As the Israel-Hamas war continues, the latest round of cease-fire discussions continues in the Middle East, even with Hamas rejecting the latest iteration over the weekend.
The United States and its allies continue to plead for a cease-fire deal.
Israeli forces kill local Hamas commander in Jenin, IDF says
Israel killed a local Hamas commander, Wassem Hazem, in the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces said in a release. Hamas confirmed the killing of the commander in a statement.
Hazem was the head of the Hamas terrorist organization in Jenin, according to the IDF.
This handout picture released by the Israeli army on Aug. 30, 2024, reportedly shows Israeli soldiers operating in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli Army via AFP via Getty Images
This is the third day of the Israeli army's ongoing operation in the West Bank.
-ABC News' Anna Burd and Nasser Atta
Aug 29, 2024, 3:36 PM EDT
Polio vaccine campaign in Gaza will begin Sunday, WHO says
A two-round polio vaccination campaign will begin in Gaza on Sunday, the World Health Organization's top representative for Palestinian territories, Rik Peeperkorn, told reporters at the United Nations Thursday.
The first part of the polio vaccination campaign will occur in three, three-day phases: a three-day phase for Central Gaza, a three-day phase for South Gaza and a three-day phase for North Gaza, Peeperkorn said.
There will be two rounds of vaccinations in the "split of four weeks," Peeperkorn said.
"The three days might not be enough to achieve adequate vaccination, so we will monitor throughout the campaign. It has been agreed, when needed, the campaign will be extended by one day by zone or even more if necessary," Peeperkorn said.
Displaced kids sort through trash at a street in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024.
Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
At least 1.26 million doses of vaccines have been delivered to Gaza already and 400,000 additional doses will arrive in Gaza soon, Peeperkorn said. The goal is to achieve 90% vaccination coverage during each round, Peeperkorn said.
The vaccines will be provided to more than 640,000 children under age 10, Peeperkorn said.
An Israeli official confirmed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to limited pauses in fighting to allow for the vaccination campaign.
"I'm not going to say this is the ideal way forward, but this is a workable way forward. Not doing anything would be really bad, we have to stop this transmission in Gaza," Peeperkorn said.
Aug 29, 2024, 12:34 PM EDT
Israel says it killed top militant in West Bank operation
Israeli forces killed the "head of a terrorist network," Mohammed Jabar, in the West Bank Thursday, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Nadav Shoshani told reporters Thursday.
Jabar and "four other armed operatives that were all directly connected to his network" were in a mosque when they were killed by Israeli forces, Shoshani said.
The bodies of Jabar and the four others killed in the mosque have not been handed over to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the ministry said.
People inspect damage to a mosque building following an Israeli military operation in the Fara camp for Palestinian refugees near Tubas in the north of the occupied West Bank, Aug. 29, 2024.
Zain Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images
IDF special forces were deployed to the specific area where Jabar was located. There was a significant exchange of fire between the armed terrorists hiding inside the mosque and Israeli forces, according to Shoshani.
Jabar was allegedly planning future attacks, the IDF said.
-ABC News' Anna Burd and Nasser Atta
Aug 29, 2024, 12:01 PM EDT
Israeli delegation continues cease-fire talks in Qatar
A delegation from Israel -- including Israeli Security Agency, Mossad and IDF officials -- remains in Doha, Qatar, and is continuing hostage release and cease-fire talks for a second day, an Israeli official told ABC News Thursday.
