Tug of War

As Israel continues its military campaign across the Gaza strip, humanitarian groups say children are being disproportionally killed and injured. Field hospitals have been struggling to keep up as more evacuees make their way to southern Gaza. In this episode, CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward tells us about her rare access inside a Gaza field hospital, where doctors are working with limited supplies to treat injured civilians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The presidents of three Ivy League universities have been criticized for their congressional testimony, in which they failed to condemn calls for the genocide of Jews as explicitly against campus harassment and bullying codes. In fact, University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill recently resigned over the issue. In this episode, CNN’s Gabe Cohen explains how the debates over free speech on campus that have erupted since October 7th are forcing some Jewish students and parents reconsidering college choices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel’s military and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been trading fire since October 8, causing global anxiety that these clashes could spread into a larger war. In this episode, CNN’s Ivan Watson takes us to Lebanon’s border with Israel to get a sense of how UN peacekeepers and Lebanese civilians are coping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than a week after the truce with Hamas ended, the Israel Defense Forces continue to strike hundreds of targets in Gaza daily. Meanwhile, prominent voices continue to speak out against Israeli military tactics as civilian deaths and humanitarian concerns rise. In this episode, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond explains why former hostages are speaking out against the Israeli government, and how Israelis view civilian deaths in Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Note: this episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence and war. Nearly two months after the deadly Hamas terror attacks on Israel, more prominent voices are speaking out against sexual violence allegedly committed by Hamas on October 7th. Advocates say some groups have been slow to forcefully criticize the acts by Hamas for fear of appearing to side with Israel in its retaliation in Gaza. In this episode, CNN Senior Global Affairs Analyst Bianna Golodryga explains what we know about the claims, and why women’s groups say the initial silence was so enraging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The restart of war in Gaza has left humanitarian aid hanging in the balance. Israel is expanding its ground operation into southern Gaza, placing civilians’ access to food and other necessary items at risk. In this episode, CNN International Correspondent Larry Madowo breaks down what aid is making it in, and the harrowing experiences of refugees leaving the strip. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A seven-day truce between Israel and Hamas has come to an end, as Israel has resumed combat operations against Hamas in Gaza. Negotiations with Qatari and Egyptian mediators over the release of hostages continues, but the fighting will put millions of Gazan civilians at risk yet again. In this episode, CNN Pentagon Correspondent Oren Liebermann explains why the Biden administration is pressing Israel to conduct this next round of fighting differently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As part of the hostage deal with Hamas, Israel has released over 100 Palestinians prisoners and detainees being held in Israeli jails. However, thousands remain behind bars – some of whom are detained without a trial or formal charges. In this episode, CNN Chief International Investigative Correspondent Nima Elbagir explains why the reunions in the West Bank look very different from the Israeli homecomings. Correction: This episode has been updated to correct that CNN contacted the Israeli Prime Minister's Office for response, not the IDF. The IDF offer of a briefing came in response to a separate CNN piece about released Palestinian prisoners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For weeks, Thomas Hand has been pushing for the release of his daughter Emily from Hamas captivity after initially being told she was killed during the October 7th terror attack. On Saturday, Emily was part of a group released from Gaza and finally reunited with her father. In this episode, Thomas speaks to CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward about the conditions Emily faced, her long road to recovery, and why he feels guilty about not being able to help her more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Qatar has announced that an agreement has been reached to extend the Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza by two additional days. Dozens of Israelis and foreign nationals who were held hostage have been released by Hamas in recent days. In return, Israel has released more than one hundred Palestinian prisoners, and more aid has been allowed into a devastated Gaza. In this episode, CNN Anchor Kaitlan Collins lays out the challenges that remain and takes us inside the agonizing wait for the hundreds of families awaiting word about their loved ones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Israel’s military continues its operation in northern Gaza, civilians have fled south and continue to struggle with the lack of basic necessities. At the same time, Israel has failed to clearly outline a postwar plan for the territory beyond retaliating for the October 7th Hamas terror attacks. In this episode, CNN Chief Global Affairs correspondent Matthew Chance explains what he’s learned from Israeli officials and examines why any chance of achieving a two-state solution seems very far off at this point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel says more than 240 people are being held hostage inside Gaza after being abducted on October 7th. For weeks, negotiators have been working behind the scenes on a deal that could allow for the release of dozens of them in exchange for a short pause in the fighting, according to two sources familiar with the talks. In this episode, CNN Chief National Security Correspondent Alex Marquardt tells us what sticking points remain and examines how the Biden administration is balancing diplomacy with political pushback over how it’s handled the war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Note: This episode contains graphic descriptions of war. Thousands of Palestinians have been urged to flee to southern Gaza as Israeli troops continue their ground operation against Hamas. One Palestinian journalist, Rami Abu Jamous, filmed his family’s journey from Gaza City with his phone in one hand and his two-year old in the other. CNN’s Jomana Karadsheh walks us through Jamous’ dangerous on-foot trek to the Al-Shifa hospital, as Israeli drones ring in the background and neighbors cry out for deceased loved ones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Early Wednesday morning, Israel’s military announced it launched a “targeted” operation against Hamas inside Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital. Hamas and hospital officials deny Israel’s claims that Hamas is operating a command center under the complex. Meanwhile, international outrage is growing as conditions inside the hospital deteriorate. In this episode, CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson tells us what we know about the operation and what he saw on a recent trip inside Gaza with the IDF. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As fighting continues to rage on the streets of Gaza, hospitals have been pushed to the brink. At the Al-Shifa hospital, doctors say premature babies have been wrapped in foil and placed next to hot water after oxygen supplies ran out. Meanwhile, Israel claims that Hamas is using hospitals as cover for terror operations – something doctors and the militant group deny. In this episode, CNN’s Nada Bashir tells us how medical facilities are coping and why safe evacuation is all but impossible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As settler violence escalates in the occupied West Bank, Palestinians are being killed or forced from their homes, reshaping the demographics of the Palestinian territories. In this episode, CNN's Nada Bashir tells us how Israeli military operations are stoking further fears and examines how a similar model of security oversight could work for Gaza after the Israeli ground operation concludes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been one month since Hamas’ attack on Israel killed 1,400 people and Israel launched its military offensive in response. As the war rages on, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has become increasingly dire. Hamas-controlled health officials say more than 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began. UN officials and multiple countries are demanding a ceasefire to end the civilian suffering, but many Israelis can’t seem to understand why. In this episode, CNN’s Ivana Kottasová tells us why there’s a growing frustration in Israel and where Jewish Israelis are placing the blame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 10,000 people have been killed in the enclave since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. Now, Israel's military says it is advancing toward Gaza City after its forces cut the enclave into two. Over the weekend, CNN got rare access to the frontlines in Gaza to witness a limited window into the fighting. In this episode, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond tells us about his embed with the IDF and what the next phase of ground operation means for civilians remaining in Gaza City. Editor’s Note: CNN has removed a mention and audio from Hassan Eslayeh, a freelance journalist with whom the network has severed ties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushes the Israeli government to pause its airstrikes on Gaza, the military leader of Hezbollah emerged on Friday to deliver a message. In this episode, CNN Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman explains what Hassan Nasrallah said, what he didn’t, and what it could mean for hostilities across the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Note: This episode contains graphic descriptions of war. Around 3,300 children have been killed in Gaza as Israel continues to retaliate against Hamas for the brutal October 7 terror attack, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Ramallah, which compiles figures from Gaza. And while the Israel Defense Forces has told civilians to leave northern Gaza, not everyone is able to leave. In this episode, CNN’s Ivana Kottasová tells us the story of one child living through this war and explains how the conflict could shape young people in the region for generations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the weekend, Israeli ground forces entered Gaza as part of the “second stage” of its war against the militant group Hamas in response to the October 7 attack. Meanwhile, the United Nations is warning that there are signs “civil order is starting to break down” in Gaza as water, food, and fuel shortages continue to grip the enclave. In this episode, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond breaks down what we know about the ground operation thus far and if growing international pressure for a ceasefire is being heard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tensions are mounting in the West Bank, where dozens of Palestinians have been killed in confrontations with both Israeli forces and settlers in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack. In this episode, we explore how the conflict has inflamed decades-old divisions in the occupied territory with CNN Anchor, Sara Sidner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Humanitarian aid operations and hospitals in Gaza are warning that conditions will further deteriorate without fuel deliveries, which Israel is refusing to send for fears it could end up in the hands of Hamas’ military operation. In this episode, we hear from CNN’s Clarissa Ward about how doctors in Gaza are coping and what it might take to free up further supplies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, more than a century of bitter history in the region is the backdrop for rising tensions between Jews, Palestinians, and Muslims around the world. In this episode, CNN’s Jerusalem-based correspondent Hadas Gold takes us through some of the milestones that led up to today’s conflict and the areas that could become key in the days ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Note: this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence. Four hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 have been freed and talks to secure the release of more are ongoing between the US, Israel, Qatar, Egypt and Hamas. In this episode, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins breaks down where things stand on the diplomatic front and shares her conversation with one Israeli family anxiously waiting to hear about their son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Israel continues to pound Gaza with airstrikes as retaliation for the deadly Hamas terror attacks, many are wondering how soon it will launch a full ground offensive into the enclave. However, two sources briefed on the discussions tell CNN that the US is seeking to delay that operation in hopes of getting more hostages out and aid into Gaza. In this episode, we examine what a ground incursion could look like and its potential impact on civilians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conditions on the ground in Gaza continue to deteriorate as Israel repeatedly bombards the strip with airstrikes in retaliation for the brutal Hamas terror attack. As the situation worsens, aid agencies are warning that hospitals are almost out of fuel. In this episode, we hear from four people on the ground who are fighting to survive the war: an aid worker running low on food and water, a 13-year-old girl, a woman who is nine months pregnant with her first child, and a translator who is housing over 50 other people in his small home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Hamas launched its attack on Israel, many military experts were surprised by how well-organized it seemed. Now, CNN has reviewed documents that Israeli officials say were Hamas attack plans revealing granular details on its targets. This episode examines the context of those documents and how a group of volunteer guards in one kibbutz were able to help fight off a group of militants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Joe Biden’s trip to Tel Aviv was overshadowed by outrage over a devastating blast at a hospital in Gaza that is being highly contested in the region. In this episode, CNN’s International Diplomatic Editor, Nic Robertson explains how the US’ strong support for Israel could be tested, and what came out of this high stakes visit while the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As fighting intensifies between Israel and Gaza, Hezbollah’s the third player on the sidelines that could shift how things turn out for Israel. What happens if they get involved? What would the cost be for Israel if another front opens on its border with Lebanon? CNN’s Ben Wedeman explains what a double-sided war could mean for Israel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of Palestinians remain without basic supplies in Gaza ahead of a possible Israeli ground incursion. Meanwhile, those who want to evacuate find themselves with no way out while the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed. In today’s episode, we look at the diplomatic efforts to bring relief to those who need it as the death toll in Gaza continues to rise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Warning: what you’ll hear in this episode is disturbing. With each passing day, the true brutality of Hamas’ attack on Israel is coming into sharper focus. At the same time, Israel says its troops carried out local raids in the Gaza strip. In this episode, CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward tells us stories of grief and strength out of the Be’eri kibbutz, which bore the brunt of Hamas’ attacks. One resident felt “relief,” after learning of his daughter’s death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hamas’ latest attacks on Israel is once again making the international community pick sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But what is the militant organization’s end game? In this episode, CNN Senior International Correspondent Sam Kiley breaks down the history of Hamas and the calculations that could be behind the attacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Warning, this episode contains descriptions of violence. As the conflict enters the fifth day, Israel’s military continues to pound Gaza with airstrikes, while Israel forms an emergency government and war cabinet. In this episode, CNN's Hadas Gold explains what this move says about Israel’s military strategy, as fears of a regional conflict rise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Israel and Hamas trade rocket fire over the skies of Israel, there is growing concern for the at least 100 hostages the terror group claims it has taken. In this episode, CNN International Anchor Becky Anderson tells us about the families of the missing she has met and what they are asking for from Israeli and US authorities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Israel has formally declared war on Hamas - the Palestinian militant group - setting the stage for a major military operation in Gaza as fighting continues to rage on Israeli soil. Tanks and personnel carriers have been seen on the move near the Israel-Gaza border after Hamas launched an unprecedented and highly coordinated surprise assault on Saturday. CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson brings us the latest on the conflict from his position just two miles from the Israeli border with Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a new season, CNN reporters take us on-the-ground to cover this unprecedented moment in Israel and the repercussions in Gaza. We will unpack the escalating conflict and what it means for the rest of the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was in Kyiv at the very start of the invasion - CNN Senior International correspondent Matthew Chance returns to find a city experiencing an uneasy calm. Meanwhile, brutal fighting continues in the South and East as the Ukrainians go on a counter-offensive, hoping to retake Russian-occupied territory. We examine what life is like for everyday Ukrainians who have returned to horror and look at what comes next as the conflict drags on. Recorded on June 3, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukrainian officials claim Russia has targeted numerous cultural and historical sites during its assault on the country. In response, artists and historians have been racing to save key artifacts in an effort to preserve Ukrainian culture. CNN Style Global Editor Fiona Sinclair Scott has the story of one such artist and examines how some Ukrainian residents have returned to the ballet in hopes of a more normal night out. See the “Fountain of Exhaustion”: cnn.com/war Recorded on May 31, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although US-Russia tensions have been at an all-time high, the two countries have been staying in touch on another issue. Trevor Reed, an American imprisoned in Russian territory has finally returned home after nearly 3 years and intense negotiation between the two countries. His fate is different from fellow Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, along with others imprisoned in multiple countries around the world. CNN’s Jake Tapper talks about his exclusive interview with Reed, and CNN State Department Producer Jennifer Hansler explains what Reed’s prisoner swap could mean for other Americans detained abroad. Recorded on May 24, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After decades of neutrality, Finland and Sweden are set to file applications to join NATO, undermining Russian president Vladimir Putin’s aim of splintering the military alliance. CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson traces how the war in Ukraine convinced the Finnish government to take this step and examines how the world order could be impacted if other European countries follow their lead. Recorded on May 16, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia’s war on Ukraine is causing a global scramble for essential commodities such as wheat, natural gas, and sunflower oil. But how are shortages on these goods resulting in an export ban on palm oil in Indonesia and skyrocketing dairy prices in the UK? CNN Business Senior Writer Julia Horowitz talks us through the economic domino effect rocking global markets and the civil unrest it could spark. Recorded on May 10, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before the war, Mariupol was a peaceful port town. Now, it’s the focal point of the biggest land war in Europe since 1945. CNN’s International Security Editor Nick Paton Walsh spoke to some evacuated residents who have spent the last two months holed up deep beneath a local steel plant - he tells us about their journey, what life is like for those who remain in Mariupol and why future evacuations may be hard to come by. Recorded on May 3, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, has been a strategic target since the earliest days of Russia’s invasion. Amidst constant bombardment and heavy losses, residents fear the worst could be yet to come should their city be encircled by Russian forces. CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward has seen both the rubble and the heroism on the ground in Kharkiv. She takes us inside the city to examine Russia’s gruesome tactics and the defiance of everyday Ukrainians refusing to abandon their homes and their countrymen. Recorded on April 26, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new CNN Films documentary “Navalny” chronicles the aftermath of top Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny’s poisoning, allegedly carried out by Russian agents (a charge the Kremlin denies). We talk with the film’s director, Daniel Roher, about how he was able to obtain intimate access to Navalny and his family, why it’s important to him for Russians to see the movie and what Putin’s response to Navalny can tell us about his invasion of Ukraine. Recorded on April 20, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Russia invaded Ukraine, Western allies were quick to slap sanctions on the wealthy oligarchs closely aligned with Vladimir Putin. But are they having an impact? CNN Contributor and former CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty examines who is in Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, how they work hand-in-hand with the Kremlin, and why Russia is so desperate for anything it can call a “victory” on the battlefield. Recorded on Tuesday, April 19 2022 To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week, President Joe Biden described the atrocities being discovered in Ukraine as "genocide" for the first time. CNN Chief International Investigative Correspondent Nima Elbagir explains the legal ramifications around the label and also examines how Russian tactics compare to other conflicts she’s covered around the world. This episode contains graphic descriptions of war. Recorded on April 15, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After suffering a series of failures in the north of Ukraine around Kyiv, Russia is set to shift its focus to the east. There are fears that the assault could be even more relentless and indiscriminate as Vladimir Putin searches for some sort of victory. CNN Senior International Correspondent Fred Pleitgen examines why Putin is so focused on this area, what dangers await residents coming back to their homes near Kyiv, and how everyday Ukrainians are helping to document alleged war crimes in real time. This episode contains graphic descriptions of war. Recorded on April 12, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Russia leaves behind a trail of dead civilians in Ukraine, the global outrage grows louder. Russian propaganda tries to hide the horrors of bombed cities and potential war crimes by Russian soldiers, but Ukrainian security services have released radio intercepts that counter that narrative. CNN Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance discusses how Russian soldiers are communicating while on the ground in Ukraine, Putin’s inner circle of power and how Russia’s propaganda machine is keeping the Kremlin afloat. Recorded on April 8, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the past few days, the world has reacted in horror to the shocking images coming out of Bucha, Ukraine: dead civilian bodies in the streets, many with hands tied, and mass graves containing hundreds of unarmed people. Some believe the atrocities may even be a tipping point in the conflict with Russia. After visiting Bucha, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned peace talks with Russia would be difficult. CNN international correspondent Phil Black talks about why such brutality is part of Russia’s playbook, the response from the West, and how this could impact future negotiations. This episode contains graphic descriptions of war. Recorded on April 5, 2022. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices