Amanpour: "Israel Marks a Grim Anniversary"
Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Bianna Golodryga (CNN International, sitting in for Christiane Amanpour)
Guests: Jeremy Diamond (CNN), Omer Shem Tov (former hostage), Amir Thibon (journalist, survivor & author), James Elder (UNICEF), Aziz Abu Sara (peace activist), Taylor Harris (author)
Episode Overview
This episode examines the somber two-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel—a date that still deeply scars the Israeli psyche and alters Palestinian reality. Through emotional personal testimony, first-hand reporting from Gaza, and perspectives from advocates and peace builders, the program seeks to reflect on the trauma, ongoing war, humanitarian crisis, prospects for peace, and the urgency for accountability and reconciliation. The latter part shifts to explore new controversies over autism policy in the U.S., featuring an interview with memoirist Taylor Harris.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Two Years Since October 7: National Trauma and Hostage Crisis
Hostage Square and National Mood
- [03:22] Jeremy Diamond reports live from Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, describing widespread grief, unresolved trauma, and ongoing solidarity as families of the 48 remaining hostages gather on this painful anniversary.
- Quote: “Unlike other terrorist attacks, where you have commemorations years later, Israelis are still very much in that moment of trauma, in that moment of war that continues two years later...” — Jeremy Diamond [04:20]
- Families maintain public pressure on the government, demanding action for the hostages’ release as negotiations seem closer to a deal.
Firsthand Testimony from a Former Hostage
- [06:26] Omer Shem Tov, abducted from the Nova Music Festival and held for 505 days, recounts the terror and chaos:
- Quote: “I remember me and two of my friends running for our lives, seeing people just getting shot everywhere, bodies everywhere…” — Omer Shem Tov [06:26]
- He testifies to the lasting mental impact and the urgency in bringing the remaining hostages home.
2. Personal and National History: Amir Thibon’s Dual Perspective
Survivor, Journalist, Author
- [08:49] Amir Thibon, reporter and survivor of the October 7th attacks on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, reflects on trauma, courage, anger at systemic failures, and the critical importance of ending the war:
- Quote: “It’s quite shocking that we’ve reached two years and [my friend and neighbor Omri Miran] is still not with us... The most important mission is to make October 7th end. October 7th will only end when we reach a deal to bring back the hostages and finish the war. Until that happens, we are still in October 7th.” — Amir Thibon [08:49]
- He highlights the significance of documenting not only personal tragedy, but also the historical roots—writing in English to counter international denial and contextualize his kibbutz’ founding hope for coexistence:
- Quote: “You cannot understand October 7th without understanding what is Hamas, what are the kibbutzim, these small agricultural communities... the days of optimism and the peace process, the failures...” — Amir Thibon [11:59]
- Thibon emphasizes the urgent task ahead: rescue hostages, end the war, and—after such lengthy displacement—return his family and friends home only when safety allows.
- Quote: “We renovated the house... it looks completely new... but we are waiting for the war to end... That’s what right now is keeping us out of our home at the moment.” — Amir Thibon [15:07]
- Closing plea for international engagement:
- Quote: “This is not an Israeli issue. This is a humanitarian issue. ...Don’t leave Egypt without an agreement, because if we renew the war after already securing some kind of a pause, I don't want to imagine what the consequences will be. … It's urgent. We have to do it.” — Amir Thibon [19:14]
3. Gaza: Catastrophe and Hope Amid Ruins – UNICEF’s James Elder
On the Ground in Khan Younis
- [21:39] James Elder of UNICEF paints a visceral picture of Gaza: collapsed health infrastructure, “everyone has gone beyond rock bottom”, children wounded, dying, living in tents, and hospitals overwhelmed.
- Quote: “Everyone has gone beyond rock bottom… No children here in school. That bedrock—education—no children are in school. Those three children shot by a quadcopter...” — James Elder [22:02]
- Despite attempts at ceasefires and hope for President Trump's 20-point plan, Elder expresses skepticism, describing continued aid obstructions, dangerous working conditions for UN staff, and looting due to sheer scarcity.
- He makes a direct, operational plea:
- Quote: “We know what works because we saw in the ceasefire—give us multiple entry points… Ceasefires speak to children going to bed at night, not being bombed, getting nutritious food, and hostages going home. It’s not actually as complicated as leaders make out.” — James Elder [27:19]
4. Choosing Humanity: Palestinian Peace Activist Aziz Abu Sara
Reconciling Grief and Advocating for Justice
- [31:03] Aziz Abu Sara recounts the formative trauma of his brother’s killing at age 10, the years of vengeance and then the commitment to break cycles of hatred:
- Quote: “Every time I chose vengeance, I was being a slave to the person who killed my brother. ...It’s up to me to change and shape the future and not be doomed and controlled by the actions of those who killed my brother.” — Aziz Abu Sara [31:03]
- Stresses that peace cannot wait for the war’s end, citing grassroots reconciliation work with Israelis also bereaved by violence.
- On the U.S.-proposed ceasefire deal:
- Quote: “Anything that can stop the killing is something I welcome. ...However, the 20 piece plan does not fully solve the problem... [it] is a band aid...” — Aziz Abu Sara [35:58]
- Calls it “criminal” to postpone a just solution to another generation.
5. Autism in the Political Crosshairs: Taylor Harris Interview
Segment shifts to U.S. domestic policy debate
Personal Narrative Challenges Harmful Rhetoric
- [39:43] Taylor Harris, author and mother of three, two with autism, shares the confusion and discrimination faced by families—especially families of color—navigating diagnosis and support.
- She critiques recent U.S. presidential policy linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism (without scientific evidence) and efforts to frame autism as a “devastating burden.”
- Quote: “Autism, for me, has been so different because of how it can look in kids like mine and in myself…. What is actually harder for me… has been getting others to believe that it’s actually really hard sometimes with what they don’t see.” — Taylor Harris [41:56]
- Harris warns of the dangers of policy driven by spectacle, not science:
- Quote: “Whatever their motive is… it’s possibly going to cost lives. ...If Taylor Harris shows up and says, ‘I don’t think Tylenol causes autism… but I support President Trump because autism is back in the spotlight,’ I have spent a lot of time thinking… and I don’t think I can.” — Taylor Harris [50:22]
- Importance of nuanced understanding:
- Quote: “We often talk about autism as a spectrum... I sort of love the idea of it being a constellation because there are all these different parts of it...” — Taylor Harris [46:10]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Enduring Trauma:
“Israelis are still very much in that moment of trauma, in that moment of war that continues two years later…”
— Jeremy Diamond [04:20] -
On Personal Courage & Failure:
“There is a level of anger toward the government and the military for the failure, but also a lot of appreciation for the people who did come and fight, and some of them lost their lives.”
— Amir Thibon [08:49] -
On Humanity over Politics:
“This is not an Israeli issue. This is a humanitarian issue. ...Don’t let anyone sabotage these negotiations. Let’s get a deal this time. It’s urgent.”
— Amir Thibon [19:14] -
On Gaza’s Catastrophe:
“No children here in school. ...That’s not an irregular 30 minutes, that’s just any 30 minutes here as it has been for two years.”
— James Elder [22:02] -
On Refusing the Cycle of Revenge:
“Every time I chose vengeance, I was being a slave to the person who killed my brother. …Rather, it’s up to me to change and shape the future and not be doomed and controlled by the actions of those who killed my brother.”
— Aziz Abu Sara [31:03] -
On Autism and Society:
“I think seeing it [autism] as sort of like a burden on society… which needs to be eradicated, like that is completely different. There are a thousand genes marked for autism. …But I see it very differently than the way we hear the administration talking about it.”
— Taylor Harris [44:49]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Hostage Square & Anniversary Reflections: [03:22]–[06:26]
- Omer Shem Tov’s Testimony: [06:26]–[07:14]
- Amir Thibon: Survivor’s Perspective & The “Gates of Gaza”: [08:49]–[16:43]
- Neelie Margalit on Tunnel Captivity: [17:34]–[19:14]
- UNICEF’s James Elder from Gaza: [21:39]–[29:15]
- Aziz Abu Sara on Peace and Justice: [31:03]–[37:42]
- Taylor Harris on Autism Policy and Experience: [38:56]–[53:47]
Conclusion
This episode delivers a poignant mosaic of voices—those grieving, surviving, rebuilding, and advocating for change—on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, interwoven with deep introspection on the cost of political failure and the enduring necessity for peace rooted in justice. The latter segment provides a critical lens on political misuse of health science and the lived realities of those affected by policy.
Each account underscores the message: peace, dignity, and humanity are urgent imperatives not just for the Middle East, but for all societies wrestling with trauma, conflict, and the need for compassionate leadership.