SOFREP Daily roundup for Monday, January 20. (Image grab via X)
Welcome to Monday, January 20, 2025! As a new week begins, we’re here with your daily rundown of the key stories shaping defense and global affairs. Here’s what you need to know.
Humanitarian Aid Enters Gaza as Ceasefire Brings Temporary Relief
War-weary Gazans have begun returning to their destroyed homes following the start of a truce between Israel and Hamas Sunday, though the ceasefire began three hours later than planned.
Thousands of displaced residents carrying personal belongings headed back to neighborhoods reduced to rubble after over a year of intense conflict.
Humanitarian aid trucks, including those carrying prefabricated homes and fuel, started entering Gaza, where food, shelter, and water are desperately needed.
The first trucks carrying aid have entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing as part of the implementation of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
600 trucks are expected to enter each day, bringing desperately needed food and fuel to malnourished Palestinians. pic.twitter.com/vcJISibjEM
Welcome to Monday, January 20, 2025! As a new week begins, we’re here with your daily rundown of the key stories shaping defense and global affairs. Here’s what you need to know.
Humanitarian Aid Enters Gaza as Ceasefire Brings Temporary Relief
War-weary Gazans have begun returning to their destroyed homes following the start of a truce between Israel and Hamas Sunday, though the ceasefire began three hours later than planned.
Thousands of displaced residents carrying personal belongings headed back to neighborhoods reduced to rubble after over a year of intense conflict.
Humanitarian aid trucks, including those carrying prefabricated homes and fuel, started entering Gaza, where food, shelter, and water are desperately needed.
The first trucks carrying aid have entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing as part of the implementation of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
600 trucks are expected to enter each day, bringing desperately needed food and fuel to malnourished Palestinians. pic.twitter.com/vcJISibjEM
The truce, brokered by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, will see the release of 33 hostages from Gaza and 1,900 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons over its initial 42-day phase.
Both sides have met the ceasefire with mixed feelings: while celebrations erupted in Gaza, Israeli citizens remain cautiously optimistic.
Meanwhile, Israel has prepared reception centers for freed hostages to provide medical care and counseling.
Despite the hope for peace, lingering tensions suggest a permanent resolution is far from certain.
M23 Rebels Capture Lumbishi, Advance in Congo’s East
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has seized control of Lumbishi, a key mining settlement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to local sources.
The capture of this mineral-rich area in the Sud-Kivu region occurred Saturday afternoon, with the group reportedly advancing toward nearby locations like Numbi and Shanje.
Since 2021, M23 has held significant portions of the DRC’s eastern territories, and the ongoing conflict has displaced over 237,000 people just this year.
A summit planned for last December 15 to negotiate peace was called off after both sides failed to agree on terms, leaving the region in continued turmoil.
Fighting between the DRC army and M23 persists, further destabilizing the already war-torn and resource-rich region.
Myanmar Junta Airstrike Kills 28 at Detention Site, Including Children
A deadly airstrike by Myanmar’s junta killed 28 people, including nine children, and injured 25 others at a temporary detention site in Rakhine state, according to the Arakan Army (AA) on Sunday.
The strike, which occurred Saturday in Mrauk-U Township, targeted a site where the AA was holding the families of junta soldiers.
The AA claimed it was planning to release the detainees when the airstrike hit.
The conflict in Rakhine is just one of many fronts in Myanmar’s ongoing chaos since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, sparking armed resistance across the country.
The junta has been accused of repeatedly using air and artillery strikes on civilian areas.
Rakhine’s situation is dire, with the United Nations warning of a potential famine and more than 3.5 million people displaced by the ongoing violence across Myanmar.
It’s unclear if this latest airstrike was a targeting error or intentional.
Ukraine Reports Record Russian Losses as Casualties Mount in 2024
Russian forces experienced their heaviest losses in 2024 since the start of the full-scale war, with 434,000 soldiers lost, including 150,000 killed in combat, according to Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on Sunday.
Total Russian military losses now stand at over 818,000, with estimates suggesting the number could surpass 1 million within six months.
November and December were particularly deadly for Moscow, with record-high daily casualties.
“If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.”
Benjamin Franklin
Despite some gains in eastern Ukraine and Kursk Oblast, Russia continues to pay a heavy price, while Ukrainian losses, according to Syrskyi, are significantly lower.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers since the war began.
Separately, tensions remain high as Russia accuses Ukraine of killing civilians in the Kursk region, though these claims have not been independently verified.
NEW: The Ukrainian General Staff reported on January 18 that Russian forces used ammunition equipped with chemical agents banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) 434 times in Ukraine in December 2024, contributing to a total of 5,389 documented cases since February 2023. pic.twitter.com/iOJgxJMmlH
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) January 20, 2025
In eastern Ukraine, Russian forces have captured the village of Vozdvyzhenka, while Ukraine shot down 43 out of 61 drones launched by Russia, avoiding major casualties.
Trump Saves TikTok, Delays Ban Before Second Term Begins
Donald Trump, once a staunch critic of TikTok, has now positioned himself as the app’s savior.
Hours before his second term begins, Trump announced plans to delay a federal ban on TikTok, allowing negotiations to protect American national security.
The app, which had gone dark over the weekend, quickly returned, much to the relief of its 170 million users.
BREAKING: Trump Says, “As of Today, TikTok Is Back!” In Historic Victory Rally On The Eve of His Inauguration
Trump’s executive order comes despite legal uncertainty surrounding his authority to override a bipartisan law requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest.
Trump has proposed a deal that would grant the US a 50 percent ownership stake in a joint venture but offered few details.
Tech leaders, including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, are rallying to improve their standing with the incoming administration, with some companies donating to Trump’s inaugural fund.
Meanwhile, TikTok CEO Shou Chew praised Trump’s commitment to keeping the app alive, cementing its unexpected alliance with the president.
Trump’s reversal has sparked debate over national security, legal limits, and his growing influence on social media platforms.
Though critics question his motives, Trump has credited TikTok for boosting his popularity with young voters and sees its survival as a win for his base.
Sources: News Agencies
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