Morning Brief: Deadliest Day for Aid-Seekers in Gaza as 85 Killed, Russia Signals Openness to Peace as Drone Warfare Escalates

· Guy D. McCardle

Boxes of GHF aid delivered in Gaza (Image grab via @GHFUpdates/X)

Good morning and welcome to your SOFREP Morning Brief for Monday, July 21, 2025. The weekend brought no shortage of global shakeups from deadly aid-line gunfire in Gaza and shifting ceasefires in Syria to extraditions, drone strikes, and the passing of a beloved World War II vet turned TikTok icon. Whether you’re catching up before work or diving into the day’s missions, here’s what you need to know to start your week informed.

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Deadliest Day for Aid-Seekers in Gaza as 85 Killed; Israel Orders New Evacuations

At least 85 Palestinians were killed Sunday while trying to reach food aid in Gaza, marking the deadliest day for aid-seekers since the war began 21 months ago, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The majority of deaths occurred near the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza, where 79 people were killed and over 150 others wounded amid Israeli fire on crowds attempting to access aid.

Footage reviewed by The Associated Press shows Palestinians running as automatic gunfire erupted. Witnesses said tanks and drones targeted civilians without warning.

The Israeli military confirmed it fired on large gatherings that posed a “threat” but claimed Hamas was responsible for the chaos. Six more people were reportedly killed by Israeli fire near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) hub in Rafah, and seven others, including a 5-year-old boy, died in tent strikes in Khan Younis.

In a major development, Israel issued new evacuation orders for parts of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, previously considered a safe zone.

The order cuts access to southern cities, where millions have taken refuge.

The United Nations is seeking clarification about whether its facilities fall under the evacuation directive. Humanitarian groups reported being forced to shut down clinics and offices with no warning.

Israel’s military spokesman directed civilians to Muwasi, a barren coastal area with minimal infrastructure, designated as a humanitarian zone. Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar, though Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu maintains that intensified military pressure will strengthen Israel’s negotiating position.

Gaza’s death toll has surpassed 58,800, with women and children making up more than half of the dead, per the Gaza Health Ministry. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2 million residents now depend on limited aid to survive, as displacement and hunger reach critical levels.

In Israel, public frustration over the war and hostage situation continues to grow. Tens of thousands rallied in Tel Aviv, demanding a ceasefire and return of remaining hostages. Fifty of the 251 people abducted on October 7 remain in Gaza—fewer than half are believed to be alive.

 

Bedouin Fighters Withdraw from Sweida After US-Brokered Ceasefire

Armed Bedouin clans announced their withdrawal from the Druze-majority city of Sweida on Sunday following a week of intense sectarian clashes and a US-mediated ceasefire.

The violence, sparked by tit-for-tat kidnappings, killed hundreds and displaced over 128,000 people.

The fighting pitted Sunni Muslim Bedouin fighters, backed informally by Syrian government forces, against Druze militias loyal to spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri.

Israel reportedly conducted dozens of airstrikes in the province, targeting regime forces that aligned with the Bedouins. The conflict escalated into direct attacks on Druze civilians, including killings, vandalism of religious symbols, and culturally insulting acts such as forcibly shaving elderly men’s mustaches.

In retaliation, Druze militias attacked Bedouin-populated areas, forcing families to flee.

Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa urged the Bedouins to respect the ceasefire and defer to state authority, while some Bedouin leaders on the outskirts of Sweida demanded al-Hijri and his associates surrender.

The Syrian Red Crescent confirmed the arrival of 32 aid trucks with food, medicine, and fuel after severe power and supply shortages. However, tensions remain high as Druze factions reportedly turned away a government delegation accompanying the aid convoy.

US special envoy Tom Barrack called for an immediate end to the violence, warning that the recent bloodshed undermines Syria’s post-war recovery and international support.

Despite some Druze hopes for a diplomatic path under new leadership, the clashes have deepened mistrust of Damascus and reignited fears of sectarian fragmentation.

 

Libya Deports 700 Sudanese Migrants Amid Crackdown on Human Trafficking

Eastern Libyan authorities deported 700 Sudanese migrants by land back to Sudan on Friday, as part of an ongoing anti-trafficking campaign led by forces loyal to commander Khalifa Hifter.

The Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration confirmed the deportations, citing reasons including infectious diseases, criminal convictions, and undefined “security reasons.”

The migrants were detained in central and southeastern Libya, a key transit hub for Africans fleeing war and poverty toward Europe. The crackdown has included raids on smuggling networks and detention centers.

Earlier this month, authorities freed 104 Sudanese migrants, including women and children, from a trafficking warehouse in Ajdabiya.

Libya remains a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean. The campaign follows a recent interception of 80 Europe-bound migrants by the coast guard near Tobruk. The UN estimates over 240,000 Sudanese reside in Libya, many having fled the conflict that erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the military and the Rapid Support Forces.

Libya has been fractured since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi, with rival governments and militias exploiting the country’s instability to fuel the migrant trade.

 

Driver with Criminal Record Hits Crowd in LA, Injuring 36

Fernando Ramirez, 29, of San Clemente, California, is facing a felony assault with a deadly weapon charge after allegedly driving a Nissan Versa onto a sidewalk in East Hollywood early Saturday, injuring 36 people.

The victims, mostly women, were waiting outside the Vermont Hollywood event venue around 2 a.m. local time when Ramirez’s car also struck a food cart and a valet stand.

Ramirez, who has at least 11 prior criminal cases, including a 2020 felony battery conviction, was on parole at the time. After the crash, bystanders assaulted him, and paramedics later discovered he had been shot. Police are still searching for the shooter, described as a man with a goatee wearing a blue Dodgers jacket.

Authorities have not confirmed whether Ramirez was shot before or after the crash, or what motivated the incident. Victims sustained injuries ranging from lacerations to fractures.

As of writing, Ramirez remains hospitalized and could not be reached for comment.

 

World War II Hero and TikTok Icon “Papa Jake” Larson Dies at 102

Jacob “Papa Jake” Larson, a decorated D-Day veteran and social media sensation, died peacefully on July 17 at age 102.

A US Army veteran who stormed Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, Larson became widely known late in life for his TikTok account “Story Time with Papa Jake,” where he shared personal World War II stories with 1.2 million followers.

Born in Owatonna, Minnesota, Larson lied about his age to enlist in the National Guard at 15. He served as an operations sergeant during the Normandy invasion and survived enemy gunfire on Omaha’s deadly bluffs. He later fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Bronze Star and France’s Legion of Honor.

In recent years, Larson regularly attended D-Day commemorations in Normandy, warmly engaging with attendees and fellow veterans. He became a symbol of remembrance and resilience, delivering hugs, jokes, and heartfelt messages—often urging peace and honoring the fallen.

“Make peace, not war,” he told reporters during the 81st anniversary of D-Day. He never considered himself a hero, instead calling himself “the luckiest man in the world.”

Tributes from across the US and Europe poured in following his death.

Normandy museums and local residents honored Larson as a faithful guardian of wartime memory. His granddaughter announced his passing on social media, writing, “As Papa would say, love you all the mostest.”

 

Ecuador Extradites Notorious Gang Leader “Fito” to US on Cocaine Trafficking Charges

Ecuador extradited José Adolfo Macías Villamar, alias “Fito,” to the United States on Sunday, making him the first Ecuadorian national extradited directly from Ecuador to face US justice.

Macías, leader of the violent gang “Los Choneros,” was indicted in April in New York for trafficking thousands of pounds of cocaine into the US in partnership with Mexican cartels.

Fito, 45, had escaped a high-security prison in Guayaquil in 2023 while serving a 34-year sentence for murder, drug trafficking, and organized crime. He was recaptured in late June.

Authorities say Los Choneros relied on assassins, bribery, and military-grade weapons, smuggling firearms from the US and launching violent attacks against law enforcement, politicians, and civilians in Ecuador.

He is set to appear in Brooklyn federal court on Monday, where he will plead not guilty, according to his attorney. US authorities provided human rights assurances to secure the extradition.

Prison officials released an image of Macías in a bulletproof vest and helmet, flanked by armed officers.

Macías rose to infamy as a prison kingpin, releasing propaganda videos and hosting parties behind bars. His extradition signals a rare international handover in Ecuador’s escalating war against transnational organized crime.

 

Russia Signals Openness to Peace as Drone Warfare Escalates

The Kremlin said Sunday it remains open to peace talks with Ukraine but emphasized that achieving its military and political goals remains a priority.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed that Russia wants Ukraine to cede four illegally annexed regions, abandon its NATO aspirations, and accept limits on its military—conditions Ukraine and its allies reject.

The statement follows a July 14 ultimatum from US President Donald Trump, who gave Moscow 50 days to agree to a ceasefire or face severe economic sanctions and increased US arms shipments to Ukraine.

Trump’s plan includes steep tariffs and supplying Ukraine with advanced US weapons, including Patriot air defense systems.

Despite talk of negotiations, Russia has intensified long-range attacks. Ukrainian officials reported that Russia launched 57 Shahed-type and decoy drones overnight Sunday, the highest number in a single night this year.

Ukraine’s Air Force shot down 18 missiles, while others targeted residential areas in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Sumy, injuring several civilians.

In response, Russia claimed it shot down 93 Ukrainian drones targeting its territory, with at least 15 aimed at Moscow. One drone damaged a residential building in Zelenograd but caused no injuries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his government has proposed a new round of peace talks this week. No date has been confirmed, though Istanbul is expected to host. Previous negotiations yielded only prisoner exchanges.

 

Americans Help Restore Nagasaki Cathedral Bell Lost in Atomic Bombing

Nearly 80 years after the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, a group of Americans has helped restore a missing piece of the city’s historic Urakami Cathedral—a lost bell destroyed in the blast.

The new bell, named the “St. Kateri Bell of Hope,” was blessed Thursday by Archbishop Peter Michiaki Nakamura during a ceremony attended by over 100 people.

The bell will be installed on August 9, the anniversary of the 1945 bombing that killed over 70,000 people, including two priests and 24 congregants inside the cathedral. Though the church structure was rebuilt years ago, the smaller of its two bells had remained missing until now.

The project was led by James Nolan Jr., a Williams College professor and grandson of a Manhattan Project doctor. Inspired during a 2023 visit to Nagasaki, Nolan raised funds to recreate the bell after learning about its loss from local Catholic follower Kojiro Moriuchi.

Nolan, author of Atomic Doctors, said he hopes the bell serves as “a symbol of unity” and peace. The restored bell marks both a spiritual and historical milestone for a city still bearing scars from one of history’s most devastating acts of war.

 

Sources: News Agencies