the focus on friday is on swing states in the midwest — ones that candidate could win. kamala harris and donald trump are both visiting wisconsin. in 2020, joe biden took the state by a narrow margin. and once again, the polls are tight. in the last few hours, the pair held duelling rallies in milkwaukee county. the economy appeared to be a key focus for both candidates. here's what we heard from the vice president. all right, we have work do, milwaukee. four days left. four days left. in the most consequential election of our lifetime. and we still have work to do. but here's the thing about all of us. we like hard work. thing about all of us. we like hard work-— thing about all of us. we like hard work. that was the third and final event _

hard work. that was the third and final event for _ hard work. that was the third and final event for kamala i and final event for kamala harris in wisconsin. earlier the vice president appeared at a rally in the state in appleton. carl nasman was there. the vice president wrapping up her remarks at this rally in wisconsin, part of a three—stop tour of the state today and really one way to look at this is kamala harris trying to secure the votes of some groups that have started to migrate away from democrats in recent years. earlier speaking to a group of union members, here, in a rural part of the state. really trying to get as many votes as she can in what is looking like a very tight race and of course seeking to draw some contrast between herself and donald trump, talking today at this rally not only about abortion rights, and about what she said would be a "trump sales tax" on everyday goods, but also focussing interestingly on the affordable care act, otherwise known as obamacare. she says republicans and donald trump are hoping to finally repeal that and at least incredibly weakening it. she actually brought

on the stage a mother whose child had childhood cancer and was able to find treatment under the obamacare act. but what the real message here was is that wisconsin is going to be incredibly important. she said it is going to be the path to the presidency and earlier there was a funny moment, tammy baldwin, a democratic senator involved in her own tight race with a republican challenger, said, "hey, look, it is not just the presidency, "it is also coming down to the control of the senate, "so no pressure." the people here in this room, which was packed earlier, they feel that pressure but it seemed like they are ready to rise to that pressure. lots of democrats being energised, being motivated, getting out to the polls. in fact, many of the thousands of people into this room said that they had already cast their votes ahead of election day on november 5. that was our corresponded carl nasman. —— correspondent. it's been a busy day too for donald trump. his day started in another one of those seven battleground states, michigan. there was a rally in the city of warren, while earlier he met businesses nearby in dearborn, a city with an arab american majority. the trump camp is looking

to appeal to voters unhappy with the biden administration's handling of the war in gaza. this evening, the focus in wisconsin was very much on cost of living. take a listen. it is an area where when you walk around the street you hear a lot of anger about the democrats' handling of the conflict in the middle east. there are still people there who are voting for kamala harris butjust speaking to voters on the street was very clear that a lot of people are deciding to either not vote at all, vote for third party candidate mikejill stein, or candidate mike jill stein, or vote candidate mikejill stein, or vote for donald trump. he was visiting an arab—american restaurant, heard saying that he wants "peace in the middle east". he hasn't spelt out what he meant by that or how he planned to achieve it. he has also been a firm supporter of benjamin netanyahu, the israeli president. but there is a lot of anger against the democrats, a lot of people planning to vote against them in some form, and, with an election this tide, the polls this tide, any amount of votes could be enough to sway the vote here in

michigan. to sway the vote here in michigan-— michigan. that was our correspondent - michigan. that was our correspondent ione - michigan. that was our i correspondent ione wells michigan. that was our - correspondent ione wells giving us more on dearborn and michigan. let's hear more of what donald trump had to say. i of what donald trump had to sa . ., ~ ., begin with a simple question. a simple question. are you better off now four years ago —— are you better off now that you were four years ago? i will stop the criminal invasion of our country, the biggest problem we have right now. and i will bring back the american dream. all right, also talk about immigration, key talking point. let's look at other developments related to the election. only days away. the us supreme court has cleared away for the battleground state of pennsylvania to thousands of votes that republicans wanted do set aside. now, pennsylvania's highest court had earlier ruled that voters who returned defective mail—in ballots could either request a new ballot or vote

in person on election day. republicans then appealed to the us supreme court to retract that decision, arguing it went against the state's election code. the supreme court rejected the appeal. let's turn, it now, to the latest on the conflict in the middle east. a few hours ago the pentagon announced the us is sending additional fighter jets, missile defense systems and navy warships to the region in the next few months. the us says it's aimed at deterring iran and its proxies from striking us or israeli targets in the region. we will have more of those developments in a moment. —— on. first, let's get the latest on the conflict and humanitarian situation in the region. meanwhile, israeli strikes killed at least 64 people across the central and southern gaza strip in the past 2a hours — that's according to

the hamas—run health ministry. and israel's military says it killed a senior hamas official in a strike on a car in the southern city of khan younis. in lebanon, israeli strikes killed at least 52 people in the country's east. lebanese officials said israel did not issue evacuation warnings before the attacks. and cross—borderfire from lebanon continued overnight, with projectiles crossing into israeli territory — most of them intercepted, according to the israeli army. unrelated to this, we have also been seeing live pictures today in lebanon where it is morning and you can see some smoke rising there, just a reminder that this is a region and a country at war. again, we don't have the exact context of these pictures that we are seeing, but it is becoming a regular event, especially on the weekends, to see these sorts of images in lebanon. as soon as we have more updates on what we're saying we will bring that

to you. but of course in the background to all of this, there have been the prospects of a ceasefire. well, news has come that these prospects of a ceasefire between israel and hezbollah, as well as israel and hamas, seem to be fading. on friday, hamas rejected a short—term ceasefire proposal in gaza, which had been introduced by the egyptian president on sunday. our reporter emir nader has more from beirut. it was only on wednesday that the lebanese prime minister talked about his cautious optimism that a ceasefire deal could be reached in the coming hours or days, perhaps even before the us election today. today, his tone has completely changed. he's accused israel of being stubborn and not seriously engaging in the ceasefire talks. he's also accused israel of seeking only to escalate. pointing to the renewed round of air strikes here in the capital, beirut, and in the east of the the country. united states diplomats had

been in tel aviv this week to meet with prime minister benjamin netanyahu and other senior israeli political leaders to discuss the basis of this cease fire proposal. we're not yet aware of what the outcome of those talks are. as the fighting continues here in lebanon. that was our reporter amir nader. let's go to more about the situation on the ground. the heads of several un agencies have described conditions in gaza as apocalyptic. health teams there say they're now moving forward with the third and final phase of the un's polio vaccination campaign, which was recently put on pause. at the time, un agencies said the mass displacement of civilians and lack of humanitarian pauses made access too dangerous. but unicef now says short pauses in fighting have been guaranteed in gaza city for a limited number of children to get vaccines. we know more than 14,000 children are reported to have been killed in the conflict

according to the palestinian ministry of health. our special correspondent fergal keane brings is the story of one very young palestinian girl. and this report, it must be said, was made with the help of local journalists in gaza, because israel still does not allow the bbc and other international media to enter the conclave and report independently. —— enclave. they were ordered to leave. the men made to strip to be searched, some of them elderly, as the israeli army hunted for weapons and anyone linked to hamas. but look to the left. in the crowd, a small child, facing away from the scene. who was she? what became of her? julia abu warda, three and a half years old. these photos were taken before the encounter at the israeli checkpoint, before the order to go.

our colleague found julia in gaza city, one week after the photograph was taken, but with the family's memories still vivid. translation: there were soldiers on the tanks - and soldiers on the ground. they approached the people and started firing above their heads. people were pushing against each other during the shooting. they were escaping the hell ofjabalia, a landscape in which human survival is becoming impossible. translation: we saw destruction and bodies scattered on the ground. they were pointing their guns at us and ordering us to stay seated. it was very bad. in gaza, it is not so much that children grow old before their time, it is that time stands still.

they are trapped, each day like the one before, the trauma accumulating. julia's seven—year—old cousin was killed by an israeli drone strike in the street where he played. translation: it used to be normal, - she would run and play, but now whenever there is shelling, she points and says, "plane." she looks up and points out the drone flying over us. it is hard to calljulia lucky in a place like this. but she is fortunate in the family that holds her close. fergal keane, bbc news, jerusalem. let's get more on that announcement from the pentagon — the us is sending additionalfighterjets,

missile defense systems and navy warships to the region in the next few months. the us says it's aimed at deterring iran and its proxies from striking us or israeli targets in the region. i discussed the pentagon's announcement with ambassador gina abercrombie—wistanley, president of the middle east policy council. we have laid out some of the situation on the ground there and i want to talk about the fact that there has been this announcement from the pentagon that more military aid, more weapons are being sent. in the next few weeks. this comes as the us has demanded that israel take steps to address the humanitarian situation on the ground. otherwise threatening the supply of us weapons. so i wonder what you make of the timing. doesn't that undermined that — that deadline? timing. doesn't that undermined that - that deadline?— that - that deadline? well, i think the _ that - that deadline? well, i think the us _ that - that deadline? well, i think the us has _ that - that deadline? well, i think the us has to - that - that deadline? well, i think the us has to continue| that - that deadline? well, i i think the us has to continue to be consistent in our support

for israel's right to defend itself and to protect israel from any iranian response. right now there is a series of negative impacts that are going on. the deputy commander of the revolutionary guard in iran stated publicly that iran will respond at some time of their choosing, of course. the tit—for—tat in this case between israel and hezbollah continues, so high numbers of death on the lebanese side, and just continuing on the israeli side, even with the terrible impact of israeli strikes against hezbollah, the communication devices, hezbollah is still fighting back, even if not with ballistic missiles and overwhelming force, the north, they have been unable to return to their homes, and these missiles are rich in central

israel. and the death continues in the gaza strip. and negotiators have, for now, gone home. so the danger for us interest and personnel in the region remains high, and that is the main reason for increasing the number of assets that are going to the region, to protect us personnel and assets, as well as to support israel. i assets, as well as to support israel. , ., israel. i understand. so in our israel. i understand. so in your view— israel. i understand. so in your view when _ israel. i understand. so in your view when it - israel. i understand. so in your view when it comes l israel. i understand. so in| your view when it comes to israel. i understand. so in- your view when it comes to this deadline, november13, that your view when it comes to this deadline, november 13, that the us has said, do you believe that that perhaps isn't so much of a priority now, given we have seen so much conflict escalates, including direct attacks by israel or iran? because that's — that's what it seems like you are saying. right now the distraction is the us election. we know it. there is no lack of clarity on this point. many things are going to either be ignored or

branded to the clarity of what is likely to happen after this election on tuesday. now, the reality is there are going to be changes regardless of who wins the election. you have heard former president trump say this has got to be wrapped up say this has got to be wrapped up and you have heard vice president harris say that there needs to be a ceasefire. either way, there will be increased us pressure to get a change in this conflict that is going on and keeps us personnel and interests in danger as well. but the election is what is on everybody�*s mind right now. shill everybody's mind right now. all right. israel's ambassador to the un has said that it has been going above and beyond its humanitarian obligations and has blamed hamas for not being able to get aid in. but the us ambassador to the un has said that israel's words must be matched by action. what

leverage do you believe that the us has over israel, what leverage will they have, even after the election. that is when you say they can actually focus on this.— when you say they can actually focus on this. yes. two things, the leverages _ focus on this. yes. two things, the leverages their. _ focus on this. yes. two things, the leverages their. it - focus on this. yes. two things, the leverages their. it is - focus on this. yes. two things, the leverages their. it is just i the leverages their. it is just a matter of their willingness to use it. the leverages out there and is available to president biden as well. although the election is going to give a longer—term indication about what us policy may be, you have to keep in mind there is only one president at a time and president biden is president untiljanuary. so he will be freer if indeed he is inclined to be stiffer with the israelis and certainly the willingness of his administration to send that letter to allow it to be publicised is sending a very clear signal. this is about us law. this is at about what international humanitarian law,

that lawyers and international diplomats might have to decide has been broken, as it not? you know, the international criminal court or court of justice, this is us domestic law. having put that letter out there, the gauntlet is down. it is clear to americans that us law has been broken. and knowing how firmly president biden has stood next to israel, as has america, the fact that this letter was put out that makes clear that the united states understands it is not an issue of hamas blocking aid. this is an israeli decision as part of its strategy in gaza. and the united states is making clear you are breaking our law. well, let's turn well, let's tur