US security firm that oversaw deadly aid sites in Gaza in talks for future role: Report
A US company responsible for providing security at aid distribution sites in Gaza, where hundreds of Palestinians were killed, is in discussions to take on a new role in the enclave, Reuters reported.
UG Solutions (UGS), a North Carolina-based security company run by a former Green Beret who runs multiple other security firms, has been recruiting Arabic speakers with experience of combat for missions in undisclosed locations, the report said.
A source with knowledge on the matter said the UG Solutions was in direct negotiations with the Board of Peace over a future role in the Strip.
The firm was responsible for providing security to the American- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which ran aid distribution sites and was shut down after the ceasefire.
A future role for the firm will likely disturb Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. A contractor-turned-whistleblower told Channel 12 last year that he had seen security personnel fire on unarmed, starving Palestinian civilians seeking aid.
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Reports from the Associated Press have backed claims suggesting UGS and Safe Reach Solutions, another US security firm, used live ammunition and stun grenades in Gaza.
In June, prior to its shutdown, 15 human rights and legal organisations warned that GHF could be complicit in crimes under international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.
Around 2,000 aid seekers were either crushed or shot to death at GHF distribution sites, causing global outrage.
The Israeli military acknowledged that some Palestinians were wounded at aid centres but did not disclose how many, and said it changed procedures as a result of the incidents.
It was also previously reported that one team leader for UG Solutions, Johnny “Taz” Mulford, was a member of the Infidels Motorcycle Club, an Islamophobic organisation in the US.
Proficiency with ‘small arms weapons’
When the GHF closed, UG Solutions said it would continue serving as a primary security provider for efforts aimed at rebuilding and delivering aid, in line with President Donald Trump’s plan.
The firm has since advertised several roles for Arabic speakers on its website. Among the positions listed is an “international humanitarian officer”, whose responsibilities include “securing key infrastructure, facilitating humanitarian efforts, and ensuring stability in a dynamic environment”.
Ideal candidates will have a proficiency with “small arms weapons”.
Another role, open exclusively for women, describes duties that include “safe, effective, and culturally appropriate aid distribution”.
Trump’s Board of Peace will convene for the first time next week, on 19 February.
The latest national leader to confirm attendance is Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who is also preparing to deploy up to 8,000 troops to Gaza as part of an international stabilisation force.
Members of the board are expected to contribute $1bn to join, and the inaugural meeting is anticipated to focus in part on fundraising to support the reconstruction of Gaza under continued Israeli military control, starting in the south.
UG Solutions declined to comment.
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