Trump’s Gaza Board Weighs Reinstating Firm Criticized Over Deadly Aid Site Incidents

Reuters reported Wednesday that a U.S. security firm that previously guarded Gaza aid distribution sites is in talks with President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace about a potential role in the enclave.

UG Solutions, a North Carolina-based company, disclosed the discussions 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 to Reuters that talks with the firm are under way.

UG Solutions provided security last year for the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operated distribution sites in areas where the Israeli military was deployed. The foundation shut down following an October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas terrorists.

The United Nations criticized the operations after Palestinians were killed while attempting to reach aid sites, saying the system was inherently dangerous and violated humanitarian principles requiring safe distribution. Reuters reported that hundreds of Palestinians were killed during chaotic scenes near aid routes.

The Israeli military said its troops opened fire to respond to threats and disperse crowds, and later revised its procedures after the incidents. UG Solutions said its contractors were responsible only for securing the aid sites and their immediate perimeter, and had no authority over Israeli military operations or Palestinian activity.

A spokesperson for UG Solutions told Reuters the company had “provided information and proposals to the U.S.-led Board of Peace,” the body established by President Trump to advance his plan to end the Gaza war and oversee reconstruction.

“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.

Palestinian groups signaled opposition to any return of the firm. “The GHF and those who stand behind it have Palestinian blood on their hands; they are not welcome to return to Gaza,” Amjad al-Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGOs Network, told Reuters.

Trump’s plan for Gaza calls for a surge in humanitarian aid, for Israel to withdraw after Hamas terrorists lay down their arms, and for the territory to be rebuilt under the supervision of the Board of Peace. 

The Board is expected to hold a meeting in Washington next week, in part to raise funds for a reconstruction plan associated with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, which envisions rebuilding Gaza in stages, beginning in Rafah in southern Gaza.

UG Solutions has listed several positions on its website, including an International Humanitarian Security Officer role requiring proficiency with small arms weapons and a Cultural Support Officer position limited to female candidates. The company told Reuters those listings are meant to prepare teams for potential contracts in Gaza and for expansion into Syria’s oil and gas sector.

When the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation shut down, UG Solutions said it remained “the go-to security firm to help those focused on rebuilding and delivering aid.”