DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip, mostly near aid sites run by an American contractor, the U.N. human rights office said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed 25 people across Gaza, according to local health officials.

Desperation is mounting in the Palestinian territory of more than 2 million, which experts say is at risk of famine because of Israel’s blockade and nearly two-year offensive. A breakdown of law and order has led to widespread looting and contributed to chaos and violence around aid deliveries.

Israel accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid — without providing evidence of widespread diversion — and blames U.N. agencies for failing to deliver food it has allowed in. The military says it has only fired warning shots near aid sites. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor, rejected what it said were “false and exaggerated statistics” from the United Nations.

Jehad Alshrafi / AP / AP Injured Palestinians are transferred to an ambulance after being wounded while waiting for aid arriving from the northern Gaza Strip, in Gaza City, Tuesday.

The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, said Tuesday that 80 children have died from starvation since the beginning of the war, while 21 adults have since Sunday. The ministry only recently began tracking deaths from malnutrition in adults.

The deaths could not be independently verified, but U.N. officials and major international aid groups say the conditions for starvation exist in Gaza. During hunger crises, people can die from malnutrition or from common illnesses or injuries that the body is not strong enough to fight.

Israel eased a 2½-month blockade in May, allowing a trickle of aid in through the longstanding U.N.-run system and the newly created GHF. Aid groups say it’s not nearly enough.

“I do it for my children”

Dozens of Palestinians lined up Tuesday outside a charity kitchen in Gaza City, hoping for a bowl of watery tomato soup. The lucky ones got small chunks of eggplant. As supplies ran out, people holding pots pushed and shoved to get to the front.

Jehad Alshrafi / AP / AP Palestinians mourn their relatives killed from an Israeli army bombardment of Gaza, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Tuesday.

Nadia Mdoukh, a pregnant woman who was displaced from her home and lives in a tent with her husband and three children, said she worries about being shoved or trampled on, and about heat stroke as daytime temperatures hover above 90 F (32 C).

“I do it for my children,” she said. “This is famine — there is no bread or flour.”

The U.N. World Food Program says Gaza’s hunger crisis has reached “new and astonishing levels of desperation.” Ross Smith, the agency’s director for emergencies, told reporters Monday that nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and a third of Gaza’s population is going without food for multiple days in a row.

MedGlobal, a charity working in Gaza, said five children as young as 3 months had died from starvation in the past three days.

“This is a deliberate and human-made disaster,” said Joseph Belliveau, its executive director. “Those children died because there is not enough food in Gaza and not enough medicines, including IV fluids and therapeutic formula, to revive them.”

The charity said food is in such short supply that its own staff members suffer dizziness and headaches.

Aid delivery model criticized

Of the 1,054 people killed while trying to get food since late May, 766 were killed while heading to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, according to the U.N. human rights office. The others were killed when gunfire erupted around U.N. convoys or aid sites.

Thameen al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the U.N. rights office, says its figures come from “multiple reliable sources on the ground,” including medics, humanitarian and human rights organizations. He said the numbers were still being verified according to the office’s strict methodology.

Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces regularly fire toward crowds of thousands of people heading to the GHF sites. The military says it has only fired warning shots, and GHF says its armed contractors have only fired into the air on a few occasions to try to prevent stampedes.

Jehad Alshrafi / AP / AP Displaced Palestinians wait for donated food at a community kitchen in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, Tuesday.

A joint statement from 28 Western-aligned countries on Monday condemned the “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians.”

“The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” read the statement, which was signed by the United Kingdom, France and other countries friendly to Israel. “The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable.”

Israel and the United States rejected the statement, blaming Hamas for prolonging the war by not accepting Israeli terms for a ceasefire and the release of hostages abducted in the militant-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the fighting.

Hamas has said it will release the remaining hostages only in return for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel says it will keep fighting until Hamas has been defeated or disarmed.

Strikes on tents sheltering the displaced

Israeli strikes killed at least 25 people Tuesday across Gaza, according to local health officials.

One strike hit tents sheltering displaced people in the built-up seaside Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The Israeli military said that it wasn’t aware of such a strike by its forces.

The dead included three women and three children, the hospital director, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, told The Associated Press. Thirty-eight other Palestinians were wounded, he said.

An overnight strike that hit crowds of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks in Gaza City killed eight, hospitals said. At least 118 were wounded, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

“A bag of flour covered in blood and death,” said Mohammed Issam, who was in the crowd and said some people were run over by trucks in the chaos. “How long will this humiliation continue?”

The Israeli military had no immediate comment on that strike. Israel blames the deaths of Palestinian civilians on Hamas, because the militants operate in densely populated areas.

Israel renewed its offensive in March with a surprise bombardment after ending an earlier ceasefire. Talks on another truce have dragged on for weeks despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack, and killed around 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.

More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.

Copyright 2025 NPR

The agency’s director for emergencies said a third of Gaza’s population is going without food for multiple days in a row

In the back of an ambulance, Saif Musalle’s aunt says one final goodbye. She is far from alone. Hundreds in this West Bank town have come to honor the American son who is deeply rooted in his Palestinian community. Saif was killed on Friday, just two weeks before his 21st birthday, beaten to death by Israeli settlers, according to his family. Those settlers also shot and killed another Palestinian man in the same attack, according to eyewitnesses. It is *** senseless yet all too common outcome in the West Bank. Today it is an American citizen being put to rest here, but over the course of the last 20 months of this war, nearly 1000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the United Nations. But today Saif Musalle’s family is demanding an American investigation into his death. We want justice. His father Kammel was home in Florida where he runs an ice cream shop with his son when he got the call that Saif had been attacked by settlers. You never think that it’s your son or anything who is this happening to. And then I got word that it was my son. Uh, he was hit, he was beaten. He lost conscience, but Nobody could get to him. Ambulance couldn’t come in. Why? Because the IDF. Restricted that. The IDF blocked that. So you hold the Israeli military. I hold the Israeli military just as responsible as the settlers and the American government for not doing anything about this. The State Department said it is aware of Saif’s death but declined to comment further on calls for an investigation. Israeli authorities say they are investigating but have not made any arrests. For two months now, Palestinians here say Israeli settlers have been encroaching on their land and terrorizing Palestinians who try and access it. This was the scene on Friday as Saif and other Palestinians tried to reach their farmland. Abdel Jabbar said he saw settlers chase after *** man he would later learn was safe. They ran up the hill. They caught Muslim. They started beating him with sticks. By the time he reached Saif’s body, he was already dead. As we head to the location where Saif’s body was retrieved, *** white vehicle suddenly appears behind us. We have *** group of settlers who are now following us in their vehicle. They’ve put their masks on as well, which is *** concerning indication. At an intersection, the settlers get out and try to pelt our vehicle, but we managed to approach *** nearby Israeli border police vehicle, and the settlers turn around. But minutes after the border police head out to search for the settlers, we are ambushed. The masked men smashed the rear windshield of our car, but we managed to speed. Off unharmed. It is just *** small window into the reality here. If it would have took us 5 more seconds, we all would have been beaten with these. Yes sir, but your son was also killed in January 2024. Buy *** settler simply just being there barbecuing. What does that feel like to to have to constantly try and tell the world what’s happening? You scream into the whole world and the whole world is watching, simply silent, seeing all these mothers put their sons that they worked so hard. To raise them up for 20 years and you pick them up and you put them in the ground under the sky. And the silence go on and on and on. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Sinjil, the occupied West Bank.

Advertisement UN: Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 aid-seekers in Gaza since May, as hunger worsens The agency’s director for emergencies said a third of Gaza’s population is going without food for multiple days in a row Editorial Standards ⓘ

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip, mostly near aid sites run by an American contractor, the U.N. human rights office said Tuesday.Related video above: Family of American killed in West Bank calls for justiceMeanwhile, Israeli strikes killed 25 people across Gaza, according to local health officials.Desperation is mounting in the Palestinian territory of more than 2 million, which experts say is at risk of famine because of Israel’s blockade and nearly two-year offensive. A breakdown of law and order has led to widespread looting and contributed to chaos and violence around aid deliveries.Israel has only allowed in an average of around 70 trucks a day, the lowest rate of the war and far below the 500-600 trucks a day the U.N. says are needed, and which entered during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year.Israel accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid — without providing evidence of widespread diversion — and blames U.N. agencies for failing to deliver food it has allowed in. The military says it has only fired warning shots near aid sites. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor, rejected what it said were “false and exaggerated statistics” from the United Nations.The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, said Tuesday that 80 children have died from starvation since the beginning of the war, while 21 adults have since Sunday. The ministry only recently began tracking deaths from malnutrition in adults.The deaths could not be independently verified, but U.N. officials and major international aid groups say the conditions for starvation exist in Gaza. During hunger crises, people can die from malnutrition or from common illnesses or injuries that the body is not strong enough to fight.Israel eased a 2½-month blockade in May, allowing a trickle of aid in through the longstanding U.N.-run system and the newly created GHF. Aid groups say it’s not nearly enough.‘I do it for my children’Dozens of Palestinians lined up Tuesday outside a charity kitchen in Gaza City, hoping for a bowl of watery tomato soup. The lucky ones got small chunks of eggplant. As supplies ran out, people holding pots pushed and shoved to get to the front.Nadia Mdoukh, a pregnant woman who was displaced from her home and lives in a tent with her husband and three children, said she worries about being shoved or trampled on, and about heat stroke as daytime temperatures hover above 90 degrees.“I do it for my children,” she said. “This is famine — there is no bread or flour.”The U.N. World Food Program says Gaza’s hunger crisis has reached “new and astonishing levels of desperation.” Ross Smith, the agency’s director for emergencies, told reporters Monday that nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and a third of Gaza’s population is going without food for multiple days in a row.MedGlobal, a charity working in Gaza, said five children as young as 3 months had died from starvation in the past three days.“This is a deliberate and human-made disaster,” said Joseph Belliveau, its executive director. “Those children died because there is not enough food in Gaza and not enough medicines, including IV fluids and therapeutic formula, to revive them.”The charity said food is in such short supply that its own staff members suffer dizziness and headaches.Aid delivery model criticizedOf the 1,054 people killed while trying to get food since late May, 766 were killed while heading to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, according to the U.N. human rights office. The others were killed by Israeli forces’ gunfire around U.N. convoys or aid sites.Thameen al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the U.N. rights office, says its figures come from “multiple reliable sources on the ground,” including medics, humanitarian and human rights organizations. He said the numbers were still being verified according to the office’s strict methodology.Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces regularly fire toward crowds of thousands of people heading to the GHF sites. The military says it has only fired warning shots, and GHF says its armed contractors have only fired into the air on a few occasions to try to prevent stampedes.A joint statement from 28 Western-aligned countries on Monday condemned the “drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians.”“The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” read the statement, which was signed by the United Kingdom, France and other countries friendly to Israel. “The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable.”Israel and the United States rejected the statement, blaming Hamas for prolonging the war by not accepting Israeli terms for a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages abducted in the militant-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the fighting.Hamas has said it will release the remaining hostages only in return for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel says it will keep fighting until Hamas has been defeated or disarmed.Strikes on tents sheltering the displacedIsraeli strikes killed at least 25 people Tuesday across Gaza, according to local health officials.One strike hit tents sheltering displaced people in the built-up seaside Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The Israeli military said that it wasn’t aware of such a strike by its forces.The dead included three women and three children, the hospital director, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, told The Associated Press. Thirty-eight other Palestinians were wounded, he said.An overnight strike that hit crowds of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks in Gaza City killed eight, hospitals said. At least 118 were wounded, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.“A bag of flour covered in blood and death,” said Mohammed Issam, who was in the crowd and said some people were run over by trucks in the chaos. “How long will this humiliation continue?”The Israeli military had no immediate comment on that strike. Israel blames the deaths of Palestinian civilians on Hamas, because the militants operate in densely populated areas. Israel renewed its offensive in March with a surprise bombardment after ending an earlier ceasefire. Talks on another truce have dragged on for weeks despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack, and killed around 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. Magdy reported from Cairo, and Goldenberg from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than 100 charity and human rights groups said Wednesday that Israel’s blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation, as Israeli strikes killed another 21 people overnight, according to local health officials.

The Trump administration’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff was meanwhile set to meet with a senior Israeli official about ceasefire talks, a sign that lower-level negotiations that have dragged on for weeks could be approaching a breakthrough.

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip, mostly near aid sites run by an American contractor, the U.N. human rights office said Tuesday.

Desperation is mounting in the Palestinian territory of more than 2 million, which experts say is facing famine because of Israel’s blockade and nearly two-year offensive. A breakdown of law and order has led to widespread looting and contributed to chaos and violence around aid deliveries.

Israel accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid—without providing evidence of widespread diversion—and blames U.N. agencies for failing to deliver food it has allowed in. The military says it has only fired warning shots near aid sites. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American contractor, rejected what it said were “false and exaggerated statistics” from the United Nations.

The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, said Tuesday that 101 people, including 80 children, have died in recent days from starvation.

Palestinians mourn their relatives killed from an Israeli army bombardment of Gaza, at the morgue of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Tuesday on July 22, 2025. AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi

The deaths could not be independently verified, but U.N. officials and major international aid groups say the conditions for starvation exist in Gaza. During hunger crises, people can die from malnutrition or from common illnesses or injuries that the body is not strong enough to fight.

Israel eased a 2½-month blockade in May, allowing a trickle of aid in through the longstanding U.N.-run system and the newly created GHF. Aid groups say it’s not nearly enough.

‘Chaos, Starvation and Death’

In an open letter, 115 organizations, including major international aid groups like Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps and Save the Children, said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, “waste away.”

It blamed Israeli restrictions and “massacres” at aid distribution points. Witnesses, health officials and the U.N. human rights office say Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on crowds seeking aid, killing more than 1,000 people. Israel says its forces have only fired warning shots and that the death toll is exaggerated.

“The government of Israel’s restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death,” the letter said.

Islam Abu Taeima, a 40-year-old mother of five (left), and a boy look for some food on a pile of garbage in Gaza City on Sunday, May 25, 2025. AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi

Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected the criticism and accused the groups of “echoing Hamas’ propaganda.” It said it has allowed around 4,500 aid trucks to enter Gaza since lifting a complete blockade in May, and that more than 700 are waiting to be picked up and distributed by the United Nations.

That’s an average of around 70 trucks a day, the lowest rate of the war and far below the 500-600 trucks a day the U.N. says are needed, and which entered during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year.

The U.N. says it has struggled to deliver aid inside Gaza because of Israeli military restrictions, ongoing fighting, and a breakdown of law and order. An alternative system established by Israel and an American contractor has been marred by violence and controversy.

‘I Do It for My Children’

Dozens of Palestinians lined up Tuesday outside a charity kitchen in Gaza City, hoping for a bowl of watery tomato soup. The lucky ones got small chunks of eggplant. As supplies ran out, people holding pots pushed and shoved to get to the front.

Nadia Mdoukh, a pregnant woman who was displaced from her home and lives in a tent with her husband and three children, said she worries about being shoved or trampled on, and about heat stroke as daytime temperatures hover above 90 F (32 C).

“I do it for my children,” she said. “This is famine—there is no bread or flour.”

Palestinians carry sacks of flour unloaded from a humanitarian aid convoy that reached Gaza City from the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi

The U.N. World Food Program says Gaza’s hunger crisis has reached “new and astonishing levels of desperation.” Ross Smith, the agency’s director for emergencies, told reporters Monday that nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and a third of Gaza’s population is going without food for multiple days in a row.

MedGlobal, a charity working in Gaza, said five children as young as 3 months had died from starvation in the past three days.

“This is a deliberate and human-made disaster,” said Joseph Belliveau, its executive director. “Those children died because there is not enough food in Gaza and not enough medicines, including IV fluids and therapeutic formula, to revive them.”

The charity said food is in such short supply that its own staff members suffer dizziness and headaches.

Aid Delivery Model Criticized

Of the 1,054 people killed while trying to get food since late May, 766 were killed while heading to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, according to the U.N. human rights office. The others were killed when gunfire erupted around U.N. convoys or aid sites.

Thameen al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the U.N. rights office, says its figures come from “multiple reliable sources on the ground,” including medics, humanitarian and human rights organizations. He said the numbers were still being verified according to the office’s strict methodology.

Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on Sunday, May 11, 2025. AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana

Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces regularly fire toward crowds of thousands of people heading to the GHF sites. The military says it has only fired warning shots, and GHF says its armed contractors have only fired into the air on a few occasions to try to prevent stampedes.

A joint statement from 28 Western-aligned countries on Monday condemned the “the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians.”

“The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,” read the statement, which was signed by the United Kingdom, France and other countries friendly to Israel. “The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable.”

Israel and the United States rejected the statement, blaming Hamas for prolonging the war by not accepting Israeli terms for a ceasefire and the release of hostages abducted in the militant-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the fighting.

Hamas has said it will release the remaining hostages only in return for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel says it will keep fighting until Hamas has been defeated or disarmed.

Strikes on Tents Sheltering the Displaced

Israeli strikes killed at least 25 people Tuesday across Gaza, according to local health officials.

One strike hit tents sheltering displaced people in the built-up seaside Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The Israeli military said that it wasn’t aware of such a strike by its forces.

Palestinians mourn their relatives killed from an Israeli army bombardment of Gaza, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Tuesday, July 22, 2025. AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi

The dead included three women and three children, the hospital director, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, told The Associated Press. Thirty-eight other Palestinians were wounded, he said.

An overnight strike that hit crowds of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks in Gaza City killed eight, hospitals said. At least 118 were wounded, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

“A bag of flour covered in blood and death,” said Mohammed Issam, who was in the crowd and said some people were run over by trucks in the chaos. “How long will this humiliation continue?”

Israel has continued to carry out waves of daily airstrikes against what it says are militant targets but which often kill women and children. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in densely populated areas.

Strikes overnight and into Wednesday killed at least 21 people, more than half of them women and children, according to local health officials.

One of the strikes hit a house in Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The dead included six children and two women, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it struck an Islamic Jihad militant, and that the incident was under review because of reports of civilian casualties.

Israel renewed its offensive in March with a surprise bombardment after ending an earlier ceasefire. Talks on another truce have dragged on for weeks despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack, and killed around 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.

d The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo, and Goldenberg from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

Protesters in Tel Aviv took to the streets carrying flour bags and pictures of malnourished children from Gaza, calling for the end of the war on Gaza and prioritizing humanitarian aid https://t.co/IgdRBlmGJP pic.twitter.com/aBCbW4qLxn

Despite Israel easing a blockade in May, aid remains insufficient. Food scarcity has driven people to desperate measures, leading to violent scenes at distribution points. Witnesses report Israeli forces firing near aid seekers. However, Israel maintains it uses only warning shots. GHF denies responsibility for the death toll, calling the UN figures exaggerated.

The report comes as Gaza faces a severe hunger crisis. The UN World Food Program says conditions have reached “astonishing levels of desperation,” with nearly 100,000 women and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Gaza’s Health Ministry claims 101 people, including 80 children, have died from starvation in recent days.

Most deaths occurred near distribution sites run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The UN cited “multiple reliable sources” and continues to verify the figures.

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while attempting to access food aid in Gaza, according to the United Nations human rights office.

Good morning, here’s what’s shaping today’s headlines: Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens as over 1,000 are reported killed while seeking aid, Somalia and Mali face new waves of violence and political tension, and the US military kicks off major shifts in personnel and weapons strategy. From artificial intelligence policy rollouts in Washington to global protests and cyber threats, here’s your SOFREP Morning Brief for Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

Good morning, here’s what’s shaping today’s headlines: Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens as over 1,000 are reported killed while seeking aid, Somalia and Mali face new waves of violence and political tension, and the US military kicks off major shifts in personnel and weapons strategy. From artificial intelligence policy rollouts in Washington to global protests and cyber threats, here’s your SOFREP Morning Brief for Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

—

Over 1,000 Palestinians Killed While Seeking Food in Gaza, UN Reports

More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while attempting to access food aid in Gaza, according to the United Nations human rights office.

Most deaths occurred near distribution sites run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The UN cited “multiple reliable sources” and continues to verify the figures.

The report comes as Gaza faces a severe hunger crisis. The UN World Food Program says conditions have reached “astonishing levels of desperation,” with nearly 100,000 women and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Gaza’s Health Ministry claims 101 people, including 80 children, have died from starvation in recent days.

Despite Israel easing a blockade in May, aid remains insufficient. Food scarcity has driven people to desperate measures, leading to violent scenes at distribution points. Witnesses report Israeli forces firing near aid seekers. However, Israel maintains it uses only warning shots. GHF denies responsibility for the death toll, calling the UN figures exaggerated.

Protesters in Tel Aviv took to the streets carrying flour bags and pictures of malnourished children from Gaza, calling for the end of the war on Gaza and prioritizing humanitarian aid https://t.co/IgdRBlmGJP pic.twitter.com/aBCbW4qLxn — Reuters (@Reuters) July 23, 2025

International criticism is mounting. A joint statement from 28 Western-aligned nations condemned the “inhumane killing of civilians” and criticized Israel’s aid delivery model as destabilizing and undignified. Israel and the US rejected the accusations, blaming Hamas for the ongoing conflict.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 25 more Palestinians on Tuesday, including 12 in the Shati refugee camp and eight near an aid distribution crowd. Israel denies knowledge of those strikes and attributes civilian casualties to Hamas’ use of densely populated areas.

12 killed and a number of injuries after #Israel bombed the tents of displaced people in the northern area of the #Shati refugee camp, west of #Gaza, according to reports. #HotspotRadar pic.twitter.com/H7wLdjo02t — CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) July 22, 2025

Since the war began after Hamas’ October 7 attack, over 59,000 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which reports that more than half of the casualties are women and children.

Somali Army, Jubaland Forces Clash in Gedo

Heavy fighting erupted Tuesday in Beled Hawo, southern Somalia, between the Somali national army and forces loyal to the semi-autonomous Jubaland region, leaving at least five people dead, according to security officials.

Jubaland security commander Yusuf Ahmed said the Somali army launched an offensive to seize full control of the town.

The operation triggered clashes near key administrative buildings. Ahmed confirmed the deaths of two Jubaland soldiers and said three federal troops were killed in the fighting.

The offensive began shortly after Jubaland intelligence chief Abdirashid Hassan Abdinur landed in the town by helicopter. Gedo governor Mohamed Hussein Al-Qadi, appointed by Jubaland, stated that government forces were pushed out of official buildings but remained active near a military base.

🚨𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 Clashes erupt between Jubbaland forces and the Somali National Army (SNA) in the town of Beled-Hawo located in the Gedo region. Earlier today, helicopters belonging to the Somali army landed at the SNA military base in Beled-Hawo carrying Abdirashid Janan recently… pic.twitter.com/NyfbKIB6X1 — Somali Security Insight (@SomaliSecurityI) July 22, 2025

The federal government condemned the attack, accusing Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe of orchestrating it and targeting immigration offices. Tensions between Mogadishu and Madobe have simmered since last year, when he defied federal objections and secured a third term through a unilateral regional election, which the central government deemed illegal.

Somalia’s fragile federal structure continues to face internal fractures as power struggles between regional leaders and Mogadishu complicate national security and governance.

Malian Army and Wagner Group Accused of Executing Fulani Civilians During Anti-Jihadist Operations

The Malian military and Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group killed and forcibly disappeared dozens of ethnic Fulani men during counterinsurgency operations in 2024, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Tuesday.

The rights group documented at least 12 executions and 81 enforced disappearances of Fulani civilians since January.

HRW cited credible evidence, corroborated by the United Nations, that 65 of the missing were executed in April in Mali’s western Kayes region. Additional killings occurred on March 30 in Belidanedji, where Malian and Wagner forces summarily executed at least six Fulani civilians, according to witnesses.

The Fulani, a nomadic ethnic group often accused of aiding Islamist militants, remain a frequent target of state suspicion across the Sahel. HRW said abuses by the Malian army and Wagner occurred in Segou, Kayes, Douentza, and Timbuktu, and included torture and home burnings.

Mali: Human Rights Watch documente de nouvelles «exécutions» et «disparitions» de civils peuls par l’armée et Wagner https://t.co/TzlwUlUucY pic.twitter.com/zXr4eQ8gFa — RFI Afrique (@RFIAfrique) July 23, 2025

Mali’s military continues to fight the al-Qaeda-affiliated Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). HRW called on the African Union to demand an investigation and prosecution of those responsible.

The group also warned that senior Malian and Russian officials could be held accountable for the atrocities.

The Wagner group, active in Mali since 2021, officially exited the country in June and was replaced by Africa Corps, a Kremlin-linked paramilitary organization.

Mali’s ruling junta, which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, has not responded to HRW’s findings.

US Marine Corps Moves to Reclassify Harrier Mechanics Amid AV-8B Phase-Out

The US Marine Corps is reclassifying 202 Marines assigned to AV-8B Harrier maintenance roles as the service phases out the aging jet in favor of the F-35 Lightning II.

A July 17 force-wide message identified five Harrier-related military occupational specialties—covering general mechanics, power plants, airframes, safety equipment, and electrical systems—for involuntary reclassification beginning August 1.

Marines in these roles who haven’t initiated transitions will be reassigned based on Corps needs, regardless of remaining contract terms.

The Corps noted retention and promotion opportunities for Harrier jobs will end by fiscal year 2027. Affected Marines will receive their new assignments by September 30.

The move is part of the broader aviation modernization plan released in January, which includes a full F-35 transition, upgraded V-22 Ospreys, and continued KC-130J procurement. While Harriers remain in use for exercises and select missions, the aircraft is gradually retiring, with many airframes destined for museums or farewell flights.

The Marine Corps says Harrier personnel are being guided toward roles in F-35 maintenance, communications, intelligence, and logistics.

US Army Launches $3.6B Program to Replace M240B Machine Gun

The US Army has initiated a multibillion-dollar program to replace the M240B machine gun with a new system called the Future Medium Machine Gun (FMMG).

Budget documents show the service plans to invest over $3.6 billion in research, development, and procurement over the next decade.

The FMMG, intended for dismounted combat units, will be a belt-fed, crew-served, direct-fire weapon designed to surpass the M240B in lethality and operational performance.

The Army has not yet finalized key specifications, including the caliber, but aims to equip rifle platoons with a more capable platform for suppressing and destroying enemy personnel.

The M240B, introduced in 1977, has served as the Army’s primary medium machine gun for nearly five decades. It replaced the M60 and saw major use from Grenada to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The FMMG effort is part of a broader small-arms modernization initiative, which includes replacing the M4 carbine and M249 SAW, with new weapons already fielded to the 101st Airborne Division.

Trump to Unveil AI Action Plan Backed by Tech Allies, Prioritizes Deregulation and “Anti-Woke” Agenda

US President Donald Trump will announce a sweeping “Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan” on Wednesday, shaped by Silicon Valley allies who supported his 2024 campaign.

The policy rollout, co-hosted by the All-In Podcast and Hill and Valley Forum, follows Trump’s January repeal of President Biden’s AI regulations and is expected to favor tech industry priorities.

The plan will promote AI export acceleration, streamline permits for energy-intensive data centers, and counter perceived liberal bias in AI systems. Critics warn it reflects tech lobby influence and risks sidelining public safeguards.

Trump’s top AI adviser, David Sacks, has led efforts to eliminate so-called “woke AI,” citing cases like Google’s missteps with racially diverse AI-generated images of US Founding Fathers. xAI, Elon Musk’s firm and a vocal alternative to mainstream AI companies, recently won a Pentagon contract alongside Google, despite backlash over antisemitic outputs from its Grok chatbot.

The administration also aims to fast-track AI data center construction by easing energy and zoning restrictions—moves aligned with Trump’s fossil fuel agenda.

President Trump will announce his AI strategy on Wednesday. Here’s an early look at what it contains: https://t.co/7C74elfqvm — TIME (@TIME) July 22, 2025

Industry giants like OpenAI, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft are already expanding major AI infrastructure projects nationwide. However, the AI-driven energy demand has drawn global concern, with the UN warning that data centers may soon rival Japan’s total electricity use.

Trump’s policy may also roll back Biden-era AI chip export controls, which industry leaders argued hampered US competitiveness. AMD and Nvidia have reportedly received approval to resume limited exports to China.

While tech moguls champion deregulation and speed, a coalition of 95 public interest groups has condemned the plan, demanding a “People’s AI Action Plan” focused on jobs, public health, and civil rights.

Critics accuse Trump of outsourcing national AI strategy to Big Tech and using China as a justification to erode regulatory safeguards.

Trump Announces Japan Trade Deal with 15% Tariff

US President Trump unveiled a new trade framework with Japan on Tuesday, introducing a 15% tariff on Japanese imports.

The move comes ahead of a planned 25% rate previously threatened to begin August 1. Trump claimed the deal would create “hundreds of thousands of jobs” and includes a Japanese pledge to invest $550 billion into the US and open its market to American autos and rice.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba acknowledged the agreement early Wednesday, calling it mutually beneficial. Key details, including the exact impact on Japanese auto exports, remain unclear.

The announcement reflects Trump’s broader strategy of using tariffs to reduce trade deficits and relocate manufacturing to the US. The administration argues that tariff revenue will help lower the budget deficit, though critics warn of rising costs for consumers.

On Tuesday, General Motors reported a 35% drop in quarterly net income, citing tariffs as a growing threat.

pic.twitter.com/lkwEpWDIlA — Fan Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 23, 2025

In addition to Japan, Trump confirmed new trade frameworks with the Philippines and Indonesia. The US will impose a 19% tariff on Philippine goods, with no reciprocal taxes on American exports. The administration also reaffirmed existing 19% tariffs on Indonesian goods.

As the August 1 tariff deadline approaches, Trump also warned the European Union of a 30% tariff and signaled that EU representatives would arrive in Washington for talks. The US trade deficit last year totaled $69.4 billion with Japan, $17.9 billion with Indonesia, and $4.9 billion with the Philippines.

Negotiations with China are ongoing through August 12, with current tariffs on Chinese goods set at a 30% baseline.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet with Chinese officials in Stockholm next week, aiming to rebalance trade by shifting the US toward manufacturing and encouraging Chinese domestic consumption.

Ukrainians Protest New Anti-Corruption Law as Zelenskyy Signs Controversial Bill

Thousands of Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv and other cities Tuesday to protest a new law critics say weakens Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions.

The demonstrations marked the largest public outcry against the government since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Despite demands for a veto, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the legislation, according to the parliament’s website.

The law gives the prosecutor general expanded control over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), threatening their independence. The agencies warned that the change effectively places them under executive influence, undermining their ability to investigate high-level corruption.

The European Union (EU) condemned the law as “a serious step back.” Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos warned it jeopardizes Ukraine’s path to EU accession, where the rule of law is central.

Transparency International’s Ukrainian branch also criticized the move, calling it a rollback of key reforms since the 2014 Revolution of Dignity.

Protesters carried signs demanding Zelenskyy protect Ukraine’s anti-corruption system and accused his administration of favoring personal loyalty over transparency. Activists, veterans, and watchdog groups warned that corruption in wartime threatens Ukraine’s chances of victory and its international credibility.

A protest against authorities’ decision earlier today to kill Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure. First mass protest in Ukraine since full-scale Russian invasion. Video by @ukrpravda_news pic.twitter.com/bQDSNZtTlB — Hlib Vyshlinsky (@hlib) July 22, 2025

The law’s passage follows a Cabinet reshuffle and a security sweep of NABU personnel, including the arrest of two officials over alleged ties to Russia.

Zelenskyy’s office has not commented on the law or the growing backlash.

Zelenskyy Renews Offer to Meet Putin as Russia Escalates Attacks on Ukrainian Cities

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has renewed his offer to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, but the Kremlin downplayed the possibility of a high-level meeting.

Instead, delegations are preparing for another round of lower-level negotiations in Istanbul, though expectations remain low.

Zelenskyy stressed that only a top-level summit can bring real progress, dismissing lower tier talks as insufficient. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed no timeline for such a meeting and warned against expecting “magical breakthroughs.”

Previous Istanbul talks have led only to limited prisoner and body exchanges.

Ukraine’s delegation, led by former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, aims to negotiate further prisoner releases and the return of children allegedly abducted by Russia.

2/ Ukraine’s Western partners pledged additional military and financial assistance to Ukraine during a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format) on July 21. pic.twitter.com/Ewn9xgjSC5 — Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) July 21, 2025

Meanwhile, Russia intensified attacks across Ukraine on Monday night. Strikes using drones and glide bombs hit the Sumy, Odesa, and Kramatorsk regions, killing a young boy and wounding at least 41 others. In Sumy, two powerful bombs injured 13 people and damaged residential buildings and a shopping mall.

Russia claimed it intercepted 35 Ukrainian drones overnight, including three near Moscow.

As Russian forces push to capture more territory, controlling roughly 20% of Ukraine, Ukrainian and Western officials accuse the Kremlin of using stalled diplomacy to buy time on the battlefield.

Bangladesh Air Force Jet Crash Kills 32, Sparks Student Protests in Dhaka

A Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a school in Dhaka’s Uttara neighborhood on Monday, killing 32 people, including 29 students, two teachers, and the pilot on his first solo flight.

The Chinese-made F-7 BGI aircraft reportedly suffered a technical malfunction shortly after takeoff.

The crash sparked massive student protests across the capital on Tuesday. Demonstrators demanded transparency on casualties, compensation for victims’ families, and a halt to military training flights using what they called outdated and unsafe aircraft.

Protests disrupted traffic and escalated when students breached the Bangladesh Secretariat, prompting security forces to deploy tear gas and stun grenades. Roughly 80 students were injured in the clashes.

Students in Bangladesh raised slogans and protested, demanding answers after an air force jet plowed into a school building and burst into flames, killing 31, of which at least 25 were children. Read more: https://t.co/QMwyTYr2dO pic.twitter.com/ZJ93324m7t — Reuters Asia (@ReutersAsia) July 22, 2025

The government declared a National Day of Mourning, and the military launched an investigation. A High Court order directed the government to form a technical committee to probe the crash. Officials said 171 people were rescued from the school; 78 remain hospitalized, with about two dozen in critical condition. India announced plans to send a team of burn specialists to assist with treatment.

The pilot, Flight Lt. Mohammed Toukir Islam, reportedly attempted to divert the jet away from the crowded area. The crash is the deadliest in the capital’s recent history and has reignited concerns about Bangladesh’s use of aging military aircraft.

Protesters accused authorities of mishandling the aftermath and called for the resignation of Education Adviser C.R. Abrar. Tensions remain high as the interim government struggles to stabilize the country ahead of next year’s elections.

Chinese Hackers Exploit Microsoft SharePoint Flaws to Breach Western Networks

Microsoft issued a warning Tuesday that Chinese state-sponsored hacking groups are actively exploiting critical security flaws in on-premises SharePoint servers to steal sensitive data and install backdoor malware.

The tech giant identified three threat groups—Linen Typhoon, Violet Typhoon, and Storm-2603—targeting organizations using two newly disclosed vulnerabilities that allow attackers to bypass authentication and execute remote code.

The campaign began on July 7 and rapidly escalated around July 18, according to cybersecurity firm Check Point.

Microsoft said the attacks do not affect SharePoint Online, its cloud-based service, but warned that vulnerable on-premises systems remain at risk if not patched immediately. The company released security updates and urged all customers to apply the fixes without delay.

⚡ {NEW} Chinese hackers are exploiting new SharePoint flaws—Microsoft links attacks to APT27, APT31 & Storm-2603. They’re bypassing patches to steal MachineKeys via remote code execution. The exploit chain is already in the wild. Patch now ↓ https://t.co/97AEQICaVG — The Hacker News (@TheHackersNews) July 22, 2025

The hackers deployed malicious code to steal encryption keys and maintain persistent access to compromised networks.

Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon, long-standing cyber espionage units, have a history of targeting governments, defense firms, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and media outlets across the US, Europe, and East Asia. Storm-2603, believed to be China-based, has been linked to prior ransomware activity, but its current goals remain unclear.

Check Point confirmed dozens of breach attempts targeting major Western governments and organizations in North America and Europe, emphasizing the campaign’s sophistication and urgency.

Sources: News Agencies

Experts say Gaza is at risk of famine because of Israel’s blockade and the offensive launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The head of the World Health Organization said Gaza is “witnessing a deadly surge” in malnutrition and related diseases, and that a “large proportion” of its roughly 2 million people are starving.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, was set to meet with a senior Israeli official about ceasefire talks, a sign that lower-level negotiations that have dragged on for weeks could be approaching a breakthrough.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than 100 charity and human rights groups said Wednesday that Israel’s blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation, as Israeli strikes killed another 29 people overnight, according to local health officials.

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Israel says it allows enough aid into the territory and faults delivery efforts by U.N. agencies, which say they are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of security.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 50 hostages it holds, around 20 of them believed to be alive, in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel has vowed to recover all the captives and continue the war until Hamas has been defeated or disarmed.

‘Chaos, starvation and death’

In an open letter, 115 organizations, including major international aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps and Save the Children, said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, “waste away.”

The letter blamed Israeli restrictions and “massacres” at aid-distribution points. Witnesses, health officials and the U.N. human rights office say Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on crowds seeking aid, killing more than 1,000 people. Israel says its forces have only fired warning shots and that the death toll is exaggerated.

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The Israeli government’s “restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death,” the letter said.

WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus echoed that criticism, telling reporters that acute malnutrition centers in Gaza are full of patients and lack adequate supplies. He said rates of acute malnutrition exceed 10% and that among pregnant and breastfeeding women, more than 20% are malnourished, often severely.

The U.N. health agency’s representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, said there were more than 30,000 children under 5 with acute malnutrition in Gaza and that the WHO had reports that at least 21 children under 5 have died so far this year.

Israel says critics are ‘echoing Hamas’ propaganda’

The Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the criticism in the open letter and accused the groups of “echoing Hamas’ propaganda.” It said it has allowed around 4,500 aid trucks into Gaza since lifting a complete blockade in May, and that more than 700 trucks are waiting to be picked up and distributed by the U.N.

That’s an average of around 70 trucks a day, the lowest rate of the war and far below the 500 to 600 trucks a day the U.N. says are needed, and which entered during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year.

The U.N. says it has struggled to deliver aid inside Gaza because of Israeli military restrictions, ongoing fighting and a breakdown of law and order. An alternative system established by Israel and an American contractor has been marred by violence and controversy.

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Top adviser to Netanyahu will meet US envoy in Rome

An official familiar with ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas said Ron Dermer, a top adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was traveling to Rome to meet Witkoff on Thursday to discuss the state of the talks.

The official spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the sensitive negotiations.

U.S. officials said Witkoff planned to head to Europe this week. The State Department spokesperson said he was headed to the Middle East in a sign that momentum may be building toward a deal.

The evolving deal is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up, and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce.

Overnight strikes kill at least 29

Israel has continued to carry out waves of daily airstrikes against what it says are militant targets but which often kill women and children. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in densely populated areas.

One of the overnight strikes hit a house in Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The dead included six children and two women, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it struck an Islamic Jihad militant, and that the incident was under review because of reports of civilian casualties.

Shifa said another strike late Tuesday in Gaza City killed three children.

A strike on an apartment in northern Gaza killed at least six people. Among the dead were three children and two women, including one who was pregnant, the ministry said. The military said it struck a Hamas operative.

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In central Gaza, a strike in a densely populated part of the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp killed eight people and wounded 57, according to Awda Hospital, which received the casualties.

Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Its count doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.

Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.