minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, at the Gemelli Hospital behind me for 20 minutes.

Prime Minister Meloni said that she had been able to joke with Pope Francis, and she found him alert and reactive.

The pope has also been doing small amounts of work. So, some encouraging signs for the pope.

And it is that word "improvement" that everyone has been looking for ever since Francis was hospitalized at the Gemelli on Friday, following these breathing difficulties that he's had.

There is, of course, a lot of concern for the pope, who has pneumonia in both of his lungs. He's 88 years old, and he has had a history of respiratory infections, and part of his right lung was removed as a young man.

There's still clearly a long way to go. We don't know how much longer Pope Francis will be --

LAMB: -- in the hospital, but some encouraging signs tonight from the Vatican as the pope continues to battle pneumonia.

Christopher Lamb, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: You've been watching CNN NEWSROOM. Please stay with us. I'm John Vause. I'll be back with the latest on the handover of hostage remains after a very short break. You're watching CNN.

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