Good afternoon, friends. We’re inaugurating a fresh week with news of a USD 15 mn textile project in Qantara West, details on how Egypt hopes to benefit from the global trade wars, and why you should — or shouldn’t — keep AI use at the workplace under wraps.

THE BIG STORY TODAY

Yet another textile project is in the works in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, with GS Global Sourcing becoming the latest to sign a contract to build a new factory, according to a statement from the zone. The company will fully finance the construction of the factory in the Qantara West Industrial Zone with USD 15 mn in investments and has earmarked all of the expected 12 mn piece annual production capacity for export.

The project also marks the latest of an influx of Chinese investments targeting the zone, which now number around 200, Suez Canal Economic Zone head Walid Gamal El Din previously said. In just the last few weeks, other recent entries into the Suez Economic Zone — and Qantara West in particular — include Kinlead Innovative Materials, Guangdong Hongxin Textile, Top New Garment Group, and Xinxing Ductile Iron Pipes — to name but a few.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

Israel kills 100 Palestinians overnight amid ceasefire talks: Israeli airstrikes have killed 100Palestinians across the Gaza Strip as Israel advances its ground forces after more than 19 months, killing hundreds of civilians since Thursday. This escalation “prompted [Hamas] to resume mediated negotiations on a possible ceasefire and hostage release,” Bloomberg reports. Mediators have begun a new round of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha, Qatar, with Hamas stating it “will only free hostages in return of an Israeli ceasefire,” Reuters reports. (Reuters | AP | Bloomberg)

MEANWHILE- Northern Gaza’s last remaining functioning public hospital, the Indonesian Hospital, has gone out of service due to escalating Israeli airstrikes and a siege of the facility, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel has blocked the entry of medical supplies, food and fuel into Gaza since March, as the 2 mn population faces famine, the United Nations reports.

Israel is eyeing a “total conquest” of the strip: The recent advancements in Israel’s ground invasion would lead to total control of Gaza over three months — currently standing at 30% occupied — Israeli officials previously said, according to Bloomberg.

enterprise

*** It’s Inside Industry day — your weekly briefing of all things industrial in Egypt. Inside Industry focuses each Sunday on what it takes to turn Egypt into a manufacturing and export powerhouse, ranging from initial investment and planning to product distribution, through to land allocation to industrial processes, supply chain management, labor, automation and technology, inputs and exports, regulation and policy.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- We’ll be seeing slightly cooler weather tomorrow, with the temperature peaking at a sunny 32°C before cooling to 18°C at night, according to our favorite weather app.

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