We cannot stay silent while starving and unarmed children, women, and citizens of Gaza are met with gunfire by American contractors.

Recent reporting from the Associated Press has exposed disturbing practices by American security contractors at aid distribution sites in Gaza, operated by the U.S.-funded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). According to contractors who spoke out, desperate Palestinians trying to feed their families have been met with live ammunition, stun grenades, and pepper spray—used recklessly and routinely.

“I think you hit one.”
“Hell, yeah, boy!”

These are the words caught on video as contractors fired toward civilians leaving with food boxes. One contractor said he saw another shoot into a crowd—just to disperse them—and watched a man fall.

This is not humanitarian aid. This is chaos enabled by a rushed rollout, unvetted security personnel, and total lack of accountability. Contractors were hired with little to no combat experience. Many weren’t even trained to safely handle the deadly weapons they were issued. Some didn’t know how to aim their rifles. And yet they were told to monitor civilians, fire to control crowds, and even use facial recognition software reportedly shared with the Israeli military.

The U.S. government has already pledged $30 million to GHF—our taxpayer dollars are funding this.

We demand:

• A full, independent investigation into GHF’s practices, policies, and contractor oversight.
• Immediate accountability for any violations of humanitarian or international law.
• Strict vetting and training requirements for any security personnel involved in aid operations.

This is not about politics. It’s about basic human rights. Innocent people are being “hurt. Badly. Needlessly,” as one contractor put it. That must stop now.

Add your name to demand justice, accountability, and real humanitarian care—not violence disguised as aid.

Photo: Abdallah F.s. Alattar / Anadolu via Getty Images