Latest news with #USContractors
Fox News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Gaza aid group says AP report of US contractors firing on aid-seeking Palestinians is 'categorically false'
A Gaza aid group says that reports from the Associated Press claiming U.S. contractors fired on Palestinians that were seeking aid are false. "GHF launched an immediate investigation when the Associated Press first brought these allegations to our attention," the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said in a Thursday X post. "Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP's story are categorically false," the foundation said, and noted that they were responding to videos in the AP report. A story published Wednesday by the AP reported that "American contractors guarding aid distribution sites in Gaza are using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scramble for food." The story says that two U.S. contractors who spoke to the AP anonymously said that their counterparts often hurled stun grenades and pepper spray toward Palestinians trying to get aid. "They said their colleagues regularly lobbed stun grenades and pepper spray in the direction of the Palestinians," the story reads. "One contractor said bullets were fired in all directions — in the air, into the ground and at times toward the Palestinians, recalling at least one instance where he thought someone had been hit." The AP story included videos they say were given by one of the contractors that "show hundreds of Palestinians crowded between metal gates, jostling for aid amid the sound of bullets, stun grenades and the sting of pepper spray. Other videos include conversations between English-speaking men discussing how to disperse crowds and encouraging each other after bursts of gunfire." The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation posted a lengthy statement on Thursday addressing the AP's reporting. "GHF launched an immediate investigation when the Associated Press first brought these allegations to our attention," read the statement posted to X. "Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP's story are categorically false. At no point were civilians under fire at a GHF distribution site. The gunfire heard in the video was confirmed to have originated from the IDF, who was outside the immediate vicinity of the GHF distribution site. It was not directed at individuals, and no one was shot or injured." The statement also alleges that the main source for the AP's story was a former employee "who was terminated for misconduct weeks before this article was published." "That fact, combined with the AP's refusal to engage in good faith prior to publication, undermines the credibility of their reporting," the statement reads. "Their coverage of our aid operations has increasingly echoed narratives advanced by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health." The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said that it will be pursuing legal action. Israel has agreed to President Donald Trump's request for a 60-day ceasefire. Trump has said he hopes to work with the Qataris and Egyptians to deliver a deal for Hamas and bring peace to the Middle East. Fox News Digital reached out to the Associated Press for comment and an AP spokesperson said the outlet stands by the story. The IDF was also reached out for comment but didn't immediately respond.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Organization denies AP report that US contractors at its Gaza food distribution sites used live ammo
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American organization running a new aid program in Gaza, on Thursday denied a report by The Associated Press that American contractors guarding the foundation's aid sites inside Gaza were using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scrambled for food. AP's story, released Wednesday, is based on accounts from two U.S. contractors who spoke anonymously because they were revealing internal operations of their employer. They said they were coming forward because they were disturbed by what they considered irresponsible and dangerous practices. It draws also on text messages, internal reports and videos filmed by one of the contractors. The GHF said it launched an 'immediate investigation' when it was first contacted by the AP for comment. 'Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP's story are categorically false,' they wrote. 'At no point were civilians under fire at a GHF distribution site,' the GHF wrote. GHF, Israeli military disagree In its statement Thursday, GHF said the fire heard in videos obtained by The AP came from Israel's military, located 'outside the immediate vicinity' of the aid sites themselves. It offered no evidence. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesman, told the AP Thursday that the army is 'not within the sites' and 'not in the immediate proximity to the sites.' GHF said the gunfire in the videos obtained by the AP 'was not directed at individuals, and no one was shot or injured." The AP's initial report included photos taken by the contractor showing a woman lying on a donkey cart after the contractor said she was hit in the head with a stun grenade, a Palestinian crying after the contractor said he was tear gassed and videos where the sound of live ammunition can be heard. Men dressed in grey — people whom the contractor who filmed the video identified as his colleagues — can be seen lobbing multiple stun grenades toward crowds of Palestinians squeezed into a narrow, fenced-in lane leading to one of the sites. The stun grenades flash as they land, and Palestinians are engulfed in thick clouds. The contractors said they deployed pepper spray regularly. The contractors also told the AP that Israel's military was not stationed at the sites or in their immediate vicinity. The GHF called the AP's decision not to share the videos filmed by the contractor with them ahead of publication 'troubling.' It claimed that the 'primary source' in the story was a 'disgruntled former contractor who was terminated for misconduct weeks before this article was published.' AP decided not to share videos before publication The AP reached out to the GHF, Safe Reach Solutions, the company subcontracted to handle logistics for GHF, and UG Solutions, the company that hired the security contractors, a week before publication. The AP described the videos in detail in an email to UG but decided not to share the videos to protect sources' safety during the lead-up to publication. The AP thoroughly vetted both contractors who provided testimony and verified the videos using geolocation, confirming they were filmed at the aid sites, and sought audio analysis from forensic experts who determined the gunfire came from within 50-60 meters in most videos and within 115 meters in one. The AP has asked to visit the GHF sites numerous times and had not been granted access. Journalists have been unable to visit the GHF sites, located in Israeli military-controlled zones. The GHF also said in its statement that it had already removed one contractor seen 'shouting' in a video published by the AP. In the case of one video, the contractor who filmed it said he witnessed two other contractors firing in the direction of Palestinians leaving the site after collecting their food. He said the contractors were egging each other on. In the video, English-speaking men say 'I think you hit one,' and 'Hell yeah, boy!' after a burst of gunfire sounds, but who is shooting and what is being shot at is obscured. The contractor filming said he watched a man amid a group of Palestinians leaving the site drop to the ground, in the same direction of the bullets being fired. The contractor who filmed the video says he doesn't know whether anyone was hit or injured in that instance. GHF did not address that account in its statement Thursday but said 'no one was shot or injured.'
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Organization denies AP report that US contractors at its Gaza food distribution sites used live ammo
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American organization running a new aid program in Gaza, on Thursday denied a report by The Associated Press that American contractors guarding the foundation's aid sites inside Gaza were using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scrambled for food. AP's story, released Wednesday, is based on accounts from two U.S. contractors who spoke anonymously because they were revealing internal operations of their employer. They said they were coming forward because they were disturbed by what they considered irresponsible and dangerous practices. It draws also on text messages, internal reports and videos filmed by one of the contractors. The GHF said it launched an 'immediate investigation' when it was first contacted by the AP for comment. 'Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP's story are categorically false,' they wrote. 'At no point were civilians under fire at a GHF distribution site,' the GHF wrote. GHF, Israeli military disagree In its statement Thursday, GHF said the fire heard in videos obtained by The AP came from Israel's military, located 'outside the immediate vicinity' of the aid sites themselves. It offered no evidence. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesman, told the AP Thursday that the army is 'not within the sites' and 'not in the immediate proximity to the sites.' GHF said the gunfire in the videos obtained by the AP 'was not directed at individuals, and no one was shot or injured." The AP's initial report included photos taken by the contractor showing a woman lying on a donkey cart after the contractor said she was hit in the head with a stun grenade, a Palestinian crying after the contractor said he was tear gassed and videos where the sound of live ammunition can be heard. Men dressed in grey — people whom the contractor who filmed the video identified as his colleagues — can be seen lobbing multiple stun grenades toward crowds of Palestinians squeezed into a narrow, fenced-in lane leading to one of the sites. The stun grenades flash as they land, and Palestinians are engulfed in thick clouds. The contractors said they deployed pepper spray regularly. The contractors also told the AP that Israel's military was not stationed at the sites or in their immediate vicinity. The GHF called the AP's decision not to share the videos filmed by the contractor with them ahead of publication 'troubling.' It claimed that the 'primary source' in the story was a 'disgruntled former contractor who was terminated for misconduct weeks before this article was published.' AP decided not to share videos before publication The AP reached out to the GHF, Safe Reach Solutions, the company subcontracted to handle logistics for GHF, and UG Solutions, the company that hired the security contractors, a week before publication. The AP described the videos in detail in an email to UG but decided not to share the videos to protect sources' safety during the lead-up to publication. The AP thoroughly vetted both contractors who provided testimony and verified the videos using geolocation, confirming they were filmed at the aid sites, and sought audio analysis from forensic experts who determined the gunfire came from within 50-60 meters in most videos and within 115 meters in one. The AP has asked to visit the GHF sites numerous times and had not been granted access. Journalists have been unable to visit the GHF sites, located in Israeli military-controlled zones. The GHF also said in its statement that it had already removed one contractor seen 'shouting' in a video published by the AP. In the case of one video, the contractor who filmed it said he witnessed two other contractors firing in the direction of Palestinians leaving the site after collecting their food. He said the contractors were egging each other on. In the video, English-speaking men say 'I think you hit one,' and 'Hell yeah, boy!' after a burst of gunfire sounds, but who is shooting and what is being shot at is obscured. The contractor filming said he watched a man amid a group of Palestinians leaving the site drop to the ground, in the same direction of the bullets being fired. The contractor who filmed the video says he doesn't know whether anyone was hit or injured in that instance. GHF did not address that account in its statement Thursday but said 'no one was shot or injured.'
Associated Press
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Organization denies AP report that US contractors at its Gaza food distribution sites used live ammo
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American organization running a new aid program in Gaza, on Thursday denied a report by The Associated Press that American contractors guarding the foundation's aid sites inside Gaza were using live ammunition and stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scrambled for food. AP's story, released Wednesday, is based on accounts from two U.S. contractors who spoke anonymously because they were revealing internal operations of their employer. They said they were coming forward because they were disturbed by what they considered irresponsible and dangerous practices. It draws also on text messages, internal reports and videos filmed by one of the contractors. The GHF said it launched an 'immediate investigation' when it was first contacted by the AP for comment. 'Based on time-stamped video footage and sworn witness statements, we have concluded that the claims in the AP's story are categorically false,' they wrote. 'At no point were civilians under fire at a GHF distribution site,' the GHF wrote. GHF, Israeli military disagreeIn its statement Thursday, GHF said the fire heard in videos obtained by The AP came from Israel's military, located 'outside the immediate vicinity' of the aid sites themselves. It offered no evidence. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an army spokesman, told the AP Thursday that the army is 'not within the sites' and 'not in the immediate proximity to the sites.' GHF said the gunfire in the videos obtained by the AP 'was not directed at individuals, and no one was shot or injured.' The AP's initial report included photos taken by the contractor showing a woman lying on a donkey cart after the contractor said she was hit in the head with a stun grenade, a Palestinian crying after the contractor said he was tear gassed and videos where the sound of live ammunition can be heard. Men dressed in grey — people whom the contractor who filmed the video identified as his colleagues — can be seen lobbing multiple stun grenades toward crowds of Palestinians squeezed into a narrow, fenced-in lane leading to one of the sites. The stun grenades flash as they land, and Palestinians are engulfed in thick clouds. The contractors said they deployed pepper spray regularly. The contractors also told the AP that Israel's military was not stationed at the sites or in their immediate vicinity. The GHF called the AP's decision not to share the videos filmed by the contractor with them ahead of publication 'troubling.' It claimed that the 'primary source' in the story was a 'disgruntled former contractor who was terminated for misconduct weeks before this article was published.' AP decided not to share videos before publication The AP reached out to the GHF, Safe Reach Solutions, the company subcontracted to handle logistics for GHF, and UG Solutions, the company that hired the security contractors, a week before publication. The AP described the videos in detail in an email to UG but decided not to share the videos to protect sources' safety during the lead-up to publication. The AP thoroughly vetted both contractors who provided testimony and verified the videos using geolocation, confirming they were filmed at the aid sites, and sought audio analysis from forensic experts who determined the gunfire came from within 50-60 meters in most videos and within 115 meters in one. The AP has asked to visit the GHF sites numerous times and had not been granted access. Journalists have been unable to visit the GHF sites, located in Israeli military-controlled zones. The GHF also said in its statement that it had already removed one contractor seen 'shouting' in a video published by the AP. In the case of one video, the contractor who filmed it said he witnessed two other contractors firing in the direction of Palestinians leaving the site after collecting their food. He said the contractors were egging each other on. In the video, English-speaking men say 'I think you hit one,' and 'Hell yeah, boy!' after a burst of gunfire sounds, but who is shooting and what is being shot at is obscured. The contractor filming said he watched a man amid a group of Palestinians leaving the site drop to the ground, in the same direction of the bullets being fired. The contractor who filmed the video says he doesn't know whether anyone was hit or injured in that instance. GHF did not address that account in its statement Thursday but said 'no one was shot or injured.'
Al Jazeera
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
US contractors say live rounds are being shot at Gaza aid seekers
US contractors say live rounds are being shot at Gaza aid seekers NewsFeed An Associated Press report reveals leaked footage from sites of the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Two US security contractors say live rounds and stun grenades were used on Palestinians at the food distribution points run by unqualified and heavily armed guards. Video Duration 00 minutes 24 seconds 00:24 Video Duration 01 minutes 10 seconds 01:10 Video Duration 01 minutes 28 seconds 01:28 Video Duration 02 minutes 41 seconds 02:41 Video Duration 00 minutes 59 seconds 00:59 Video Duration 01 minutes 44 seconds 01:44 Video Duration 00 minutes 26 seconds 00:26
