Hamas militants are reportedly planning attacks against American contractors working for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid organization delivering food in Gaza. GHF has faced growing threats and violence since beginning operations in late May.
On June 12, GHF confirmed a deadly ambush on a bus carrying its Palestinian employees, resulting in the deaths of at least eight aid workers and dozens more wounded. GHF leadership directly blamed Hamas militants, citing the attack as retaliation for its bypassing of Hamas-controlled aid efforts.
This threat extends beyond local staff—U.S. private security contractors are also considered targets. GHF operations rely on armed American personnel to secure distribution sites, prompting Hamas to reportedly issue warnings that American contractors are legitimate attack targets. In response, GHF temporarily paused operations at two sites on June 7 due to these looming threats.
GHF opened its first distribution centers in Rafah and Khan Younis under tight security. However, chaos at the sites has been severe: over 500 Palestinians have been killed trying to reach aid, according to Gaza health officials, prompting accusations the program has devolved into a “death trap”. The U.N. and humanitarian groups have condemned the model, calling it dangerous, militarized, and lacking neutrality.
GHF’s interim director, John Acree, affirmed on June 12 that operations would continue despite threats. The broader U.S. financial commitment to GHF—including $7 million already disbursed and potential monthly allocations of $30 million—highlights the federal government’s intent to bypass Hamas influence in the humanitarian response.
This situation raises significant concerns about the security of American private contractors operating in a highly volatile environment, underscoring growing Hamas hostility and the hazards of militarized aid distribution.
