June 17, 2024

♪♪♪ >>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY."

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

>>> PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU DISBANDS HIS WAR CABINET AMID FEARS OF A FULL-BLOWN NEW FRONT WITH LEBANON.

THE NEW LABOR PARTY LEADER, FORMER IDF GENERAL YAIR GOLAN JOINS ME.

THEN -- >> THERE'S NOTHING NORMAL OF CHILDREN LIVING IN A CONSTANT STATE OF FEAR.

>> WE BRING YOU A REPORT ON THE PATIENTS TRAPPED INSIDE GAZA.

AND I SPEAK TO JAMES ELDER OF UNICEF FROM RAFAH.

>>> ALSO AHEAD -- >> LOUD, SASSY, CONFRONTATIONAL.

I CAN'T NOT BE A STRONG BLACK WOMAN.

>> A 25-YEAR-OLD JAMAICAN-BRITISH WOMAN STRADDLING TWO CULTURES.

AUTHOR CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS TALKS TO MICHEL MARTIN ABOUT TURNING HER BEST-SELLING NOVEL "QUEENIE" INTO A NEW TV SERIES.

♪♪♪ >>> "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS.

CANDACE KING WEIR.

THE FAMILY FOUNDATION OF LEILA AND MICKEY STRAUS.

MARK J. BLECHNER.

THE FILOMEN M. D'AGOSTINO FOUNDATION.

SETON J. MELVIN.

CHARLES ROSENBLUM.

KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

>>> ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THESE FUNDERS.

AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE, I'M CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR IN LONDON.

SO, WHO WILL RUN THE WAR ON GA GAZA, NOW THAT THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER HAS DISBANDED THE WAR CABINET?

AN ISRAELI OFFICIAL SAYS NETANYAHU WILL, QUOTE, HOLD SMALLER FORUMS ON SENSITIVE MATTERS, AND DECISION-MAKING WILL NOW MOVE BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT'S MAIN SECURITY CABINET.

MEANWHILE, THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH ACROSS THE LEBANESE BORDER IS HEATING UP.

AND U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY AMOS HOCKSTEIN ARRIVED IN ISRAEL TODAY, MEETING WITH NETANYAHU AND THE PRESIDENT TO URGE DE-ESCALATION IN THE NORTH.

BEN WEDEMAN HAS THIS REPORT ABOUT HOW THE WIDER WAR COULD BE ON THE BRINK OF ERUPTING.

>> Reporter: EVERY DAY, THE MESSAGE GOES OUT FROM SOUTH LEBANON.

IN SLICK PROPAGANDA VIDEOS, ACCOMPANIED BY A STIRRING SOUNDTRACK.

HEZBOLLAH IS READY TO GO FROM DAILY SKIRMISHES TO FULL-SCALE WAR WITH ISRAEL.

MIRED IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN UNWINNABLE WAR IN GAZA, ISRAEL HAS VOWED TO TURN ITS MILITARY MIGHT ON HEZBOLLAH.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU VISITED THE BORDER, SAYING, "WE ARE PREPARED FOR VERY STRONG ACTION IN THE NORTH."

BUT THE IRANIAN-BACKED GROUP IS BY FAR THE MOST FORMIDABLE, BATTLE-HARDENED FOE ISRAEL HAS FACED ON ITS BORDERS SINCE THE 1973 OCTOBER WAR.

AFTER THEY FORCED ISRAEL TO PULL OUT OF SOUTH LEBANON 24 YEARS AGO, IN 2006, HEZBOLLAH FOUGHT ISRAEL TO A STANDSTILL.

ALTHOUGH THE WAR LEFT PARTS OF BEIRUT AND MUCH OF SOUTHERN LEBANON IN RUINS.

RETIRED LEBANESE ARMY BRIGADIER GENERAL ELIAS HANNA KNOWS THE MILITANT GROUP WELL.

>> HEZBOLLAH IS AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB.

WELL DISCIPLINED, MONITORED, AND THEY HAVE, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE, THE CHARISMATIC LEADER.

>> Reporter: SINCE OCTOBER, ISRAELI STRIKES HAVE KILLED MORE THAN 300 HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS, INCLUDING LAST WEEK, A HIGH-RANKING COMMANDER, GIVEN A HERO'S FAREWELL IN BEIRUT.

AT THE FUNERAL, A SENIOR HEZBOLLAH LEADER WARNED, "WE WILL INCREASE OUR OPERATIONS IN INTENSITY AND FORCE, IN QUANTITY AND QUALITY."

ANALYSTS BELIEVE IRAN HAS PROVIDED HEZBOLLAH WITH AN ARSENAL OF SOPHISTICATED LONG-RANGE MISSILES CAPABLE OF REACHING TEL AVIV AND BEYOND.

UNTIL NOW, HEZBOLLAH HAS MOSTLY LIMITED ITS STRIKES TO MILITARY TARGETS ALONG THE RUGGED MOUNTAINOUS FRONTIER, HITTING ISRAEL'S EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF SURVEILLANCE POSTS.

IT ALSO SAYS IT HAS TAKEN OUT AN IRON DOME BATTERY, THE BACKBONE OF ISRAEL'S MISSILE DEFENSES, AND HAS USED GROUND TO AIR MISSILES TO SHOOT DOWN THREE TOP OF THE LINE HERMES-900 DRONES.

IN THE PROCESS, FORCING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ISRAELIS TO FLEE THEIR HOMES IN THE NORTH.

HEZBOLLAH IS LEARNING FASTER THAN ISRAEL CAN ADAPT, SAYS HANNA.

>> THEY ARE LEARNING, IT'S LIKE LEARNING PROCESS, IT'S LIKE TRIAL AND ERROR.

SO, AS FAR AS YOU GO IN TIME, YOU ARE SEEING MORE INTENSITY, MORE COMBINED USE OF WEAPON, AND THEN MORE IN DEPTH AND MORE EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST THE ISRAELIS.

AND WHAT IS THE PROBLEM, THAT THE ISRAEL HAS NO ANSWER FOR THAT.

>> Reporter: SINCE OCTOBER, ISRAEL HAS BOLSTERED ITS FORCES ON THE BORDER AND HELD EXERCISES TO PREPARE FOR WAR.

HEZBOLLAH IS ALSO READY FOR WAR.

A WAR THAT IS JUST ONE MISCALCULATION AWAY.

>> BEN WEDEMAN REPORTING FROM BEIRUT.

ALL ACROSS ISRAEL, ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS ARE TAKING TO THE STREETS AGAIN, ADDING PRESSURE ON NETANYAHU TO CALL EARLY ELECTIONS, AN OUTCOME THAT HE SEEMS DETERMINED TO AVOID FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

BUT WOULD A DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT REALLY CHANGE THINGS?

THE ONCE POWERFUL LABOR PARTY RECENTLY VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR ITS NEW LEADER, THE FORMER IDF COMMANDER YAIR GOLAN.

ON OCTOBER 7th, HE PUT ON HIS OLD UNIFORM AND DROVE TO A KIBBUTZ TO SAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS HE COULD.

IF HE CAN REVITALIZE THE TRADITIONAL LEFT AND THE PEACE CAMP, HE COULD PROVE KEY TO ISRAEL'S FUTURE.

AND TO THAT OF THE PALESTINIANS.

HE ATTENDED TODAY'S ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE KNESSET, AND HE'S JOINING US LIVE FROM JERUSALEM.

YAIR GOLAN, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECENT NOMINATION AS HEAD OF THE LABOR PARTY.

CAN I START BY ASKING YOU, THOUGH, ABOUT WHAT WE JUST HEARD FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT BEN WEDEMAN, IN LEBANON.

YOU USED TO BE NORTHERN COMMANDER, YOU KNOW THAT WHOLE AREA, AND THAT DYNAMIC REALLY WELL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> WELL, WHAT HAPPENED IN LEBANON IS A GOOD MANIFESTATION FOR THE FACT THAT WE ARE COUNTERING A MASSIVE IRANIAN FRONT AGAINST ISRAEL, COMPOSED BY HEZBOLLAH, MILITIAS IN IRAQ AND IRAN, AS WELL AS HAMAS, HEAVILY SUPPORTED BY IRAN IN THE GAZA STRIP, AND I THINK THIS IS -- SYMBOLIZES THE FACT THAT ISRAEL IS IN THE FRONT LINE OF INTERNATIONAL LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT AGAINST THE MOST RELIGION FANATIC JIHADIST ELEMENTS IN THE WORLD.

SO, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS, YOU KNOW, VERY BASIC FACT.

>> AND MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMES UP THERE IN THE NORTH, ALSO ON THE OTHER SIDE IN LEBANON.

UP UNTIL NOW, IT SEEMS THAT IT'S BEEN QUOTE UNQUOTE MANAGEABLE.

THAT IT HASN'T ERUPTED INTO FULL-SCALE WAR LIKE IN 2006.

DO YOU THINK IT WILL?

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE AMERICAN SPECIAL ENVOY WOULD HAVE SAID TO YOUR PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU TODAY ABOUT DE-ESCALATION?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT THIS ESCALATION IS AVOIDABLE.

WE NEED TO REACH HOSTAGE DEAL IN THE SOUTH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WE NEED TO REACH CEASE-FIRE IN THE SOUTH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THERE ARE CHANCES -- REASONABLE CHANCES THAT BY CEASE-FIRE IN THE SOUTH, WE WILL GAIN A CEASE-FIRE IN THE NORTH, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONDUCT THE POLITICAL, INTERNAL PROCESS TO REPLACE THIS UNTRUSTED GOVERNMENT, AND IN ORDER TO BE WELL PREPARED FOR FUTURE CHALLENGES, FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE ELSEWHERE.

>> YAIR GOLAN, HOW DO YOU READ THE DISBANDING OF THE WAR CABINET?

WHAT WILL IT MEAN, THAT NETANYAHU IS -- GETS MORE MODERATE, OR THAT THE RIGHT WING HAS MORE INFLUENCE, OR WHAT?

WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK IT WILL MEAN FOR THE PROSECUTION OF THE WAR IN GAZA?

>> NO DOUBT THAT NETANYAHU IS TOTALLY GOVERNED BY THE MOST EXTREME FANATIC ELEMENTS IN THE GOVERNMENT.

IRRESPONSIBLE ELEMENTS OR PERSONS, THEY ARE THE ONE WHO REALLY LEAD THE ISRAELI POLICY RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS, IF IT DOESN'T REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF THE ISRAELIS, IT'S AGAINST THE INTEREST OF ISRAEL, AND THEREFORE, THIS IS A GREAT MANIFESTATION THAT THIS GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

>> YOU, I GUESS FOR THAT REASON, TO TRY TO CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT, YOU HAVE BEEN TAKING PART EVEN TODAY IN ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN JERUSALEM.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

WHAT ARE THESE PROTESTERS DEMANDING NOW?

>> WELL, WE THINK THAT THIS GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE OF THE UNBELIEVABLE FAILURE, DISASTER OF OCTOBER 7th, AND AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE OF THE MISCONDUCTED WAY THEY LEAD THIS WAR, FROM ALL THE REASONS, FROM THE PAST, FROM THE PRESENT, AND CONCERNING THE FUTURE.

I ASSUME YOU BELIEVE IN A DAY AFTER THAT SEES A POLITICAL SOLUTION AND A TWO-STATE SOLUTION.

>> WELL, THE GOAL IS FIRST AND FOREMOST TO BECOME A MUCH BIGGER PARTY.

I THINK THAT REASONABLE GOAL FOR THE COMING ELECTION, ABOUT 15 MANDATES, AND WITH 15 MANDATES, WE CAN BE PROMINENT ELEMENT IN ANY FUTURE COALITION.

MAYBE EVEN LEAD THIS COALITION.

WE DON'T KNOW, IT'S A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, TO SEE THE WAY THE POLITICAL MAP IN ISRAEL WILL BE REORGANIZED AFTER THIS GOVERNMENT.

AND I THINK THAT CONCERNING THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION, RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS MOST REASONABLE FOR MOST ISRAELIS, LOST A SENSE OF SECURITY, IS THE FOLLOWING.

FIRST, WE NEED TO DISINTEGRATE OURSELVES FROM THE PALESTINIANS FROM ANY CIVILIAN ASPECT, IN ORDER TO KEEP A WIDE AND SECURED PATH FOR THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO KEEP RESPONSIBILITY FOR SECURITY IN OUR HANDS.

AND I THINK PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

WE HAVE NO INTENTION TO COMPROMISE OUR SECURITY.

PEOPLE IN ISRAEL NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY WON'T BE RAIDED BY TERRORISTS, BY BUTCHERS, BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KILL THEM TOMORROW MORNING, AND THEREFORE, WITHOUT SECURITY, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY POLITICAL CONSIDERATION.

>> AS YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THE AMERICAN BACKERS VERY ANGRY AND ISRAEL'S ALLIES VERY ANGRY, MAYBE EVEN PROTESTERS, I THINK -- I THINK PEOPLE LIKE GADI EISEN COT AND BENNY GANTZ LEFT THE WAR CABINET BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DAY AFTER PLAN.

SO, I'M WONDERING, WHAT WOULD YOUR DAY AFTER PLAN BE?

RIGHT NOW, THE LATEST FROM ONE OF THE EXTREME RIGHT COALITION MEMBERS HAS BEEN TO SAY, WE NEED TO GET BACK INTO GAZA, IN FULL-SCALE, WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE ALL GAZANS TO GET OUT.

THAT SEEMS TO BE A MAXIMALIST, YOU KNOW, ETHNIC CLEANSING VERSION, AND AN ONLY PASSION OCCUPATION VERSION OF THE FUTURE.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR GAZA?

>> WELL, I THINK YOU KNOW, BRITISH DOCTRINE CONCERNING COUNTER INSURGENCY WARFARE, NO DOUBT THAT CONCERNING THAT ON THE ONE HAND, WE NEED TO FIGHT FURIOUS FURIOUSLY, ALL MILITANTS, BUT WE NEED TO BUILD AN ALTERNATIVE.

AND WE ARE NOT THE ALTERNATIVE.

ISRAEL IS NOT THE ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PALESTINIANS.

AND THEREFORE, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONSOLIDATE A TRUSTED ALTERNATIVE WITH OUR REGIONAL ALLIES, WITH THE MODERATE MUSLIM COUNTRIES, BACKING BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BY THE EU, BY OTHER DEMOCRATIC ELEMENTS IN THE GLOBE, IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT GAZANS HAVE -- WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF A REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE, AND AT THE SAME TIME, ISRAEL WILL GAIN ENOUGH SECURITY IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE AND SECURE IN THIS TROUBLED REGION.

WE WANT GUARANTEES FOR ALL OF OUR SECURITY PROBLEMS, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FUTURE OF THE GLAN PALESTINIAN ARENA IS POSITIVE FOR ISRAEL, AND IF IT'S POSITIVE FOR ISRAEL, IT WILL BE POSITIVE ALSO FOR THE PALESTINIANS.

>> AND I -- YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN READING THIS, BUT THERE ARE MORE AND MORE STORIES COMING OUT OF GAZA, OF ORDINARY PALESTINIANS THERE EXPRESSING REAL ANGER AT HAMAS, REAL, YOU KNOW, BLAMING THEM FOR -- FOR THIS TERRIBLE SITUATION THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN, AND EVEN BEFORE OCTOBER 7th, THERE WERE PROTESTS BY GAZANS AGAINST HAMAS FOR BAD GOVERNANCE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS, BUT I NEED TO ASK YOU, BECAUSE MANY ISRAELIS HAVE SAID, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A GAZAN CIVILIAN.

EVERYBODY'S HAMAS.

AND YOU YOURSELF ARE QUOTED RIGHT AFTER OCTOBER 7th AS SAYING THE FOLLOWING.

FIRST OF ALL, CLOSE ALL SUPPLIES TO GAZA.

I THINK IN THIS BATTLE, WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW A HUMANITARIAN EFFORT.

YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM, LISTEN, UNTIL THE HOSTAGES ARE NOT RELEASED, FOR ALL WE CARE, YOU WILL STARVE TO DEATH.

IT'S COMPLETELY LEGITIMATE.

SO, THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, I MEAN, YOU ARE THE LABOR LEADER, BUT IT'S ALSO COMMENTS THAT THE ICC STATED AS A REASON FOR SEEKING ARREST WARRANTS.

DID YOU MEAN THAT THEN?

AND DO YOU MEAN IT NOW?

>> WELL, WHAT WAS REASONABLE AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN THE VERY FIRST DAYS OF THE WAR IS IRRELEVANT RIGHT NOW.

AND THEREFORE, WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC AND WE NEED TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE.

LOOKING AT THE FUTURE, WE NEED ON THE ONE HAND, SAY THE FOLLOWING.

FIRST, WE NEED TO FIGHT HAMAS IN THE MOST DECISIVE MANNER, AS LONG AS IT'S NEEDED.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO PROVIDE ALL GAZAN CITIZENS REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE, POSITIVE ALTERNATIVE, THAT ENSURES THEIR PROSPERITY, AND AT THE SAME TIME, ENSURE SECURITY FOR ISRAEL.

I THINK IT'S QUITE SIMPLE.

IT'S HARD TO IMPLEMENT, BUT THE PRINCIPLE IS SIMPLE.

AND CONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION, WE CAN -- WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE.

WE NEED TO WORK HARD WITH EGYPTIANS, WITH THE SAUDI ARABIA, WITH UNITED EMIRATES, WITH OTHER POSITIVE REGIONS, OF COURSE WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT, YES, FOR THE GAZANS, THERE IS A REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE THAT WE CAN TRUST.

IT WON'T HAPPEN IN DAYS OR MONTHS, OUT'S A MATTER OF YEARS, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE WITH THIS PROCESS FORWARD, IN ORDER TO SECURE OUR CITIZENS.

IT'S NOT FOR THEM.

IT'S FOR US, AND I -- I WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT IT.

IT'S NOT FOR THEM.

IT'S FOR US, AND WE NEED TO DO IT IN THE MOST DECISIVE, DELIBERATED MANNER.

>> SO, YOU SAID THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ELECTION.

THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN ISRAEL, A CHANGE IN DIRECTION.

DO YOU -- YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A COALITION.

DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD, A, TRY TO GET A COALITION WITH BENNY GANTZ AND THOSE MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION, IS THAT POSSIBLE?

AND B, HOW DO YOU COME TO AN ELECTION?

BECAUSE ONE IS NOT PLANNED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

>> WELL, LET ME -- LET ME BEGIN MY ANSWER WITH THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION, IN ORDER TO BRING ELECTIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE NEED TO BE IN THE STREETS, WE NEED TO BE MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STREETS EVERY DAY, EVERY NIGHT, IN ORDER TO FORCE THIS GOVERNMENT TO ADMIT THAT THEY CANNOT CONTROL -- THEY CANNOT LEAD THE ISRAELI PEOPLE ANYMORE.

AND CONCERNING FUTURE COALITIONS, I'M -- I SWEAR TO SIT WITH ANYONE.

WE ARE, YOU KNOW, A -- A DEMOCRACY, AND WE NEED TO LEGITIMIZE EVERY ELEMENT IN ISRAELI SOCIETY EXCEPT THOSE THAT ARE TOTALLY CORRUPTED, LIKE NETANYAHU, AND WE WON'T SEE IT, AND THERE IS NO COMPARISON CONCERNING THAT, WITH THE MOST EXTREME VIOLENT ELEMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT, SO, THEREFORE, I HAVE NO INTENTION TO SIT WITH THEM.

>> AND JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION, BECAUSE I'M MOVING ONTO A UNICEF GUEST IN GAZA.

THERE WAS MEANT TO BE A TACTICAL PAUSE FOR DELIVERING HUMANITARIAN AID, BUT FIGHTING CONTINUES, AND AS SUCH, THERE HASN'T BEEN THE ABILITY TO -- TO, YOU KNOW, FREE UP MORE HUMANITARIAN AID.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?

DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE AID GOING IN?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT CONCERNING HUMANITARIAN AID, ISRAEL SHOULD BE EXTREMELY GENEROUS CONCERNING THAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED INTERNATIONAL BACKING IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL AID THAT ENTERED THE GAZA STRIP GOES STRICTLY TO THE HANDS OF CIVILIANS, NOT TO THE HANDS OF HAMAS.

THIS IS A TOUGH BUSINESS, THIS IS VERY COMPLICATED, THAT NEEDS, YOU KNOW, THE WILLINGNESS TO COPE WITH HAMAS MILITANTS INSIDE THE GAZA STRI UP TO NOW, I DON'T SEE ANY ELEMENT THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT, SO, WE NEED TO WORK ON IT WITH INTERNATIONAL ARENA, IN A VERY SERIOUS MANNER.

>> YAIR GOLAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NEW LEADER OF ISRAEL'S LABOR PARTY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>>> NOW, THERE ARE CONFLICTING SIGNALS OVER THE STRATEGY IN GAZA, AS WE SAID, THE MILITARY HAD ANNOUNCED A DAILY TACTICAL PAUSE IN ACTIVITY, ALONG THAT ROUTE THAT YOU CAN SEE NOW IN THE SOUTH, TO ALLOW AID TO BE DISTRIBUTED, BUT THE AGENCIES -- THE U.N.

AGENCIES SAY THEY HAVE NOT SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN AID DISTRIBUTION.

UNRWA IS WARNING THAT MORE THAN 50,000 CHILDREN IN GAZA REQUIRE TREATMENT FOR ACUTE MALNUTRITION.

THE IDF LATER CLARIFIED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO LETUP IN FIGHTING IN RAFAH, EVEN IN URGENT MEDICAL CASES.

MANY PALESTINIANS ARE UNABLE TO GET THE ATTENTION THEY NEED.

PAULA HANCOCKS HAS THIS REPORT ON 9-YEAR-OLD HANAN, FACING THAT PAINFUL REALITY.

AND, OF COURSE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO WATCH, BUT HANAN'S PARENTS WANT THEIR DAUGHTER TO BE SEEN.

>> Reporter: HANAN HAD GONE OUT TO BUY SOME SWEETS WHEN THE AIR STRIKE HIT.

"I MISS SEEING MAMA," SHE SAYS.

"I MISS MY MAMA AND MY SISTERS."

9-YEAR-OLD HANAN HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO OPEN HER EYES SINCE THE STRIKE TEN DAYS AGO.

DOCTORS SAY SHE HAS 20% BURNS ON HER FACE, HANDS, CHEST, AND LEG.

ONE OF THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS TRAPPED INSIDE GAZA WITHOUT HOPE OF THE TREATMENT THEY NEED.

HER MOTHER SAYS, "SHE TELLS ME, I WANT TO PLAY.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO DESERVE THIS?

SHE CAN'T SLEEP PROPERLY BECAUSE OF THE PAIN, HER WHOLE BODY HURTS."

SURROUNDED BY WAR FOR EIGHT MONTHS, THIS WAS HANAN JUST HOURS BEFORE SHE WAS HIT.

THEY HAD BEEN FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOME IN RAFAH WHEN THE ISRAELI MILITARY MOVED IN AND WERE SHELTERING IN SOMEONE'S GARDEN.

HANAN SAYS, "MY SISTER WENT TO OUR GRANDFATHER AND ASKED FOR ONE SHEKEL FOR HER AND ONE FOR ME.

I WENT TO THE SHOP AND WAS ABOUT TO PAY THE MAN AND A MISSILE FELL.

I DIDN'T HEAR THE WHIZZING.

I JUST SAW A RED LIGHT."

HANAN'S DOCTOR SAYS SHE WAS IN CRITICAL CONDITION WHEN SHE ARRIVED.

THEY REMOVED SHRAPNEL FROM HER FACE AND RECONSTRUCTED HER NOSE.

HE SAYS THEY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO WAIT TO TRANSFER HER OUT OF GAZA, HOPING HER WOUNDS DON'T GET INFECTED.

"MOST CHILDREN NEED MEDICAL TRANSFERS," HE SAYS, "MORE A MORE QUALIFIED TREATMENT THAN HERE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE TREATMENT, THE TOOLS.

WE DON'T HAVE THE SUPPLIES."

THE RAFAH CROSSING HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE MAY 7th, WHEN THE ISRAELI MILITARY TOOK CONTROL.

EGYPT SAYS IT WILL NOT OPEN THE CROSSING UNTIL THE ISRAELI MILITARY WITHDRAWS FOR SECURITY REASONS.

ONE EGYPTIAN SOLDIER WAS KILLED LAST MONTH IN FIGHTING ALONG THE BORDER.

ISRAEL SAYS THEY WILL NOT HAND OVER CONTROL OF THE CROSSING TO PALESTINIAN AUTHORITIES, FEARING HAMAS WOULD USE THE AREA TO SMUGGLE IN WEAPONS.

>> THE RAFAH CROSSING SHOULD BE REOPENED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, OR THERE SHOULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE.

WE HAVE NO ESTIMATION AT THE MOMENT HOW MANY OF THE PATIENTS WHICH SHOULD HAVE LEFT ACTUALLY HAVE ALREADY PASSED AWAY.

>> Reporter: THIS WOMAN SAYS SHE WAS DISPLACED THREE TIMES WHILE PREGNANT.

HER BABY BORN FOUR DAYS EARLIER HAS A HEART DEFECT.

SPENDING MOST OF HER YOUNG LIFE IN AN INCUBATOR.

"THE DOCTORS DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY," SHE SAYS, "BUT SAY SHE MUST BE TRANSFERRED OUT OF GAZA QUICKLY."

SHE ADDS, "ONE OF THE DOCTORS TOLD ME NOT TO HAVE HIGH HOPES.

THAT SENTENCE IS SO DIFFICULT TO HEAR."

SHE'S NOT THE ONLY BABY DESPERATELY NEEDING MEDICAL TREATMENT OUTSIDE OF GAZA.

HER DOCTOR CONFIRMS, IF THESE CHILDREN DO NOT GET TREATMENT, THEY ARE LIKELY TO DIE.

ALI HAS A BROKEN SPINE, RIBS, AND LEG AFTER AN AIR STRIKE HIT HIS HOUSE, KILLING HIS SIBLINGS, HIS AUNT SAYS.

WITHOUT URGENT SPECIALIZED TREATMENT OUT OF GAZA, SHE HAS BEEN TOLD BY DOCTORS HE MAY BE PARALYZED.

FOR THESE CHILDREN, ESCAPING GAZA MAY BE THEIR ONLY HOPE OF A FUTURE.

>> EIGHT MONTHS NOW, PAULA HANCOCKS REPORTING ON THE CHILDREN THAT ARE BEARING SUCH A HEAVY BRUNT.

>>> MY NEXT GUEST HAS BEEN IN GAZA FOR A WEEK.

HIS THIRD TRIP TO THE ENCLAVE, WITNESSING THE DIFFICULTIES OF DELIVERING AID FIRST-HAND.

UNICEF SPOKESPERSON JAMES ELDER SAYS IT TOOK HIM 13 HOURS TO TRAVEL 40 KILOMETERS, SPENDING EIGHT HOURS HELD AT CHECKPOINTS.

AND HE JOINS ME NOW FROM RAFAH.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> THANKS, CHRISTIANE.

>> CAN I JUST ASK YOU, BECAUSE THE REPORTING STARTED WITH -- WITH THIS POOR CHILD, HANAN, BUT ALSO, THE CLOSURE OF THE RAFAH POINT FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING.

WE'VE SEEN SICK AND DISTRESSED CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ALLOWED OUT, THEY'VE GOT TO HOSPITALS IN THE UAE, IN QATAR, ET CETERA.

FROM WHERE YOU STAND NOW, IS THERE ANY QUESTION THAT MAYBE SOME OF THESE CHILDREN WILL BE ALLOWED OUT?

>> NO, AT THE MOMENT.

I MEAN, TO SEE HANAN -- I WAS JUST AT THE HOSPITAL A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO -- >> JAMES?

WE HAVE SOME AUDIO DIFFICULTIES, SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO STAND BY, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CALL BACK AND GET A BETTER AUDIO CONNECTION.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ANOTHER REPORT, BUT PLEASE STAND BY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, AND WE'LL TRY TO BE BACK TO YOU.

>>> AND SO, NEXT, WE DO GO TO THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN MODERN-DAY BRITAIN.

"QUEENIE" IS A NEW TV SERIES ABOUT A WOMAN NAVIGATING LONDON LIFE.

STRUGGLING WITH PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS TO HER CULTURAL IDENTITY.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> I'M LOUD.

SASSY, CONFRONTATIONAL.

DIDN'T NOT BE A STRONG BLACK WOMAN.

A GIRL'S VULNERABLE.

IS THIS YOU?

I CAN'T BREATHE.

I'M SO FAR FROM WHERE I WAS -- I DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE MYSELF.

>> I'VE SEEN YOU CONQUER THINGS THAT ARE MUCH HARDER.

>> THE SERIES IS BASED ON THE NOVEL BY CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS, AND SHE'S JOINING MICHEL MARTIN NOW TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE SHOW AIMS TO DEFY RACIAL STEREOTYPES.

>> THANKS, CHRISTIANE.

CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOU HAVE DESCRIBED "QUEENIE" AS THE BLACK BRIDGET JONES.

FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, JUST SAY MORE ABOUT THAT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> SO, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK, I REALLY WANTED PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THE SCALE OF WHAT THE BOOK SHOULD BE, AND SO, WHERE THIS ISN'T BRIDGET JONES, OBVIOUSLY, I REALLY WANTED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SCALE OF THIS BOOK SHOULD BE THE BRIDGET JONES GIRL, AND IT SHOULD BE IN EVERY HOUSEHOLD.

>> PEOPLE LOVE HER SO MUCH.

SHE'S SO -- SHE'S SO REAL, SHE'S REGULAR, SHE'S MESSY, SHE'S A LITTLE MESSY.

SHE'S VERY SMART.

I -- THROW SOME ADJECTIVES OUT, TELL US ABOUT HER.

WHO IS SHE?

>> SHE'S SOMEONE WHO IS -- SHE'S OFTEN DESCRIBED AS A PROBLEMATIC FAVE, WHICH I REALLY LIKE.

SHE'S FUNNY AND SHE'S SMART AND SHE'S QUESTIONING AND SHE'S HEARTBROKEN, AND SHE IS KIND AND SHE IS INQUISITIVE AND SHE IS SOMEONE WHO IS TRYING TO BE STRONG, I WOULD SAY.

>> HOW DID SHE COME TO YOU, AS A CHARACTER?

>> SO, I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO WRITE A BLACK WOMAN WHO WAS TRYING TO BREAK FREE OF THE STRONG BLACK WOMAN TROPE, AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S PROBABLY QUITE EASY TO DO, SHE JUST HAS TO REJECT EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN PUT ONTO ME AND LIKE ME.

AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO WRITE HER, SO, I WENT TO A WRITER'S RETREAT HOSTED BANE AUTHOR, AND ON THE WAY THERE, I WAS THINKING ABOUT WRITING SOMETHING, AND SHE CAME TO ME IN SORT OF BUILTS AND PIECES AND STORIES I'D HEARD, THINGS I'D SEEN OR THINGS THAT MY FRIENDS HAD TOLD ME OR THINGS I'VE SEEN ON THE INTERNET, OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A COUPLE OF EXPERIENCES WITH DATING AND THE LIKE, AND WHEN I STARTED WRITING HER, I JUST KIND OF HAD A FULLY FORMED CHARACTER.

AND I JUST HAD TO FOLLOW WHERE SHE TOOK ME.

>> LOOK, SHE'S A SMART, FUNNY, YOU KNOW, SPICY BLACK WOMAN, AND SO ARE YOU, SO, OBVIOUSLY, PEOPLE WANT TO SEE IT AS, YOU KNOW, BIOGRAPHY, AS MEMOIR.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

>> NO, NO, NO, NO.

IT'S SO INTERESTING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF I PUT MYSELF -- IF I HAD WRITTEN AND PUT MYSELF IN IT, THEN MAYBE YOU COULD BE, LIKE, IS THAT YOU?

BUT I JUST WANTED TO PRESENT A FICTIONAL CHARACTER TO THE WORLD -- WE MIGHT HAVE THINGS IN COMMON, WE ARE BOTH FROM SOUTH LONDON, WE BOTH HAVE JAMAICAN FAMILY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DIE VERGE IN A LOT OF WATTS.

AND I THINK ISSA RAE PUT IT BEST, SHE WANTED TO WRITTEN A CHARACTER THAT WAS OUTSIDE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, BECAUSE SHE WAS INSIDE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.

I CAN RELATE TO THAT.

>> YOU SAID THIS IN ONE OF THE MANY INTERVIEWS THAT YOU APPROPRIATELY HAVE DONE TO CELEBRATE YOUR WORK, YOU SAID YOU WERE DESPERATE FOR A BLACK WOMAN THAT WASN'T THE SASSY SIDEKICK OR ANGRY GIRLFRIEND, BUT WAS JUST REAL AND HONEST.

SAY MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAD OF BLACK WOMEN GROWING UP WERE ALWAYS THAT PERSON, THEY WERE OFTEN THE SASSY BEST FRIEND, THE MAGICAL NEGRO, THEY WERE THE ANGRY GIRLFRIEND, AND I WAS LIKE, OH, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CONFIDENT COLLEAGUE?

AND I MYSELF AM A RELATIVELY SHY PERSON.

I REMEMBER THINKING I WAS NEVER GOOD ENOUGH, BECAUSE I COULD NOT MATCH UP OR BE AS LOUD OR CONFIDENT OR STAND UP FOR MYSELF.

AND I REALIZED ACTUALLY, I AM NOT THOSE THINGS, AND I DID THINK I WOULD BE ALONE IN THOSE THINGS.

SO, I WANTED QUEENIE TO BE A LEAD CHARACTER, I WANTED HER NOT TO BE SOMEONE WHO COMES THROUGH, YOU WANT MORE OF HER.

I WANTED HER TO BE FRONT AND CENTER AND TO BE SURROUNDED BY A CAST OF PEOPLE WHO WERE EQUALLY SMART AND FUN AND INTERESTING AND ENGAGING.

>> SO, QUEENIE, OF COURSE, STARTLED AS A NOVEL, BEST SELLER, AND WAS ADAPT INTO THIS EIGHT-EPISODE SERIES, IT'S CALLED A DRAMA, BUT IT'S MORE OF A DRAMEDY.

I MEAN, THERE'S LOTS OF LAUGHTER, EVEN WHEN SHE'S GETTING A GYNECOLOGICAL EXAM.

I'VE NEVER SEEN A TELEVISION SHOW START WITH THAT CAMERA ANGLE.

>> THINGS I SHOULD HAVE DONE TODAY.

ONE, HAD A WAX.

TWO, NOT HAD ANOTHER DUMB THREE, PREPARED FOR MY PITCH.

HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?

>> I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO TAKE AS LONG AS IT NEEDS.

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> SO, VERY REAL.

AND YOU'RE ALSO THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND YOU'RE THE SHOW RUNNER, SO, YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF REALLY SHAPE THIS PROJECT.

WHEN YOU WERE ADAPTING THE NOVEL, YOU KNOW IT WAS ALREADY VERY WELL LOVED AND YOU'RE ADAPTING IT FOR THE SCREEN, WHAT WAS YOUR PRIMARY CONSIDERATION?

WHAT WAS FRONT AND CENTER FOR YOU?

>> I THINK BECAUSE I WAS WORKING WITH THREE SETS OF EXECUTIVES, MY THEME WAS PROTECTING QUEENIE, PROTECTING HER WORLD, AND PROTECTING THE POLITICS OF THE SHOW.

AND I'VE ALWAYS -- I ALWAYS WANTED QUEENIE TO BE BOLD AND POLITICAL AND SAY WHAT SHE NEEDED TO SAY.

>> WE FOCUS ON THE BIG NAMES.

BUT YEAH, THANK YOU TO MARY FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID, BUT -- >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

>> I JUST MEANT THAT -- IT WAS NICE TO SEE MANY OF THE MAROONS, AND EVEN DON BUTLER.

OH, AND -- I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BREAK THE TRADITION OF WHAT A BLACK WOMAN HAS ALWAYS BEEN.

ALSO, TO SHIFT THE FOCUS AWAY FOR WHAT SHE DID FOR WHITE PEOPLE.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, TRADITION IS PEER PRESSURE FROM DEAD PEOPLE, SO -- >> ALSO, I WANTED TO HAVE THE THROUGH LINE OF HER FAMILY AND THE TRAUMA, AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE'S GONE THROUGH, AND SO, IT WAS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT I COULD MAKE THOSE THINGS HEARD.

AND, YES, A DRAMA WITH QUEENIE, AND IT WASN'T MEANT TO BE SO, I THINK IT ENDS UP BEING FUNNY, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO BE FUNNY IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT REALLY DIFFICULT THINGS, WHICH ISN'T NECESSARY, BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY THE PERSON I AM.

I'M SOMEONE THAT, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S VERY HARD-HITTING, I'M GOING TO SORT OF WRAP IT UP FIRST NICELY, SO YOUR BACK ISN'T UP, YOU KNOW?

>> YOU SAID THAT QUEENIE IS 1,000 TIMES MORE POLITICAL THAN BRIDGET JONES.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WAS EXPRESSED, YOU SEE HER AT WORK.

SO, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> SO, QUEENIE JOINED "THE DAILY READER," FOR REASONS OF COPYRIGHT, ET CETERA, AND SHE JOINED AS A SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANCE, BUT HER PLAN WAS TO SORT OF SNEAK IN AND THEN START WRITING PIECES AND CHANGING THE WORD, AND IN THE NOVEL, SHE'S CONSTANTLY PITCHING ABOUT POLITICAL MATTERS YOU ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, BLACK MATTERS, AND SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN SHOT DOWN.

>> THIS IS WHAT I'M AT "THE DAILY READER" TO DO.

I'M GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

BUT NOT TODAY.

>> HEY.

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP.

YOU GOT THIS.

>> THE NEW BOY MAKES ONE GOOD PITCH AND HE'S GIVING MEED A VUS.

>> YOU'RE ALMOST THERE.

BUT MAYBE WE CAN WORK ON YOUR DELIVERY.

>> QUEENIE, COULD I GRAB YOU FOR A SECOND?

>> AND SO, QUEENIE, IN THE WORKPLACE, IS SOMEWHERE WHERE SHE IS, I GUESS, IN THE BIGGEST WAY, SHINING BOTH CULTURES, BECAUSE SHE'S TRIED TO COME INTO THIS SPACE AND TRIED TO MAKE HERSELF HEARD AND TRIED TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND LET EVERYONE KNOW THERE'S STUFF GOING ON IN YOUR OWN BACKWARD THAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING OR THINKING ABOUT, BUT SHE'S CONSTANTLY PUSHED DOWN AND TOLD, JUST STAY IN YOUR LANE, EFFECTIVELY.

AND SHE WAS THE ONLY BLACK PERSON IN THE OFFICE, AS I HAVE OFTEN BEEN MANY TIMES, I THINK EVERY TIME, AND SO, FOR ME WRITING THAT, IT WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW THERE ARE SO MANY BLACK WOMEN, THE ONLY BLACK WOMEN IN THE WORK IF PLACE, AND I ACTUALLY WENT TO SOUTH AFRICA TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK, AND LOADS OF WOMEN WERE LIKE, YOU'RE IN SOUTH AFRICA, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE BLACK PEOPLE HERE, BUT I'M STILL THAT PERSON, AND IT REALLY HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FELT LIKE.

AND SO, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CAPTURE THAT AND TO CAPTURE THAT HOSTILITY YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A DOZEN EYES ON YOU THAT ARE KIND OF LIKE, WHY IS SHE HERE?

WHAT DOES SHE WANT TO DO?

SHE'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WILL ENJOY AND FEEL -- JUST REALLY APPRECIATE, WHICH IS THE WAY YOU LIFT UP FRIENDSHIPS, QUEENIE'S FRIENDSHIPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO HER.

I JUST WANT YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

HOW DID THIS IDEA COME TO YOU, AND WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT?

>> SO, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME IN THIS REALM OF QUEENIE STRUGGLING TWO WORLDS, THE INTERSECTION OF FRIENDSHIP THAT SITS KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE SPACE, AND ACTUALLY, THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HER FOR WHO SHE IS, NOT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE, WELL, YOU'RE WORKING WITH ME, OR HAVE FAMILY LIKE, THIS IS WHO YOU NEED TO BE.

AND I REALLY WANTED TO SHOW THE FRIENDS AS SHE'S CHOSEN A SHE HAS GONE THROUGH HER LIFE.

SHE HAS A FRIEND FROM SCHOOL, FROM UNIVERSITY, FROM WORK, AND THEY KIND OF KNOW THE TRUEST SENSE OF HER.

AND THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK WITHOUT FRIENDSHIPS, A LOT OF US, YOU KNOW, OUR FRIENDSHIPSIDENTITY.

YOU HAVE CASSANDRA, WHO IS A LITTLE BIT FROSTIER, SHE'S THE PERSON THAT SORT OF TRIES TO STEER QUEENIE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, AND YOU HAVE DARCY, WHO IS KIND, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT TOO KIND TO HER, BECAUSE SHE CAN SEE WHAT QUEENIE'S GOING THROUGH, OR HAS GONE THROUGH, BUT I THINK THAT WE SEE OURSELVES THROUGH OUR FRIENDS A LOT OF THE TIME, AND I WANTED QUEENIE TO BE ABLE TO TELL HER PROBLEMS TO HER FRIENDS AND THEN THEY COME BACK WITH THEIR DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF WHAT SHE SHOULD DO AND HOW THEY SEE HER.

>> THE OTHER THING IS THAT SHE'S -- AS WE MEET HER, SHE'S KIND OF NAVIGATING HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER WHITE BOYFRIEND, TOM.

>> YEAH.

>> AND HIS FAMILY.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY -- IT WAS FUNNY, BUT IT WAS ALSO VERY POIGNANT.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE COME INTO THE POINT WHERE QUEENIE AND TOM HAVE BEEN HAVING SOME PROBLEMS AND SHE'S CHALKED IT UP TO, OH, YOU KNOW, I'VE MOVED HOUSE, I'VE JUST GOT ADJUSTED TO LIVING WITH YOU, AND AS WE GET INTO IT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENED IS, HER MOVING HAS DISRUPTED THIS IDEA OF HOME, THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP TO IN HER HEAD.

WE SEE WHAT HOME MEANS TO HER, WHAT RELATIONSHIPS MEAN TO HER, WHAT ABANDONMENT MEANS TO HER, WE START TO UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS HAVE -- SHE'S NOT TELLING HER BOYFRIEND WHO WAS GOING ON, AND HE'S HAD ENOUGH AND HE'S SOMEONE WHO SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL GOT STUFF.

>> I SHOULD HAVE HANDLED THAT BETTER.

>> HE SHOULD HAVE HANDLED THAT BETTER.

>> UGH.

GEEZ.

YOU SCARED ME.

>> WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU?

>> WHAT YOUR GRAND SAID WASN'T OKAY?

YOU KNOW THAT -- >> AND YOU KNOW IT'S NOT OKAY TO TELL MY GRAN THAT.

>> FINE.

YOU'RE NOT.

THIS IS WHAT I'M SAYING -- >> I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THIS.

IT'S LATE -- >> WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS A REASON YOU'RE NOT ON MY SIDE.

>> I CAN'T ALWAYS BE ON YOUR SIDE, BECAUSE I CAN'T ALWAYS BE ANGRY.

>> ALWAYS ANGRY?

>> AND SO THEY GO ON WHAT QUEENIE THINKS IS A BREAK, AND SHE DOES A LOT OF THINGS THAT DISTRACT HER, BUT IN THE BACK OF HER MIND, SHE HAS THIS IDEA OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP RESUMING AND BEING OKAY AGAIN, BUT ACTUALLY, WHAT SHE NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT IS HER RELATIONSHIP TO HERSELF, OTHER THAN ANYONE ELSE, OBVIOUSLY.

>> I THINK PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE OF A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND WILL RELATE TO SOME OF THESE FRICTIONS.

HIS FAMILY AND SOME OF THE RIDICULOUS THINGS THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW -- >> I HAVE TO ADMIT, THEY WILL BE LOVELY.

COLOR OF MILKY COFFEE.

THEY'LL HAVE YOUR EYES, QUEENIE, GORGEOUS.

THEY'D GET TOM'S LOVELY STRAIGHT NOSE.

>> BUT I THINK YOU'RE ALSO REALLY HONEST ABOUT SOME OF THE STUFF SHE'S BRINGING TO IT.

YOU COULD HAVE SORT OF MADE HER A SAINT, YOU DIDN'T.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HER -- HER OWN IMMATURITY.

SHE COULD HAVE FIGURED OUT, LIKE, HOW TO COMMUNICATE BETTER, TO TELL HIM FROM, YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HER?

SHE DOESN'T.

I WAS REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THAT CHOICE.

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK, THE THING IS, QUEENIE'S 25, AND I MEET SO MANY WOMEN WHO WANT HER TO, YOU KNOW, NAVIGATE HER PROBLEMS PROPERLY, THEY WANT HER TO TAKE A BREAK, THEY WANT HER TO GO TO THERAPY, THEY WANT HER TO NOT SLEEP AROUND, AND THEY WANTED TO SORT OF ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS, BUT I'M ALWAYS LIKE, SHE'S 25 YEARS OLD.

AND THAT'S A LOT TO PUT ON A 25-YEAR-OLD'S HEAD.

SHE'S DOING EVERYTHING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THIS IS HER FIRST RELATIONSHIP.

THIS IS HER FIRST BIG BREAKUP, THIS IS HER FIRST TIME MOVING HOUSE AND LIVING WITH SOMEONE.

THIS IS HER FIRST TIME, YOU KNOW, SLEEPING AROUND WITH PEOPLE.

AND SHE'S MAKING MISTAKES.

AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE MET HER WHEN SHE WAS IN HER 30s, IT WOULD BE A VERY DIFFERENT THING.

SHE WOULD BE KNOWING WHAT TO DO.

SHE WOULD KNOW HOW TO DO IT, WHAT'S BEST FOR HER, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, I REALLY WANTED TO PAINT HER AS A HUMAN PERSON WHO WE ARE FOLLOWING AS SHE KIND OF FIGURES THINGS OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU KNOW?

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SHE WASN'T SOMEONE WHO HAD ALL THE ANSWERS, BECAUSE THEN WHERE WE WOULD GO, YOU KNOW?

>> I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK YOU'VE SAID IN THIS CONVERSATION, AND OTHERS, IS THAT THE WORK ITSELF, CREATING THESE CHARACTERS, PRESENTING THEM IN THEIR FULLNESS, IS ITS OWN MESSAGE.

BUT APART FROM THAT, IS THERE ANY OTHER MESSAGE THAT YOU HOPE PEOPLE WILL DRAW FROM THE NOVEL AND FROM THE SERIES?

>> I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT QUEENIE IS THAT SHE'S TRYING HER BEST.

I DO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WROTE THIS NOVEL, I WAS TRYING MY BEST.

WHEN I WROTE, YOU JUST TRY YOUR BEST.

AND THAT'S ALL YOU CAN DO.

LIFE WILL THROW THINGS AT YOU, BUT AS LONG AS YOU TRY YOUR BEST, YOU'LL BE OKAY.

>> GOSH, IT'S BEEN A DELIGHT TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?

>> A BIG REST IS NEXT FOR ME.

JUST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WRITING, AS I SAID, EVERY DAY FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, BUT ALSO, WRITING ANOTHER NOVEL, WHICH IS REALLY NICE TO KIND OF GO BACK TO MY ROOTS.

SO, THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DEVELOP A FEW PROJECTS, SO, I'VE JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

BUT IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD TIME.

JUST KIND OF COMING OUT OF THIS AND SORT OF HAVING TIME FOR MYSELF AGAIN.

YEAH.

BUT I LIKE TO SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, SO, IT'S BEEN NICE TO CATCH UP WITH THEM AND IT'S MY BIRTHDAY SOON, SO, I'M GOING TO SEE EVERYONE.

>> WELL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY ALMOST BIRTHDAY.

CONGRATULATIONS ON EVERYTHING.

CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> "QUEENIE" THE SERIES.

>>> LET'S RETURN NOW TO OUR TOP STORY, ISRAEL'S WAR IN GAZA, AND BRING BACK IN JAMES ELDER, THE UNICEF SPOKESPERSON, STANDING BY IN RAFAH FOR US.

JAMES, I'M GLAD YOU'RE BACK, I HOPE WE HAVE A BETTER AUDIO CONDITION, BECAUSE I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU'VE BEEN IN RAFAH, IN GAZA, FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW.

JUST IN GENERAL, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN, AND HOW DOES IT -- YOU KNOW, COMPARE TO WHAT YOU SAW WHEN YOU WERE THERE LAST?

>> IT'S UTTERLY DIRE, CHRISTIANE.

IT SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISING HOW MUCH WORSE THINGS ARE NOW, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR TWO MONTHS, AND IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, IT'S BEEN RELENTLESS BOMBARDMENT, A FEROCIOUS BOMBARDMENT.

IT'S -- I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE BOMBS ARE LIKE.

THE PROXIMITY IS SUCH, IT'S LIKE SOMEONE BANGING POTS TO YOUR HEAD, THE ATTACK DRONES ARE LIKE A LAWN MOWER.

THIS IS EVERY DAY FOR 25250 DAYS.

I WAS WITH DOCTORS, WALKING OVER CHILDREN MISSING LIMBS, WITH HORRENDOUS BURNS LIKE WE SAW EARLIER IN YOUR PROGRAM, CHILDREN THAT URGENTLY NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION OUTSIDE, BUT CANNOT GET IT.

IF THEY CANNOT GET IT, THEY WILL DIE.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'LL HAVE MORE BOMBARDMENTS TONIGHT.

ON TOP OF THAT, CONTINUAL RESTRICTIONS OF AID, MEANING YOU HAVE A NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS ON THE GROUND.

SO, WE'VE HAD TWO MORE MONTHS OF THAT, SO THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPACITY OF PEOPLE HAS BEEN SMASHED, AND THEY ARE JUST HOLDING ON, AND I MEAN JUST HOLDING ON.

YES, THERE IS HOPE, GAZANS ARE AMAZINGLY RESILIENT.

THERE IS A SPIRIT THAT I'VE NOT SEEN BEFORE, BUT I'VE HAD FAR TOO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE SAY TO ME, CHRISTIANE, THAT THEY DON'T MIND IF A MISSILE HITS THEIR TENT, THEY'RE DONE.

AND THAT IS HARROWING, BUT THAT IS INDICATIVE OF JUST HOW BAD THINGS ARE HERE, AFTER 250 DAYS OF THIS.

>> WOW.

IT'S HORRIBLE TO HEAR CHILDREN SAYING SOMETHING AS AWFUL AS THAT, AND AS, YOU KNOW, FINAL AS THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU HEARD OUR FIRST GUEST TALKING ABOUT AID AND NEEDING TO GET AID INTO GAZA, AND YOU KNOW ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT HAVING, OR SOMEBODY IN ISRAEL HAVING CALLED FOR A TACTICAL PAUSE, AND THEN THE PRIME MINISTER SAYING HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND NO, THEY'RE NOT LETTING UP IN THEIR FIGHTING.

WHAT -- WHAT IS COMING IN, IF ANYTHING?

>> YEAH, NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.

AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT, IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD QUESTION.

WE HAVE TO GO WITH THEIR STATEMENTS.

WE MUST LOOK AT EVIDENCE ON THE GROUND.

ENOUGH OF THIS HE SAID/SHE SAID.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACTS ON THE GROUND.

MANY LESS CROSSINGS OPEN THAN PREVIOUSLY, SO, AREAS IN THE NORTH IS CLOSED.

RAFAH, CHRISTIANE, THE LIFELINE FOR HUMANITARIAN AID, HAS NOT BEEN OPEN SINCE THAT OFFENSIVE STARTED IN -- ON THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH OF MAY.

THAT WAS THE SO-CALLED LIMITED OFFENSIVE.

THAT LIMITED OFFENSIVE, QUOTE UNQUOTE, HAS LED TO A MILLION MORE PEOPLE HAVING TO LEAVE.

GO FROM THEIR HOMES, ONTO RUBBLE, AND THEN PICK UP THEIR TENTS FROM RUBBLE AND LEAVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

SO, THERE'S -- THAT HUMANITARIAN CROSSING IS SHUT.

EVEN WHEN WE SEEK SO GET AID IN, THE KEY THING TO REMEMBER IS, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING IT IN, AND THERE'S FAR TOO LITTLE COMING IN.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUTRITION CRISIS FOR THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN IN GAZA.

IT'S A SAFE PLACE, ENABLING WAY TO DELIVER THAT AID, TO GO NORTH TO SOUTH, AND THAT REMAINS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OCCUPYING POWER OF ISRAEL.

AND THERE IS A REASON WHY WE HAVE SUCH SHORTAGES OF WATER, OF MEDICINES, OF FOOD, OF ALL THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEED.

I'VE SEEN DENIALS OF SO MANY THINGS.

I HAD A WOMAN OUTSIDE A HOSPITAL A FEW DAYS AGO COME TO ME IN TEARS, A MISSILE HIT THEIR HOME, HER HUSBAND HAD BEEN KILLED, SHE HAD HER TWO CHILDREN IN TEARS, JUST ASKING FOR A TENT.

JUST DENIAL OF DIGNITY.

WE JUST HAVE GONE SO FAR BEYOND, AND IT'S SO WILDLY DISCONCERTING THAT STILL, PEOPLE SOMEHOW JUSTIFY, EXCUSE AWAY THE KILLING OF SO, SO MANY CHILDREN.

>> JAMES, YAIR GOLAN, THE NEW HEAD OF THE LABOR PARTY, ALONG WITH OTHER ISRAELI OFFICIALS, HAVE BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE JUST ISN'T THE YOU, THERE AREN'T THE INTERNATIONALS TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY AND PROPERLY AND EFFICIENTLY DISTRIBUTE AID.

THEY'RE PUSHING IT UP TO THE BORDER, BUT YOU GUYS AREN'T ABLE TO DO IT.

YOU GUYS SAY, WELL, THAT'S NOT THE CASE, BECAUSE HERE WE ARE, AND WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GETTING THE AID IN, AND SO MUCH IS BEING TURNED BACK.

WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL FACTS?

I MEAN, IF AID WAS COMING IN, DO YOU HAVE EVEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DELIVER IT?

>> SO,EXACTLY, THE FACTS, THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE.

IN MAY, THE UNITED NATIONS GOT HALF THE NUMBER IN FROM APRIL.

ALREADY WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH CHILDREN WITH AN IMMINENT FALL MIS.

HALF THE NUMBER OF TRUCKS.

THERE ARE LESS CROSSINGS NOW THAN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.

AREAS IN THE NORTH, THE PIER IS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL.

SO, THEY ARE THE FACTS.

WHEN AID COMES IN, YES, ABSOLUTELY, INCREDIBLY BRAVE COLLEAGUES OF UNRWA, UNICEF WITH OUR NUTRITION, OUR WATER, OUR MEDICINES, I'VE BEEN ON THOSE MISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DENIED AND SEEN HORRENDOUS ACTS ON THOSE MISSIONS.

SO, YES, WE HAVE THE CAPACITY.

GRANTED, IT IS A VIR DANGEROUS PLACE TO WORK.

WE'VE SEEN MORE UNITED NATIONS COLLEAGUES KILLED IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS THAN IN ANY WAR SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS.

WE ARE READY.

BUT WE HAVE SEEN SCORES AND SCORES, NOT A HANDFUL, SCORES AND SCORES OF DENIALS AND RESTRICTIONS AND DELAYS.

THAT IS THE REALITY.

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE COMBATTING.

WE WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE WAR OF WORDS WITH SIMPLE FACTS.

WE ARE READY TO DELIVER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

BUT THE RESTRICTIONS ARE VERY REAL, AND THOSE RESTRICTIONS ARE COSTING LIVES.

>> AND JAMES, YOU KNOW THAT THE ISRAELIS REALLY BELIEVE THAT HAMAS IS -- ESSENTIALLY CONTAMINATING THE AID DISTRIBUTION PROCESS, THAT THEY'RE STEALING WHAT MIGHT COME IN FOR THEIR OWN MILITANTS, THEY'RE OWN FIGHTERS.

I WONDER WHETHER, A, YOU HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THAT, B, WHETHER YOU'RE HEARING WHAT WE SEEM TO BE HEARING NOW, THAT MORE AND MORE PALESTINIANS INSIDE GAZA ARE EXPRESSING ANGER AT HAMAS, FOR, YOU KNOW, EIGHT MONTHS NOW, AND THEY'VE BASICALLY HAD IT, AS YOU KNOW.

CAN I JUST PLAY FOR YOU, I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR IT OVER THE LINE, A BIT OF A CONVERSATION BETWEEN OUR CORRESPONDENT BEN WEDEMAN AND A SENIOR HAMAS OFFICIAL, THEY SPOKE IN BEIRUT A FEW DAYS AGO.

>> HAMAS AS AN ORGANIZATION, DOES IT REGRET WHAT IT DID ON THE 7th OF OCTOBER?

>> WE ARE LIVING WITH THIS AS FOR THE LAST 75 YEARS.

>> 37,000 PEOPLE ARE DEAD.

>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 3,000 PALESTINIANS WHO WERE KILLED IN THE FIRST ANTI-FAD DA.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN 70,000 PALESTINIANS THAT WERE KILLED FROM 2001 TO 2004.

I THINK THE REAL START IS TO MAKE -- IF THAT HAPPENED, I THINK THIS WOULD BE THE RIGHT STEP, OR THE RIGHT MOVE.

>> THEY KIND OF APPEAR TO BE WILLING TO LET THIS DEATH TOLL MOUNT SO THAT THEY ACHIEVE THEIR POLITICAL GOALS.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

>> LOOK, IT'S -- IT'S SO -- AS I SAID, IT'S SO TROUBLING TO THINK THAT PEOPLE CAN MOVE AWAY FROM THE MOST OBVIOUS THING, A CEASE-FIRE.

IT'S THE ONLY THING PEOPLE HOLD ONTO HERE.

HOLD ONTO THIS HOPE.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME, CHRISTIANE, WORDS TO THE EFFECT OF, I'VE LOST A CHILD, I'VE LOST MY HOME, I'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO LOOK AFTER MY REMAINING CHILDREN, ALL I HAVE LEFT IS HOPE.

IT SEEMS THAT THOSE -- THE POWERS WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A CEASE-FIRE HAPPEN, IN WHATEVER CAPACITY THAT LOOKS LIKE, ARE SO DISCONCERTINGLY REMOVED FROM THE SUFFERING OF GAZANS HERE.

SO, WHATEVER THE MILITARY AIMS ARE, AND UNICEF, THE REASON WE ARE A FRONT-LINE ORGANIZATION, AS YOU KNOW, FROM HERE TO YES, MA'AM YEMEN TO UKRAINE, IT'S CLEAR, AS UNICEF HAS SAID THIS IS A WAR ON CHILDREN.

WE DID NOT SAY THAT FOR A HEADLINE.

WE SAY THAT AGAIN BECAUSE OF EVIDENCE.

WE SAY THAT BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WAR AFFECTS CHILDREN, AGAIN, FROM YEMEN TO AFGHANISTAN TO SYRIA, AND THE TOLL IT TAKES, HERE WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY CHILDREN MAIMED, TO ANY OTHER CONFLICT.

AND THAT SPEAKS TO THE DENSITY OF CHILDREN.

YEP, THAT SPEAKS TO THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN.

BUT IT SPEAKS TO THE INDISCRIMINATE NATURE OF THESE ATTACKS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBER IS TOO MANY WHEN IT COMES TO CHILDREN.

BUT I CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN FAR TOO MANY PARENTS' LIVES WHO WILL NOT BE THE SAME BECAUSE THEIR CHILD IS DEAD.

I WOULD NEVER THINK I WOULD HEAR A CHILD SAY THEY LOST THEIR MOM AND DAD, THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THEIR GRANDPARENTS -- I'VE HEARD THAT SO MANY TIMES, IT'S NO LONGER RARE.

AND THE -- THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TORMENT NOW FOR THOSE CHURN, WE'RE IN UNCHARTERED TERRITORY, SO, YES, THOSE WHO HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE SUFFERING OF CIVILIANS ON THE GROUND, AND I THINK, YES, CIVILIANS ON THE GROUND WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE THOSE IN POWER TO UNDERSTAND THEIR SITUATION, AND SOMEONE SAID TO ME A FEW HOURS AGO, WE JUST NEED TO BREATHE.

>> YEAH.

WELL, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO SEE THIS WAR END.

JAMES ELDER, THANK YOU SO MUCH, INDEED.

>>> AND FINALLY, ANOTHER WAR.

WE FIGHT IN THE WAR, WE FIGHT ON THE PITCH.

THAT'S WHAT ONE UKRAINIAN SUPPORTER SAID AHEAD OF THE NATIONAL TEAM'S EUROS MATCH AGAINST ROMANIA.

THOUGH UKRAINE JUST LOST 3-0 IN MUNICH'S FOOTBALL ARENA, BEFORE THE GAME, THE TEAM'S MANAGER SAID IT WAS A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE THE UKRAINIAN SPIRIT, AS THE WAR RAGES BACK HOME.

DAMAGED BLUE AND YELLOW SEATS FROM KHARKIV STADIUM ARE ON DISPLAY AS A STARK REMINDER OF THE CONFLICT.

THEY HAD BEEN BUILT WHEN UKRAINE HOSTED THE 2012 EUROS, BUT SINCE, THEY'VE BEEN DESTROYED BY RUSSIAN MISSILES.

>>> THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING, AND GOOD-BYE FROM LONDON.

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