Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
Israel Delays Cabinet Vote on Ceasefire-Hostage Deal; Families of Hostages Wait Anxiously for Release; Biden Administration "Fully" Expects Hostage Deal to Be Implemented Sunday; TikTok Facing Ban Soon in U.S.; Israeli Government Far Right Members Threaten to Resign; Call to Earth: Norway's Coastal Heathlands; Blue Origin Fails to Land Rocket Booster. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired January 16, 2025 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): Welcome to our second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson in Doha in Qatar for you this
evening.
Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement. We are now waiting for the Israeli security cabinet meeting. Israel has delayed the cabinet
vote and we will bring you more on that this hour.
Meantime, these are live pictures from Khan Yunis. Despite an agreement being reached, Israel continues its attacks on Gaza. Israeli airstrikes
have caused Gaza's highest death toll in over a week.
And you're looking at live pictures from Capitol Hill, as it's been a very busy week in Washington, D.C. Confirmation hearings for Trump's
cabinet nominees continue today.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ANDERSON: Well, the celebrations we saw in Gaza and Israel on Wednesday tempered today, Thursday, by what is, for now at least, a temporary
setback in getting the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement implemented.
The delay in the Israeli cabinet's vote on the deal coming after the prime minister's office accused Hamas of reneging on part of the deal by
attempting to, quote, "extort last minute concessions."
Well, at the same time, a key party in Benjamin Netanyahu's government coalition, led by finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, is threatening to
withdraw its support if Israel doesn't return to war after the first phase of the ceasefire agreement is finished.
Hamas, for its part, says it is committed to the cease-fire agreement that was announced by mediators here in Doha late last night.
A bit earlier on CNN, a top official from the Biden administration voiced optimism that the deal has happened -- well, certainly, as
announced, will happen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON FINER, U.S. DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: We fully expect the deal to be implemented as described by the president and by the
mediators, Egypt and Qatar, yesterday and on the timeline that was described.
What we're doing now is working through details of implementation. That is always the case in deals that are complicated, that are going to play
out over a period of weeks, as this deal will, and when there is literally zero trust between the two parties to the agreement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Matthew Chance joins me this hour from London.
The longer this delay goes on, Matthew, the tighter the window for getting implementation on Sunday the 19th. There is an awful lot that
needs to be done logistically to ensure that that window is completed on.
There are, though, it seems, still obstacles before this deal is approved in Israel.
Do we understand what those obstacles are at this point?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, when it comes to the right wing coalition parties that are supporting
Benjamin Netanyahu's government, then I think they've been pretty public about what their objections are.
They want to see that, after this first stage of the hostage deal is implemented and those 33 people who are being held inside the Gaza Strip
are set free.
They want to see a resumption of the war in order to destroy Hamas, which was one of the original objectives of Benjamin Netanyahu's team
when they set out on this conflict after the attacks of October the 7th last year.
In terms of what the holdups are on the on the Palestinian side or the new request that it's alleged in Israel have been made by Hamas and
other Palestinian groups when it comes to this deal, that's not so clear.
Although in the last couple of days there have been -- there's been reporting coming out about ongoing negotiations, about what particular
Palestinian prisoners would be released as part of the prisoner swap deal.
That's a sort of, you know, controversial issue. Some of those Palestinian prisoners have Israeli blood on their hands. They've been
sentenced to murder -- or convicted of murder of Israelis.
And so it makes the whole thing about them being released extremely controversial. And so it's an ongoing negotiation which figures will be
released and which figures will be kept behind bars. And so it's probably that. But I mean, clearly this is a complex deal. It's been a
complex negotiation.
[10:05:00]
And the road to implementation is not going to be straightforward.
ANDERSON: There is clearly, and has been for some time, some concern about whether this deal goes beyond phase one. It is supposed to be a
multi-stage deal. But let's be quite clear with the viewers.
What was announced last night was the detail on phase one and the fact that it will be during that six week period in phase one that
negotiations will begin again for what happens next.
Phase two is supposed to be -- or is supposed to or is intended to end this war. We know those right wing allies of Benjamin Netanyahu simply
do not want this war to end. They say they want the fighting to begin again, the attacks on Hamas again once this first phase is over.
So speaking to your sources, even if this deal is approved, how much confidence is there that it will get beyond this first six week period?
CHANCE: I mean, I wouldn't say there was there was confidence. There's certainly, you know, some optimism at the moment, certainly from the
people I've been speaking to inside Israel. In fact, the train is at the station, in the words of one Israeli diplomat that I spoke to earlier.
And so when it comes to this initial stage, the 33 people, 33 hostages being held inside the Gaza Strip, I mean, there's quite a high degree of
optimism that that stage of the process is going to be implemented to some extent.
But, yes, when you get to the much more complex, the much more controversial aspects of this deal, the, you know, the war coming to an
end, when, as we've just said, you know, one of the prime objectives of the Israeli government was to destroy Hamas.
And failing to achieve that and leaving Hamas essentially in place as the de facto power inside the Gaza Strip is not going to be acceptable
to the right wing aspects, the right wing parts of Benjamin Netanyahu's very fragile coalition.
And then there's a third stage as well, of course, which is the reconstruction of Gaza. This is a territory of a couple of million
people that has been, you know, more or less utterly devastated by incessant Israeli artillery strikes and airstrikes and fighting on the
ground.
I mean, I was in the southern Gaza Strip not long ago, a few months ago, in the Philadelphi corridor near Rafah. And the scenes of utter
devastation there were quite breathtaking.
It will take tens of billions, perhaps more than that of dollars, to even begin the process of rebuilding those cities that have been leveled
in this Israeli onslaught. And so it is an enormously challenging deal. But you know, we're only at the start of it as well. And it's going to
be a long, drawnout process. I expect.
ANDERSON: Yes.
Matthew Chance is in London.
Matthew, thank you.
For the families of the hostages. It is still a case of walking arm and -- in arm with hope and despair. CNN's Bianna Golodryga sat down with
the cousin of one of the hostages, who says the real fight is now just beginning for their family.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: When it comes to the hostages coming home in phase one, as you noted, it would be the
women. It would be children. It would be men over the age of 50 and those who are critically wounded.
And among those women are five IDF spotters or soldiers, a reminder that everyone in Israel is required to serve in the military, these five IDF
spotters all young, the ages of 19 to 21.
I spoke with the cousin of one of them, Agam Berger's cousin. She is 20 years old. I spoke with her cousin about what this moment may feel like
for them when they are finally reunited and why there's a bittersweet sense in the country right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASHLEY WAXMAN BAKSHI, HOSTAGE AGAM BERGER'S COUSIN: She's a beautiful young girl who's been 15 months in the hands of people that we know
committed the worst atrocities against women in one day. We know what they did on October 7th. We also know from released hostages who came
home what they did to hostages in captivity.
That's the biggest fear.
The physical aspect of it and I don't need to go into detail. I think everyone who's watching understands what that fear means. But more
importantly, the mental and emotional aspect of what kind of trauma something like that can do to a young girl who's 20 years old who has
her whole life ahead of her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[10:10:00]
ANDERSON: Well, that report from Bianna Golodryga.
And we've also been hearing from the families of two Americans being held captive in Gaza. Adi Alexander tells us it is unclear when his son,
Edan, would be freed.
And Brooklyn native Ruby Chen says his son, Itay, is not on the list for release in phase one. Here's what they have been saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUBY CHEN, HOSTAGE ITAY CHEN'S FATHER: I have this vision that maybe president Trump would be able to say to me, Mr. Chen, your son is on his
way. So I'm keeping that type of hope up, that me and my family can be reunited with our son.
ADI ALEXANDER, HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER'S FATHER: He's not on the humanitarian list. And these are the first to go. So we have to sit
tight and see what is exactly happening and how soon. We will see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The hours leading up to this moment have been violent and deadly for the people of Gaza, according to Palestinian officials. They
report that dozens in Gaza have been killed by Israeli strikes after the ceasefire deal was announced. CNN's Paula Hancocks is following this
part of the story for you.
And I have to warn you, some of the images in her report are difficult to watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Celebrations erupted in Gaza as word spread that a ceasefire had been agreed and that the guns
would fall silent.
They are not silent yet. Dozens have been killed in Israeli strikes since the announcement was made.
"Wake up," this father says, "the war is over. Wake up, Hala."
But the war is ending too late for his daughter. This intimate moment, filmed just hours after leaders stood on stage announcing the deal.
And it's too late for many, caught up in a barrage of Israeli airstrikes.
"This is truly a tragedy," the spokesperson of the Gaza civil defense says.
"The Israeli occupation does not want this blood waterfall to stop as bombing is continuing until this moment."
When asked about an increase in airstrikes, the IDF says it is continuing to dismantle Hamas' military capabilities.
Bodies are offloaded at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital as well as the wounded. Children are once again among the victims, a recurring theme of
this bloody war.
"We were sitting in our homes," this man says, "when F-16 jets struck us, bringing the house down on top of us. Around 15 people were killed.
We're waiting for the truce, hoping those who are missing and displaced will return."
Rescuers pull bodies and survivors from under the rubble of a home with their bare hands in one Gaza City neighborhood.
The director of the Al-Ahli Hospital accuses Israel of a, quote, "desperate attempt to cause as much harm as possible," warning the hours
before the ceasefire take hold are, quote, "expected to be violent and painful for the people of Gaza."
It would not be the first time we see an increase in violence in the hours and days before a ceasefire. For the residents of Gaza, joy is
mixed with fear that Sunday's truce is still a long way away -- Paula Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, once a ceasefire starts, it will be a complicated and costly challenge to get humanitarian aid in and to, of course, rebuild
Gaza. Israel's attacks have left the enclave in ruins and created a devastating humanitarian crisis since the war started.
Last hour, I spoke to the senior U.N. official charged with humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts about what the future may hold for Gaza
once the war is over and the next phase begins. Here's what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIGRID KAAG, U.N. SENIOR HUMANITARIAN, RECONSTRUCTION COORDINATOR, GAZA: My hope is we really have the deal on Sunday. I think I rightly heard
Jon Finer describe the agreements made. So I think, collectively, the international community, we have a legitimate expectation that the deal
kickstarts on Sunday.
And for the rest, in politics and particularly domestic politics, I've lived through that myself in seven years. There's always the unknown.
But this is a moment of leadership. This is a moment of leadership, commitment and driving an agenda that is really important to everybody.
It's important to the hostages, their families; it's equally important to all the civilians that have suffered endlessly and needlessly. Now is
the time.
ANDERSON: Sigrid, this is a first phase that we are hoping will be implemented on Sunday if it's approved by the Israeli government.
[10:15:00]
That first phase is 42 days. During that period of time, there will be negotiations about a second phase, which is intended to stop this war. A
third phase would be the process of rebuilding Gaza, getting it governed in a different way and giving Palestinians an opportunity to believe
that there is a future for them and their kids.
Stepping back, how do organizations like the U.N. start the process of rebuilding Gaza?
How much do you assess it will cost?
How long will it take and who will need to be involved?
KAAG: Well, I would say the easy part is the planning that's been done to some extent by the E.U., World Bank, U.N. in different iterations.
The Palestinian Authority also has its plans and there are many other initiatives. We know what needs to be done sector by sector.
I think the difficulty, if you just zone out of the governance issues, the politics of it, the difficulty actually within the Gaza Strip with
the population that is still caught between the confines of the Strip, with nowhere to go and almost everything destroyed.
Those will be difficult choices of prioritization, planning and it demands a lot of technology. And I would almost say creativity.
The bigger issue, of course, is governance. Our position and that of most member states is that the PA needs to be returned. It needs to be
returning as soon as possible to take the ownership and provide for that leadership. Investors can then follow suit.
But if there's any absence of clarity in terms of the direction of travel around governance and commensurate security and governance tied
to the negotiations for a two-state solution, I fear that many an investor, public and private, will say, hang on a minute. Not now. We
need clarity.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, that's Sigrid Kaag, who is charged with coordination of both humanitarian aid and reconstruction in her role for the U.N. there
for Gaza.
Well, in Washington, both the Biden administration and president-elect Donald Trump are claiming credit for the hostage deal here in Doha.
Yesterday I asked the Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson who he thinks deserves credit for this week's big push.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: 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?
MAJED AL-ANSARI, SPOKESPERSON, QATAR FOREIGN MINISTRY: Well, I would leave the answer to the second part of your question to the parties who
are 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 is in the details and this was what we were working on for the past 400 days. It's finding the
right mix and the details.
ANDERSON: Can I ask you, Steve Witkoff 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, you know, a lot of push was done
positively during the past days. And this is why we have a deal now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, speaking for the Biden White House, John Kirby told my colleague, Wolf Blitzer, earlier that he wants to concentrate on the
hostage families and not on the credit for the deal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADM. JOHN KIRBY (RET.), COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: I don't think that the hostages and
their families are worried about who's claiming or grabbing credit here. And the president doesn't want that to be the focus.
He wants the focus to be on the implementation of the deal. That's where the real hard work is going to come now that it's been put into place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: CNN's Alex Marquardt joins us now from our Washington bureau.
Firstly, how's Washington, how is the Biden administration?
What are you hearing from the Trump administration in reaction to this deal, briefly?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think today the concern is the fact that it doesn't seem to be
completely finalized just yet.
But at the same time, we are hearing confidence from both the Biden side as well as the Trump side that there is an expectation that this will
start on Sunday, that this will go into effect. I'm told by a U.S. official that the expectation is that the first group of three female
hostages will come out on Sunday.
There is this discussion over taking credit. But Becky, I think what both sides are wanting to emphasize is a -- what they're calling a
historic collaboration, a coordination. It really is unique.
Normally in an administration, the Biden administration would hand off issues to the incoming administration here. After the election, they
started working together. And Steve Witkoff, who you mentioned, Trump's Middle East envoy, started working very closely with Biden's Middle East
envoy, Brett McGurk.
[10:20:08]
The two of them both traveling to the region. The last few days they've been in Doha. They've been taking joint meetings. Steve Witkoff was at
that press conference with you yesterday when the Qatari prime minister announced this ceasefire.
Both sides very praising of this relationship. Shortly after the announcement was made, a senior White House official called this almost
unprecedented, very fruitful. So it is a remarkable collaboration.
Then there was that moment after President Biden spoke when he was asked who should take credit.
And he said, "Is that a joke?"
Clearly, he thinks that he should be getting the bulk of the credit here. It is true, Becky, that this was the Biden framework that was
executed upon. But that was eight months ago, that it was put forward. And a lot changed in those eight months.
There was more pressure put on Hamas because of what happened in Lebanon and Syria and Iran. But it cannot be denied that the election of Donald
Trump was a huge factor here in getting this across the line.
And as this goes into effect on Sunday, Biden's last full day in office, it will fall to Donald Trump to execute on not just this phase one but
arguably the more difficult phase two, which would end the war -- Becky.
ANDERSON: And let's talk about that. Before we do, of course, let's caveat this by saying it takes a good 48 hours from approval in Israel
to ensure that the sort of, you know, the details are in place, the logistics are in place to actually get this deal implemented.
And frankly, that window is closing somewhat the longer there is a delay in Israel. So the hopes are still that this will happen on Sunday,
January the 19th. But as I say, that window is closing a bit. So all eyes on what is going on in Israel with the government there at present.
But you're right to point out that Israel-Gaza policy will be handed onto a Trump administration on January the 20th. The next phase of this
deal will be negotiated, you know, some weeks in the future.
It's going to be like 16 days, at least from implementation. So that falls on the Trump administration.
What does -- what do we understand Israel-Gaza policy to look like under that new Trump administration, Alex, is it clear?
MARQUARDT: It's not as clear as the Biden administration. For example, the Biden folks have been clear that, under phase two, as they see it,
the IDF will withdraw from Gaza. The war in Gaza will end. And then -- and then reconstruction will start.
We haven't heard from Trump officials speaking as much about the need for the IDF to pull out of Gaza or for this war to end. It is clear that
they are focused right now on getting phase one off the ground. But they have bought into this plan overall.
One thing I think to watch carefully, Becky, is certainly the Trump administration is going to be perceived as being much more pro-Israel
than the Biden administration.
We heard the nominee for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, yesterday at his confirmation hearing, talking about how, if Hamas reneges on the
deal, then they're going to stand with the ally, Israel, and go in and make sure that Hamas is dismantled.
I think one thing we need to keep our eye on really is the bigger picture and that's the Abraham Accords. That was obviously put into
place during the first Trump administration. It's something that he's extremely proud of.
And it's something he's extremely keen to enlarge, specifically with the normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. So when we get to this
question of whether the war in Gaza will end, whether the U.S. will pressure Israel to end that war, I think there's a strong indication
that they will.
Because unless that war ends, as you know very well, Saudi Arabia will not agree to normalize the relationship with Israel. And that is a major
priority for the incoming Trump administration.
I dare say that is their north star when it comes to Middle East policy. They want to build on the Abraham Accords and they're not going to be
able to do that unless this war ends between Israel and Hamas -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, this is going to be a very tricky file. We have no real detail to date, apart from the fact that, as you said, the north star is
the -- is, you know, the enlargement of these Abraham Accords. So we wait to see, you know, what happens in the days to come.
It's always good to have you, Alex. Thank you very, very much indeed for joining us. Your analysis and insight so important.
Erica Hill joining us now from New York with more from the U.S. -- Erica.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR AND U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Becky. Thank you.
Still to come here, more of Donald Trump's cabinet picks on Capitol Hill today for confirmation hearings as the president-elect prepares to be
sworn in next week. What we're watching for this hour, that's just ahead.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:25:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HILL: With just days to go now until his inauguration, the process of getting president-elect Donald Trump's team in place continues today
with more confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill. Four of those hearings getting underway just a short time ago.
A fifth for Trump's nominee for Treasury Secretary will begin shortly. CNN congressional correspondent Lauren Fox joining us now live from
Capitol Hill.
So Lauren, specifically, with all these hearings today, what are we watching for?
LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I am standing outside of the Senate Finance Committee hearing room. This is where, in just a
few short minutes, we will begin to hear from Scott Bessent, who is Donald Trump's pick to be his Treasury Secretary in his second term.
Now this is going to be a really critical hearing, in part because we may get an early glimpse into what Donald Trump's priorities are when it
comes to the economy in his second administration.
There's going to be a lot of questions from Republicans and Democrats alike to clarify what Donald Trump's tariff policies might look like in
the second administration.
It's also just important to keep in mind that someone like Bessent is probably going to play a very key role when it comes to helping
Republicans find a way forward on their big policy bill.
There has been a lot of disagreement between the Republicans in the House and Republicans in the Senate on what the best strategy is moving
forward.
If you remember, back in 2017, though, Steve Mnuchin played a really critical role when he was Treasury Secretary in helping iron out those
kinds of differences when it came to the 2017 tax bill. That bill is going to expire at the end of this calendar year.
And that, again, is going to be a real opportunity for Bessent to lay out in this meeting what he prefers, what he thinks the best strategy
is, because there's a lot of Republican senators in this room who believe the best way forward is to have two separate bills.
A lot of Republicans in the House who just want that one big, beautiful bill that Donald Trump has been pushing for the last couple of weeks. So
that is going to be a really interesting thing to watch.
Obviously, we are also watching nominations for the EPA administrator, Donald Trump's selection there, of course, Lee Zeldin. We're going to be
watching Doug Burgum, who's been nominated to be the Interior Secretary.
So a lot of different hearings happening this week. And what we've seen time and time again is that this is an opportunity to really get a
glimpse into what Donald Trump's second administration might begin to look like.
HILL: Yes, it certainly is, Lauren. Appreciate it. Thank you.
We're also keeping a close watch on the countdown clock for TikTok. ByteDance, the Chinese company which owns the app, has just three days
before it is banned here in the United States.
That is, of course, unless TikTok's U.S. operations are sold or the U.S. Supreme Court overturns that ban. Recent reports, though, say the app
will shut down entirely for U.S. users come Sunday.
Many American TikTokers have been looking for alternatives and are even rallying behind the #TikTokRefugees. CNN has also learned. Donald Trump
is now looking into a possible stopgap measure to keep TikTok from shutting down.
[10:30:00]
CNN's Clare Duffy joins us now with more of those details.
So trying to stop what's in process, what is the likelihood that happens, Clare?
CLARE DUFFY, CNN BUSINESS WRITER: Erica, it is so crazy because we're three days away from this ban deadline and it's still not clear what is
going to happen with this platform.
We, of course, are still awaiting that Supreme Court decision on whether to uphold this law. And then we're hearing that Donald Trump is
considering some sort of measure to extend the ban deadline and allow Americans to continue using the app as he tries to work out some kind of
deal, to have this app sold to an American owner.
But ByteDance has, for a long time, sort of resisted the idea that it would sell TikTok. It may be reconsidering that, now that a ban is
getting much closer. But it still is unclear if they would be able to pull something like that off.
And what that means for users, who, you know, creators who have made a living on this platform, or just users who spend hours scrolling on
TikTok every day, there is so much uncertainty and people are seeking out alternative platforms.
We've seen a number of new apps sort of surging on the app stores this week. And I want to walk you through some of the big ones.
The biggest, most popular one that has gained attention this week is a platform called RedNote. This is a Chinese version of TikTok, sort of
short-form video platform. And it's been really interesting to see Chinese users of this platform welcoming American TikTok users onto
their site, offering Mandarin lessons.
And we're seeing a lot of the American users who are coming over from TikTok expressing frustration with the U.S. government, essentially
saying, if you're going to take away TikTok, we're going to find another Chinese platform to join.
So that has been really interesting to watch. Another big one is Lemon8. This is made by the TikTok owner, ByteDance. The company started pushing
this to American users in 2023, when conversations about a TikTok ban really started bubbling up.
It's much more like Pinterest than like TikTok in terms of what the platform looks like. But we're seeing that gain a lot of attention.
And what experts tell me is that those two platforms could ultimately be subject to the same law that is looking like it's going to ban TikTok.
So those may not be around forever.
But we're seeing some other American upstarts, you know, gaining popularity as well. This platform called Clapper, that is another TikTok
clone. So it'll be interesting to see if any of these or the mainstream platforms -- Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube -- become a real TikTok
replacement if it goes away.
HILL: Yes, we'll be watching for that. It is fascinating to see. And that hashtag, it puts in perspective, though, in many ways just how
popular it is and how integral it is for many people and even for their livelihoods. We'll be watching. I know you'll have all the latest,
Clare. Thank you.
Well, Pope Francis, we've learned, was injured in a fall at his home earlier on Thursday, according to the Vatican, which says the 88-year
old pontiff bruised his right forearm but didn't break any bones.
This, though, is his second fall in recent weeks. In early December, he appeared with a large bruise on his chin after falling and hitting his
bedside table during the night.
Just ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, back to Doha now and Becky Anderson, who will have the latest on where this cease-fire agreement between
Israel and Hamas stands, including a look at the headwinds inside Israel's government as everyone tries to finalize this deal.
Plus, a 6.5-hour NASA spacewalk, part of a very busy day in space. We'll walk you through all of it.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:35:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HILL (voice-over): Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD. Let's get you caught up on some of the headlines at this hour.
Israel now delaying today's cabinet vote on the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. The prime minister's office claims Hamas has reneged on
part of that deal by trying to get last minute concessions. Hamas insists it is committed to the cease-fire agreement that was announced
in Doha yesterday.
Since that deal was announced, Palestinian officials say dozens have been killed by continuing Israeli strikes in Gaza.
Live pictures from Capitol Hill, where confirmation hearings are underway for five of president-elect Trump's cabinet picks. Today's most
contentious hearing, likely to feature the EPA nominee, Lee Zeldin. Democrats expected to press him on efforts to undo climate change rules
put in place by the Biden administration.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space company successfully launching its New Glenn rocket for the first time in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
The launch could help bolster Blue Origin's position with NASA, as it works to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX.
Blue Origin tried but failed to land its rocket booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
HILL: We're turning now to our top story. We are waiting at this hour for the Israeli security cabinet meeting to vote on that agreed cease-
fire deal. Becky Anderson has much more of that, of course, in Doha -- Becky.
ANDERSON: That's right. Erica. Thank you.
There is notable turbulence inside the Israeli government at present. And this may be part of the reason why we are looking at a delayed vote
for approval of this cease-fire deal that was announced here in Doha late last night.
Two far right members of the cabinet, Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, are threatening
to quit this coalition government. And while neither commands enough lawmakers in parliament to collapse the government alone, joint
withdrawal would be enough. On the streets of Israel, too, strong opinions on the deal announced yesterday. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EREZ GOLDMAN, ISRAELI RESIDENT (through translator): It's one of the biggest dilemmas ever that we had here in Israel, is between choosing
between bad and the worst. And I hope that we chose the bad because the worst might come in the nearest future.
AVIGAIL ZAPOLANSKY, ISRAELI RESIDENT: I don't trust that they will bring back the other hostages. So we are getting 33.
But what about the others?
I think it's very, very hard for us.
CHAVA TREITEL, ISRAELI RESIDENT: I think it was the only thing to do. It's not the right thing to do because there's no right and wrong when
we speak about the life and death of people. It is the only thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The choice between a bad and a very bad deal, you heard said there.
Also, can we or will we ever get back the -- that Israeli lady said, all of the hostages?
Let's be quite clear on this. There are 33 hostages to be released in what is this first phase of this deal if it is implemented on Sunday.
Six-week period to release 33 hostages. As we know, those are 33 of the 94 who remain in captivity in Gaza, who were taken on October the 7th.
There are another four who were being held hostage before October the 7th. So there are some 98 hostages being held in Gaza, as we understand
it. Let's stay on this. I'm joined now by Haaretz newspaper columnist and former adviser to Shimon Peres, Gideon Levy.
It's good to have you on. I want to start with what is going on internally. And, you know, many suggesting here that the prime minister,
Benjamin Netanyahu, is looking after his own political interests at the moment.
He does not want to see the collapse of his government but he's facing that.
What are the specific positions from these right wing ministers, Gideon, can you just explain?
GIDEON LEVY, COLUMNIST, "HA'ARETZ": So again and again, we realize that what professor Henry Kissinger diagnosed about Israel decades ago,
namely that Israel does not have foreign policy, just domestic politics, is proven in front of our eyes.
[10:40:00]
Because it's very obvious that the only obstacle now is a domestic political obstacle. I cannot see a situation in which two Presidents of
the United States are standing behind the deal and Netanyahu will retreat.
But right now, everything might happen. His government is shaking. And the question is really now a very, very clear one: life of dozens of
hostages or continuing this government. And Netanyahu will have to decide. And if he decides the wrong decision, there is right and wrong
here, then I think history will not forget him.
ANDERSON: Gideon, are you saying that, to your mind, he is -- and I talk here of the Israeli prime minister, damned if he does and if damned
he doesn't?
LEVY: I can't see him retreating. Really, I mean, we are talking Netanyahu likes always to get his decisions on the very late moment and
if possible, even later. So it will be pushed and pushed and pushed until tomorrow. I think the cabinet will meet only tomorrow but in the
last moment.
I don't see for him any way to retreat now. I don't see it. If he will retreat, it will be really a huge, huge fiasco. I can't see him doing
it.
ANDERSON: We've talked for months, 15 months, about a sense of collective trauma for Israelis after October the 7th. We've reported,
you know, daily on the damage, both physically and emotionally, to those who are in Gaza. And the death toll there continues to rise.
It's been the, you know, the largest amount of people killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours. So effectively, since this deal was announced, I
mean, it's, you know, it is awful on both sides of this.
We are hearing suggestions that this, from some Israelis is a choice between bad and very bad. That view was echoed by the foreign minister
himself, Gideon Saar, yesterday, ahead of the announcement of this deal.
What's the alternative at this point?
I mean, people have to have some empathy for those who say, we just can't leave those hostages behind.
LEVY: First of all, Becky, I'm very, very happy that you mentioned the sacrifice of both sides because there is a tendency to speak only about
the Israeli hostages. There are hundreds and thousands of Palestinian hostages in Israel in horrible conditions.
Haaretz keep on revealing those conditions. And I don't want to compare because I don't know who is in worse condition than whom. But we
shouldn't forget also the Palestinian hostages, not to speak about the huge price Palestinians of Gaza paid in the last year.
And even in the last 24 hours, as you mentioned, which is really so unnecessary.
Why to kill 24 women and 19 children on the last day of the war?
What does this serve?
Will it promote anything in the world except of some bloodthirst?
But in any case, we are hopefully on the last stage of it. But both sides will be in longterm trauma. And when we speak about trauma, we
have to remember that Israelis will be able to reestablish their lives.
How will the people of Gaza reestablish their lives?
I really don't know who is going to help them.
Where will they get any kind of aid?
It's a big question mark, because the tendency of the world is to forget Gaza very quickly.
ANDERSON: And the next few hours are crucial here. The window is closing for an implementation date of Sunday. And there's an awful lot
that needs to go into place if that is going to happen. The negotiators need to get the approval from the Israeli cabinet here.
And at present, as we've been discussing, this is delayed. If you were a betting man -- one expects, because we understand that Steve Witkoff,
Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, has put an enormous amount of pressure on the Israeli prime minister to get this deal done.
If you were a betting man, is he going to stick to this deal because he wants the support of Donald Trump going forward?
[10:45:00]
Does he have any idea at this point where Trump's thinking is when it comes to the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu?
LEVY: It is very clear now that the involvement of Donald Trump was a game changer. Let's not hide it. The day that the American envoy came to
Israel last Saturday was the day that Netanyahu had to really change almost all his positions, which he held for the last eight months, at
least.
And he did so. So my bet would be that it will be very tense until the very last minute. But, finally, there will be a deal in this weekend.
ANDERSON: Gideon, it's good to have you on. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.
Well, that does it for me, from me, for this hour of CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with us. Of course, we are still reporting on this delay to a vote
by the Israeli cabinet on this ceasefire and hostage deal that was announced here in Doha late last night. We will continue to report on
this.
And my colleague, Erica Hill, will be back after this short break with our other main stories.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HILL: In Norway, coastal heathlands are home to many rare and endangered species. They also help to mitigate the effects of climate
change. Today on "Call to Earth," we visit a community where old meets new as sheepherders combine ancient techniques with modern-day
technology to conserve the vitally important heathlands.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Solund is one of the smallest municipalities in Norway. At the moment we are about 750 people living here.
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The coastal heathland which characterizes this breathtaking landscape was formed around 5,000 years
ago, when early Norwegian settlers cleared the forests in order to graze their sheep.
FOSTER: Ancient techniques for managing the land have been passed down from old to young through the generations ever since.
KJELL MONGSTAD, CHAIRMAN, HARDBAKKE OLD NORWEGIAN SHEEP SOCIETY: My name is Kjell Mongstad. I'm the head of the board for this association
of wild sheep. The sheep are the original sheep, old Norwegian wild sheep.
FOSTER: While the sheep clearly rely on the heathland, it seems that the reverse is also true. Grazers prevent taller shrubs from growing,
allowing heathland plants to thrive.
MONGSTAD: That's what they eat in the winter time.
[10:50:00]
They need it. That's the way they survive.
FOSTER: Many rare and endangered species call this habitat home by protecting and restoring them. The community here is safeguarding
biodiversity that's vital for maintaining a healthy planet.
But the community here isn't just living in the past. With old also learning from young, they're pioneering a new technology to improve the
ancient art of sheep herding.
TRULS EINEN OSLAND, STUDENT: We're changing battery on the necklace so we can track them where they are. Instead of using fence. We have an app
that's called no fence, so we can set up a fake fence and stop them from going places where they shouldn't go.
MONGSTAD: So I want them to go to and pick up some seaweed. Now they need seaweed.
OSLAND: I can move the fence to wherever I want. So if I want them to go a long distance away, I can just open the fence where I want.
GUNN AMDAL MONGSTAD, MAYOR, HARDBAKKE: Yes, it's important to meet between generations, between different cultures. As you also can see
here, to build a strong relationship.
FOSTER: Community and inclusion are at the heart of the sheep association with multiple generations working together.
MONGSTAD: I'm his grandfather.
He's my grandson.
It's a lot of things the animal will do in the future for me and for us in the society. I hope we also can be an example for other to do the
same way that involves children, youths and the different generations. I hope so.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Let us know what you're doing to answer the call with the #CalltoEarth.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HILL: India is staking its claim in the space race with a major step.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lift off normal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a marvelous liftoff.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: SLV-3 tracking C60's SpaDeX mission on the go.
(CROSSTALK)
HILL (voice-over): And with that, India is now the fourth country ever to achieve unmanned space docking. Two Indian spacecraft, target and
chaser, launched in late December and docked together earlier today. The docking was postponed twice earlier this month due to technical issues.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILL (voice-over): A big spacewalk, meantime, is happening right now. Two NASA astronauts are taking part in U.S. Spacewalk 91. Suni Williams
and Nick Hague are doing some maintenance work on the International Space Station.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Work to demate the connectors from RG-2.
And, Suni, you can help as well if you can reach the nadir connector. But there's two connectors, nadir and aft, and we're going to disconnect
both of them and just get good inspection --
HILL (voice-over): Williams is, of course, one of two astronauts who've been stuck in space now since last June.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Liftoff.
HILL (voice-over): A successful launch overnight for Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket for the first time. Blue Origin, of course, is Jeff Bezos'
space company.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) is nominal.
[10:55:00]
HILL (voice-over): : That launch is expected to help bolster the company's position with NASA, as it works to compete with Elon Musk's
SpaceX fleet. Blue Origin also tried but failed to land its rocket booster on a barge in the Atlantic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: That is going to do it for CONNECT THE WORLD on this Thursday. Be sure to stay with CNN. We will have continued coverage of all the
developments, of course, in that ceasefire hostage deal. Stay tuned. "NEWSROOM" is up next.
END
