(CHICAGO) — Former first lady Michelle Obama will take center stage at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, along with her husband former President Barack Obama, throwing their formidable political weight behind Kamala Harris.
The speeches will mark a return for the Obamas to Chicago, where Michelle Obama grew up and where Barack Obama began his political career.
Michelle Obama remains one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, despite her aversion to partisan politics. Her goodwill with the party is so high that when Biden struggled in his campaign this past year, her name was floated as a possible alternative to take his place atop the ticket.
Several days after Biden dropped out of the race, the Obamas threw their support behind Harris. Their endorsement emphasized their 20-year friendship with Harris, saying she has the character and resume to meet the moment.
Cementing their support was a video released by the Harris campaign showing a phone call between the vice president and the Obamas. The video racked up millions of views on social media.
“I can’t have this phone call without saying to my girl, Kamala, I am proud of you,” Michelle Obama told Harris. “This is going to be historic.”
Her remarks on Tuesday will lay out how Harris is ready to lead and “turn the page on fear and division,” according to a source. She will also speak on the need for everyone to do their part to elect the Harris-Walz ticket, the source said.
Michelle Obama has maintained a relatively low profile this election cycle, and the DNC will mark her biggest appearance in the race so far.
“Politics is hard. And the people who get into it — it’s just like marriage, it’s just like kids — you’ve got to want it. It’s got to be in your soul, because it is so important. It is not in my soul. Service is in my soul,” Michelle Obama told Oprah last year.
Barack Obama, during a political fundraiser for Biden in California earlier this summer, was asked if either of his daughters would ever venture into politics. The former president joked, “That is a question I do not need to answer because Michelle drilled into them so early that you would be crazy to go into politics. It will never happen.”
Still, Michelle Obama has stepped in to support Democrats since leaving the White House. She also leads the nonpartisan initiative When We All Vote, which works to register new voters.
During the 2020 campaign, she gave a keynote address at the virtual DNC in which she praised Biden’s character and criticized Donald Trump’s record on COVID, race issues and more.
In a play on her famous 2016 mantra, “When they go low, we go high,” Michelle Obama said at the last DNC that “going high means taking the harder path” and accepting the truth.
“So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country,” she said in the 2020 speech. “He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is.”
ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks contributed to this report.
(CHICAGO) — After an emotional tribute to President Joe Biden Monday night, the scene at the Democrats’ gathering on Tuesday shifts to appearances by former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.
In their highly anticipated prime-time speeches, the Obamas are expected to help clearly “pass the torch” to Kamala Harris, who will be holding a rally in Milwaukee this evening ahead of her acceptance speech Thursday night.
Here’s how the news is developing.
It’s a party in Chicago
Delegates are partying on the convention floor, with hot songs from artists from each state blaring as delegates are cast for Harris.
15,000 people at Harris rally, campaign says There are more than 15,000 people at the Harris rally in Milwaukee, which will broadcast into the DNC tonight, according to her campaign.
The crowd was going wild during Gov. Tim Walz’s remarks.
People are holding signs that say “Freedom” and some have brought their own handmade signs, including one that says “Choose joy.”
-ABC News’ Selina Wang
Protesters march outside Israeli Consulate in Chicago
A large group of pro-Palestinian protesters marched outside the Israeli Consulate in Chicago as the DNC roll call took place.
The exteriors were covered with barricades and several police officers were on hand.
There were no reports of arrests as of 8:45 p.m. ET.
-ABC News’ Ben Stein
A cameo-filled ceremonial roll call
The lively ceremonial roll call has so far featured some surprise cameos alongside more expected political leaders from their respective states.
Standing along the Indiana delegates was actor Sean Astin of “The Goonies” fame, while Louisiana native Wendell Pierce, an actor known for “The Wire,” joined his state’s delegates as they cast their votes for Harris.
The crowd was also treated to a surprise appearance by Lil Jon when Georgia delegates cast their votes.
Lil Jon makes appearance as Georgia delegates cast votes: ‘We’re not going back’
The crowd at the United Center was treated to a surprise appearance by Lil Jon when Georgia delegates cast their votes for Kamala Harris.
The rapper sang “Turn Down for What” to a roaring crowd, adding extra lines that repeated the theme: “We’re not going back.”
Harris’ Milwaukee rally asked to ‘bring the energy’ for DNC broadcast
At Harris’ rally in Milwaukee, the campaign announced in the arena that the vice president will be broadcast into the DNC and that they want the crowd here to “bring the energy.”
“I’m really going to need this energy when they broadcast this live, right?” said Jaliah Jefferson, Wisconsin deputy organizing director, Milwaukee. “VP Harris will be beamed into TVs all across the country.”
“So when it’s our moment, we need to get loud and leave no doubt that Wisconsin is going to send Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to the White House,” she added.
Crowds have been waiting for hours to enter the Fiserv Forum — where the RNC was held last month. The arena is packed with people and it’s a party vibe. The music has been pumping loudly, people are dancing and waving their light-up wristbands. The bass in the music is so loud the floor is vibrating.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Will McDuffie
Harris’ stepson talks about how she became ‘Momala’
Kamala Harris’ stepson Cole Emhoff paid tribute to his father, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and how the vice president became part of their blended family, in a video posted on social media ahead of Emoff’s DNC speech tonight.
“In 2014, Kamala became Momala,” Cole Emhoff said. “She took over Sunday night dinners and taught Doug how to actually cook.”
Tonight, the Second Gentleman will be introduced by his son, Cole Emhoff, in a video tribute. In this excerpt of the video, Cole shares how Kamala became Momala to him and his sister, Ella. pic.twitter.com/tt2SvW6Vq2
“Our blended family wasn’t used to politics or the spotlight, but when Kamala became senator, we were all excited to step up — especially my dad,” Cole Emoff added. “Then, Kamala became vice president. It felt like Doug was a bit out of place on Capitol Hill. I thought: ‘What is my goofy dad doing here?'”
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
DNC roll call commences
The roll call for the DNC has begun.
State delegates will go in alphabetical order, with a DJ playing music related to each state.
Josh Shapiro: Harris showing ‘real momentum’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis in an interview from the DNC that he is seeing “incredible enthusiasm” for the Harris-Walz campaign on the ground.
“Kamala Harris is showing up in communities that are oftentimes ignored and left behind,” Shapiro said, adding that she’s sending a message to Pennsylvanians that she cares about them.
“I think as this race progresses, you’re going to continue to see real momentum on her part,” he said.
Trump friends — and foes — on the ground in Chicago
Spotted at the United Center snapping selfies was Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney who was a star witness in his New York hush money trial.
The Trump campaign, meanwhile, continued to hold its daily press conference this morning just three miles away from the DNC site to “remind folks what Donald Trump is running for.”
At the press conference, which focused on the issue of crime, Rep. Byron Donalds sought to counter Harris’ prosecutor persona by painting her as soft on crime and pointing to some of her previous statements — including her previous call to “redirect resources” from police.
Donalds also pushed a familiar line of attack against the Harris campaign — that they are lacking in enough policy positions and instead are focusing on “joy and vibes.”
ABC News asked the Florida Republican what type of messaging he is looking to see from Trump on the campaign trail this week amid tightening polls.
“I think this election is really a choice election, it’s a contrast election, even more so than some others. We have very stark differences with Kamala,” Donalds said, while pointing to the subjects of immigration, crime and foreign policy.
-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters brings dozens of retired Teamsters on stage
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters appeared on stage with dozens of retired Teamsters to highlight Harris-Walz’s commitment to unions.
“Kamala Harris and Tim Walz grew up just like me. And I know, I know they will fight for all of us,” Peters said. “They will make it easier to raise our families and to retire with dignity. Just look at the record. As vice president, Kamala Harris helped pass legislation that finally, finally allowed Medicare to negotiate and lower the cost of prescription drugs.”
Ken Stribling, president of the National United Committee to Protect Pensions, also addressed the crowd, saying, “As president, I know Kamala Harris will have our backs. She will fight for our retirement, Social Security and Medicare.”
-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd
Former Trump official Stephanie Grisham speaks in favor of Harris
The DNC is highlighting several former supporters of former President Donald Trump this week, including everyday Americans who previously voted for him who are now backing Harris.
But Grisham, a former White House press secretary, is the first of several former Trump officials slated to speak at the convention. She described herself not only as a former supporter of Trump but as a “true believer” who has since changed her tune.
“He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” she said of Trump.
“When I was press secretary, I got skewered for never holding a White House briefing,” Grisham added. “It’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie. Now, here I am behind a podium advocating for a Democrat. And that’s because I love my country more than my party.”
Common performs: ‘Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris’
Rapper Common and gospel musician Jonathan McReynolds took to the stage.
Common changed up the lyrics to his song “Fortunate” for the DNC, rapping, “Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris.”
Jason Carter says Harris ‘carries my grandfather’s legacy’
Jason Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, was the first speaker of the night.
“Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy,” he said. “She knows what is right and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not selfishness.”
Jimmy Carter, who is in hospice care and is nearing his 100th birthday in October, told his family he wants to make it to vote for Harris in November, Jason Carter said.
“Papa is holding on. He is hopeful, and though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever,” Jason Carter said.
Patti LaBelle performs during in memoriam
Patti LaBelle, renowned as the “Godmother of Soul,” took to the stage to sing “You Are My Friend” while an in memoriam played behind her.
Those remembered included former first lady Rosalynn Carter and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Night 2 of the DNC kicks off
The second night of the DNC is officially underway in Chicago.
Tonight’s theme is “A bold vision for America’s future” and will feature a keynote address by former President Barack Obama.
The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call for Harris, who became the official Democratic presidential nominee following a virtual roll call earlier this month.
Israeli American Council hosts ‘Hostage Square’ art exhibition just blocks from United Center
A group of Israeli and American artists showcased their work throughout the day Tuesday to draw attention to the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
The Israeli American Council (IAC), a nonprofit organization that advocates for the Israeli American community, held the pop-up exhibition it called “Hostage Square” in an empty lot about five blocks east of the United Center, where the DNC is being held through Thursday.
All the art was created in response to the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, said Jeff Aeder, a Chicago-based real estate investor who put the exhibition together over the last four weeks.
The show “is a much more effective way at looking at a different narrative, opposed to two groups yelling at each other, to highlight the plight of the hostages and the trauma that has been felt by the Jewish world,” he said. “Art is a good way for people to tell these stories.”
Throughout the day Tuesday, about a thousand people visited the exhibition, according to Aeder, including Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., and families of several hostages.
Aeder said he is determining if the art will travel to different locations. He said he is realistic, knowing “it’s very hard” to summon change through artwork. But he hopes the exhibition is one of “a thousand different points of contact” with the public to create awareness about the plight of the hostages and their families.
“We need to continually do everything we can to bring attention to it, because we never know what’s going to touch somebody,” he said. “Being silent is not an option.”
-ABC News’ Mark Guarino
Bernie Sanders to discuss economy in prime-time speech
Sanders is slated to speak in the 9 p.m. ET hour tonight, and according to released excerpts of his speech, he will focus on the economy.
The independent senator worked with the Biden-Harris administration to achieve price negotiations with Medicare on commonly used prescription drugs. The administration announced last week that a deal was reached to lower the cost of 10 medications.
“When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country,” Sanders will say. “We need to summon that will again — because too many of our fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by — to put food on the table, pay the rent, and get the health care they need.”
“These oligarchs tell us we shouldn’t tax the rich; we shouldn’t take on price gouging; we shouldn’t expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision; and we shouldn’t increase Social Security benefits for struggling seniors,” he’ll go on to say. “Well I’ve got some bad news for them. That is precisely what we are going to do, and we’re going to win this struggle because this is precisely what the American people want from their government.”
-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks
Emhoff, Schumer, Sanders and more will speak tonight
Before the Obamas take the stage Tuesday, the DNC will feature speeches from second gentlemen Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to the convention’s schedule.
Maryland Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks will deliver the keynote remarks.
Remarks are also expected from former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, as well as Jason Carter and Jack Schlossberg, the grandsons of former Presidents Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy, respectively.
Rep. Frost on Gen Z’s excitement for Harris
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, spoke with ABC News Live anchor Kyra Phillips about the enthusiasm Gen Z has for Kamala Harris.
“Young people are excited about Kamala Harris and I think it’s for many different reasons,” he said. “No. 1, it’s her authenticity. She’s been going viral on TikTok, online, Twitter and a lot of it has to do with her as a human, her as a person, the things she loves, who she is, and the things she says.”
Frost added that young people like Harris because “they hear her message, and then they see themselves represented in her and what she’s fighting for and all the amazing people that we have here today.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first member of Generation Z in Congress, talks about the importance of Kamala Harris and the role of young Americans in politics.
-ABC News’ Isabella Meneses
Trump’s former press secretary Stephanie Grisham to speak tonight
Stephanie Grisham, former President Trump’s third White House press secretary, will speak tonight at the DNC, ABC News can report.
Protesters interrupt Tim Walz’s women’s caucus remarks
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s remarks Tuesday to the women’s caucus at the DNC were interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Walz was recognizing the role women had in aiding him as governor, and was praising former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris before demonstrators started chanting, “Stop killing women in Gaza! Stop killing women in Gaza!”
They unfurled banners in the middle of the room as the audience tried to drown out their protest.
Walz briefly paused his remarks and looked at the protesters before continuing his speech, without acknowledging them.
The protesters were escorted out of the ballroom where they continued their calls for a cease-fire in Gaza and for the end of arms transfers to Israel.
A delegate, who only identified herself as Michelle and a New York delegate, fiercely countered the protesters, accusing them of helping Donald Trump by protesting.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
10 arrests made during Monday’s DNC fencing breach
There were 10 arrests made during Monday’s fencing breach at the DNC, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters on Tuesday.
“I couldn’t be more proud of how Chicago Police Department responded under those circumstances,” Snelling said. “We put on display the trainings and the preparation that we’ve been engaged in for over a year now. That being said, moving forward, we do expect to see, or protest or demonstrate tactics again. We’re up to the challenge.”
Snelling said there were 13 arrests total on Monday, which ranged from criminal trespass to battery on a police officer.
On reports that protesters were “assaulted” by police, the superintendent pushed back hard.
“Those police officers responded perfectly, and we got body cam footage to prove it. They were not hospitalized for injuries.”
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Flashback: Obama calls Harris attractive
On Tuesday night, former President Barack Obama gives a highly anticipated speech in which he is expected to make a forceful case for electing Harris. It won’t be the first time that Obama spoke glowingly of Harris — in fact, he has gotten in trouble for it before. Back in 2013, he spoke at a fundraiser in California that Harris attended and said of the then-California attorney general, “She is brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you’d want in anybody who is administering the law, and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake. She also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country.” The comment on Harris’s looks sparked a backlash for being sexist and inappropriate, and he apologized the next day.
—538’s Nathaniel Rakich
Obamas to share details of friendship, support for Harris
When former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama speak at the DNC on Tuesday, they will highlight their friendship with Harris that they say goes back 20 years, according to a source familiar.
The Obamas have been in regular touch with Harris over the years, providing counsel and being a sounding board, too, the source said. Over the last few months in particular, the Obamas have been in close contact with the vice president and supported her campaign in any way they are able, the source said.
Their remarks on Tuesday will turn the page from the Biden administration and focus on how Harris and Walz are the leaders the country needs right out, the source said.
The source highlighted how the Obamas have campaigned for Harris and worked to energize young voters.
-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks
DNC will start half an hour earlier on Tuesday
The DNC will start its programming half an hour earlier than originally planned on Tuesday after Monday’s program had a delayed start that pushed President Joe Biden’s speech past prime time and cut short his farewell.
“We had so much energy and enthusiasm for our president, our ticket, from our speakers and the audience reaction that I recognize that did put us a little bit behind schedule, but we are working with — we made some real-time adjustments last night to ensure we could get to what the delegates and the viewers really came for, which, of course, is President Biden,” Alex Hornsbrook, the executive director of the convention, told reporters this morning.
“And we’re working with our speakers and making some other adjustments for this evening, including beginning at 5:30 to make sure that we stay on track for that tonight,” he added.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Obamas to make prime-time speeches
The attention on Day 2 of the Democrats’ gathering shifts from celebrating President Joe Biden to prime-time speeches from former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. They’ll help pass the party torch to Kamala Harris.
The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call to nominate Harris, which follows the party’s virtual process doing so earlier this month. Harris officially had the vast majority of delegate votes needed to secure her nomination when that process ended on Aug. 6.
It’s expected that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Harris’ home state delegation will cast the vote putting her over the top.
(WASHINGTON) — Rep. Matt Gaetz defeated his Republican primary opponent on Tuesday in one of Florida’s most conservative congressional districts, according to an Associated Press projection, handing former Speaker Kevin McCarthy a final blow to his so-called “revenge tour” against a handful of Republicans who helped oust him last year.
“Thank you FL-01. I will never stop fighting for you,” Gaetz posted on X shortly after the race was called.
Despite being outspent in the race — with a McCarthy-aligned group pouring $3 million into attack ads — Gaetz is projected to handily defeat former Navy pilot Aaron Dimmock, who he’d dismissed as a carpetbagger and criticized his previous work in diversity training.
Although Gaetz was the heavy favorite heading into Tuesday, he ramped up campaigning in recent weeks, holding a string of events across Florida’s 1st district, which featured several Republicans who had supported his effort to remove McCarthy from the speakership last year, including Arizona Rep. Eli Crane and Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett.
Gaetz’s win marks yet another defeat for McCarthy, who has looked to target the group of eight far-right members of Congress, led by Gaetz, who were instrumental in his removal as House Speaker, which led to weeks of chaos on Capitol Hill as Republican members scrambled to elect a new leader.
With Tuesday’s primary in the books, McCarthy’s efforts against his far-right rivals only resulted in one big win against the so-called “Gaetz eight,” helping defeat House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good in one of the most closely watched and expensive Republican primaries of the 2024 election cycle. Meanwhile, he failed to unseat any others, including South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who won her primary decisively.
Gaetz’s for governor?
Tuesday’s primary victory will likely also fuel further speculation around Gaetz’s plans to run for governor of Florida in 2026, as Gov. Ron DeSantis will be term-limited from seeking re-election. Although the Florida congressman has consistently denied rumors that he is eyeing statewide office, some sources close to him suggest otherwise.
If Gaetz does decide to run, McCarthy’s revenge tour could continue. Allies of the former Speaker have already briefed donors on plans to continue targeting Gaetz if he pursues the governorship, sources tell ABC News. Ahead of Tuesday’s primary, a McCarthy-aligned group circulated a memo that suggested its efforts had damaged Gaetz’s chances of running for governor, pointing to polling data it had commissioned that showed Gaetz trailing in a prospective primary.
But those close to Gaetz told ABC News that the Florida congressman is likely to run for governor in 2026, and McCarthy’s efforts won’t deter him—in fact, they might even motivate him further.
“McCarthy did not do a single f—ing thing to dissuade Matt from running for governor,” a source close to Gaetz told ABC News. “If that was the effort, it’s been a piss-poor one.”
Still, Gaetz has publicly stated that he has no plans to run—at least not yet.
“I have no plans to run for governor. I like my job and I want to help President Trump in Washington,” Gaetz posted on X on Monday. “If those plans change, I hope I have opposition as incompetent as these dorks.”
(WASHINGTON) — A sweeping federal ban on noncompete agreements — which was set to take effect for tens of millions of Americans nationwide on Sept. 4 — is now permanently on hold.
In a ruling Tuesday, a federal judge in Texas upheld a challenge to the FTC’s rule banning noncompetes, saying the government agency lacks the authority to put the ban in place.
An estimated 30 million Americans — 1 out of every 5 workers — are employed with noncompete agreements in industries ranging from tech to fast food. The FTC argues the agreements stifle workers’ ability to switch jobs and earn higher wages.
The FTC rule would have meant that anyone applying for a new job could not be forced to sign a noncompete. For workers with existing agreements, noncompetes would no longer be enforceable.
The decision from U.S. District Judge Ada Brown means those changes are effectively blocked.
In a statement to ABC News, FTC spokesperson Victoria Graham said the agency is “seriously considering a potential appeal” of the decision.
“We are disappointed by Judge Brown’s decision and will keep fighting to stop noncompetes that restrict the economic liberty of hardworking Americans, hamper economic growth, limit innovation, and depress wages,” Graham said.
The lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce along with a Texas tax firm, which argued that the rule was too broad and that the FTC overstepped its authority.
“This decision is a significant win in the Chamber’s fight against government micromanagement of business decisions. A sweeping prohibition of noncompete agreements by the FTC was an unlawful extension of power that would have put American workers, businesses, and our economy at a competitive disadvantage,” U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Suzanne Clark said in a statement.
(CHICAGO) — After an emotional tribute to President Joe Biden Monday night, the scene at the Democrats’ gathering on Tuesday shifts to appearances by former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama.
In their highly anticipated prime-time speeches, the Obamas are expected to help clearly “pass the torch” to Kamala Harris, who will be holding a rally in Milwaukee this evening ahead of her acceptance speech Thursday night.
Here’s how the news is developing.
Harris’ Milwaukee rally asked to ‘bring the energy’ for DNC broadcast
At Harris’ rally in Milwaukee, the campaign announced in the arena that the vice president will be broadcast into the DNC and that they want the crowd here to “bring the energy.”
“I’m really going to need this energy when they broadcast this live, right?” said Jaliah Jefferson, Wisconsin deputy organizing director, Milwaukee. “VP Harris will be beamed into TVs all across the country.”
“So when it’s our moment, we need to get loud and leave no doubt that Wisconsin is going to send Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to the White House,” she added.
Crowds have been waiting for hours to enter the Fiserv Forum — where the RNC was held last month. The arena is packed with people and it’s a party vibe. The music has been pumping loudly, people are dancing and waving their light-up wristbands. The bass in the music is so loud the floor is vibrating.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang and Will McDuffie
Harris’ stepson talks about how she became ‘Momala’
Kamala Harris’ stepson Cole Emhoff paid tribute to his father, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and how the vice president became part of their blended family, in a video posted on social media ahead of Emoff’s DNC speech tonight.
“In 2014, Kamala became Momala,” Cole Emhoff said. “She took over Sunday night dinners and taught Doug how to actually cook.”
Tonight, the Second Gentleman will be introduced by his son, Cole Emhoff, in a video tribute. In this excerpt of the video, Cole shares how Kamala became Momala to him and his sister, Ella. pic.twitter.com/tt2SvW6Vq2
“Our blended family wasn’t used to politics or the spotlight, but when Kamala became senator, we were all excited to step up — especially my dad,” Cole Emoff added. “Then, Kamala became vice president. It felt like Doug was a bit out of place on Capitol Hill. I thought: ‘What is my goofy dad doing here?'”
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
DNC roll call commences
The roll call for the DNC has begun.
State delegates will go in alphabetical order, with a DJ playing music related to each state.
Josh Shapiro: Harris showing ‘real momentum’
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis in an interview from the DNC that he is seeing “incredible enthusiasm” for the Harris-Walz campaign on the ground.
“Kamala Harris is showing up in communities that are oftentimes ignored and left behind,” Shapiro said, adding that she’s sending a message to Pennsylvanians that she cares about them.
“I think as this race progresses, you’re going to continue to see real momentum on her part,” he said.
Trump friends — and foes — on the ground in Chicago
Spotted at the United Center snapping selfies was Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney who was a star witness in his New York hush money trial.
The Trump campaign, meanwhile, continued to hold its daily press conference this morning just three miles away from the DNC site to “remind folks what Donald Trump is running for.”
At the press conference, which focused on the issue of crime, Rep. Byron Donalds sought to counter Harris’ prosecutor persona by painting her as soft on crime and pointing to some of her previous statements — including her previous call to “redirect resources” from police.
Donalds also pushed a familiar line of attack against the Harris campaign — that they are lacking in enough policy positions and instead are focusing on “joy and vibes.”
ABC News asked the Florida Republican what type of messaging he is looking to see from Trump on the campaign trail this week amid tightening polls.
“I think this election is really a choice election, it’s a contrast election, even more so than some others. We have very stark differences with Kamala,” Donalds said, while pointing to the subjects of immigration, crime and foreign policy.
-ABC News’ Olivia Rubin
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters brings dozens of retired Teamsters on stage
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters appeared on stage with dozens of retired Teamsters to highlight Harris-Walz’s commitment to unions.
“Kamala Harris and Tim Walz grew up just like me. And I know, I know they will fight for all of us,” Peters said. “They will make it easier to raise our families and to retire with dignity. Just look at the record. As vice president, Kamala Harris helped pass legislation that finally, finally allowed Medicare to negotiate and lower the cost of prescription drugs.”
Ken Stribling, president of the National United Committee to Protect Pensions, also addressed the crowd, saying, “As president, I know Kamala Harris will have our backs. She will fight for our retirement, Social Security and Medicare.”
-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd
Former Trump official Stephanie Grisham speaks in favor of Harris
The DNC is highlighting several former supporters of former President Donald Trump this week, including everyday Americans who previously voted for him who are now backing Harris.
But Grisham, a former White House press secretary, is the first of several former Trump officials slated to speak at the convention. She described herself not only as a former supporter of Trump but as a “true believer” who has since changed her tune.
“He has no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth,” she said of Trump.
“When I was press secretary, I got skewered for never holding a White House briefing,” Grisham added. “It’s because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie. Now, here I am behind a podium advocating for a Democrat. And that’s because I love my country more than my party.”
Common performs: ‘Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris’
Rapper Common and gospel musician Jonathan McReynolds took to the stage.
Common changed up the lyrics to his song “Fortunate” for the DNC, rapping, “Be fortunate, y’all, for Kamala Harris.”
Jason Carter says Harris ‘carries my grandfather’s legacy’
Jason Carter, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, was the first speaker of the night.
“Kamala Harris carries my grandfather’s legacy,” he said. “She knows what is right and she fights for it. She understands that leadership is about service, not selfishness.”
Jimmy Carter, who is in hospice care and is nearing his 100th birthday in October, told his family he wants to make it to vote for Harris in November, Jason Carter said.
“Papa is holding on. He is hopeful, and though his body may be weak tonight, his spirit is as strong as ever,” Jason Carter said.
Patti LaBelle performs during in memoriam
Patti LaBelle, renowned as the “Godmother of Soul,” took to the stage to sing “You Are My Friend” while an in memoriam played behind her.
Those remembered included former first lady Rosalynn Carter and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Night 2 of the DNC kicks off
The second night of the DNC is officially underway in Chicago.
Tonight’s theme is “A bold vision for America’s future” and will feature a keynote address by former President Barack Obama.
The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call for Harris, who became the official Democratic presidential nominee following a virtual roll call earlier this month.
Israeli American Council hosts ‘Hostage Square’ art exhibition just blocks from United Center
A group of Israeli and American artists showcased their work throughout the day Tuesday to draw attention to the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
The Israeli American Council (IAC), a nonprofit organization that advocates for the Israeli American community, held the pop-up exhibition it called “Hostage Square” in an empty lot about five blocks east of the United Center, where the DNC is being held through Thursday.
All the art was created in response to the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, said Jeff Aeder, a Chicago-based real estate investor who put the exhibition together over the last four weeks.
The show “is a much more effective way at looking at a different narrative, opposed to two groups yelling at each other, to highlight the plight of the hostages and the trauma that has been felt by the Jewish world,” he said. “Art is a good way for people to tell these stories.”
Throughout the day Tuesday, about a thousand people visited the exhibition, according to Aeder, including Michael Herzog, Israeli ambassador to the U.S., and families of several hostages.
Aeder said he is determining if the art will travel to different locations. He said he is realistic, knowing “it’s very hard” to summon change through artwork. But he hopes the exhibition is one of “a thousand different points of contact” with the public to create awareness about the plight of the hostages and their families.
“We need to continually do everything we can to bring attention to it, because we never know what’s going to touch somebody,” he said. “Being silent is not an option.”
-ABC News’ Mark Guarino
Bernie Sanders to discuss economy in prime-time speech
Sanders is slated to speak in the 9 p.m. ET hour tonight, and according to released excerpts of his speech, he will focus on the economy.
The independent senator worked with the Biden-Harris administration to achieve price negotiations with Medicare on commonly used prescription drugs. The administration announced last week that a deal was reached to lower the cost of 10 medications.
“When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country,” Sanders will say. “We need to summon that will again — because too many of our fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by — to put food on the table, pay the rent, and get the health care they need.”
“These oligarchs tell us we shouldn’t tax the rich; we shouldn’t take on price gouging; we shouldn’t expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision; and we shouldn’t increase Social Security benefits for struggling seniors,” he’ll go on to say. “Well I’ve got some bad news for them. That is precisely what we are going to do, and we’re going to win this struggle because this is precisely what the American people want from their government.”
-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks
Emhoff, Schumer, Sanders and more will speak tonight
Before the Obamas take the stage Tuesday, the DNC will feature speeches from second gentlemen Doug Emhoff, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to the convention’s schedule.
Maryland Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks will deliver the keynote remarks.
Remarks are also expected from former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, as well as Jason Carter and Jack Schlossberg, the grandsons of former Presidents Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy, respectively.
Rep. Frost on Gen Z’s excitement for Harris
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, spoke with ABC News Live anchor Kyra Phillips about the enthusiasm Gen Z has for Kamala Harris.
“Young people are excited about Kamala Harris and I think it’s for many different reasons,” he said. “No. 1, it’s her authenticity. She’s been going viral on TikTok, online, Twitter and a lot of it has to do with her as a human, her as a person, the things she loves, who she is, and the things she says.”
Frost added that young people like Harris because “they hear her message, and then they see themselves represented in her and what she’s fighting for and all the amazing people that we have here today.”
Rep. Maxwell Frost, the first member of Generation Z in Congress, talks about the importance of Kamala Harris and the role of young Americans in politics.
-ABC News’ Isabella Meneses
Trump’s former press secretary Stephanie Grisham to speak tonight
Stephanie Grisham, former President Trump’s third White House press secretary, will speak tonight at the DNC, ABC News can report.
Protesters interrupt Tim Walz’s women’s caucus remarks
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s remarks Tuesday to the women’s caucus at the DNC were interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Walz was recognizing the role women had in aiding him as governor, and was praising former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Kamala Harris before demonstrators started chanting, “Stop killing women in Gaza! Stop killing women in Gaza!”
They unfurled banners in the middle of the room as the audience tried to drown out their protest.
Walz briefly paused his remarks and looked at the protesters before continuing his speech, without acknowledging them.
The protesters were escorted out of the ballroom where they continued their calls for a cease-fire in Gaza and for the end of arms transfers to Israel.
A delegate, who only identified herself as Michelle and a New York delegate, fiercely countered the protesters, accusing them of helping Donald Trump by protesting.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
10 arrests made during Monday’s DNC fencing breach
There were 10 arrests made during Monday’s fencing breach at the DNC, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters on Tuesday.
“I couldn’t be more proud of how Chicago Police Department responded under those circumstances,” Snelling said. “We put on display the trainings and the preparation that we’ve been engaged in for over a year now. That being said, moving forward, we do expect to see, or protest or demonstrate tactics again. We’re up to the challenge.”
Snelling said there were 13 arrests total on Monday, which ranged from criminal trespass to battery on a police officer.
On reports that protesters were “assaulted” by police, the superintendent pushed back hard.
“Those police officers responded perfectly, and we got body cam footage to prove it. They were not hospitalized for injuries.”
-ABC News’ Luke Barr
Flashback: Obama calls Harris attractive
On Tuesday night, former President Barack Obama gives a highly anticipated speech in which he is expected to make a forceful case for electing Harris. It won’t be the first time that Obama spoke glowingly of Harris — in fact, he has gotten in trouble for it before. Back in 2013, he spoke at a fundraiser in California that Harris attended and said of the then-California attorney general, “She is brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you’d want in anybody who is administering the law, and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake. She also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country.” The comment on Harris’s looks sparked a backlash for being sexist and inappropriate, and he apologized the next day.
—538’s Nathaniel Rakich
Obamas to share details of friendship, support for Harris
When former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama speak at the DNC on Tuesday, they will highlight their friendship with Harris that they say goes back 20 years, according to a source familiar.
The Obamas have been in regular touch with Harris over the years, providing counsel and being a sounding board, too, the source said. Over the last few months in particular, the Obamas have been in close contact with the vice president and supported her campaign in any way they are able, the source said.
Their remarks on Tuesday will turn the page from the Biden administration and focus on how Harris and Walz are the leaders the country needs right out, the source said.
The source highlighted how the Obamas have campaigned for Harris and worked to energize young voters.
-ABC News’ MaryAlice Parks
DNC will start half an hour earlier on Tuesday
The DNC will start its programming half an hour earlier than originally planned on Tuesday after Monday’s program had a delayed start that pushed President Joe Biden’s speech past prime time and cut short his farewell.
“We had so much energy and enthusiasm for our president, our ticket, from our speakers and the audience reaction that I recognize that did put us a little bit behind schedule, but we are working with — we made some real-time adjustments last night to ensure we could get to what the delegates and the viewers really came for, which, of course, is President Biden,” Alex Hornsbrook, the executive director of the convention, told reporters this morning.
“And we’re working with our speakers and making some other adjustments for this evening, including beginning at 5:30 to make sure that we stay on track for that tonight,” he added.
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Obamas to make prime-time speeches
The attention on Day 2 of the Democrats’ gathering shifts from celebrating President Joe Biden to prime-time speeches from former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. They’ll help pass the party torch to Kamala Harris.
The convention will also hold a ceremonial roll call to nominate Harris, which follows the party’s virtual process doing so earlier this month. Harris officially had the vast majority of delegate votes needed to secure her nomination when that process ended on Aug. 6.
It’s expected that California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Harris’ home state delegation will cast the vote putting her over the top.
(CHICAGO) — Former Michigan Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm praised the party’s energy at its national convention in Chicago as Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to formally accept its presidential nomination.
“It is very high,” Granholm told ABC News about Democrats’ enthusiasm. “People will be exhausted if it stays this high all the way through. But honestly, for Democrats, it has to stay high. There is so much work to do if we can’t take anything for granted. These polls are starting to look good. It’s clear she’s got momentum, but this is not for time to let up on the accelerator.”
Still, Granholm said, it’s hard to take anything for granted.
Trump remains the leader of his own movement of loyal supporters, and polling in the past has consistently underestimated his support, including in 2016, when he overcame historical trends and his own stumbles to beat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who Democrats were virtually certain would prevail.
“Always concerned about overconfidence. You always have to run like her 10 points behind. Yes, she’s got momentum, but that does not mean you let up, you accelerate. Let’s keep going,” she said.
Still, Granholm said, Democrats are putting forth an inspiring candidate.
Harris would be a groundbreaking president as a woman of color. But, Democrats have argued, her appeal expands beyond that.
“I do think that it is emblematic of the diversity and coalition that the Democratic Party represents,” Granholm said. But her policies “are what really gets and bring people in, in addition to the more than symbolism of having a first in a woman person of color.”
Harris is set to blitz the campaign trail in the sprint to Election Day on Nov. 5, even making a pit stop in Milwaukee, Wis., on Tuesday night while the convention plays out in Chicago.
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D, said the energy at the Democratic National Convention is “very high.”
And, Granholm said, it would behoove Harris to have President Joe Biden tag along and allow him to talk about accomplishments that voters may not be aware of, including investments in infrastructure and science and technology.
“What he’s done is given her a foundation on which to build,” she said.
“He’s also somebody who has been focused on bipartisanship, so independents and others who may not be aware of what this president has done and be able to help get the word out, for some weirdo reason, people still seem to think that Republicans have a better agenda, when, in fact, for real people, the agenda that the Democrats are putting forward is so much better, he can be a great explainer for that,” she said.
(WASHINGTON) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s running mate Nicole Shanahan said this week that the pair are considering ending their independent campaign to endorse former President Donald Trump.
“So you know, there’s two options that we’re looking at, and one is staying in, forming that new party,” Shanahan told the “Impact Theory” podcast. “But we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump, or we walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump, and you know, we walk away from that, and we explain to our base why we’re making this decision.”
In a statement to ABC News, Shanahan said such a move would “require a significant commitment by Trump to give Bobby true authority to execute,” though she did not explain what that would entail.
Shanahan’s comments were a shocking moment of candor about the independent campaign’s thinking in the final months of the presidential race.
As ABC News reported, Kennedy met with Trump last month during the Republican National Convention, where the men discussed potential roles Kennedy could play in a Trump White House, including Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy has run on a commitment to make America healthier, talking extensively about chronic disease and issues with the pharmaceutical industry, though he has espoused some debunked claims — for example, that vaccines and autism are linked — and is deeply skeptical of vaccines.
Kennedy has also sought a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Washington Post reported last week Kennedy sought a cabinet position in exchange for an endorsement.
Kennedy has played coy about his future in the race, saying recently he “would talk about my status in the race” if he felt another candidate was committed to focusing on the issues he cared about.
Until Shanahan’s remarks this week the campaign hadn’t been so transparent about the possibility Kennedy, who despite tanking poll numbers maintains a fervent base of supporters, would abandon his bid.
At one point in the interview with “Impact Theory,” Shanahan spoke about the campaign as though it was near its deathbed, using the past tense to describe its prospects.
“We wanted to win. We wanted a fair shot,” she said, lamenting the flood of money and lawsuits the Democratic Party has dedicated to removing Kennedy from the ballot in multiple states.
An Albany judge ordered this month that Kennedy be kept from the New York ballot over residency issues, though the candidate has appealed the ruling, and separate court cases are in session this week in Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Her comments are unlikely to help an already struggling fundraising operation. Jeff Hays, who has helped raise money for the campaign and a pro-Kennedy super PAC, told ABC News on Tuesday, “That just absolutely killed fundraising.”
Hays was going to host a fundraiser next month for the PAC, American Values, in Utah, but he’s calling it off, he said.
Tony Lyons, American Values’ co-founder, told ABC News Hays was “overreacting,” claiming without explanation that Shanahan’s interview would actually help the group’s fundraising numbers.
“I’m sure there will be many more twists and turns,” he said. “There’s a lot more baseball to be played.”
On Twitter, Kennedy wrote, “As always, I am willing to talk with leaders of any political party to further the goals I have served for 40 years in my career and in this campaign. These are: reversing the chronic disease epidemic, ending the war machine, cleaning corporate influence out of government and toxic pollution out of the environment, protecting freedom of speech, and ending politicization of enforcement agencies.”
(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war continues, cease-fire discussions are occurring in the Middle East, with officials hoping to bring an end to the conflict.
The United States and its allies continue to plead for a cease-fire deal, with discussions set for this week.
Here’s how the news is developing:
1 dead, 19 injured in strikes on Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley
One person was killed and 19 others have been injured from Israeli strikes on the Beqaa Valley, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Tuesday.
Separately, Hezbollah officials announced that four of their fighters were killed Tuesday.
-ABC News’ William Gretsky
‘Time is of the essence,’ Blinken says of cease-fire talks
Before wrapping up his trip to the Middle East, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to members of the media on a tarmac in Qatar, emphasizing the urgency behind the latest push for a hostage release and cease-fire agreement in Gaza.
“Our message is simple, it’s clear, and it’s urgent. We need to get the cease-fire and hostage agreement over the finish line, and we need to do it now,” he said.
“Time is of the essence, because with every passing day, the well-being and lives of the hostages are in jeopardy. Time is of the essence, because every single day, women, children, men in Gaza are suffering,” he said. “And time is of the essence because with every passing day, there’s the danger of escalation in the region.”
Blinken said Qatar and Egypt remain “in direct contact with Hamas working to bring it along” with the bridging proposal, but he again made clear that even if that were to happen, all sides would still need to complete “detailed implementation agreements that go along with putting the cease-fire into effect.”
Netanyahu throws cold water on reaching a cease-fire deal, hostage forum says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told representatives of the hostage families that “Israel will not under any circumstances withdraw from the Philadelphie axis and the Netzer Corridor despite tremendous pressure to do so,” according to a release from the Tikva Forum of hostage families.
“I’m not sure there will be a deal, but if there is a deal — the deal will be one that preserves the interests that I repeat over and over again, which are the preservation of Israel’s strategic assets. The demand that there be negotiations, even in the future — a demand that is unacceptable, even if there is a deal — after 42 days, we will return to fighting immediately, until the elimination of Hamas, even while negotiating the next steps,” Netanyahu told hostage families.
“The military pressure will continue with full force, this is the only thing that makes Hamas drop its unreasonable demands,” Netanyahu added.
Asked by ABC News, Netanyahu’s office said they had nothing to add beyond a press release that did not include the comments.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Dana Savir
Bodies of hostages found in area where IDF had previously operated, IDF spokesman says
The bodies of six hostages recovered by Israeli Defense Forces were found in an area where Israeli forces had previously operated in Khan Younis, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said in remarks to the press Tuesday.
The circumstances of the hostages’ deaths are being investigated, Hagari added.
“The operation was led by the 98th Division, which returned to operate in the Khan Younis area for the third time a few weeks ago, this time with new intelligence and new targets,” Hagari said.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
US official criticizes Netanyahu’s reported comments
As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continues his meetings with Middle Eastern mediators working toward a Gaza cease-fire deal, a senior U.S. official traveling with his delegation is criticizing comments about the process emanating from both Israel and Hamas, casting them as unproductive.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, addressed reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a hawkish stance in a meeting with hostage families, telling them he was “unsure” there would be an agreement to return those held captive in Gaza and that he would not withdraw troops from strategic areas of the enclave — a key sticking point in negotiations.
“Maximalist statements like this are not constructive to getting a cease-fire deal across the finish lines,” the official said. “And they certainly risk the ability of implementing and working level and technical talks to be able to move forward when both parties agree to a bridging proposal.”
The senior official also dismissed Hamas’ latest statement accusing the U.S. of “blind bias towards Israel.”
“They say a lot of things and they do a lot of different things,” the official said, suggesting the militant group’s ongoing engagement was an indication that Hamas was still involved in the negotiation process despite its insistences to the contrary.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
Over 115 projectiles crossed from Lebanon into northern Israel, IDF says
Israeli forces have identified over 115 projectiles crossing from Lebanon into northern Israel on Tuesday, the IDF said.
Hezbollah has also released statements about eight different attacks on northern Israel Tuesday.
Two people were killed after Israeli strikes on the town of Al-Dhahira Tuesday, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Ghazi Balkiz
IDF strikes Gaza school sheltering displaced Palestinians
At least 12 people have been killed in another strike on a school in the Gaza Strip where displaced people were sheltering, the Gaza Civil Defense said Tuesday.
The Mustafa Khaft school in western Gaza City was hit by the Israeli air force, Israel confirmed in a statement, alleging that Hamas was using the facility as a command center.
“The command and control center was embedded and hidden by the Hamas terrorist organization inside,” the IDF statement said. “Hamas terrorists used the command and control center to plan and execute attacks against IDF troops and the state of Israel.”
The IDF said it took “numerous steps” to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, “including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence.”
A number of people are still missing after the strike, according to the Gaza Civil Defense. Around 700 people were sheltering in the school, according to Palestinian officials.
Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted Gaza schools — some of which are doubling as shelters for people displaced by the fierce fighting — they say are being used as Hamas military hubs and weapon storage sites.
Earlier this month, the U.N. Human Rights Office accused Israel of “systematic attacks” on schools following a strike on the Al Tabae’en School in Gaza City.
-ABC News’ Sami Zayara and Joe Simonetti
IDF strikes Gaza school
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed a fresh strike on a school in the Gaza Strip, with unconfirmed reports of at least 10 people killed.
The Mustafa Khaft school in western Gaza City was hit by the Israeli Air Force (IAF), the IDF said in a statement, alleging that Hamas was using the facility as a command center.
“The command and control center was embedded and hidden by the Hamas terrorist organization inside,” the IDF statement said. “Hamas terrorists used the command and control center to plan and execute attacks against IDF troops and the state of Israel.”
The IDF said it took “numerous steps” to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, “including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence.”
Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted Gaza schools — some of which are doubling as shelters for people displaced by the fierce fighting — they say are being used as Hamas military hubs and weapon storage sites.
Earlier this month, the U.N. Human Rights Office accused Israel of “systematic attacks” on schools following a strike on the Al Tabae’en School in Gaza City.
Bodies of six hostages recovered from southern Gaza
The bodies of six Israeli hostages were recovered in an overnight operation inside the Gaza Strip.
The six men were found in a tunnel in the southern city of Khan Younis during a joint Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency — also known as Shin Bet — operation.
The hostages are Alex Dancyg, 75, Yagev Buchshtav, 35, Chaim Peri, 79, Yoram Metzger, 80, Nadav Popplewell, 51, and Avraham Munder, 78.
All had been declared dead before their bodies were recovered. The cause of their deaths has not been revealed. Funerals are expected for some of the dead later on Tuesday.
Senior Hamas official throws cold water on Blinken’s announcement
Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s talk about approving an updated proposal means that the U.S. administration failed to convince Netanyahu of the previous deal that Hamas had already agreed to back on July 2.
Hamdan made the comments during an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday evening local time after Blinken’s meeting with Netanyahu in Israel and announcement that Netanyahu had voiced support for the U.S.-backed bridging proposal.
Hamdan said that all the U.S. side is doing is buying time for Israel to “continue its crimes of genocide.”
-ABC News’ Nasser Atta and Guy Davies
Wife of American-Israeli hostage and former hostage ‘happier and more optimistic’ after Blinken meeting
Freed Israeli hostage Aviva Siegel, whose husband Keith is still held captive, said she was feeling “happier and more optimistic than before” after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday. After hearing from Blinken, Siegel said she wants to believe that her husband, an American-Israeli citizen, will be home soon.
Siegel said Blinken gave her the impression that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants the deal that’s on the table, but cautioned that it sounds like hard work needs to be done to close the gaps with Hamas.
Outside of the building where families of the hostages met Blinken, crowds chanted “SOS USA” and waved American flags, with a message to Blinken that the U.S. government is their main lifeline to bring the hostages home.
Despite the optimism from the Biden administration, momentum appears to have slowed. Talks in Doha did not end with any major breakthrough, and a U.S.-presented “bridging proposal” has been dismissed by Hamas, who accuse Netanyahu of adding new conditions and obstacles, including the rejection of a permanent ceasefire.
Blinken travels to Egypt tomorrow, where he says he’ll get the latest from Egyptian and Qatari leaders on Hamas’ intentions.
-ABC News’ Britt Clennett, Guy Davies, Anna Burd and Tomer Slutzky
3:50 PM EDT 8 injured from Israeli strikes in Lebanon
At least eight people have been injured from Israeli strikes on the Beqaa Valley, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said Monday.
Among the wounded are six Lebanese citizens, a 5-year-old Syrian girl and a 15-year-old Syrian girl. All of them were treated in the emergency room at nearby hospitals, the Ministry of Public Health said.
There were seven Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Monday, according to Lebanese local media.
In two separate statements Monday, the IDF acknowledged conducting operations “in the area of Houla in southern Lebanon,” “in the area of Beqaa in Lebanon” and in “the area of Tayibe in southern Lebanon.”
-ABC News’ Ghazi Balkiz
2:39 PM EDT Netanyahu would accept US cease-fire proposal, will send negotiators to new talks: Blinken
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday afternoon that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in their earlier meeting that he supports and would accept the U.S.-backed bridging proposal that emerged after meetings in the region last week, and that Israel would send negotiators.
“It’s now incumbent on Hamas to do the same,” Blinken told reporters on his ninth trip to the region since Oct. 7. “And then, the parties, with the help of the mediators — the United States, Egypt and Qatar — have to come together and complete the process of reaching clear understandings about how they’ll implement the commitments that they’ve made under this agreement. But the next important step is for Hamas to say yes.”
Blinken acknowledged the “complex issues” would still “require hard decisions by the leaders,” but said he still felt “a real sense of urgency, here, across the region, on the need to get this over the finish line and to do it as soon as possible.”
But given Hamas’ unwillingness to engage in the latest round of negotiations, the secretary was pressed on whether there was any real hope the militant group would sign on to the proposal.
“Tomorrow, when I see the leaders of both Egypt and Qatar, I’ll get the latest from them on what they are hearing,” he responded. “I can’t speculate on exactly what Hamas’ intentions are. We’ve seen public statements, but we’ve seen public statements before that don’t fully reflect where Hamas is.”
Blinken will then travel to Qatar after visiting Egypt on Tuesday, he said.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
12:15 PM EDT Hamas takes responsibility for attack in Tel Aviv that injured one
Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, took responsibility for an attack in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening that left one person injured and the bomber dead.
In a joint statement released Monday, Israeli Police and Shin Bet said the explosion had been a terror attack.
“It can now be confirmed that this was a terror attack involving the explosion of a powerful explosive,” the Israeli police and Shin Bet said. “As a result of the explosion, a passerby was moderately injured (according to medical sources) and was transported to receive medical treatment.”
11:58 AM EDT American Airlines suspends Tel Aviv flights through March 2025
American Airlines has extended their suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 29, 2025, the airline said Monday.
American Airlines said they would allow customers whose travel plans are impacted by the extension to rebook their flights without a fee or cancel and receive a refund.
“We will continue to work closely with our partner airlines to assist customers traveling between Israel and European cities with service to the U.S.,” the airline said in a statement.
11:38 AM EDT Colleagues mourn another journalist killed in Gaza
Journalist Ibrahim Muhareb was killed by an Israeli airstrike while on duty in the Khan Younis area on Sunday, his employer, the online newspaper BDN, said in a statement.
A video filmed by Muhareb’s friend and colleague, Abdallah Alattar, showed the moment the journalist’s body — his press vest laid on top of him — arrived at Nasser Hospital after being found in Hamad Town early on Monday morning.
Muhareb had been covering the events in western Khan Younis with other colleagues when they were targeted, BDN said.
“His traces were lost after occupation artillery targeted a group of journalists in the place yesterday,” BDN said in a statement, adding that Muhareb had been working regularly with them throughout the war while also freelancing for others.
As of Aug. 19, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ preliminary investigations showed at least 113 journalists and media workers have been killed since the war began, making it the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992. Of those killed, 108 were Palestinian, two were Israeli and three were Lebanese.
Palestinian journalists strongly protested what they say is the deliberate targeting of the media and the lack of support from international colleagues on July 31, following the killing of Al Jazeera’s Ismail Al-Ghoul and Rami Al Refee by an Israeli strike while they were working in Gaza City. Israel alleges that Al-Ghoul was a member of Hamas, an allegation that the network denied.
“Even before the start of the Israel-Gaza war, CPJ had documented Israel’s pattern of accusing journalists of being terrorists without producing credible evidence to substantiate their claims,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna. “Smear campaigns endanger journalists and erode public trust in the media. Israel must end this practice and allow independent international investigations into the journalists’ killings.”
-ABC News’ Camilla Alcini
11:58 AM EDT Blinken meets with Netanyahu and Herzog
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for three hours on Monday, Netanyahu’s press office said in a release.
The meeting was “positive and was held in a good atmosphere,” the release said.
“The meeting lasted approximately three hours. The Prime Minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to the current American proposal on the release of our hostages, which takes into account Israel’s security needs, which he strongly insists on,” the release said.
The meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary Antony Blinken has concluded; the meeting was positive and was held in a good atmosphere. pic.twitter.com/vVfnWvi9ih
Blinken also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday, according to the U.S. State Department.
“The Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to Israel’s security and efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region,” a spokesperson for the State Department said in a statement. “The Secretary reiterated the urgent need to finalize the ceasefire agreement that would release the hostages, allow a surge of humanitarian assistance, and create the conditions for broader regional stability.”
Blinken is expected to head to El Alamein, Egypt, on Tuesday for additional meetings.
3:37 AM EDT Blinken ‘intensely’ focused on hostages, cease-fire in Israel visit
Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Tel Aviv on Monday morning as President Joe Biden’s administration presses for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Blinken touched down in Israel on Sunday night, beginning his ninth visit to the Middle East since Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel sparked the current conflict.
“The focus of my visit is intensely on getting the hostages back, getting the cease-fire done,” Blinken said. “It is time for everyone to get to ‘yes’ and to not look for any excuses to say ‘no.'”
Blinken said that he was working to make sure there was “no escalation…no provocations…no actions that in any way could move us away from getting this deal over the line, or, for that matter, escalating the conflict to other places and to greater intensity.”
Reaffirming support for Israel, Blinken said, “As you heard [Herzog] say, the United States has taken decisive action to deploy forces here to deter any attacks, and if necessary, to defend against any attacks.”
Herzog said that in the last 24 hours, they have witnessed “ongoing terror attacks by Palestinian terrorists.”
“This is the way we are living these days. We are surrounded by terror from four corners of the Earth, and we are fighting back as a resilient and strong nation,” Herzog said.
Herzog said that hostage negotiations have been held up by Hamas’ “adamant refusal to move forward,” but that Israel is “very hopeful” to continue working on a deal. The president then thanked the U.S., Egypt and Qatar for their role as mediators.
-ABC News’ Lauren Minore
6:35 PM EDT Hamas says there may still be ‘obstacles’ to cease-fire talks
As cease-fire talks are set to begin again in Cairo this week, Hamas said it fears Israel will put up more “obstacles” that could prevent them from reaching an agreement with Israel.
In a statement Sunday, Hamas leaders accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of putting “more conditions and obstacles in the way of reaching an agreement, in a way that serves his strategy to gain time and prolong the aggression.”
“We hold Netanyahu fully responsible for thwarting the mediators’ efforts, obstructing reaching an agreement, and fully responsible for the lives of his prisoners who are exposed to the same danger that our people are exposed to, as a result of his continued aggression and systematic targeting of all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip,” Hamas said in the statement.
Bomb blast kills 1 in Tel Aviv
One person was killed in a bomb explosion in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday night, according to Israeli police.
The blast occurred around 8 p.m. local time on Lahi Street in southern Tel Aviv, police said.
It was not immediately clear who or what set off the explosive.
A second person received moderate injuries in the incident and was being treated in a hospital, police said.
The name of the person killed was not immediately released.
Police forces from the Ayalon Region and the Tel Aviv District quickly arrived at the scene and launched an investigation.
All investigative avenues are being explored, police said.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
Blinken arrives in Israel ahead of new round of cease-fire talks
Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday evening local time ahead of cease-fire talks that are scheduled to resume in Egypt this week.
Following discussions in Doha, Qatar, last week, senior officials are due to meet again this week in Egypt. Israel has said it will send a team to Cairo to continue talks, but Hamas has dismissed any hint of progress as an “illusion.”
While in Israel, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials to press for a cease-fire agreement. Netanyahu has expressed “cautious optimism” about the talks, but said Sunday that “there are things we can’t be flexible about.”
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Netanyahu says Israel ‘can’t be flexible’ on some issues
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel “can’t be flexible” about certain things while cease-fire talks continue.
Netanyahu commented on the cease-fire talks during his weekly cabinet meeting and ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s scheduled arrival in Israel on Sunday evening local time.
“We are conducting very complex negotiations when on the other side is a murderous, uninhibited and recalcitrant terrorist organization,” Netanyahu said, referring to Hamas. “But I want to emphasize — we are conducting negotiations, not negotiation. There are things we can be flexible about, and there are things we can’t be flexible about — and we insist on them. We know very well how to differentiate between the two.”
Following discussions in Doha, Qatar, this week, senior officials are due to meet again next week in Egypt. Israel has said it will send a team to Cairo to continue talks, but Hamas has dismissed any hint of progress as an illusion.
“Therefore, besides the great efforts we are making to return our abductees, we stand firm on the principles we have established, which are essential for Israel’s security. These principles — I repeat — are consistent with the May 27 outline, which received American support,” Netanyahu said Sunday.
Netanyahu said Hamas has refused to negotiate, noting it did not send a representative to the talks in Doha.
“Therefore, the pressure should be directed at Hamas and Sinwar, and not at the Israeli government,” he said, referring to Yahya Sinwar, the newly named political leader of Hamas and one of the key architects of Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel. “The strong military pressure, and the strong political pressure, this is the way to achieve the release of our abductees.”
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Blinken heads to Tel Aviv as parties work on ‘specific details’ in cease-fire negotiations
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will land in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sunday evening as talks over a Gaza cease-fire hang in the balance.
Following discussions in Doha, Qatar, this week, senior officials are due to meet again next week in Egypt. Israel has said it will send a team to Cairo to continue talks, but Hamas has dismissed any hint of progress as an illusion.
Vedant Patel, the State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson, told reporters at a Thursday briefing that the parties are yet to settle “some specific details, some specific implementing factors,” but that there is “broad agreement on the contours” of a proposal set out by President Joe Biden in May.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed “cautious optimism” of progress, though one Israeli official said that “gaps” remain on sensitive topics, including whether or not Israeli forces will withdraw from key strategic areas within Gaza.
Meanwhile, the death toll continues to grow in the devastated strip. This weekend, more than 60 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Tom Soufi Burridge
Biden: ‘No one in the region should take actions to undermine’ cease-fire deal
With a cease-fire deal “now in sight,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Friday that “no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process.”
Biden said his teams will “report to me regularly” as they remain on the ground over the coming days. Senior officials “will convene again in Cairo before the end of the week,” he said.
The expectation is for a cease-fire to go into place soon after there is agreement between the parties, a source familiar with the talks told ABC News.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
First case of polio confirmed in 10-month-old Gazan baby
A 10-month-old baby has become the first confirmed case of polio in Gaza, as international aid organizations and the United Nations push for a temporary humanitarian cease-fire to administer polio vaccinations, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The baby, located in is in Deir al-Balah, had not received a polio vaccination.
“The continued brutal Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has resulted in a health disaster, as attested by international organizations. The lack of basic hygiene needs, the lack of sanitation services, the accumulation of waste in the streets and around the places where displaced persons are sheltered, and the lack of safe drinking water have created an environment conducive to the spread and transmission of many epidemics, including waterborne diseases such as the vaccine-derived polio virus,” the ministry said in a statement.
Blinken to travel to Israel
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel on Saturday amid reports Hamas and Israel are close to a cease-fire deal.
Blinken will head to Israel Saturday to “continue intensive diplomatic efforts to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire and release of hostages and detainees through the bridging proposal presented today by the United States, with support from Egypt and Qatar,” according to the state department.
Cease-fire talks ‘in the end game,’ senior US official says
Cease-fire negotiations are “now in the end game,” according to a senior U.S. official, who discussed what to expect over the next week as a deal is on the brink of finalizing.
The main elements of the proposal that President Joe Biden laid out on May 31 remain, but negotiators have taken the areas of disagreement and “bridged those in a way that we think basically is a deal that is now ready to close and implement and move forward.”
“There is still more work to do, and over the course of this week, there are working group engagements to talk about everything from the list of hostages and the sequence by which hostages would be released, the list of Palestinian prisoners, because ultimately, this is an exchange, similar to what you saw in the November cease-fire deal,” the official told reporters Friday.
Getting to this point has been “extremely complicated” and the portion of the deal focusing on the exchange of prisoners and hostages was a “large basis” of the talks in Doha, Qatar.
“There was some gaps there, and some trade space between the parties, which I think we’ve now gone a long way to bridge,” the official said.
With tensions remaining high as Iran weighs a retaliatory attack on Israel, the official said if Iran really does want to see a cease-fire deal reached, “now is an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is and to basically work towards the conclusion of this.”
“It’s just ironic, it was Hamas, a proxy of Iran, started this war on Oct. 7, and it would be ironic if Iran were to do something to basically derail what we think is the best opportunity for the comprehensive cease-fire and hostage during these deal that we have had in many months.”
Biden says negotiations are ‘closer than we’ve ever been’
President Joe Biden says negotiators are “closer than we’ve ever been” on reaching a deal and “much, much closer” than they were three days ago.
3 Gazan children present symptoms of polio
Three children have presented with suspected acute flaccid paralysis, a common symptom of polio, weeks after poliovirus was detected in environmental samples from Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah.
International aid groups are calling for temporary humanitarian pauses in order to launch polio vaccination campaigns across the Gaza Strip at the end of August and September to prevent the spread of the circulating variant type 2 poliovirus.
“During each round of the campaign, the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and partners, will provide two drops of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to more than 640 000 children under ten years of age,” the WHO and UNICEF said in a statement.
Hamas said it supports a humanitarian pause in order to vaccinate thousands of children against quadriplegia.
“At least 95% vaccination coverage during each round of the campaign is needed to prevent the spread of polio and reduce the risk of its re-emergence, given the severely disrupted health, water and sanitation systems in the Gaza Strip,” the aid groups said.
Qatar, Egypt, US say new proposal was given to Israel, Hamas
A new “bridge proposal” was presented to Israel and Hamas, according to a joint statement from Qatar, Egypt and the U.S.
Israeli sources told ABC News progress has been made in negotiations and some of the gaps have narrowed. But Hamas said that the Israeli side did not abide by what was agreed upon on July 2 and Netanyahu even backed down from what was stated in the Israeli paper on May 27.
More talks will be held in Cairo next week to bridge the gap and complete the deal, the three countries said.
“Working teams will continue technical work over the coming days on the details of implementation including arrangements to implement the agreement’s extensive humanitarian provisions as well as specifics relating to hostages and detainees,” Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. said.
“There is no further time to waste nor excuses from any party for further delay,” the countries said.
IDF issues new evacuation orders, moves humanitarian zone in Khan Younis
Israel is calling on Palestinians sheltering in the humanitarian zone in northern Khan Yunis and eastern Deir al Balah to temporarily evacuate to the adjusted humanitarian area.
“The adjustment is being made following accurate intelligence information according to which the Hamas terrorist organization has established terrorist infrastructure in an area defined as a Humanitarian Area,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
Hamas said forcing thousands of Palestinian civilians to repeatedly displace has led to their overcrowding in harsh conditions that threaten their lives and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.
“Forcing our people in northern Khan Yunis and eastern Deir al-Balah by the criminal Zionist occupation army to flee to the so-called ‘humanitarian and safe areas’ is nothing but another means to deepen the collective punishment and genocide that our people have been subjected to for more than ten months. The occupation uses displacement as a weapon in its war against defenseless civilians, in an attempt to break their will and increase their human suffering,” Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Rishq said in a statement.
Israel has continued to conduct strikes on humanitarian areas despite official designations that they are safe zones for civilians.
Hamas says Israeli evasion is obstacle to cease-fire agreement
As negotiations between Hamas and Israel continue in Qatar, Hamas said the obstacle to reaching a cease-fire in Gaza is continued Israel evasion.
Hamas said that any agreement must include a complete withdrawal from Gaza, the return of displaced people and the reconstruction, in addition to a prisoner exchange deal, according to Husam Badran, a member of the Hamas’ political bureau.
At least 1 dead, several injured after Israeli settlers raid West Bank village
At least one person was killed and several others were injured after Israeli settlers raided Jit, a village in the West Bank.
Dozens of Israeli citizens, some of them masked, entered the village of Jit in Samaria Thursday evening and set fire to vehicles and buildings in the village, threw stones and threw Molotov cocktails, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
IDF and Magav forces jumped into the village within minutes of receiving the report, dispersed demonstrations and shot into the air, and removed the Israeli citizens from the village.
Security forces arrested one Israeli citizen, who was handed over to the Israel Police for further treatment.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement on the attack saying “those responsible for any criminal act will be caught and prosecuted.”
Benny Gantz, chairman of Israel’s National United Party, also said those who commited acts of violence on Thursday should be behind bars and said they are “harming the state of Israel.”
“They deserve unequivocal condemnation from all parts of society and from the entire leadership in Israel,” Gantz said in a statement.
IDF claims more than 17,000 militants ‘eliminated’ in Gaza
The Israeli Defense Forces claimed it has “eliminated over 17,000 terrorists” in Gaza on Thursday.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Negotiations between Israel, Hamas have started, US says
Negotiations are “just starting there in Doha,” Qatar, despite Hamas saying it will not attend the talks, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during a call Thursday.
“We’re at a point now where the framework is generally accepted and where the gaps are in the execution of the deal, the individual muscle movements that go with putting the deal in place,” Kirby said.
“In the past, it has worked very similar to how it’s working in Doha today, where mediators will sit and discuss work things out, and then those mediators will be in touch with Hamas, and then the Hamas leaders in Doha then communicate directly with Mr. Sinwar for final answers,” Kirby said.
Netanyahu, IDF chief at odds over withdrawing from Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Forces chief Herzi Halevi are at odds over a key provision amid cease-fire negotiations — IDF withdrawing from the Gaza Strip.
The IDF chief of staff said that holding on to any part of Gaza or the Philadelphi corridor are conditions Israel should not break a potential deal with Hamas over. The IDF can deal with being out of Gaza and giving up the control on Philadelphi, Halevi said.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu firmly stands by the principle that the IDF will remain physically on the Philadelphi axis, according to a source close to Netanyahu.
Cease-fire talks resume in Qatar
A U.S. delegation is in the Qatari capital of Doha for the resumption of cease-fire talks related to Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
CIA chief Bill Burns is part of the U.S. group, while the head of Mossad — David Barnea — is with the Israeli delegation. High level Egyptian officials are also in attendance.
The talks are being hosted by Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Discussions will take place over two days.
Hamas is not taking part in the negotiations. The group announced on Wednesday it would not send a representative in protest of what it said was Israel’s failure to commit to negotiating on the basis of a July 2 cease-fire proposal.
Grim milestone of 40,000 killed in Gaza, says Hamas-run Health Ministry
Israel’s war in Gaza has hit another grim milestone after the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the strip declared that the death toll had passed 40,000 since the start of the war on Oct. 8.
On Thursday, officials in Gaza said a total of 40,005 people had been killed in the conflict.
That figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. However, Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry said there were more than 11,000 women and more than 16,000 children among the dead.
The true death toll in Gaza, after more than 10 months of war, could be significantly higher than the Health Ministry’s figure because officials in Gaza estimate that an additional 10,000 people in Gaza are unaccounted for because of the war.
Latest on the state of play for high-stakes Gaza cease-fire talks
On the eve of what is supposed to be a critical, final push to seal the Gaza cease-fire/hostage release deal, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is working the phones with key mediators as the U.S. works to make sure negotiations will indeed press on.
In his conversations with his Qatari and Egyptian counterparts, Blinken discussed efforts to reach an agreement and stressed that “no party in the region should take actions that would undermine efforts to reach a deal,” according to readouts of the calls.
This comes as Hamas continues to assert that it will not participate in the talks in Doha, Qatar — accusing Israel of moving the goal posts and insisting it will only move forward with the version of the deal it agreed to in early July.
Qatar has assured the Biden administration that it will drum up some sort of Hamas representative to fill the group’s seat at the negotiating table, U.S. officials said. However, Qatar has made no promise about the quality of said representation. Getting messages to Hamas’ ultimate power and deciding vote, Yahya Sinwar, can take days or even weeks, so to be effective in the talks, the intermediary needs to have a good idea of what Sinwar might ultimately sign off on and what’s a nonstarter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insisting on maintaining operational control over the Philadelphi Corridor — a narrow strip of land separating Gaza from Egypt — through the duration of any cease-fire, as well as implementing additional procedures for Gazans that would be returning to their homes in the North, according to officials familiar with the matter.
As for Hamas, the group has called for more than two dozen changes to the framework that was rolled out in May, which U.S. officials have repeatedly insisted is “nearly identical” to a deal Hamas previously agreed to.
Regarding Iran, U.S. officials don’t have a crystal-clear view of Tehran’s position, but the administration does put stock into the idea that Iran doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize a peace deal and sees the looming talks as a potential reason there hasn’t yet been retaliation against Israel for the killing of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Two Hezbollah fighters killed, IDF and Hezbollah say
Israeli forces said they killed two Hezbollah members in Lebanon on Wednesday.
Hezbollah also confirmed the death of two of their fighters in statements released on Wednesday.
The IDF said an Israeli Air Force aircraft “eliminated two Hezbollah terrorists” in the area of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu gives negotiating team more flexibility: Israeli official
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expanded the mandate and positions of the Israeli negotiators, an Israeli official told ABC News, giving the team more flexibility ahead of the cease-fire talks in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.
The development comes as he faces growing criticism to reach a cease-fire deal.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
White House expects cease-fire talks to ‘move forward as planned’
The White House expects Thursday’s cease-fire negotiations in Doha, Qatar, to “move forward as planned” and said the announcement of Hamas not sending a delegation is just “public posturing” in advance of those discussions.
“We expect these talks to move forward as planned. [CIA] Director [Bill] Burns and Brett McGurk, [White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa], will both travel to Qatar for these discussions. There’s always a lot of public posturing in advance. We’ve seen that before. It’s not new of these talks, and I’m not going to certainly weigh in on any of that, just like I’m not going to discuss the details of the negotiation,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday.
Israel closes humanitarian route through Rafah
Israeli forces “temporarily” closed the humanitarian route in the area of Rafah, in southern Gaza, on Tuesday, saying Hamas operatives “opened fire” toward the route.
This is the second time the IDF has closed this route in the past week.
The route is an 8-mile road going from the Kerem Shalom crossing, near Rafah, north near Khan Younis and the humanitarian zone.
Hamas not attending cease-fire negotiations in Qatar
Hamas said it will not be attending cease-fire negotiations in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.
“The movement demands a clear commitment from the occupation to what was agreed upon on July 2, according to the clarifications conveyed by the mediators, and if that happens, the movement is ready to enter into the mechanisms for implementing the agreement,” Hamas Political Bureau Member Dr. Suhail al-Hindi told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed TV.
Israel to send delegation to Qatar to negotiate cease-fire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the sending of an Israeli delegation to Doha, Qatar, on Thursday to continue negotiations for a cease-fire agreement.
This comes as Netanyahu is receiving pushback internally and externally amid reports he changed the parameters of what he would agree to.
Biden expects Iran to hold off on retaliatory attack if a cease-fire deal is reached
President Joe Biden addressed the rising tensions in the Middle East Tuesday after U.S. officials warned Iran could launch a retaliatory attack on Israel as early as “this week.”
Biden told reporters he expects Iran to hold off on carrying out a retaliatory attack against Israel if a cease-fire deal with Hamas is reached.
“That’s my expectation, but we’ll see,” Biden said after arriving in New Orleans, LA.
Last week, Biden along with the leaders of Egypt and Qatar jointly called for Israel and Hamas to return to the negotiating table and reach an agreement that would free hostages and end the war in Gaza.
Hamas leaders declined the new set of cease-fire conditions on Sunday, asking for negotiations to resume around what was presented in July.
US approves $20 billion more in arms sales to Israel
The U.S. State Department has signed off on several large arms transfers to Israel, notifying Congress on Tuesday that it has approved the sale of more than $20 billion worth of weaponry and military equipment.
All of the sales surpass the value threshold that requires the State Department to formally notify Congress 15 days before initiating the transfer process. Congress can move to reject the transaction by adopting a joint resolution of disapproval within that timeframe.
Some of the items aren’t scheduled to arrive in Israel for years.
Israeli forces kill two Hezbollah fighters, IDF says
Israeli forces killed two Hezbollah fighters from its Southern Front on Tuesday, the Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement. Hezbollah has confirmed the death of two of their fighters on Tuesday.
These attacks come as Israel awaits a response from Hezbollah and Iran for killings in recent weeks.
CIA director, Biden aide to head to Middle East to salvage hostage talks
Several U.S. officials are headed to the Middle East this week in a bid to de-escalate regional tensions and try to salvage hostage negotiations, as the window for a deal appears to be closing.
CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to arrive in Doha, Qatar, this week, where he will lead a crucial meeting on the hostages, according to a U.S. official. It’s not clear, however, whether a representative of Hamas will attend.
Meanwhile, Brett McGurk, Biden’s top adviser on the Middle East at the White House, was expected to travel separately to Cairo, according to the U.S. official.
Axios first reported the travel plans for Burns and McGurk, noting that McGurk’s plan was to nail down a security plan for the Egypt-Gaza border.
The diplomatic trip also comes as the U.S. has been scrambling to revive a coalition of countries that helped to defend Israel last April during an attack by Iran.
Israel has been bracing for Iran to launch a retaliatory attack following the assassination of a senior Hamas official in Tehran.
The U.S. official acknowledged “there have been complications” with getting some of the Arab countries on board but added they’ve been “able to put in place preparations” to defend Israel successfully.
-ABC News’ Anne Flaherty
Western leaders call on Iran to ‘stand down’
The leaders of the U.S., U.K., France, Germany and Italy called on Iran to “stand down” and expressed their support for Israel’s defense “against Iranian aggression” during a call on Monday, according to a joint statement released by the White House.
“We called on Iran to stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious consequences for regional security should such an attack take place,” the statement said.
The leaders also expressed their support for ongoing efforts to reach a cease-fire and hostage release deal in Gaza, according to the statement.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Hostage deal talks expected to move forward: State Department
As the Middle East continues its uneasy wait for Iran’s response to the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, the State Department is pressing on with its high-stakes diplomatic campaign to constrain military action from Tehran amid fresh waves of uncertainty.
“We continue to work diplomatically to prevent any major escalation in this conflict,” deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters Monday. “We obviously don’t want to see any kind of attack or response happen in the first place.”
Multiple officials within the State Department said they are still cautiously optimistic that Iran will limit the scope of its retaliation, but that they increasingly expect the country will strike at Israel before Thursday — the date the Biden administration, along with Egypt and Qatar, set to relaunch hostage/cease-fire deal talks in hopes of bringing Israel and Hamas back to the table for a final push.
A joint statement issued by the mediators last week was designed not only to pressure the parties involved, but as a message to Iran that an agreement was in the offing meant to persuade the country against military action that could scuttle a deal, according to an official.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also publicly warned Monday that Iranian military action could impede progress at a critical point in the negotiations.
However, Hamas’ earlier announcement that it would not participate in the round of negotiations and public infighting among top Israeli officials have cast significant doubt over whether the Thursday meeting will even happen — undercutting the administration’s intended message to Tehran.
At the podium Monday, Patel said mediators “fully expect talks to move forward as they should” in order to “bring this deal to conclusion.”
He declined to say whether Hamas or Israel was the bigger impediment.
“I’m not going to color it one way or the other,” Patel said while noting that “the prime minister of Israel immediately welcomed this initiative and confirmed that the Israeli team will be there, and they’ll be prepared to finalize the details of implementing the deal.”
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
Retaliatory attack on Israel could come ‘this week’: Kirby
A United States assessment shows a retaliatory attack by Iran and its proxies against Israel could be launched “this week,” the White House said Monday.
“We share the same concerns and expectations that our Israeli counterparts have with respect to potential timing here. Could be this week,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. “We’re continuing to watch it very, very closely.”
Kirby said it’s difficult to ascertain what a potential attack could look like at this time but that “we have to be prepared for what could be a significant set of attacks.”
Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari told reporters on Monday that Israel remains “on high alert.”
“We take seriously the threats of our enemies and that is why we are on high alert offensively and defensively,” he said.
Hagari said the IDF will “work hard to give the public time to get organized.”
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Netanyahu accuses defense minister of ‘adopting anti-Israel narrative’
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant appeared to take a swing at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Knesset committee meeting about Israel’s response to ongoing cross-border tensions with Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
“I hear all the heroes with the war drums, the ‘absolute victory’ and this gibberish,” Gallant reportedly said, alluding to Netanyahu’s slogan through the war, according to Israeli media.
Netanyahu’s office released a statement shortly after, saying Gallant too is bound by the policy of “absolute victory.”
“When Gallant adopts the anti-Israel narrative, he hurts the chances of reaching a deal for the release of the abductees,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said. “He should have attacked [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar, who refuses to send a delegation to the negotiations, and who was and remains the only obstacle to the kidnapping deal.”
National Unity Party Chairman Benny Gantz warned about internal divisions in Israel during an address on Monday.
“If we don’t come to our senses, there will be a civil war here,” Gantz said.
He said there have been “heroes,” from soldiers to volunteers, in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack, but also “leadership that dissolves, networks that poison the well from which we live.”
“The patriotic Israeli majority should stop the hatred and make amends,” Gantz said.
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Hezbollah says it is still determined to attack Israel
While the weekend passed with no direct retaliation from Hezbollah for the killings of several top leaders by Israeli strikes, the group said it still plans to strike.
“The response is coming and inevitable and there is no turning back from it,” Ali Damoush, the deputy chairman of the Executive Council of Hezbollah, said Monday.
The Hezbollah official saif America, Great Britain, Germany and everyone who supplies Israel with weapons is a partner in the Gaza massacres.
“Israel does not find any practical and serious response to its massacres, and this is what encourages it to continue committing crimes and massacres, and without effective pressure Netanyahu will not stop his crimes,” Damoush claimed.
Israeli Air Force bans travel abroad
Amid fears that an attack from Iran may be imminent, the commander of Israel’s Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, has issued an order barring servicemembers from traveling abroad. The directive applies to career officers and non-commissioned officers, not conscripts, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
US is ‘strengthening’ military force in Middle East over ‘escalating’ tensions
The U.S. is “strengthening” its capabilities in the Middle East by sending an additional guided missile submarine to the region “in light of escalating regional tensions,” according to a statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder issued on Sunday.
The update comes the same day Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.
“Secretary Austin reiterated the United States’ commitment to take every possible step to defend Israel,” according to the statement.
Secretary Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to accelerate its transit to the Middle East, which was previously expected to get there by the end of the month.
The Lincoln was already en route to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt, but will now add to the capabilities of the Roosevelt
Additionally, Austin has ordered the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the Middle East.
The statement doesn’t say how soon the Lincoln or the USS Georgia will arrive in the region.
Israeli forces intercept ‘projectiles’ crossing from Lebanon, no injuries: IDF
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted approximately 30 “projectiles” that were identified as crossing from Lebanon into northern Israel early Monday morning local time, the IDF said in a statement.
No injuries were reported from the attacks, the IDF said.
“The IDF is striking the sources of fire,” the IDF added.
(CHESTERFIELD, Va.) — A Virginia man is in critical condition after being shot by a 2-year-old, police said.
According to the Chesterfield County Police Department, the unidentified man was about to leave the house Monday morning and had “placed his handgun on a nearby chair.”
The toddler retrieved it and “accidentally discharged the firearm, shooting the victim,” police said.
Police said the man was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition.
Neither the child nor anyone else in the house was injured, police said.
According to Virginia ABC affiliate WRIC, the victim is the boyfriend of the child’s mother.
(CHICAGO) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was among the many politicians attendance at the Democratic National Convention Monday, as the political gathering kicked off in Chicago.
Whitmer has served as governor of the Great Lake State since 2019 and published her political memoir “True Gretch” in July.
She sat down with ABC News’ ABC News’ Linsey Davis to discuss the Harris-Walz ticket, her potential future presidential run and underscore the significance of women’s votes in the upcoming election.
ABC NEWS: Joining us now on set, Michigan governor, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Thank you so much, governor, for joining us. We really appreciate it. So, one month ago, you were still suggesting and supporting Joe Biden for another term. Are you surprised at how quickly things have changed?
WHITMER: Well, you know what, we always knew that if a change was going to happen, it was going to come from President Biden. And ultimately he did change his mind. And we pivoted really quickly to embrace his vice president. She’s been by his side. She has been a loyal part of his administration. She’s been a key part of why they’ve had so many victories and knows how to step into the role and take us to the next, the next chapter, and I’m really excited about it. I think Tim Walz is a fantastic running mate for her, too.
ABC NEWS: You were one of a number of governors, of party leaders who really stepped out and endorsed Kamala Harris right away, right on the heels of Joe Biden doing the same. Were you surprised at all about how quickly the party really coalesced around Kamala Harris? Because, of course, at first there was some concern about that.
WHITMER: Well, you know, it’s a big tent and there are lots of different vantage points and people that are part of this party. But I think we all recognize that Kamala Harris was in the best position to take the next step for us as a party. She’s a great leader. She has proven she knows how to get things done, and she’s a normal human being. You know, she wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She has worked her way through life. She’s attained and held a number of offices and shown how tough she is. And she is up to this moment, and I’m excited to be here. I brought my daughters with me because I think it is. We are on the cusp of a big new chapter in this country and and it’s exciting. You can feel it here.
ABC NEWS: And you mentioned Tim Walz and your support for him. We know that you took your name out of the running for that VP selection early on, but had you received a call how would you have responded?
WHITMER: You know, I got to tell you, I’ve made a commitment to serve out my term in Michigan, and never for a second have I, do I plan not to do exactly that. Tim Walz, Josh Shapiro — Kamala Harris had so many great people from whom she could choose her running mate. But at the end of the day, it’s got to be someone she wants to run with. And so I, I would have been happy with any of those choices, but I think, I think this is just a great ticket. These are regular everyday people. They get it. They understand us, they see our lives, and they’re going to focus every single day on how to make our lives better. And you contrast that with Donald Trump, who’s in it for himself. I think that this is going to resonate with a lot of Americans.
ABC NEWS: There are many people will associate your state of Michigan with the uncommitted movement. Of course, we’ve seen a number of protesters here. How concerned are you, with regard to not only the physical presence of the protesters here in Chicago, but also the ballot box, in Michigan in particular, come November?
WHITMER: Well, number one, you know, there’s always protests at conventions, and certainly it’s robust. And we recognize it’s important that people have their ability to speak out. And that’s what people are doing. I also know that we are seeing a tremendous outpouring of energy and excitement about a Harris-Walz administration. We had a 15,000 person rally in Michigan two days after she announced her running mate. The other guy called it AI, but I was there. It was actually real people who are very excited about this. And so we have to earn the votes of every person. That means getting into the Jewish community, the Muslim community, the Arab community, the Palestinian community, all of whom call home in robust numbers, but all of whom are important. And, there’s there’s good work to do here, but I’m optimistic.
ABC NEWS: As you know, president — well former president — Donald Trump is expected to go campaign in Howell, Michigan, tomorrow. Many people are aware that a month ago, in Howell, KKK protesters marched in the streets with the white robes on and, and suggested that they support Donald Trump. I’m curious if you make anything about that connection and his going in particular to Howell tomorrow.
WHITMER: Well, you know, anyone who’s doing a little bit of research might have said that’s really a bad idea. Look at the optics. You’re showing up where the KKK was just at the same time you’re in Michigan. I mean, this is, I think a troubling, a troubling strategy that we see from the other side to divide us and to scare us and to stoke fear and anger and contrast to what we’re going to see here all week. This is a gathering of joyful, happy warriors. We are rolling up our sleeves. We’re doing the work. We take no one and no vote for granted. But by the same token, we’re not going to feed into the hatred and the otherism that we see routinely coming out of the Trump campaign.
ABC NEWS: In your book, “True Gretch,” and I want to quote, you say “You put on a leather jacket when you need true armor,” and “Don’t mess with the American women, we will fight back and we will win.” You talked about bringing your daughters here. Do you think that women are key in Michigan for Kamala Harris winning?
WHITMER: No question. No question at all. We saw, with our reproductive rights on the ballot two years ago, women would come to our events and say “I’m a Republican. I didn’t vote for you, but I’m out knocking doors for you because you’re the only one fighting for my rights.” People who have been expecting these 50-year rights would always be there, are now gone for our daughters across this country, are engaged. And so I do think that, the women’s votes are going to be very important in every election, but especially this one, especially in this historic moment too.
ABC NEWS: So each night we’re going to be talking to a governor from a battleground state like Michigan. And I’m curious for your state in particular, what do you think it’s going to need? What do you think your voters need, in order to get Kamala Harris and Tim Walz over the victory line?
WHITMER: Well, I think we get we show up, we do the work, we get into all 83 counties. We actually talk to voters, talk about the, you know, opportunity economy that Kamala Harris is, you know, addressing, saying every person deserves a path to prosperity, affordable housing and affordable way to get skills so we can get to a good paying job. The growth and manufacturing, we are seeing that in Michigan, it would not have happened but for the Biden-Harris administration. The cars that used to sit on lots waiting for chips are now moving, moving along the line, because we’re on on-shoring the supply chains. So I think that there are a lot of compelling things that Michiganders, are going to resonate with us. But I’m not going to assume everyone knows this. We got to make sure that they, that they appreciate what what really is at stake here.
ABC NEWS: And lastly before I let you go, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask. I know this is all about Harris and Walz now, but down the future, have you ruled out ever running for president yourself?
WHITMER: You know what? I’m voting for Harris-Walz this year. I plan to vote for them again in four years. So we’ll talk about what happens in eight years a while from now.
ABC NEWS: Alright Gov. Whitmer thank you so much for the time. Really appreciate you joining us.
