US contractors in Gaza use live ammo, stun grenades at aid centers: Report

American contractors hired to secure aid distribution points in Gaza have been reported to use live ammunition and stun grenades against desperate Palestinians seeking food, according to testimonies and videos obtained by The Associated Press (AP).

The accounts reveal alarming security practices at sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed group distributing food in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Two contractors, speaking anonymously to the AP due to fear of employer retaliation, described a security force that was often untrained, heavily armed, and acting with apparent impunity.

“There are innocent people being hurt. Badly. Needlessly,” said one contractor, who recounted witnessing live rounds fired into the air, at the ground, and sometimes in the direction of Palestinians. He recalled at least one occasion where a person appeared to be struck.

Videos from the aid sites show crowds of Palestinians packed behind metal barriers, jostling amid sounds of gunfire, stun grenades, and pepper spray. Audio recordings capture English-speaking contractors discussing crowd control strategies and reacting enthusiastically after bursts of gunfire. One video shows security personnel firing multiple rounds seemingly to disperse crowds even as people walk away with food.

The contractors allege that aid seekers are monitored closely, with suspicious individuals documented and their details shared with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). Cameras equipped with facial recognition technology reportedly stream live footage to control rooms operated jointly by American analysts and IOF soldiers near the Karam Abu Salem crossing. Contractors also claimed they were instructed to photograph anyone who looked “out of place,” although the criteria for suspicion were unclear.

GHF, established in February and registered in Delaware, began distributing aid in Gaza in late May with a pledge of USD 30 million in US funding. The organization claims to have provided over 50 million meals and insists it employs experienced humanitarian and security staff who engage compassionately with Gaza’s population.

However, Gaza faces a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Since the outbreak of aggression in October 2023, the IOF's operations have devastated the territory, and Gaza’s two million residents are at the brink of famine. Before GHF’s intervention, 'Israel' blocked all food, water, and medicine into Gaza for over two months, citing concerns that Hamas was diverting aid.

Palestinians seeking aid at GHF sites have been caught in deadly crossfire. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports hundreds killed or wounded near distribution points, with the IOF acknowledging civilian casualties but denying deliberate targeting and promising investigations.

A spokesperson for Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), the logistics subcontractor for GHF security, denied serious injuries had occurred and described the use of live rounds as warning shots fired into the ground for crowd control during desperate moments. They stressed that the environment at the sites is controlled and secure.

The contractors told the AP that security personnel were hastily recruited, often days before deployment, without adequate training or weapons handling tests. Initial rules of engagement allowing use of force were issued only after distributions began. Contractors carried pistols, stun grenades, tear gas, and 'Israeli' automatic rifles capable of rapid fire.

Internal communications reveal growing concerns about understaffing, poor organization, and unsafe conditions at the sites. One email from a senior contractor described the operation as “amateur hour” and “not sustainable.”

The situation remains fraught as Gaza’s population continues to face starvation amid ongoing aggression. The contractors warned that without changes, innocent civilians seeking aid risk further injury or death.

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