Morning Briefing: May 7, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday with, including a Qatari delegation resuming talks for a cease-fire in Gaza, the Israeli army launching airstrikes in Rafah, Israel claiming that Hamas’s truce offer is not meeting key demands, and a warning to Israel over a ground assault in Rafah.

TOP STORIES

• Qatari delegation to resume talks for Gaza hostage swap, cease-fire

A delegation from Qatar will head to Cairo on Tuesday morning to resume indirect talks between Hamas and Israel on a cease-fire in Gaza and hostage swap deal.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the talks will culminate in Egypt in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and the sustainable flow of humanitarian aid.

Hamas said Monday that it has agreed to a Qatari-Egyptian proposed cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

• Israel launches airstrikes in eastern Rafah

The Israeli army launched airstrikes in eastern Rafah late Monday that it claimed were directed at Hamas.

“The IDF (army) forces are currently attacking, operating against Hamas targets in eastern Rafah in southern Gaza,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

Several military vehicles were seen advancing towards the eastern border fence of Rafah city, witnesses said.

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli army issued immediate evacuation orders for 100,000 Palestinians living in eastern neighborhoods of Rafah and called on them to move to southern Gaza.

• Israel says Hamas's truce offer ‘far from’ key demands

Israel said Monday night that a truce offer accepted by the Palestinian group Hamas does not meet its key demands.

A statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said Tel Aviv will send working-level teams for talks with mediators “to exhaust the possibility of achieving an agreement on terms that are acceptable to Israel.”

According to the statement, Israel’s war cabinet decided to push ahead with an operation in Rafah “in order to apply military pressure on Hamas, with the goal of making progress on freeing the hostages and the other war aims.”

• UN, countries warn Israel against Rafah operation

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that an Israeli ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah would be "intolerable"

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement reiterating the kingdom’s "categorical rejection" of the Israeli army's "continued blatant violations of all international resolutions” and warned against any ground attack on Rafah.

Egypt warned Monday of “grave humanitarian risks” from a planned Israeli ground attack in Rafah, while France expressed its "firm opposition” towards such a move.

The international community 'must act' to prevent Israel's ground offensive in Rafah, said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday welcomed a cease-fire proposal Hamas announced it has agreed to, adding that Türkiye expects the same step to be taken by Israel.

• The UN on Monday warned about the "devastating consequences" of a possible Israeli military operation against Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip, saying it would not be involved in any evacuations.

• The US said Monday that it would continue to encourage Israel not to carry out a military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

• China has hacked the UK Ministry of Defense in a cyberattack targeting service personnel, according to a report on Monday

• Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh spoke by phone Monday and discussed efforts to end the conflict and violence in Gaza.

• Arizona State University (ASU) has placed a professor on leave amid an ongoing investigation, the school said Monday, after a video circulated appearing to show the academic harassing a Muslim woman.

• A dozen Republican US senators threatened the International Criminal Court with sanctions if it moves forward with arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, says a letter published Monday.

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Sovereignty Council of Sudan Chairman Abdel Fattah al Burhan met late Monday at the presidential complex in the capital Ankara

• Gaza cease-fire proposal includes three-stage truce, says Palestinian source, with first stage of proposed cease-fire to last for 40 days.

• Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron and a top EU official on Monday reiterated their call for a cease-fire in Gaza.

• Voting started in India on Tuesday for the third phase of mega general elections, with the vote count to take place on June 4.

• Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib said Monday that her country will support a resolution to recognize Palestine as a full member of the UN.

• The Philippines has no intention of “attacking anyone,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday amid escalating tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea.

• Families of Israelis held captive in the Gaza Strip blocked Tel Aviv’s major Begin Road on Monday night to demand a swap agreement with Hamas.

SPORTS

• Dortmund aim to reach their first Champions League final since 2013

German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund are aiming to reach their first UEFA Champions League final since 2013, as they would meet Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) for the semifinal second-leg game on Tuesday.

The Black and Yellows will play with the already-crowned Ligue 1 champions to defend their one-goal advantage, as the first leg ended 1-0 in the German side's favor.

• German champions Bayer Leverkusen extend unbeaten run in all competitions

German champions Bayer Leverkusen hammered Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 on Sunday to extend their unbeaten streak to 48 games in all competitions as they leveled with Portuguese club Benfica's record, which has stood for 59 years.

Granit Xhaka, Patrik Schick, Exequiel Palacios, Jeremie Frimpong and Victor Boniface scored for Leverkusen, who were the guests in a German Bundesliga match held in Frankfurt.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Turkish banks post $4.8B net profit in 1st quarter

Turkish banks posted a net profit of 153.5 billion Turkish liras ($4.8 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, according to official data released on Monday.

Total assets of the banks amounted to 25.9 trillion liras ($803.9 billion) at end-March, the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) said.

Loans, the largest sub-category of assets, amounted to 12.9 trillion liras ($401.8 billion) in three months to March.

• Israeli shekel slumps amid Israel’s plans to invade Rafah

The Israeli shekel weakened by 1.3% to 3.75 per dollar on Monday amid tensions over military plans to invade Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip.

The fall was the biggest in three weeks amid a deadlock in indirect talks between Hamas and Israel to reach a Gaza cease-fire and hostage swap.​​​​​​​