The British newspaper The Guardian has reported on a developing situation where the Israeli occupation state is considering contracting security companies to distribute humanitarian aid in Gaza. This report, authored by Julian Borger and Bethan McKernan, highlights that this move comes as the Knesset is discussing a bill that could ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating within Israel.
According to the report, citing an Israeli official, the security cabinet discussed this issue last Sunday, prior to the anticipated Knesset vote on two laws that may prevent UNRWA from operating in Israel. If these laws pass, they would severely impede the operations of the largest humanitarian aid organization in Gaza.
The report continues: “After more than a year of bombardment, all forms of law and order in Gaza have collapsed, leaving residents in dire need, while armed gangs control what remains of urban areas. Security threats, including attacks from the Israeli military, are the main obstacle to delivering humanitarian aid.”
Humanitarian organizations have resisted the idea of being part of military convoys, whether state-protected or managed by private security firms, due to concerns that they may be perceived as part of the conflict, the report stated.
Criticism from Humanitarian Experts
Former Biden administration official Jeremy Konyndyk explained, “There is a reason humanitarian groups avoid working this way.” Currently heading Refugees International, Konyndyk added, “During the peak of the war, the United States experimented with military contractors handling these protected humanitarian convoys, and the outcomes were always disastrous.”
Konyndyk further stated, “U.S.-funded contractors were often attacked because they approached the situation with a security mindset, making them appear as combatants.”
Proposal from Global Delivery Company
Israeli-American businessman Mordechai “Moti” Kahana, who runs Global Delivery Company and submitted a bid to transport aid to Gaza, stated that no decision was made by the security cabinet on Sunday because the matter falls under the responsibility of Israel’s Ministry of Defense and the military.
Kahana added that the aid mechanism was discussed in the government meeting, but no decision was reached. The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a branch of the Ministry of Defense, directed inquiries back to the ministry itself.
Kahana alleged that humanitarian aid convoys are frequently looted, with aid falling into the hands of Hamas. He proposed a plan for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza in May, which was reviewed by The Guardian.
The proposal outlines a “pilot plan” to transport aid to the Erez Crossing, then store it in secure warehouses in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, and subsequently distribute it to designated points. Lightly armed teams, using small armored vehicles, would handle the distribution, equipped with anti-riot gear such as rubber bullets and water cannons to control crowds.
There would also be a rapid response reserve force stationed within one kilometer, prepared to use heavy weapons if the distribution teams were attacked. Kahana remarked that the Israeli military is not equipped or trained for humanitarian aid distribution, referencing the “Flour Massacre” incident on February 29 in Gaza City.
He commented, “We don’t need 18- or 19-year-old soldiers handing out lollipops to children, only for 100 kids to swarm them. If there’s a lone soldier there, he’ll panic, start shooting, and people will die.”
Expanding Aid to “Gated Communities”
The Guardian reported that Kahana’s plan for his company, Global Delivery Company, involves expanding aid to “gated communities,” protected by armed guards and secure distribution points. Kahana stated, “They are like gated communities in Miami, but without swimming pools, tennis courts, golf, or anything of that sort.”
“The idea is that they are fenced but safe, and we provide security while people manage their lives and distribute aid within their communities,” Kahana elaborated, suggesting the creation of enclosed settlements for Palestinians to receive aid.
A spokesperson for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) stated, “We have not been contacted and do not support Global Delivery Company. We have not discussed any plan with the Israeli government.”
The USAID spokesperson emphasized, “Trusted UN partners and NGOs are our go-to, and any security or political arrangements should ensure consistent humanitarian access and freedom of movement for civilians, including safe, voluntary return or resettlement.”
Israeli Ministry of Defense and the British Special Forces
On Tuesday, Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli newspaper, highlighted that the Israeli Ministry of Defense has chosen Kahana’s company to deliver aid to Gaza, but no confirmations were received; Kahana mentioned that Global Delivery Company won the contract. However, the actual distribution to Gaza would be managed through a British security company currently operating in Iraq, whose name could not be disclosed until the deal is finalized.
Kahana said, “These are British special forces; they know what they’re doing.” He further explained that “the British partner needs 30 days to deploy personnel once given the green light.”
Deteriorating Humanitarian Conditions
The discussions are taking place under increasingly dire humanitarian conditions, especially in northern Gaza. Over three weeks of intense bombardment by the Israeli military have left the region in ruins. Israel claims the ongoing operation aims to prevent Hamas from regrouping, though critics argue it is an attempt to displace Palestinians entirely and rebuild settlements.
UNRWA director Philippe Lazzarini remarked, “Our team cannot find food, water, or medical care; the stench of death is everywhere, with bodies left in the streets or under the rubble. The transfer of bodies and the delivery of humanitarian aid have been blocked. People in northern Gaza are waiting to die.”
On Monday, the United Nations reported that only four out of 66 humanitarian missions were allowed to pass through checkpoints from southern to northern Gaza in the first 20 days of October. The Biden administration has tried to pressure the Israeli Knesset to reject the two proposed laws banning UNRWA.
The report also mentioned that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where, according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, “He stressed the importance of Israel taking further steps to ensure continuous humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
