Evening Brief: Hostage Videos Spark Outrage in Israel as Famine Worsens in Gaza, Kremlin Urges Caution on Nuclear Rhetoric

· Guy D. McCardle

Crowds in Tel Aviv protest the continued detention of the hostages. Image Credit: BBC / Reuters

In tonight’s brief: Israel reels from disturbing hostage videos as famine worsens in Gaza; the US showcases hypersonic power with Dark Eagle’s deployment to Australia; American forces pull back from key Syrian bases; and Trump’s nuclear messaging raises eyebrows in Moscow. Ukraine scales up drone defenses, Pakistan resumes Afghan deportations, and Thailand and Cambodia enter tense border talks after deadly clashes. Here’s the full rundown for Monday evening, August 4, 2025.

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Hostage Videos Spark Outrage in Israel as Famine Worsens in Gaza

Graphic videos of two emaciated Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have intensified pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure a ceasefire.

The footage, released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, shows Evyatar David digging his own grave and Rom Braslavsky in visible agony, claiming severe neglect and starvation. Their families approved brief excerpts of the footage, which fueled mass protests across Israel on Saturday night, demanding a deal for the hostages’ release.

The International Committee of the Red Cross condemned the videos and renewed its call for access to the hostages.

Netanyahu met with the Red Cross and accused Hamas of weaponizing starvation, comparing the treatment of the hostages to Nazi atrocities. He rejected Hamas’ offer to allow Red Cross aid if consistent humanitarian corridors were established, insisting the group aims to manipulate Israel through “videos of horror.”

The crisis comes amid worsening famine conditions in Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 87 Palestinian adults, and 93 children have died of malnutrition since the war began, with five new deaths reported Monday.

Israel denies that starvation is occurring and maintains its blockade. The United Nations confirms that no aid entered Gaza from March 2 to May 19, and distribution efforts remain dangerous and chaotic.

Israel’s Foreign Minister has requested an emergency UN Security Council session, scheduled for Tuesday.

Netanyahu said he would convene his Cabinet this week to direct the military to defeat Hamas, secure the release of all hostages, and neutralize Gaza as a threat.

The war began after Hamas’ October 2023 attack killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 hostages. In response, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 60,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which reports over half the dead are women and children. Israel disputes the figures but has not released its own count.

 

US Army Deploys Dark Eagle Hypersonic Missile System to Australia During Talisman Sabre

The US Army deployed its Dark Eagle hypersonic missile system to Australia’s Northern Territory during the Talisman Sabre military exercise, marking the system’s first overseas appearance.

The 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force, based in Hawaii, transported the ground-launched missile platform, capable of striking targets up to 1,700 miles away, demonstrating rapid deployment and integration capabilities in support of regional allies.

While no live fire was reported, the presence of Dark Eagle highlighted US power projection across the Indo-Pacific.

US Indo-Pacific Command chief Adm. Samuel Paparo called the deployment a clear message of support for Australia, a key strategic partner.

Defense Department photos showed US troops briefing allied forces on the system’s operations on July 9.

Dark Eagle hypersonic
US soldiers deploy Long Range Hypersonic Weapon in Australia, July 9, 2025. (DVIDS)

Lt. Gen. Joel Vowell confirmed ongoing collaboration with Australia’s 10th Brigade to potentially co-deploy hypersonic systems.

The Dark Eagle, first fielded by the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, travels at speeds exceeding Mach 5 and is designed to deliver large warheads with low detection signatures.

Vowell described the weapon as a “game-changer.”

Talisman Sabre 2025 concluded Monday and involved over 40,000 troops from 19 nations. It also featured the first Australian live-fire of the US Army’s Typhon mid-range missile system and Australia’s debut of HIMARS firing a precision strike missile beyond 310 miles.

Australia is prioritizing long-range precision fires in response to China’s anti-access/area-denial strategy near Taiwan and the South China Sea. Analysts say hosting Dark Eagle or acquiring it would underscore Australia’s growing defense investment and regional military posture.

 

US Forces Exit Three Key Bases in Syria as Mission Consolidates and Tariff Pressure Builds

US forces and their coalition partners withdrew from three long-standing bases in Syria’s middle Euphrates River valley, Mission Support Site Green Village, H2, and Mission Support Site Euphrates (also known as the Conoco gas field), according to a new Pentagon Inspector General report.

The withdrawal, completed in May, is part of a broader effort to consolidate the US military presence in Syria to a single base with fewer than 1,000 troops.

The closed sites had been frequent targets of rocket attacks by Iran-backed militias and served as key nodes in the anti-ISIS campaign since the launch of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2014.

US forces dismantled infrastructure or transferred it to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), America’s primary local partner. Some US personnel relocated to other bases in the region, while others rotated home.

The troop drawdown comes amid Syria’s volatile political transition. Following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December, interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa faces escalating sectarian violence.

The Pentagon report warns that US withdrawals may worsen tensions between the SDF and Arab tribal groups, who accuse the Kurdish-led force of discrimination and resource hoarding.

US President Donald Trump met with al-Sharaa in May and pledged to lift sanctions to support Syria’s path to peace. However, Syria faces a looming 41 percent tariff unless it reaches a deal with Washington by Thursday, part of a sweeping Trump executive order imposing penalties on dozens of countries.

 

Kremlin Urges Caution on Nuclear Rhetoric After Trump Orders Submarine Repositioning

Russia on Monday urged restraint in nuclear-related statements following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had ordered two nuclear submarines to reposition in response to recent comments by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the submarines were likely already on duty and dismissed the need for public confrontation, warning that “everyone should be very, very careful with nuclear rhetoric.”

Trump’s move comes ahead of a Friday deadline he set for President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine or face expanded sanctions, including penalties targeting Russian oil exports and their buyers, such as India and China.

Despite acknowledging some “positive progress” in peace talks, Putin signaled no willingness to change course, claiming Russia holds battlefield momentum.

Trump has floated sending his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow midweek. While the Kremlin welcomed potential meetings with Witkoff, it did not clarify whether the trip was initiated by Moscow or what it expected from it. Previous visits by Witkoff have failed to produce a ceasefire.

Trump’s latest nuclear-related remarks have sparked criticism from Western and Russian security analysts, who argue the online exchange with Medvedev (known for provocative rhetoric) risks unnecessary escalation. However, the Kremlin said it does not view Trump’s comments as a sign of rising nuclear tensions and emphasized Putin’s stance as the central focus of Russian policy.

 

Ukraine Expands Interceptor Drone Program to Counter Russian UAV Threat, Conserve Missile Stock

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested $6 billion to scale up production of interceptor drones, targeting an output of 1,000 units daily. These drones, already proving highly effective, are helping Ukraine counter Russia’s drone campaign while preserving its dwindling supply of costly air defense missiles.

In the past two months alone, a single Ukrainian charity-backed program claims its interceptor drones have downed 1,500 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Overall, over 3,000 drones have been destroyed since the initiative began a year ago, with an estimated $195 million in Russian hardware eliminated. Over 12 times the cost of the equipment used.

Colonel Serhiy Nonka’s 1,129th air defense regiment reports these drones can take down enemy UAVs at a fifth of the cost of using missiles.

The introduction of these interceptors has pushed Russian surveillance drones to fly at higher altitudes, diminishing their effectiveness. Ukrainian forces also use them to target Shahed “kamikaze” drones, sometimes intercepting dozens in a single night.

Flown via first-person view, interceptor drones must be faster and more powerful than standard FPVs.

Ukraine’s military charities, particularly Come Back Alive, have become key suppliers, providing these systems to 90 front-line units. Despite their success, interceptors remain ineffective against high-speed missiles and Moscow’s new jet-powered drones.

Experts like Sam Bendett of the Center for a New American Security note that both Ukraine and Russia are rapidly adapting to the drone-versus-drone battlefield, with interception engagements now becoming a regular feature of the war.

 

Pakistan Resumes Forced Deportations of Afghan Refugees After Expired Legal Status

Pakistani authorities have resumed the forced deportation of Afghan refugees after the federal government declined to extend the June deadline for legal stay, officials confirmed Monday.

The move affects approximately 1.4 million Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards and around 800,000 with Afghan Citizen Cards, many of whom now face detention and removal for lacking valid travel documents or visas.

The crackdown follows a July 31 government directive and is part of an ongoing campaign targeting foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan.

Police in Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces have begun house-to-house and random checks, transporting detained Afghans to border crossings.

Authorities claim deportations are being carried out in a “dignified” manner.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) condemned the move, calling it a violation of international obligations and warning of the risks of mass refoulement. UNHCR spokesperson Qaiser Khan Afridi urged Islamabad to adopt a gradual and voluntary repatriation process to avoid destabilizing Afghanistan, where over 1.2 million refugees have already returned this year under difficult conditions.

Many Afghan families, some of whom have lived in Pakistan for decades, now face abrupt relocation. The Interior Ministry has yet to comment on the renewed deportation drive.

The operation marks Pakistan’s most aggressive action since its 2023 nationwide campaign targeting undocumented foreigners.

 

Thai-Cambodian Border Talks Begin in Malaysia After Deadly Clashes Displace Over 260,000

Thai and Cambodian officials convened in Malaysia on Monday for their first formal cross-border talks since a tense ceasefire ended five days of armed clashes that killed dozens and displaced more than 260,000 civilians.

The four-day General Border Committee meetings, relocated to neutral ground in Malaysia under ASEAN mediation, aim to prevent further conflict but exclude discussions on long-standing territorial disputes.

The July 28 ceasefire followed economic pressure from US President Donald Trump, who warned both nations that continued hostilities would block US trade deals. After the truce, Washington reduced tariffs on Thai and Cambodian goods from 36 percent to 19 percent, effective August 1.

Monday’s agenda focused on operational coordination and outlining ASEAN’s monitoring team’s scope, according to Malaysian Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Mohamad Nizam Jaffar.

Despite reports of minor post-ceasefire violence, Nizam said both governments expressed strong commitment to maintaining peace.

Thursday’s main session will be led by Thai Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Natthaphon Nakpanit and Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seih, with observers from Malaysia, the US, and China.

Tensions remain high. Both nations have paraded foreign diplomats through battle-scarred areas, each accusing the other of civilian attacks and illegal weapon use.

The current standoff was triggered in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed, followed by landmine incidents that injured Thai troops and reignited hostilities along disputed border zones near the Preah Vihear temple. While a 1962 and 2013 International Court of Justice ruling awarded the temple area to Cambodia, broader territorial claims continue to fuel conflict.

 

Sources: News Agencies