By SAMY MAGDY, BASSEM MROUE and DAVID RISING (Associated Press)

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt sent a high-level delegation to Israel for talks Friday seeking to push through a cease-fire agreement with Hamas and avert an Israeli offensive on Gaza’s town of Rafah — on the border with Egypt — which it warned could ruin regional stability, officials said.

Egypt’s top intelligence official, Abbas Kamel, led the delegation and planned to discuss with Israel a “new vision” for a prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, an Egyptian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the mission freely.

As the war drags on and casualties mount, there has been growing international pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach an agreement on a cease fire.

Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Friday’s talks focused at first on a limited exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners, and the return of a significant number of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza “with minimum restrictions,” the Egyptian official said.

The official said mediators are working on a compromise that will answer most of both parties’ main demands, then lead to continued negotiations with the goal of a larger deal to end the war. A Western diplomat in Cairo said that Egypt’s intensified efforts for a cease-fire aim to avert a Rafah offensive. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the developments.

Hamas has said it will not back down from its demands for a permanent cease-fire and full withdrawal of Israeli troops, both of which Israel has rejected. Israel says it will continue military operations until Hamas is defeated and that it will retain a security presence in Gaza afterwards.

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In a statement Friday, Hamas said it is open to any “ideas or suggestions” that take into consideration the needs of the Palestinian people such as an end Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip, the return of displaced people to their homes and an Israeli withdrawal.

Both Israeli and Egyptian officials confirmed the Egyptian delegation had arrived in Tel Aviv. Later, the Egyptian official said meetings had concluded and that there was an agreement to work out a draft deal, but he did not elaborate.

Overnight, Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group fired anti-tank missiles and artillery shells at an Israeli military convoy in a disputed border area, killing an Israeli civilian.

Hezbollah said its fighters ambushed the convoy shortly before midnight Thursday, destroying two vehicles. The Israeli military said the ambush wounded an Israeli civilian doing infrastructure work, and that he later died of his wounds.

Low-intensity fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border has repeatedly threatened to boil over as Israel has targeted senior Hezbollah militants in recent months.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides of the border. On the Israeli side, the cross-border fighting has killed 10 civilians and 12 soldiers, while in Lebanon, more than 350 people have been killed, including 50 civilians and 271 Hezbollah members.

Meanwhile, Israel has been conducting near-daily raids on Rafah, a town where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have sought refuge after fleeing fighting elsewhere in the territory.

The Israeli military has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles in southern Israel close to Rafah, in apparent preparations for an invasion.

Rafah also abuts the Gaza-Egypt border. The Egyptian official said that Kamel, who heads Egypt’s General Intelligence Service, planned to make clear in Friday’s talks that Egypt “will not tolerate” an Israeli deployment of troops along that border. Egypt has said an attack on Rafah would violate the decades-old peace deal between Egypt and Israel.

The official said Egypt shared intelligence with the United States and European countries showing that a Rafah offensive would inflame the entire region.

On Wednesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi cautioned that an Israeli attack on Rafah would have “catastrophic consequences on the humanitarian situation in the strip, as well as the regional peace and security.”

El-Sissi’s comments came in a phone call with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of The Netherlands, the Egyptian leader’s office said.

Illustrating the pressures facing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the far-right flank of his government, his ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, scoffed on the social media platform X about the Egyptian attempts to bring about a cease-fire.

“The Egyptian proposal arrived because Hamas is afraid of a Rafah operation,” he wrote. “Rafah now!”

The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the Hamas’ Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel, in which the group killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took some 250 people as hostages. Israel says the group is still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, around two-thirds of them children and women.

The ministry said Friday that the bodies of 51 more people killed in Israeli strikes had been brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours.

Israel has reported at least 260 of its soldiers killed since the start of ground operations in Gaza.

Mroue reported from Beirut, Rising reported from Bangkok.

The Gophers football program declined to host a spring game to conclude practices this month, so there is no formal bow to put on how the 2024 team is beginning to take shape.

Head coach P.J. Fleck said last month the decision to forego the glorified, open-to-the-public scrimmage came down to a rash of cancelations and location changes that the U had to deal with in recent years.

Fleck also acknowledged a desire to keep new personnel and schematic changes to his team under wraps — primarily new quarterback Max Brosmer, possible wrinkles to the passing game and what new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman will bring to the table.

Not necessarily in that order.

Reporters were allowed to watch three practices, and here are five takeaways from watching those sessions and speaking with coaches and players.

Quarterback

One lasting impression from a spring 2023 practice was quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis having trouble getting the Gophers out of the huddle and properly lined up. When it broke down, Fleck was livid.

Brosmer showed his own learning curve from the FCS level to a Big Ten program during this year’s open practices — primarily the size of pass rushers/offensive linemen and the speed of play creating tighter windows to thread passes.

But those previous baseline issues weren’t visible. He showed a level of leadership and command that was lacking last year.

“First of all, you start with the intangibles (and) they are through the roof,” Fleck said of Brosmer on March 20. “When you look at the quarterbacks, we’ve had a lot of success with (Zach Terrell and Tanner Morgan); whether Western Michigan or Minnesota, the intangibles go through the roof. That is the first thing you see when you meet (Brosmer).

“I think any successful quarterback has to have that. It can’t be all of it, because you’ve got to have some skill and talent and all that other stuff. But the intangibles, you feel like he’s already been here for 30 years.”

Brosmer, who joined the U the week leading up to the Quick Lane Bowl in December, threw more interceptions than touchdowns during the three open practices, while true freshman QB Drake Lindsay displayed a more impressive arsenal of throws and explosive plays.

Brosmer will be the starter on Aug. 29 against North Carolina, and with 15 total returning starters, how quickly he can get up to speed and the level at which he can play this fall will determine the Gophers’ success.

Transfer portal

The Gophers have had five players leave via the NCAA transfer portal this month, but none of them were starters — and only two were on the two-deep roster. The other three primarily helped clear scholarship spots for other incoming players.

On the flip side, the U has brought in four players via the portal, and two of them appear to be huge, four-star additions: LSU defensive end Jaxon Howard, a Robbinsdale Cooper product who was the top-rated in-state recruit in the 2023 class; and Georgia receiver Tyler Williams of Lakeland, Fla., who was considered a top 25 player in the nation at his position.

The Williams addition is especially vital given the lack of punch from healthy receivers in the U’s spring practices.

The transfer portal has created unprecedented volatility across college campuses in the last few years, but the Gophers appear* to have come out ahead this spring.

* Anything can change these days.

Cornerback

One of the unsung, reliable players a year ago was senior cornerback Tre’Von Jones, a transfer from Elon. With the Gophers in 2023, he had 53 tackles, two interceptions, eight pass breakups and a sack in 13 games.

The Gophers feel as though they might have an upgrade with new senior corner Ethan Robinson from Bucknell. The U got him in the portal over Auburn and new Big Ten foe USC. The Gophers’ culture was a big reason why.

“Personally, just hard work, dedication and trying to make yourself better every day are all things I take pride in,” Robinson said. “Seeing that alignment (with the U) is very nice for me.”

The Gophers will need reliable cover guys on the outside, including mainstay senior Justin Walley, with star safety Tyler Nubin off to the NFL.

Running back

Fleck remains unapologetic when asked about putting any sort of carries limit on any star tailback, pitch counts forever be damned — despite Darius Taylor’s fabulous freshman season being derailed by leg injuries in October and November before he returned to be MVP of the Quick Lane Bowl.

Taylor, who averaged 5.8 yards per carry in six games in 2023, said he has adjusted his own process going into his sophomore season.

“Obviously, what I went through last season was unfortunate, but it’s just I knew what I needed to go into the offseason, thinking about and working and bettering myself — getting in the training room,” Taylor said.

Taylor was again sidelined during the final open practice on April 16, but Fleck — who does not share many, if any, injury details — said Taylor’s situation wasn’t a big deal.

The Gophers brought Sean Tyler in from Western Michigan via the portal last season, but fumbling issues led to his benching. The U tries again this year with a pair of new tailbacks: Sieh Bangura (Ohio) and Marcus Major (Oklahoma).

The U also brought in two freshman: Fame Ijeboi and Jaydon Wright, whose size is reminiscent of bruising former RB Kobe McCrary. Yet both of them were rehabbing injuries toward the end of spring.

Offensive line

The Gophers’ offensive line returns a budding star and future NFL Draft pick in fifth-year left tackle Aireontae Ersery, and has ton of experience returning everywhere but center.

Sophomore Greg Johnson of Prior Lake was the first-team center in spring ball and his 369 snaps at left guard as a true freshman will help ease his position switch.

For a third straight year, the Gophers are exploring moving Quinn Carroll from tackle to guard. The previous two times, he has remained at tackle because teammates haven’t consistently stepped up to play on the right edge.

“You have to win the job,” Fleck said. “And last year we didn’t have anybody win that job. I think that was maybe one of our downfalls. … We weren’t good enough there.”

Fifth-year tackle Martes Lewis and second-year Phillip Daniels, who showed a nastiness in spring ball, are the top two candidates.

Gophers Depth Chart

OFFENSE

QB — Max Brosmer (Sr.); Drake Lindsey (Fr.)
RB — Darius Taylor (So.); Sieh Bangura (Sr.)
WR — Daniel Jackson (Sr.); Kenric Lanier II (So.)
WR — Tyler Williams (Fr.); Elijah Spencer (Sr.)
WR — Le’Meke Brockington (Jr.); Donielle Hayes  (So.)
LT — Aireontae Ersery (Sr.); Tony Nelson (Jr.)
LG — Tyler Cooper (Sr.); Greg Johnson (So.)
C — Greg Johnson (So.); Ashton Beers (Jr.)
RG — Quinn Carroll (Sr.); Ashton Beers (Jr.)
RT — Martes Lewis (Jr.); Phillip Daniels (So.)
TE — Jameson Geers (Jr.); Nick Kallerup (Sr.)

DEFENSE

DE — Jah Joyner (Jr.); Anthony Smith (Jr.)
DT — Jalen Logan-Redding (Jr.); Darnell Jefferies (Sr.)
DT — Deven Eastern (Jr.); Logan Richter (Sr.)
DE — Danny Striggow (Sr.); Jaxon Howard (Fr.)
LB — Cody Lindenberg (Jr.); Devin Williams (Jr.)
LB — Maverick Baranowski (Jr.); Matt Kingsbury (So.)
NB — Jack Henderson (Sr.); Craig McDonald (Jr.)
CB — Justin Walley (Sr.); Ryland Kelly (Jr.)
CB — Ethan Robinson (Sr.); ZaQuan Bryan (So.)
SS — Darius Green (Jr.); Coleman Bryson (Jr.)
FS — Kerry Brown (Jr.); Koi Perich (Fr.)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K — Dragan Kesich (Sr.); David Kemp (Jr.)
P — Mark Crawford (Sr.); Caleb McGrath (So.)
KR — Quentin Redding (Jr.); Le’Meke Brockington (Jr.)
PR — Quentin Redding (Jr.); Kristen Hoskins (So.)

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The first of two men convicted in the murder of 22-year-old Alex Becker, who was shot as he returned to his St. Paul home from work, received a 30-year sentence Friday.

Jurors convicted Detwan Cortell Allen, now 20, of St. Paul, in December of aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder in the killing of Becker. Prosecutors argued he was ambushed in an apparent attempted robbery by Allen and two accomplices.

Alex Becker (Courtesy of Hidy Hammarsten)

The prosecution had argued for the maximum sentence allowed under state sentencing guidelines, 367 months, which is what Judge Paul Yang agreed to.

On Dec. 27, 2022, Becker clocked out at 11:15 p.m. from Goodin Co., the Como Avenue heating and plumbing parts company, and was walking back to his family’s North End home.

Surveillance video showed a Toyota Camry, which had been stolen the night before in Brooklyn Center, go past Becker as he was walking north on Kent Street near Hatch Avenue around 11:51 p.m. Allen, who the prosecution said was driving, made the first turn he could, followed by an immediate U-turn, based on surveillance video.

Allen parked the car and he, Arteze Owen Kinerd and Shaun Lamar Travis allegedly got out.

When Becker walked into his alley between Lawson and Hatch avenues, the trio ran after him, prosecutors said and noted that there was no evidence the men knew Becker.

Officers who were called to the area arrived just after 12 a.m. Dec. 28, 2022, and found Becker lying on the ground, not breathing and with no pulse. His body was still warm. Medics arrived and pronounced him dead.

Investigators found seven 9mm shell casings near Becker’s body. His cellphone and earbuds were found at the scene, according to court documents. Items found on him included his wallet, which included a credit card and $68, and a check for $500.

Kinerd, now 21, pleaded guilty in February to aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June.

In December, Ramsey County District Judge JaPaul Harris acquitted Travis after he waived his right to a jury trial and a bench trial was held instead. Harris concluded there wasn’t a dispute about Travis being present, but said the prosecution didn’t prove all of the elements of an intentional murder charge to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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