A former security contractor for Gaza's US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution sites has claimed that colleagues opened fire on unarmed Palestinians, including women, children, and elderly people, who posed no threat. Speaking anonymously to the BBC, the contractor described multiple incidents, including one where a guard used a machine gun from a watchtower to fire on a slow-moving crowd. He also alleged that another contractor fired 15 to 20 shots at a group, with one Palestinian man collapsing motionless, followed by laughter among the guards.
The GHF, which began operations in late May to distribute limited aid in southern and central Gaza, strongly denied the allegations, calling them "categorically false" and labelling the contractor a "disgruntled" former employee terminated for misconduct—a claim he disputes. The organisation stated that no civilians have been fired upon at its sites and attributed gunfire in provided footage to Israeli forces.
The contractor described a "culture of impunity" at GHF sites, with no clear rules of engagement or standard procedures. He alleged that team leaders instructed guards to "shoot to kill" if they felt threatened and referred to Palestinians as "zombie hordes," implying they had little value. He also reported incidents of Palestinians being injured by stun grenades, pepper spray, and razor wire in crowded conditions.
The GHF's operations have drawn heavy criticism for forcing people to traverse active combat zones to access aid. The UN and local doctors report that over 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while attempting to retrieve food from GHF sites since operations began, following an 11-week total blockade of Gaza by Israel. Israel defends the system, claiming it prevents aid from reaching Hamas.
More than 170 NGOs, including Oxfam and Save the Children, have called for the GHF to be shut down, citing routine attacks on aid seekers by Israeli forces and armed groups. The GHF claims it has delivered over 52 million meals in five weeks, contrasting its efforts with other organisations whose aid is allegedly looted.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, has resulted in at least 57,130 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
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