Morning Briefing: May 31, 2024

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday with, including Egypt denying agreement with Israel on Rafah crossing reopening, US working to rebuild and repair the Gaza aid pier, UN agency for Palestinian refugees saying that it did not received letter from Israel to vacate East Jerusalem and a report of Israel army giving more machine guns to illegal settlers in the West Bank.

TOP STORIES

Egypt denies agreement with Israel on Rafah crossing reopening: Source

A well-placed Egyptian source refuted Israeli reports of an agreement between Cairo and Tel Aviv regarding the reopening of Rafah border crossing.

The source, speaking to Al Qahera news channel, emphasized that the earlier claims were inaccurate.

Israeli media claimed that Egypt and Israel had reached a preliminary agreement to reopen the Rafah crossing, which has remained closed since Israel's invasion of the southern city on May 6, for entry of aid into the Gaza Strip.

US working to rebuild, repair Gaza aid pier: Pentagon

The US is working to rebuild and repair a temporary humanitarian pier off the coast of Gaza after rough seas caused motorized sections to run aground last weekend, a Pentagon spokeswoman said.

"Earlier today, IDF engineers removed the anchored portion of the Trident pier from the beach. So, as of this afternoon, all sections of the Trident pier have been relocated to the port of Ashdod for rebuilding and repairing," Sabrina Singh told the reporters.

The two army vessels that were beached on the coast of Israel near Ashkelon have been recovered, said Singh.

UN agency for Palestinian refugees has 'not received' letter from Israel to vacate East Jerusalem: Official

UN spokesman dismissed a letter that was allegedly sent by Israel to the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) to vacate its headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem.

"Well, we've seen the media reports. I spoke to my colleagues at UNRWA, who have not received anything, any official written communication and I can tell you that they see this as the ongoing pattern of harassment of UNRWA, its workers and its facilities," Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

He said nothing had been received "as of a half an hour ago.”

Israeli army to give more weapons to illegal settlers in West Bank: Report

The Israeli army will give more machine guns to the illegal settlers in the West Bank, an Israeli media outlet reported.

“The Israeli army announced that it will distribute additional long guns (machine guns) in the West Bank,” Israeli Channel 7 reported.

The plan follows reports of firing at illegal settlements near Tulkarm in the northern West Bank and the killing of two Israeli soldiers who were run over near Nablus in the northern West Bank.

NEWS IN BRIEF

US President Joe Biden has granted Ukraine secret approval to use US-supplied weapons to strike inside Russia, but only near the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv where hostilities have been raging.

The Israeli army claimed that it demolished two tunnels in the Jabaliya area in the northern Gaza Strip and recovered the bodies of seven Israeli hostages who were held by Palestinian factions in the enclave.

Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups rejected new negotiations with Israel amid continued attacks on the Gaza Strip.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said the situation in the war-torn country is "the worst ever."

At least 13 people were injured in Ukraine on Thursday as it downed multiple missiles and drones launched by Russia overnight.

China allegedly deployed J-20 stealth fighter jets to a location less than 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the state of Sikkim in northeastern India.

Iran on Thursday opened registration process for candidates hoping to run in the June 28 presidential election, to replace Ebrahim Raisi who was killed in a helicopter crash earlier this month.

Israel released injured prisoner Wafaa Jarrar from Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, after amputating her legs at a hospital because of injuries she sustained during her arrest.

Slovenia’s government endorsed a motion to recognize Palestine as a state.

Russia’s space agency Roscosmos launched the Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrying a cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).

Türkiye’s president said that the Turkish military's ongoing Efes-2024 drill does not target any country, but is based on peacekeeping.

China’s President Xi Jinping said bilateral relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were a “fine example” of Beijing’s relations with Arab nations.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said the death toll of its medical staff, killed by the Israeli army in line of work in Gaza since Oct 7, has risen to 19.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

US imposes sanctions on Wagner Group-linked firms in Central African Republic

The US Treasury Department announced Thursday it imposed sanctions on two companies in the Central African Republic (CAR) that are linked to the Wagner Group in Russia.

The companies are Mining Industries SARLU and Logistique Economique Etrangere SARLU, which enabled Wagner's security operations and illicit mining endeavors in the CAR, it said in a statement.

It said the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group and companies, formerly controlled by the now-deceased Yevgeny Prigozhin, have established a vast security and business network in the CAR, among other African counties, since it arrived in the CAR in late 2017.

SPORTS

Alexander Zverev through to Round 3 at French Open after straight-set win over David Goffin

Alexander Zverev defeated David Goffin in straight sets to reach the third round at the French Open.

Playing in Paris' Court Suzanne-Lenglen, world no. 4 Zverev won the round two with sets of 7-6(4), 6-2 and 6-2.

"I was happy that I ran away with it but also happy that I played well," Zverev, 27, after the win.