The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation slammed allegations claiming that security contractors opened fire at hungry Palestinians seeking food at the group’s aid distribution sites.
In a statement Thursday, the GHF said it launched an immediate investigation after The Associated Press reported the allegations.
The AP cited two anonymous U.S. contractors who said they were disturbed by what they considered “dangerous and irresponsible practices.”
“Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP’s stories are categorically false,” the relief organization said. “At no point were civilians under fire at a GHF distribution site.”
Reports of gunfire came from Israel Defense Forces troops who were outside the immediate vicinity of the distribution site.
“It was not directed at individuals and no one was shot or injured,” the GHF said in its statement.
Ambassador Danny Danon, Israel’s envoy to the United Nations, said Hamas wants to sabotage the work of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
“It’s not perfect but it is a good mechanism,” Mr. Danon said Wednesday. “Hamas is threatening people not to go to those centers.”
The GHF criticized the AP for refusing to share video of the alleged shooting incident prior to publication, despite the seriousness of the accusations leveled against them.
“If they believed their own reporting, they should have provided us with the footage so we could take immediate and appropriate action,” the group said.
The GHF officials said the primary source for the report was a disgruntled former contractor who was fired for misconduct weeks before the AP article was published.
“Their coverage of our aid operations has increasingly echoed narratives advanced by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health,” the GHF said. “In response, we are pursuing legal action.”
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing aid into the Palestinian enclave on May 26, following Israel’s nearly three-month blockade to put pressure on Hamas to release hostages.
The group said it has delivered more than 50 million meals since the launch.
The U.S. government has approved $30 million in funding to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, with State Department officials calling on other countries to support the relief organization’s work.
State Department deputy spokesperson Thomas Pigott said the GHF’s track record of distributing millions of much-needed meals while preventing any looting from Hamas is “absolutely incredible” and should be commended and supported.
“From day one, we said we are open to creative solutions that securely provide aid to those in Gaza and protect Israel,” Mr. Pigott said during a June 26 State Department briefing. “This support is simply the latest iteration of President Trump and Secretary [Marco] Rubio’s pursuit of peace in the region.”
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, known as UNRWA, is the primary U.N. agency for assisting Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and the surrounding regions.
Last year, the Knesset passed laws restricting UNRWA’s operations and banning contact with Israeli officials.
The UNRWA has been plagued with accusations that Hamas loots the agency’s shipments and uses the relationship to control the Palestinian populace.
