SOFREP Evening Brief: Hamas Rejects Truce Talks Amid Israeli Plan for Expanded Gaza Offensive, Putin to Visit China in August for WWII Commemoration

Good evening! SOFREP’s evening brief is here with the latest updates on defense and global affairs to keep you informed this Tuesday, May 6, 2025: Hamas ends truce talks as Israel expands Gaza offensive. Turkey foils explosive pager shipment to Lebanon. Ukraine hits Russia with 100 drones ahead of Victory Day. Putin to visit China for WWII event. China slams CIA recruitment ads. India strikes Pakistan after Kashmir attack, killing a child. US sanctions Myanmar’s Karen militia for cyber scams and trafficking.

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Hamas Rejects Truce Talks Amid Israeli Plan for Expanded Gaza Offensive

A senior Hamas official announced Tuesday that the group will no longer engage in ceasefire negotiations with Israel, citing ongoing Israeli military operations and humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau and former Gaza health minister, told AFP there is “no sense” in truce talks while what he called a “hunger war and extermination war” continues.

Naim urged the international community to pressure the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt what he described as “crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings.”

The statement follows Israel’s security cabinet’s approval of a plan to expand military operations in Gaza. According to Israeli officials, the new phase includes the “conquest of the Gaza Strip” and “large-scale evacuation” of civilians from combat zones to areas in southern Gaza.

Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin said the population movement is intended to protect civilians during intensified operations. However, the plan has drawn sharp criticism from international bodies.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “alarmed” by the offensive, warning it could lead to more civilian deaths and further destruction. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called the move “unacceptable” and accused Israel of violating humanitarian law.

Gaza has been under total Israeli blockade since March 2. Aid agencies warn the enclave faces imminent famine. Community kitchens and aid operations are struggling to function, and nearly all of Gaza’s population has been displaced, many of them multiple times.

#WATCH: A senior #Hamas official says the group was no longer interested in truce talks with #Israel and urged the international community to halt Israel’s “hunger war” against #Gaza https://t.co/b535mPrALT pic.twitter.com/JNCN0NoHv3

— Arab News (@arabnews) May 6, 2025

The Gaza health ministry reports at least 2,459 Palestinians have been killed since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18. The total Palestinian death toll since the war began has reached 52,567.

The conflict began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,218 people and abducting 251. According to Israeli officials, 58 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 believed to be dead.

Turkey Foils Explosive Pager Attack Meant for Lebanon Following Israeli Strikes

Turkey’s intelligence service intercepted a cargo shipment last year containing explosive-laden pagers en route to Lebanon, potentially preventing a follow-up attack after deadly strikes in the region, Turkish officials and media reported Tuesday.

According to Daily Sabah, Turkish authorities confiscated 1,300 Gold Apollo brand pagers and 710 chargers rigged with explosives at Istanbul Airport. The shipment had arrived from Hong Kong and was destined for Beirut, falsely labeled as “food choppers.”

Turkish intelligence launched the operation after receiving a tip-off shortly after a series of remote pager-triggered explosions rocked Lebanon and Syria last September 17.

A Turkish security official confirmed the seizure but declined to provide further details.

Hezbollah spokesman Youssef el-Zein told the Associated Press that the group alerted Turkish authorities after the initial attacks, leading to the interception and likely destruction of the devices.

Turkish intelligence intercepted a suspicious shipment of 1,300 pagers headed to Lebanon, just days after a Mossad operation targeting similar devices used by Hezbollah.

Hidden inside the pagers were small explosive materials disguised as batteries, along with detonators and… pic.twitter.com/jqUuCPQz8M

— ILTV Israel News (@ILTVNews) May 6, 2025

On September 17, a wave of explosions triggered by pager signals killed at least 37 people, including two children, and injured around 3,000 across Lebanon. The next day, additional walkie-talkie detonations occurred, including at funerals for some of the victims. While Israel has not confirmed responsibility, the attacks marked a major escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which intensified after Hamas’s October 7 assault on Israel.

Turkey’s intelligence operation reportedly disrupted an attempt to deliver a second wave of explosive devices to Lebanon. The intercepted shipment, scheduled to depart Istanbul for Beirut on September 27, was believed to be a continuation of the initial pager attacks.

Following the pager-triggered blasts, Israel launched further airstrikes, killing nearly 500 people on September 23 and displacing hundreds of thousands. On September 27, Israeli airstrikes killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in southern Beirut — a significant blow to the Iran-backed group.

Russia Restricts Air Traffic After Ukraine Launches 100-Drone Barrage Ahead of Victory Day Parade

Russian authorities restricted air traffic at multiple airports, including four in Moscow, after Ukraine launched more than 100 drones overnight in one of the largest aerial assaults to date.

The attacks came just days before Russia’s May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Russia’s defense ministry reported that 105 drones targeted the country overnight. Nineteen were intercepted near Moscow, according to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who said drone debris fell on a major avenue in the city’s south but caused no injuries. Local media showed minor damage to buildings, including a cracked supermarket window and scorched residential facades.

The Federal Air Transport Agency imposed flight restrictions across more than a dozen airports. Though Moscow’s main Sheremetyevo Airport remained mostly unaffected, airports in cities such as Volgograd and Nizhny Novgorod experienced disruptions.

In the wider region, Russia claimed to have intercepted 18 drones over Voronezh and 10 over Penza, with no casualties reported. In the Kursk region, a drone strike damaged an electrical substation in the city of Rylsk, injuring two teenagers and cutting power to the area, according to local authorities.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported that a Russian drone strike killed one person in the Odesa region Monday night, continuing the tit-for-tat aerial campaigns that have intensified in recent weeks.

Putin to Visit China in August for WWII Commemoration Amid Deepening Russia-China Alliance

The Kremlin announced Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China at the end of August and early September, reciprocating Chinese President Xi Jinping’s current visit to Moscow for Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.

The visit will coincide with China’s planned commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Allied defeat of Japan in World War II.

Putin’s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov said the exchange reflects a “good tradition” of mutual attendance at each country’s key WWII events.

“This was the case 10 years ago, in 2015, and this will be the case this year,” Ushakov noted.

Beijing is scheduled to host the official commemoration on September 3, honoring what it calls the “War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.” In 2015, China marked the 70th anniversary of that victory with a massive military parade featuring over 12,000 troops and hundreds of aircraft and armored vehicles.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed that China and Russia will jointly mark this year’s anniversary, underscoring their growing political and military alignment.

Putin has made several visits to China in recent years, including in October 2023 and February 2022, just before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Xi, in turn, has visited Russia three times since the war began, most recently in September 2024 for the BRICS summit and earlier in March 2023 and July 2024.

More than 40 times have Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on various occasions. As Xi travels to Russia for another state visit, it’s time to revisit some of those highlight moments. Please watch: pic.twitter.com/nCmkZBRzOZ

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) May 6, 2025

While Beijing claims neutrality in the Ukraine conflict, it supports Moscow’s narrative that the war was provoked by the West and continues to supply critical components for Russian weapons manufacturing. Increased trade between the two countries has helped Russia blunt the impact of sweeping Western sanctions.

Russia has rerouted most of its energy exports to China and now relies heavily on Chinese firms to source high-tech goods for its defense sector, including components previously imported from the West.

The upcoming visits and commemorative events reflect the continued strengthening of the Russia-China partnership as both nations confront strategic rivalry with the US and its allies.

China Condemns CIA Recruitment Ads Targeting Chinese Officials

China denounced on Tuesday a series of recruitment videos released by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), calling them a “naked political provocation” aimed at luring Chinese government officials to betray state secrets.

The CIA’s campaign, which aired last week on social media, encourages disillusioned Chinese officials to share sensitive information with the United States. CIA Director John Ratcliffe described the videos as part of a broader overhaul of the agency’s tradecraft.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian accused the US of engaging in open deception.

“The United States not only maliciously smears and attacks China, but also openly deceives and lures Chinese personnel to surrender,” Lin said.

He added that the videos serve as “self-confession with solid evidence” of Washington’s intent to interfere in China’s internal affairs.

Beijing pledged to take “necessary measures” to combat foreign infiltration and protect its national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Lin said China would “resolutely crack down on the infiltration and sabotage activities of foreign anti-China forces.”

The two nations have a long history of mutual espionage accusations. In recent months, Chinese authorities claimed to have exposed three US agents behind cyberattacks during February’s Asian Winter Games in Harbin. In March, China sentenced a former engineer to death for allegedly leaking state secrets to a foreign power.

India Launches Cross-Border Missile Strikes Into Pakistan, Killing Child

India fired missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory early Wednesday, striking at least three locations and killing a child, according to Pakistani security officials.

Two other civilians—a woman and a man—were injured in the attacks. One missile reportedly struck a mosque in the city of Bahawalpur in eastern Punjab province.

The Indian Defense Ministry confirmed the strikes, stating they targeted “at least nine sites” believed to be used for planning terrorist attacks against India. The ministry described the operations as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” emphasizing that no Pakistani military installations were targeted.

🇮🇳🇵🇰 NOW: “The Pakistani army is carrying out indiscriminate bombardment along the entire border line,” says an Indian Ministry of Defense spokesman.

Indian jets are reportedly air-dropping fuel tanks to front-line positions in Kashmir — preparing for a sustained engagement.… https://t.co/OlN7nsLgCi pic.twitter.com/VoYAMjmWrb

— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) May 6, 2025

The strikes follow heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors after a militant attack last month on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the assailants—a claim Islamabad denies.

Pakistani security officials, speaking anonymously, said Pakistan had launched retaliatory strikes but did not provide details.

US Sanctions Myanmar’s Karen Militia for Cyber Scams and Human Trafficking

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions Monday against the Karen National Army (KNA), an ethnic militia operating in southeastern Myanmar, for alleged involvement in cyber scams, human trafficking, and transnational crime.

The sanctions also target KNA leader Col. Saw Chit Thu and his sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit.

According to the Treasury, the KNA has “facilitated cyber scams that harm US citizens,” generating billions of dollars for criminal syndicates while exploiting trafficked individuals, many of whom were tricked into scam work and trapped in what officials call “virtual slavery.” The sanctions freeze any assets the KNA or its leaders hold under US jurisdiction and bar US citizens from doing business with them.

Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender emphasized the harm to victims and the agency’s intent to dismantle these operations.

“Treasury is committed to using all available tools to disrupt these networks and hold accountable those who seek to profit from these criminal schemes,” he said.

KNA spokesman Lt. Col. Naing Maung Zaw denied the allegations, stating the group’s operations are aimed at regional development. He called the sanctions “a deliberate act of abasement by a powerful country over a weaker one.”

The KNA functions as a Border Guard Force allied with Myanmar’s military government and controls parts of Kayin State, including Shwe Kokko and areas near the Thai border in Myawaddy—both known hubs for scam syndicates. These areas have become infamous for hosting illegal operations involving romance scams, fake investment schemes, and online gambling.

While Naing Maung Zaw admitted that the KNA rented land to businesses occupying properties used for scams, he insisted the militia is actively repatriating foreign workers from these centers. He said 7,454 of 8,575 identified foreign nationals have already been returned through Thailand as part of a February crackdown coordinated with Thai, Myanmar, and Chinese authorities. More than 10,000 individuals remain unidentified in KNA territory, he added.

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned the Karen National Army, a militia group in Burma, as a transnational criminal organization, along with the group’s leader Saw Chit Thu, and his two sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit,…

— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) May 5, 2025

The KNA and its leadership are already under European Union and United Kingdom sanctions for similar allegations.

Kayin State has seen sustained conflict between ethnic militias and the Myanmar military since the junta overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in 2021. The US has previously sanctioned Myanmar’s military leaders and state entities over human rights violations.

Sources: News Agencies