US firm that secured aid sites talking with administration about new role in Gaza |
A US security firm that deployed armed veterans to guard Gaza aid sites is in talks with the Trump administration’s Board of Peace about its next role in the enclave, the company said on Wednesday, after previously facing UN criticism over deadly scenes at its distribution points.
UG Solutions made the disclosure, which has not been previously reported, after Reuters reported it was recruiting Arabic-speaking contractors with combat experience for work in undisclosed locations. A source with direct knowledge of the board’s planning confirmed talks were under way with the firm.
The North Carolina-based firm, which provided security for the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation last year, was shut down following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October.
It had faced criticism from the United Nations over the deaths of Palestinians trying to reach the firm’s aid sites in areas where Israeli troops were deployed and would open fire, with the UN saying that over 1,000 people were killed in those incidents. The Israel Defense Forces has stated that the death tolls have been inflated, that its troops only fired warning shots at those who posed a threat to troops, and that Hamas operatives and other gunmen were also opening fire at crowds of aid seekers.
A UG Solutions spokesperson said on Wednesday that it had “provided information and proposals to the US-led Board of Peace,” a body set up by President Donald Trump to help advance his plan to end the Gaza war, which was sparked by the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught in southern Israel.
“Our proposal was received positively, but until the Board of Peace clarifies what its priorities are for security, UG Solutions is planning internally for a range of possible ways to support efforts in Gaza,” the spokesperson said.
The source with direct knowledge of the board’s planning said that talks with UG Solutions and several other groups have been under way for weeks but that nothing had been finalized.
Representatives for the board did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for........