Israel-Gaza live updates: US official says 2 sticking points in cease-fire deal

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, the latest round of cease-fire discussions appears to have reached an impasse.

Meanwhile, after six hostages were found dead in Gaza, protests erupted in Israel. Protesters have demanded its government bring the hostages home.

Latest Developments

_{Sep 4, 6:47 PM}

Prisoner exchange, Philadelphi corridor sticking points in cease-fire deal: US official

There are two areas of dispute regarding hostage release and cease-fire negotiations -- the prisoner exchange and withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphi corridor -- according to a U.S. senior administration official.

The official told reporters Wednesday that "90% of this deal has been agreed to," while also pushing back on the suggestion that the Philadelphi corridor is the only remaining sticking point, noting that the prisoner exchange was the focus for most of last week's discussions.

The official called the negotiations with Hamas on the prisoner exchange "pretty frustrating," and said that "until that is worked out, you're not going to have a deal."

The official noted that negotiations have been taking place off a list of hostages -- a list that is now smaller after the killing of six hostages over the weekend.

"You know, it's horrific. And Hamas is threatening to execute more hostages," the official said. "We all know who we're dealing with. We're dealing with a terrorist group."

"For each hostage, there's a certain number of Palestinian prisoners that will come out. So, you just have fewer hostages as part of the deal in phase one. It's tragic and awful, and you know, it's affecting all of us," the official added.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle and MaryAlice Parks

_{Sep 4, 4:26 PM}

Nearly 100 projectiles launched toward northern Israel from Lebanon: IDF

Approximately 95 projectiles were launched toward northern Israel from Lebanon on Wednesday, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

There were several fires from the projectile launches in northern Israel, but no injuries were reported, the IDF said.

Hezbollah confirmed in several statements various attacks on northern Israel on Wednesday.

Israeli forces struck targets in southern Lebanon in response, the IDF said.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Ghazi Balkiz

_{Sep 4, 1:44 PM}

Netanyahu defends keeping troops in Philadelphi corridor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his position that Israeli forces cannot leave the Philadelphi corridor and still achieve Israel's goals of the war in Gaza during a press conference in Jerusalem Wednesday.

"I'm telling you that if we relieve the pressure, if we get out of the Philadelphi corridor, we are not going to get the hostages back," Netanyahu said.

The Philadelphi corridor -- a narrow strip of land on the Gaza side of the Gaza-Egypt border -- has been one of the main sticking points in reaching a hostage and cease-fire deal.

Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel needs to control the corridor to release the remaining hostages in Gaza.

"I'm committed to returning the remaining 101 [hostages]. I'll do everything to get them, but leaving Philadelphi does not advance the release of the hostages, because the deal cannot be advanced," he said.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman

_{Sep 4, 7:53 AM}

Israel hits southern Lebanon after dozens of rockets fired, IDF says

Around 65 projectiles were fired into Israel from Lebanon on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces said, with air raid sirens sounding and air defense units active in border areas.

"The IDF Aerial Defense Array successfully intercepted some of the projectiles, and some fell in open areas," the force said.

"A number of fires were ignited by fallen projectiles," it added, noting that emergency services were responding.

The IDF said it was "currently striking Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon."

-ABC News' Jordana Miller and David Brennan

_{Sep 4, 6:39 AM}

Hamas threatens Netanyahu with more hostage deaths

Hamas has issued a new threat tying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's premiership to the fate of the surviving Gaza hostages.

"Aggression stops = prisoners return alive," a Wednesday morning post on the group's official Telegram channel said. "Aggression continues = prisoners' fate unknown."

"Every day that Netanyahu continues to rule may mean a new coffin," the post -- which was written in English, Arabic and Hebrew -- continued. "The decision is yours."

Hamas and Netanyahu have blamed each other for the failure to reach a cease-fire deal. Hamas said Netanyahu's demands are "aimed at obstructing reaching an agreement to preserve his power."

Netanyahu, for his part, said this weekend of the militant group: "Whoever murders hostages -- does not want a deal."

There are 101 hostages still inside Gaza, around half of whom are believed to still be alive.

-ABC News' Nasser Atta and David Brennan

_{Sep 4, 5:13 AM}

187,000 Gaza children receive polio vaccine, WHO says

More than 187,000 children in central Gaza have received polio vaccines since Sunday, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X on Wednesday that the "first phase of polio vaccination in central Gaza is complete," with more than 187,000 children under the age of 10 vaccinated.

That is higher than the target number of 156,500, Ghebreyesus said.

"Four fixed sites will continue to offer polio vaccination for the next three days in central Gaza to ensure no child is missed," the WHO chief added.

Preparations are underway to expand the vaccine roll out campaign into southern Gaza, Ghebreyesus said. Vaccinations there are expected to begin on Thursday.

Palestinian health authorities and United Nations agencies hope to vaccinate 640,000 children.

Israel agreed to partial pauses in the fighting in Gaza to facilitate the polio vaccination campaign, saying the drive will continue through Sept. 9 and last eight hours a day.

"We ask for the humanitarian pauses to continue to be respected," Ghebreyesus wrote. "We continue to call for a cease-fire."

-ABC News' Kevin Shalvey and David Brennan

_{Sep 4, 4:43 AM}

Protesters plan gathering at Netanyahu ally's home

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum will again lead cease-fire and hostage release demonstrations across Israel on Wednesday, according to a schedule posted to social media.

"The public is called to join and come together with the families of the abductees to the houses of the ministers and coalition members and hold demonstrations and protest vigils demanding that they exercise their authority to bring about a deal now," the Forum wrote on X.

Among the gatherings will be one outside the Jerusalem home of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer -- a former member of the dissolved war cabinet and long considered a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Activists plan to protest at the homes of eight other government ministers and three members of parliament, the Forum said.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller and David Brennan

_{Sep 4, 3:52 AM}

Far-right minister 'working to stop' cease-fire talks

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he is "working to stop the negotiations with Hamas," as talks over a cease-fire and hostage release deal continue under massive public and international pressure.

Ben-Gvir -- one of the most vocally hawkish members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government -- wrote on X that Israel should end negotiations and cut fuel and electricity to Gaza in response to Hamas' recent killing of six hostages in the southern strip.

"Continuing the negotiations only spurs them to produce more and more terror," including in the West Bank, Ben-Gvir said.

Ben-Gvir is a longstanding proponent of expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He has called on the government to "encourage" Israelis to settle in Gaza while suggesting "voluntary emigration" of Palestinians from the territory.

Ben-Gvir was convicted of incitement to racism and supporting a terror organization in 2008, related to an anti-Arab placard he displayed at a protest following a Palestinian terrorist attack in Jerusalem. Signs referring to the far-right Kach movement -- a Jewish group banned as a terror organization -- were also found in his car.

-ABC News' Guy Davies and David Brennan

_{Sep 4, 12:20 AM}

Emhoff says parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin told him, Harris they don't want son's death to 'be in vain'

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff said Tuesday night that the parents of Oct. 7 hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who the Israeli military found had been killed last week, do not want their son's "death to be in vain."

Emhoff opened up about the recent conversation he and his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, had with the couple after learning of the death of their son.

Speaking at a vigil hosted at the Adas Israel Congregation synagogue in Washington, D.C., which was organized to honor the memory of the six Israeli hostages found killed by Hamas in Gaza, Emhoff said Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin remained committed to seeing the remaining hostages released.

"And yet, with this unspeakable tragedy that they were going through … they were comforting us, but also asking about the latest in the negotiations," Emhoff told those gathered at the vigil about the call with the grieving couple, which occurred last week. "They were asking how we can use this terrible moment to make progress on the deal. And they told the vice president, in no uncertain terms, they do not want Hersh's death to be in vain. And they spoke with such grace, such compassion, such strength. And even though part of Rachel and Jon's world had just ended, they were somehow still looking forward and looking out for others."

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

_{Sep 3, 4:57 PM}

DOJ charges senior Hamas leaders over involvement in Americans' deaths in Oct. 7 attack

The Justice Department unsealed charges Tuesday targeting multiple senior members of Hamas' leadership for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murdering of Americans during the Oct. 7 attack.

The criminal complaint, unsealed in the Southern District of New York, names six members of Hamas' leadership structure and details extensively their terrorist activities on behalf of the group.

Click here to read more.

-ABC News’ Alexander Mallin

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