News Wrap: Secretary of State Blinken visits Israel, as more strikes hit Gaza

In our news wrap Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Israel, as more airstrikes hit Gaza. Ukraine ramps up its military operations, nearly two weeks into its incursion of Russia. Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz campaign in Pennsylvania. And beloved French actor Alain Delon has died at 88.
John Yang:
Thank you. Good evening. I`m John Yang. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel tonight trying to nail down a ceasefire deal, despite some objections from Hamas, even as Israel mounted fresh assaults on Gaza. Israeli air strikes killed at least 29 people, including six children. Israel says it was targeting Hamas rocket launchers.
In a cabinet meeting today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he could be flexible on some parts of the U.S. backed cease fire proposal, but would stand firm on others. Netanyahu and Blinken are to meet tomorrow, and Blinken is to fly to Egypt on Tuesday.
Ukraine is ramping up military operations in its nearly two-week old incursion into Russia. Ukrainian armed forces video shows a vital bridge in Russia`s Kursk Region being hit by an air strike. It`s the second key span that`s been destroyed, severely hampering Russian supply lines.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asking Western allies to lift remaining restrictions on using long range Western weapons to strike targets deeper in Russia, while Russia is weakened.
On the eve of the Democratic Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris was in the key swing state of Pennsylvania. Harris and running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz made calls to supporters, speaking to volunteers. Harris compared her leadership style with Donald Trump`s.
Kamal Harris, U.S. Vice President:
This campaign is about a recognition that, frankly, over the last several years, there`s been this kind of perversion that has taken place, I think, which is to suggest — which is to suggest that the measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you beat down, when what we know is the real and true measure of the strength of a leader is based on who you lift up.
John Yang:
Former President Trump and his running mate, J, D, Vance will be in Pennsylvania tomorrow.
And French actor Alain Delon has died. His smoldering good looks lent an air of wounded mystery to dark roles in a string of classic films. He played a hitman in the Samurai, an unscrupulous art dealer in Mr. Klein and the murderous social climbing Tom Ripley in Purple Noon. Off screen he was notorious for his entanglements with women organized crime and right wing politics. Today, French President Emmanuel Macron hailed him as a French monument. Alana Alain Delon was 88 years old.
Still to come on PBS News Weekend, a look back at the chaotic 1968 Democratic Convention and why a potentially life-saving heart device is under scrutiny.