JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<section>
  <ul>
    <li class="row  row--half-padding-top-bottom">
      <span>October 2013</span>
    </li>

    <li class="notification  notification--new">
      <span>
        <span>Franck Ribery</span>
        <span>Bayern Munich</span>
      </span>
      <span class="accept-ignore-container">
        <button class="js-animate-onclick--parent" title="Accept">Accept</button>
        <button class="js-connect-invite--ignore">&times;</button>
      </span>
    </li>
    <li class="notification  notification--new">
      <span>
        <span>Arjen Robben</span>
        <span>Bayern Munich</span>
      </span>
      <span class="accept-ignore-container">
        <button class="js-animate-onclick--parent" title="Accept">Accept</button>
        <button class="js-connect-invite--ignore">&times;</button>
      </span>
    </li>
  </ul>
    
  <ul>
    <li class="row  row--half-padding-top-bottom">
      <span>September 2013</span>
    </li>

    <li class="notification  notification--new">
      <span>
        <span>Franck Ribery</span>
        <span>Bayern Munich</span>
      </span>
      <span class="accept-ignore-container">
        <button class="js-animate-onclick--parent" title="Accept">Accept</button>
        <button class="js-connect-invite--ignore">&times;</button>
      </span>
    </li>
  </ul>
</section>

JavaScript

var counter;
$('.js-connect-invite--ignore').on('click touchstart', function() {
  var ul = $(this).closest('section').children();

  $(ul).each(function() {
    var li = $(this).children();
    counter = 0;

    $(li).each(function() {
      if ($(this).is('.notification')) {
        console.log('yes');
        counter ++;
      }
    })
  })
  console.log(counter);
})