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One World with Zain Asher

Hamas Commander Naseem Abu Ajina Killed In A Military Operation; Another Enormous Explosion Happens At A Refugee Camp In The Northern Gaza Strip; China's Shenzhou-16 Returns From Space. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired October 31, 2023 - 12:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:27]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Devastated hospitals in Gaza struggle, as Israeli forces push deeper into their ground operation. "One

World" starts right now.

Hospitals in Gaza are overcrowded and struggling to function as supplies run low. Calls for action as a rise in anti-Semitic attacks in the United

States and around the world have many people in fear.

Hello everyone, live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is on assignment today. Welcome to "One World".

A time for war, Israeli forces turning Benjamin Netanyahu's words into action, pushing deeper into Gaza on their fifth day of their ground

operation and seemingly closing in on Gaza City. One day after the Israeli Prime Minister rejected calls for a ceasefire, the IDF says it struck more

than 300 Hamas targets in Gaza overnight, including military compounds in underground tunnels.

It comes as the head of the main U.N. agency operating in Gaza told the Security Council on Monday that the enclave's entire population is being

dehumanized. And he warned that an intermediate humanitarian ceasefire has become a matter of life and death for millions.

The Palestinian Authority's foreign minister, meanwhile, pleaded with the Council to intervene on behalf of the innocent civilians who are still

trapped inside of Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIYAD AL-MALIKI, PALESTINIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER: Two point three million Palestinians in Gaza face death every day and every night. Save

them. Save them. Look at them as human beings. You cannot look only out one side and ignore this tragic humanity completely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: So, let's get back now to what is happening militarily, with Israel vowing to intensify its ground offensive in Gaza. CNN's Rafael Romo

joins me live from Tel Aviv. What are the latest headlines there Rafael?

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bianna, hi. Only hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is going to resign Hamas to the

dustpan of history, Israel defense forces launched a new offensive against the Islamist group striking approximately 300 targets. And those targets,

Bianna, in Gaza, included military compounds inside underground tunnels, belonging to Hamas.

And it's not only airstrikes were talking about. The Israeli military says that in the most recent ground operation, soldiers had what they called,

several engagements with terrorist cells that fired both anti-tank missiles, and machine gun fire toward them. And according to the IDF,

soldiers on the ground are also pinpointing Hamas positions to aircrafts, so that those warplanes strike their enemies' infrastructure.

And Bianna, as part of the Israel's offensive over the past 24 hours, both the Israeli military and the country security agency now say that a Hamas

commander, who directed the October 7th terrorist attacks has been killed. He was identified as Naseem Abu Ajina, a commander of Hamas brigade in

northern Gaza who was also in charge of Hamas aerial array and helped develop UAVs and paragliders.

And according to a joint statement, his elimination significantly harms the efforts of Hamas to disrupt the Israeli military's ground assault. Hamas

has not confirmed the commander's death, but, Bianna, as you can imagine, this is very, very significant. Back to you.

GOLODRYGA: It is also significant -- is we're hearing once again, Yemen's Houthis, of course, Iran-backed rebels from Yemen firing another drone into

the Red Sea, into the Israel town of Eilat. Israel says they thwarted this attack but there is concern about this escalating and some of Iran's proxy

stepping up their attacks on Israel now.

ROMO: Yeah, that's right, Bianna. It's a new threat against Israel. And you're right. That came from the Houthis in Yemen, a drone and missile

attack at the same time. And as you may remember, in the past three weeks since the war started here, we've also seen attacks from Hezbollah in

Lebanon, so we have this new development in the war.

And let me read to you, so that we get a better idea of what we are talking about, what one commander for the Houthis in Yemen said publicly -- this is

a public statement and he said, "Our armed forces launched a large batch of ballistic and wing missiles and a large numbers of drones at various

targets of the Israeli enemy."

[12:05:00]

This is again, a spokesman, a commander for the Houthis. Now, in this case, they were not able to succeed. Israel has been able to stop it. But again,

we are talking about different threats in the region, not only rockets coming from Hamas in Gaza, but also the rockets from Hezbollah in Lebanon, and now we have this new threat coming in the

Red Sea from the Yemen -- from the Houthis in Yemen. Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, one of the reasons the U.S. has sent additional reinforcement to their region and anticipating this type of action even

though warning any of Israel's enemies, specifically Iran not to get involved. Rafael Romo, thank you.

Well, with each passing day, the humanitarian situation in Gaza reaches new levels of desperation.

One U.N. official told a Security Council on Monday, that the scale of horror being experienced by millions of civilians is hard to convey. CNN's

Salma Abdelaziz joins me now with a closer look at the anguish on the ground in Gaza.

And I know, Salma, each day that goes by, it is harder and harder to get specific details on what the situation is like there for civilians. but you

have been doing such important work, relaying this to our viewers. Tell us what you are learning today.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and my team worked to get this footage. This is CNN-obtained footage by a shooter on the ground. It took

over 24 hours to get this material because comms were so difficult, but it was important for you to see this.

It was one neighborhood, one hour in Gaza. You often hear that refrain. There is no safe place. There is no safe shelter in Gaza. This is what this

means and a warning, the images are graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Where do you go when the bombs won't stop? Where do you shelter your family when the shelters are full? For many Gazans, the

answer is a hospital. The head doctor shows us around.

All that separates these families and the ICU is this door, he explains. These are not proper sterile conditions. Some 12,000 displaced people are

camped out in al-Quds hospital in northern Gaza. And every single people you see here has been told by Israel's army to leave and move south, an

evacuation order the U.N. previously called, inhumane.

This is not a place for children to play, this is a disaster, the doctor says. Look, these are sick people, how can a man on a walker be evacuated?

Hospitals are protected under international law but Israel claims Hamas uses medical facilities as command centers. Aid groups and Palestinian

officials deny these allegations.

Either way, this is still not a safe place. Step outside the doors and this is what you face -- non-stop Israeli artillery and airstrikes. Everyone

here fears the explosions will only get closer but there is nowhere else to run.

Across the street, desperate people steal basic supplies. The war in a suffocating siege

is causing civil order to break down, the U.N. says. Families cannot be expected to flee into this chaos, this father says. This is a war against

our children. See how scared he is from the bombs? Now, we are alive but tomorrow we could be dead. Please, save us, he pleads.

Less than a quarter mile away from the hospital, this is the aftermath of one of those strikes. Residents pull people out of the rubble of their

homes. They can depend only on each other. Comms are down, no one can call an ambulance. Just try and carry him out on your shoulder, someone shouts.

"Are my mom and dad alive?", the wounded man asks.

The sound of war never ceases. You could die trying to help the living. This is one neighborhood during one hour in Gaza. A tiny glimpse into the

horror. The humanity and dignity of more than two million people that live here, the casualty of a war so many people did not choose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ (voice-over): Now, there are two things that worry the families inside that hospital and important to note here, Bianna, al-Quds is not the

only hospital that is sheltering of thousands of civilians. Many other hospitals are now essentially make-shift refugee centers, as well.

But as you saw in that report, imagine trying to flee to the south where you even flee to under bombardment and under siege? And then of course,

there are these accusations, these claims by the Israeli military about hospitals. That has rights groups and Palestinians fearing that hospitals

could be caught in the crossfire next.

[12:10:00]

And just understanding, and seeing, how many people are sheltering inside of those medical facilities, it gives you a sense of how much carnage and

bloodshed that could result in.

GOLODRYGA: Salma Abdelaziz. Again, I tell you after each of your report -- your reports, thank you so much for your important work. And please thank

your team, as well, for bringing us these stories every day.

Well, Israel keeps urging people living in northern Gaza to evacuate. The residents say the situation elsewhere isn't much better. We've been

following our CNN colleague, Ibrahim Dahman who is in southern Gaza with his family. He says they see airstrikes every night, and he says he is now

teaching his children how to survive in case something happens to him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IBRAHIM DAHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN JOURNALIST (voice-over with English translation): My family fled Northern Gaza but we still don't feel safe.

What's wrong? Don't be afraid. Every night, airstrikes hit Khan Younis. With no sense of time, the days roll into one. We pass the time by watching

airstrikes. There are too many to count.

This used to be someone's home. Now, they have likely become one of the dead. Strangers volunteer to search for their remains. Food is scarce where

we are staying. We cook and share whatever we can. We teach the children, too, so that if we are killed, they can feed themselves.

The tanks are filled with impure water. We try to keep our spirits up. There is camaraderie in the chaos. The explosions became louder this

weekend as Israel expanded its ground operation, leaving us in a blackout. Only Israeli phones worked so some tried to keep a sense of normalcy.

All I could think of was my parents' safety and pray my family made it through the night. But even in a war zone, there is light in the darkness.

My wife is three months pregnant. Just like our sons, this baby has the power to turn our fear into joy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: We are so grateful for Ibrahim's voice, and his diaries and only wish we got to know him and learn more about his family in better

circumstances.

Well, turning back here to Washington, anti-war protesters interrupted the U.S. Secretary of State as he called on lawmakers to approve a new aid

package for both Israel and Ukraine. As the hearing began, demonstrators held up red-stained hands and shouted, "Ceasefire now!"

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PROTESTORS: "Ceasefire now! Ceasefire now!"

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are asking a sharply divided Congress to approve a $106-billion package. Austin said

Israel and Ukraine are fighting ruthless foes that are out to annihilate them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LLOYD AUSTIN, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: On October 7th, Hamas terrorists murdered more than 1400 Israelis and at least 36 Americans and took more

than 200 hostages. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel's history. It was cruel, hateful and repugnant. We fully understand that

Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people and we mourn the loss of Palestinian civilians. And I have repeatedly made clear to Israel's leaders

that protecting civilians in Gaza is both a moral responsibility and a strategic imperative.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:15:00]

GOLODRYGA: CNN's Natasha Bertrand, our National Security Reporter is in Washington, and joins us now. And Natasha, aside from the growing calls for

a ceasefire, you do see the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense both standing by Prime Minister Netanyahu's words that a ceasefire right

now would only embolden Hamas. What else did we hear from them?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: That's right, Bianna. And at one point the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State, they both

agreed with the idea that a ceasefire would not come until Hamas no longer posed a threat to Israel.

So, the through line of this hearing really has been the Secretaries underscoring how important it is for the supplemental bill, which the

administration requested for over $100 billion in additional funding for Israel, Ukraine, as well as other issues be passed all at once, rather than

be diverged as some in the House of Representatives -- House Republicans would like to see.

The argument that they have been making is that these issues are inextricably linked particularly when it comes to the access of Iran and

Russia. Secretary Blinken making the point that look, Russia is supplying Iran with increasingly sophisticated military technology in exchange for

Iran's help on the battlefield in Ukraine.

And that, in turn, is being used by Iran to target American forces in the region, as well as, to supply and support these Iranian proxy groups,

including Hezbollah and Hamas, that pose such a big threat to Israel.

So, their argument is that these are all interconnected, that they can't just play, quote, "whack-a-mole" with funding as Secretary Blinken said

because adversaries -- the U.S. adversaries are watching this very closely.

And if funding is separated in anyway, they say that that will pose not only a threat to the U.S.' ability to continue to supply Israel and Ukraine

with appropriate munitions, equipment, as well as humanitarian aid, but it will also dip into, in effect, the U.S.' own military readiness, because it

will affect the U.S.' ability to replenish its stockpiles that is currently dipping into to help support, of course, the U.S.' allies.

And so, the through line in all of this has been to really solidify this support for the supplemental bill, but also, you know, the importance of

Israel protecting civilians in Gaza and taking stock of the, you know, the massive number of casualties we have seen in the Gaza Strip.

Secretary Austin reiterated that he has spoken to his counterpart multiple times about the need to get aid into Gaza, about the need to try to avoid

civilian deaths. So, we will see how this plays out on the Hill in the coming days. It is likely to be, still, even after this hearing, a very

contentious process between the House of Representatives and the Senate to get this bill passed. Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: All right, Natasha Bertrand for us in Washington D.C., thank you. And coming up, Israel pushes deeper into Gaza targeting Hamas leaders.

We will talk strategy with a former Israeli National Security Adviser. And a desperate effort to break Israeli hostages home. I'll talk to the family

of the man whose family, and one of his family members was pulled from the arms of his daughters and dragged away by Hamas.

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[12:20:48]

GOLODRYGA: I want to bring you this reporting just in to CNN. An enormous explosion at a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip has caused many

casualties. That is according to authorities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz joins me for more. I'm just seeing this wire cross as

well. Salma, what more can you tell us?

ABDELAZIZ: Bianna, we're just starting to get images of this horrifying explosion in northern Gaza, in the Jabalia camp. We understand that there

are many, many casualties, unclear how many. The Palestinian officials in Gaza -- in Hamas-controlled Gaza, of course, are immediately blaming the

Israeli military for this explosion.

We are also reaching up to the Israeli military for comment. But what we do know, again, from our own news gathering, is that images from the site show

multiple large craters on the ground.

What we do understand, again, this is from Hamas-controlled Gaza. Palestinian officials reporting that 20 homes -- 20 homes were completely

destroyed. Right now, there are attempts to pull people out from under the rubble. You have to remember, that comms are limited, ambulance services,

emergency workers are all stretched.

So, oftentimes, what you're going to see at these scenes is the survivors of the blast. We'll be trying to pull out people from the rubble. We're

already hearing from doctors on the ground of some horrifying injuries, allegations that families, people have been leveled, basically crushed by

their homes in this explosion.

I'm going to read you just a little bit from what the director of the Indonesian hospital, this is a hospital nearby. He says, "What we are

seeing is a scene no one can imagine." Again, this is a doctor nearby near the scene treating people, injured martyrs, charred bodies.

This is one of the largest neighborhoods, most densely populated neighborhoods in the north of Gaza. Again, it's right up near that border

with Israel, an area that has received heavy bombardment, heavy artillery strikes in the last few days, but those have obviously only intensified as

the ground offensive has started.

So again, this is very much a breaking news story. We are getting more information now as we can on the ground. We are speaking to doctors and

Palestinian officials inside Hamas-controlled Gaza.

We are reaching out to the Israeli military as well, but preliminary reports here of many, many people killed, 20 homes potentially leveled and

the families inside their fate very much uncertain as people try to pull survivors out from under the rubble.

GOLODRYGA: This is from northern Gaza -- reminding our viewers this is the area that the IDF have been warning and dropping leaflets for people to

move south, obviously getting a million people plus to move south is not an easy task to do.

CNN has reached out to the IDF and have not yet responded top our questioning about this news. Of course, Salma, please do keep us posted on

anything else that you hear about this. Thank you.

Meantime, Israel is rejecting calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that he will not surrender to terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Calls for a ceasefire. Our calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to

surrender to barbarism. That will not happen. The Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Israel is intensifying its military operation more than three weeks after the deadly rampage by Hamas. CNN analysis suggests troops and

tanks have advanced more than two miles into Gaza. Israel says it struck hundreds of Hamas targets over the past day, including military compounds

inside underground tunnels, and killed the Hamas commander, who it said helped direct the October 7th massacre in which 1400 people were killed.

Israeli forces also destroyed a house they say belonged to another Hamas leader in the occupied West Bank. Well, for a closer look at Israel's

military operations, let's bring in Eyal Hulata, a former Israeli national security adviser who joins us now from Washington, D.C.

[12:25:00]

Eyal, welcome to the program. I have to say this is a different type of offensive that we've seen in the past and that many had anticipated after

the October 7th attack. Many expected a D-Day invasion -- that's not what we've seen. It's more cautious, more calculated, and it does, from early

appearances, appear to look almost like a siege around Gaza. Is that an accurate calculation and assessment in your view?

EYAL HULATA, FORMER ISRAELI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: So, first of all, Bianna, thank you for having me on your show. I'm honored to be here. And I

think the description that you put on the way that the IDF is deploying its forces is quite accurate.

This war that has been imposed in Israel almost four weeks ago, put the IDF in a very difficult situation, clearly we're in total surprise, and there

was time needed to recreate the plan so that it will be effective and relevant for the traps that's clearly Hamas has put up for our soldiers.

And also to plan a way where we can be effective while not breaking all of the rules.

I've heard the item just before that was put there. Of course, I have no details about the blast in Northern Gaza but you've seen from the outset

that the IDF has clearly delivered this message that we need to operate against Hamas. We want the area to be clear so that we can operate with as

few casualties as possible.

And I think you see that also in the way that the IDF has conducted its operation, moving very slowly, not falling into traps, but also trying to

avoid, to the extent we can, damage to, you know, enforcing casualties on civilian population in Gaza. This is very difficult when Hamas is using

them as human shields all the time, any step of the way. But this is clearly -- that we were operating.

GOLODRYGA: And there are multi, it's a multi-prong objective here. Obviously, the goal, as Israel has put it, is to annihilate Hamas, destroy

Hamas, rescue the hostages. And we know that number seems to be increasing every day, over 230, I believe, now, and to minimize any civilian

casualties.

As we have just heard and as you have noted from the report, as we're digging deeper into this news out of this village in northern Gaza. I mean,

are these objectives, something that Israel can achieve?

HULATA: So, it's very difficult to achieve all of those objectives together. That is true. And Israel is in a situation where, on the one

hand, we cannot surrender to Hamas. This war cannot end when Hamas continues to impose threat on our population, and I would dare say even to

impose threat on its own population, given the way that they've been behaving to their own people, putting them at risk, hampering humanitarian

aid and a whole host of things.

The hostages issue is an open wound in Israel society. We need to understand, I'm sure the audience can understand they've seen the pictures

of babies and elderly snatched from their homes into Gaza and we need to have them all back, all of them back.

And there's another thing, Bianna, that we need to take care for looking into the future. We need to restore security, but also sense of security to

our own population. Two hundred thousand people, Israelis, have evacuated their homes from the surrounding area of Gaza because they believe, first

of all, now it's a war zone.

But also in the future, how safe can they continue to live in their own homes and protect their children when gunmen are in harm's way, just

minutes of walking from the fence after they've unfortunately been able to demonstrate. They can break holes, multiple holes in the offences and

infiltrate our communities in such barbaric action.

These are all very difficult goals that our IDF needs to deal with, and the government has to make very tough priorities every day to try to balance

between all of those, to achieve a meaningful and effective success.

GOLODRYGA: We focus a lot on the Hamas infrastructure, specifically these, I think, over 1300 tunnels and very sophisticated tunnels that they've

built over the past few decades. How much do these tunnels figure into this military operation that Israel is now unfolding inside of Gaza?

HULATA: Very much, Bianna. We need to understand how Hamas has evolved. It's a modus operandi. It's in warfare both on the offense and on the

defense. And clearly, those tunnels are the core asset that Hamas holds. Those tunnels host their terrorists, their equipment, their reservoirs.

They have to have electricity, to have air and supply in those tunnels to sustain them. And clearly, they've prepared and planned to be there for

many, many months.

[12:30:00]

As you've seen in IDF exposed intelligence, those tunnels go under the hospitals, underneath schools and mosques and all of those unique places

because they know that you will never attack them directly in the first place.

Now, tunnels have been a Hamas tactic even in the past. As you recall in Protective Edge, Hamas used penetrating tunnels into our communities. This

is how they operated in 2014. For first, us to put a lot of resources in building a wall underneath the ground to block the ability to have

penetrating tunnels. That succeeded, by the way. I mean, they don't have any penetrating tunnels at the moment.

But they use those tunnels defensively and also as traps for us. This is how they maneuver underground and this is how they are able to move all of

their equipment from place to place, hiding from us of course. But also endangering the civilian population in Gaza because it's all underneath the

houses.

GOLODRYGA: And that is one of the biggest challenges that the IDF faces right now because they're saying that they -- this operation will require a

lot of time, and obviously time is not on their side. There is a lot of global pressure on this to come to an end sooner rather than later,

especially when we're seeing the casualties and the innocent lives there uprooted, as well. Eyel, will you --yes.

HULATA: That's true. Yes. Just to add another point, I think the humanitarian situation in Gaza, it's very clear and the priorities of the

government, Prime Minister Netanyahu and all of the other spokesmen have said that Israel will enable the supply of humanitarian aid to the south of

Gaza and will continue to do so.

Israel is not after the Gazans. We're not at war with the Gazans. We're at war with Hamas, and we must eliminate.

GOLODRYGA: Eyel Hulata, former Israeli National Security Advisor. Thank you so much for your time.

HULATA: Thank you, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: We'll be right back with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:35:23]

GOLODRYGA: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Bianna Golodryga. We want to bring you an update on our top story. Authorities in Hamas controlled Gaza

say a massive blast at a refugee camp has led to many casualties.

Meantime, Israeli forces say an airstrike has killed the Hamas commander who helped direct the massacre near the Gaza border on October 7th. This

comes as Israeli troops push deeper into Gaza. The Israeli military says troops hit hundreds of Hamas targets from the air and ground overnight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Israeli forces are also on the move in the occupied West Bank. This is video of the IDF demolishing what it says is the house of a Hamas

leader there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: And Israeli forces also rescued a female soldier who was being held in Gaza while Hamas released a video of other hostages. Nic Robertson

has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: The moment they feared might never come. Private Ori Megadish hugs her grandmother, reunited with

her family, rescued by the IDF after more than three weeks held hostage by Hamas. A moment of hope, too, for families of other hostages.

AVITAL KIRSHI, MOTEHR OF HOSTAGE: In some way, they are listening to us right now. Please, please, stay strong.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): But even as Megadish met her family, Hamas propagandized three hostages they still hold, seen here before their

capture. The Hamas video CNN has decided not to air shows the women under apparent duress, blaming the prime minister for not calling a ceasefire to

help get them released.

Netanyahu unrelenting in refusing Hamas' pressure.

NETANYAHU: Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 911, Israel

will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Inside Gaza, Israeli forces reinforcing that message, extending their incursion deeper into the enclaves densely

populated neighborhoods. Ground troops, according to the IDF, calling in airstrikes on Hamas strongholds. Aircraft also dropping flyers, warning

civilians their neighborhoods now a battlefield and to evacuate south.

This civilian-looking vehicle didn't manage to escape, taking a direct hit from a tank. The IDF say impossible to know if it contains civilians or

terrorists. The mounting civilian death toll and deteriorating humanitarian conditions fuel the international pressure on Israel to call a ceasefire.

Netanyahu insisting his is a just war.

NETANYAHU: It means making a moral distinction between the deliberate murder of the innocent and the unintentional casualties that accompany

every legitimate war.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): As night falling, more and more of Gaza's residents on the move, many in makeshift camps, all of them just hoping they will see

the sun rise. Nic Robertson CNN, Sderot, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Time now for the exchange. And we want to focus on one of the most challenging aspects of this conflict, the hostages. While a very small

number of them have been freed, the overwhelming majority remain captives of Hamas, likely hidden in the maze of tunnels under Gaza. It is believed

that Omri Miran is among them. He was taken from his kibbutz on October 7th. His wife and two young daughters somehow managed to survive the

attack.

And joining me now is Omri Miron's brother in law, Moshe Lavi. Moshe, thank you for joining us. These are very difficult conversations to have and I

really appreciate you taking the time to repeatedly come on with us at this network and give us an update on what you're learning about your brother-

in-law. What is the latest that you know and that you can tell us about Omri?

MOSHE LAVI, BROTHER-IN-LAW OMRI MIRAN, HELD BY HAMAS: Yes, thank you so much for inviting me to speak here today. We know that he's in the Gaza

Strip. It's now believed. We received a confirmation from our government and the relevant state institutions that Omri is held captive. And as of

yesterday, we know that he's alive.

[12:40:00]

We don't know however, his physical or mental condition. But we are -- we were relieved to hear that he is alive. And we're hoping that eventually he

will return to us alongside the rest of the hostages whose number just continues to climb as Israel decides more and more.

GOLODRYGA: And we pray for that, as well, and it is reassuring to hear the latest update that you've received that Omri is indeed alive. I'm wondering

how you feel about this expanded incursion into Gaza and the mission that we've heard from Israeli officials that they plan on taking out Hamas while

also prioritizing the rescue of these hostages. Are you reassured that both objectives can be achieved?

LAVI: Let me start by saying that I'm neither a policymaker nor a military strategist. So, I don't think it is in my capacity to comment whether a

certain military strategy is the right approach to release the hostages.

I want to believe that the Israeli government, as it states to us in meetings, in countless meetings and in countless announcements to the

press, that the issue of the hostages is on the top of their agenda. It's a primary objective of the government to release them.

I also want to believe that the ground operation will only support those initiatives and hopefully will ensure that they are released by Hamas

either through operations or through negotiations.

We're receiving, continuing to receive updates. Not enough, but we do receive updates from the relevant authorities. And for now, we are trusting

that they're doing what they are supposed to do, which is ensure that Israeli civilians return to their home and are taken back from the

battlefield in the Gaza Strip.

GOLODRYGA: To give our viewers a sense of the kind of man that your brother-in-law is, he was in a safe room with your sister and their two

daughters. And it was upon hearing a young boy outside who had been forced by Hamas terrorists to try to get them out, who he said were threatening to

shoot him if they did not come out, that led to him putting his own life in danger, to spare another's.

And yet these terrorists ultimately killed this boy, as well. But that gives us a sense of who your brother-in-law is. Tell us how your sister and

her two daughters, your nieces, are doing right now.

LAVI: Yes. I think what they did was what every Israeli civilian would have done -- was to make sure that Tomer, the teenager, was forced to do that,

that his life will be spared. Sadly, him and his mother were found in a field shot dead, executed by Hamas and their accomplices.

My sister is a strong woman. She speaks as well, making sure Mui has a voice. And at the same time, she grieves in her heart. She needs to recover

from the trauma that she went through and of course needs to take care of her two baby daughters, my two nieces Ronny and Alma, two years and then

six months old. It's a difficult task for all of us.

Our entire family is united in supporting Lishai, my sister and my two nieces. But the trauma will remain with us and the hole in our hearts will

remain with us. And what Ronny and Alma went through will sadly remain with them.

Children who are subjected to violence, such intense violence, seeing guns pointed at their face, seeing dead bodies around, experiencing this

firsthand, will for sure, will have it for the rest of their life, whether in their conscious or subconscious.

But we're here for them. I was asked by my family and by my sisters who stay in the U.S. and serve as a voice here for them, and that's what I'm

doing here with you today. I'm serving as a voice for all the hostages held captive by Hamas and their accomplices.

GOLODRYGA: A brave and powerful voice at that, Moshe. And I just touched by reading that your sister reads, "Good Night, Moon" to her daughters every

single night. And Rony then says, "Good night, daddy", in her voice, as well.

LAVI: Yeah.

GOLODRYGA: So, there is still hope in bringing their father and your brother-in-law home.

[12:45:00]

We are hoping for the best as well. Moshe, thank you for joining us.

LAVI: Thank you so much and wish peace upon all of us.

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

LAVI: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: Well, this news just into CNN, as well. The Israel Defense Forces say the two Israeli troops have been killed inside of Gaza. They are

the first Israeli military troop deaths reported since the ground invasion began. We'll have much more on this as we get more information in. And

we'll be right back with an update of breaking news out of Gaza about that explosion that reportedly claimed dozens of lives.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: Officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza report an enormous explosion at a refugee camp that has caused many casualties. The ministry of interior

there says it happened at the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip. Let's get to our Salma Abdelaziz who joins us now with the latest. Salma,

what more do we know?

ABDELAZIZ: Yes, and I was just looking at these images that are coming out of the camp. There are live pictures being fed on "Al Jazeera" and the

scenes are just absolutely horrifying. I know we have some stills there that we're showing, as well.

Just take a look at those massive craters in the ground. Officials inside Gaza saying some 20 homes were leveled, potentially more. I mean, it looks

apocalyptic in these images. Survivors, residents, anyone who can help, anyone who is able-bodied is digging quite literally with bare hands

through the rubble of these homes, trying to pull survivors out in these live images. I've seen elderly women.

I've seen children. I've seen all sorts of people being pulled out of the remnants of their home. We understand that there's a huge number of

casualties. Some officials warning people on the ground, warning that this could potentially be one of the deadliest days yet in what already has been

an extremely bloody conflict.

Hospitals which have been so overwhelmed over the course of the last three weeks are now receiving serious injuries, amputations, burns, crush

injuries as people try again to get those wounded help. This is horrifying, absolutely horrifying to see, but still the very early moments of the

aftermath of these explosions. I do want to give you a little bit of context about this area.

This is the Jabalia refugee camp. Now, when we say refugee camp, it's not a traditional camp. This is a residential area established in 1948 right up

on the border with Israel in northern Gaza.

[12:50:00]

An area that of course the Israeli military has said it will target and carry out its assault, its air campaign in that area. It had already been

receiving heavy bombardment in recent days, now even more so. This is going to be devastating, a place of absolute suffering now facing even more.

GOLODRYGA: Salma Abdelaziz, thank you so much for giving us that detail about this area and some of the images that we're just getting in now.

Please do keep us posted on any more that you learn and we'll continue to follow this story obviously for our viewers here at CNN, as well. Thank

you.

Well, in southern Ukraine, Russian shelling has claimed at least one life. Officials in Kherson say the city came under heavy fire and a Russian shell

hit a car, hitting the driver, killing the driver. They say the attack also destroyed several warehouses. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian family of nine were

shot dead in their home. The killings have sparked outrage and investigations in both Russia and Ukraine. Scott McLean has the details.

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bianna, even in a war zone, this is particularly disturbing. A family of nine people, including two children,

both under the age of 10, were found shot dead inside their home in Volnavaha, which is in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. It was taken by

Russia early on in its full-scale invasion.

Images released by Ukraine show that multiple people had been shot in their bed, some still cuddled up to each other. We're only showing one of the

photos. This is the least gruesome of the pictures released.

Exactly what happened is far from clear, but according to Ukrainian prosecutors, soldiers arrived and demanded that the family leave so that

their home could instead be used to house Russian troops. The family said no, but the gunmen came back days later and shot all nine while they were

asleep.

Local officials on the Russian side said that two Russian soldiers were arrested and said the initial assessment shows that the murder motive was a

domestic conflict both Russia and Ukraine are now investigating. Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Scott McLean, thank you so much. Devastating. An entire family wiped out. We'll be right back with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: China's Shenzhou-16 astronauts have safely returned to Earth after a five-month mission aboard the Tiangong space station.

[12:55:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JING HAIPENG, SHENZHOU-16 MISSION COMMANDER: Shenzhou-16-crew. We have safely landed and all feel very good. Please rest assured. See you in

Beijing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Three astronauts returned from space inside a return capsule that landed in China earlier today. They were part of China's fifth manned

mission to the space station. Another Chinese crew is now aboard the space station after the astronauts handed off duties on Sunday.

And finally, oh boy, do we need this, a sweet end to today's very difficult show. When it comes to candy, America's obsession with Halloween spells

bumper sales for manufacturers. U.S. shoppers spent more than $3.7 billion on treats in the six weeks before the holiday last year. Sales rose 14

percent between 2021 and 2022, and this year is on track to do the same.

And it turns out milk chocolate is the king of the candy. As you can see from this chart, more people bought that last Halloween than all other non-

chocolate candy combined. I wish everyone a safe and fun trick or treating with their families tonight. I did a lot of shopping as well buying up

chocolate.

Well, that does it for this hour of "One World". I'm Bianna Golodryga. Thank you so much for watching. Amanpour is up next.

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END