US contractors fire live rounds as desperate Palestinians seek food in Gaza

American contractors working at aid distribution sites in Gaza have fired live ammunition, stun grenades and pepper spray at Palestinians scrambling for food, according to video evidence and testimonies obtained by the Associated Press.

Two US contractors who worked at the controversial sites described a disturbing pattern of violence and mismanagement.

They said many of the security guards hired by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) were poorly trained and operated with little oversight.

"There are innocent people being hurt. Badly. Needlessly," one contractor said.

The contractors provided videos showing chaotic crowds pressed between metal gates, with the sound of gunfire and stun grenades echoing in the background.

In some clips, English-speaking men can be heard encouraging each other as shots ring out.

One contractor said live rounds were sometimes fired into the ground or air, but at times directly toward civilians.

He described an incident where a Palestinian man dropped to the ground after a contractor opened fire.

According to internal documents, non-lethal weapons like pepper spray, rubber pellets, and stun grenades were used routinely, even in the absence of physical threats.

During a single food distribution in June, 37 stun grenades, 60 pepper spray canisters, and other crowd-control tools were deployed.

A photo shared by a contractor shows a woman unconscious in a donkey cart, reportedly after being hit in the head by part of a stun grenade.

The GHF, a Delaware-registered nonprofit backed by the Israeli government, was created in February to distribute food in Gaza.

The US pledged $30 million to support its operations, though other funding sources remain unclear.

Journalists are barred from accessing the sites, which are located in Israeli military-controlled areas.

Safe Reach Solutions, the logistics company contracted to manage operations, said no serious injuries had occurred and described the measures taken as necessary "at the height of desperation" to protect civilians and staff.

But internal SRS documents reviewed by the AP said that people were injured during 31 percent of distributions over a two-week period in June.

The report did not specify the nature or severity of the injuries.

Palestinians attempting to access food from the GHF sites say they are caught between Israeli fire on the roads and American contractors at the gates.

"We have come here to get food for our families. We have nothing," one contractor recalled Palestinians telling him.

"Why does the army shoot at us? Why do you shoot at us?"

Surveillance and data concerns

Contractors said surveillance cameras with facial recognition were used to monitor crowds.

They alleged that US and Israeli personnel worked side-by-side in a control room on the Israeli side of the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, cross-referencing faces with known data.

Internal documents referenced a "POI Mugs Card" showing individuals deemed suspicious.

Contractors were reportedly told to photograph anyone who looked "out of place", though criteria were never defined.

GHF denied using biometrics or collecting intelligence and said it coordinates with Israeli authorities as required.

A rushed rollout

Contractors described the early stages of the GHF operation as disorganised and unsafe.

Many security personnel were hired just days before deployment, with some lacking military or weapons experience.

Rules of engagement were not shared until after distributions had begun.

Some guards had not even calibrated their weapons, increasing risks of inaccurate fire.

One internal email described the sites as "not sustainable" and "not safe".

"If operations continue in this manner," one contractor warned, "innocent aid seekers will continue to be needlessly injured. And possibly killed."

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Source: TRT