Shocking revelations have emerged accusing American security contractors—hired under the US-funded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—of using live ammunition, stun grenades, and chemical agents against Palestinian civilians desperately seeking food in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Testimonies from two U.S. contractors, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, describe scenes of chaos and brutality as heavily armed and undertrained guards deployed lethal force to control hungry crowds at food distribution points. Footage reviewed by AP captured moments of panic, screams, and gunfire as Palestinians were fired upon while queuing for aid.

"There are innocent people being hurt. Badly. Needlessly," one contractor said, after witnessing what he believed was a Palestinian being shot. Disturbingly, in one recording, a guard is heard celebrating after allegedly hitting someone.

Instead of providing life-saving relief, the so-called humanitarian mission has become yet another front of violence against a population already devastated by war, siege, and famine. At a single aid distribution in June, at least 37 stun grenades, 60 cans of pepper spray, and dozens of rubber projectiles were used.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health and the United Nations, 549 Palestinians have been killed and over 4,000 injured while attempting to access food at these distribution sites as of June 25. These casualties are attributed to both Israeli sniper fire and U.S.-contracted security forces operating with impunity.

Contractors also revealed that Palestinians were monitored through surveillance systems equipped with facial recognition software, and those deemed "suspicious" were flagged in coordination with the Israeli occupation authorities. An internal document, labeled “POI Mugs Card,” instructed staff to photograph individuals who appeared “out of place”—a clear act of racial profiling under the guise of security.

Despite Safe Reach Solutions (SRS) denying direct intelligence gathering, the collaboration with the Israeli military and the documented presence of biometric surveillance further confirm that the so-called humanitarian mission is entangled in a system of oppression and occupation.

Palestinians arriving at the aid zones, many of them starving and displaced, asked: “We have nothing. Why do you shoot at us?” These words underscore the trauma of a people forced to risk death for basic sustenance under blockade and bombardment.

Meanwhile, contractors warn that more bloodshed is inevitable if untrained, heavily armed personnel continue operating without accountability or oversight. “This is not aid. It’s occupation by another name,” one of them said.

Palestinian rights advocates and international humanitarian organizations are calling for an immediate independent investigation into the GHF's operations, the conduct of American contractors, and Israel’s role in perpetuating violence at food distribution points.

This latest revelation is further evidence of a broader system of apartheid, where not even hunger spares Palestinians from lethal force. The world must act—before more lives are lost in the name of "humanitarian" aid. (ILKHA)