The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) officially ceased operations this week, just six months after its launch, amid widespread criticism of its privatized, militarized approach to aid distribution, which contributed to the deaths of approximately 2,000 Palestinian aid seekers.

With GHF now closed, humanitarian assistance in Gaza is being managed by the United Nations and other non-governmental organizations, in coordination with the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center, which monitors the ceasefire agreement. However, private contractors appear poised to maintain a role in the territory.

One company, UG Solutions (UGS), previously responsible for "armed security" at GHF aid sites, is reportedly preparing to staff up for operations at up to 15 new aid distribution points in Gaza starting in December, according to Drop Site.

UGS has faced intense scrutiny for its past activities, including allegations from former Green Beret and UGS contractor Anthony Aguilar, who witnessed war crimes during his deployment. The company also came under fire for employing at least ten members of an anti-Muslim biker gang in its "security operations."

Another private contractor, Q2IMPACT, has reportedly received a $7 million US contract to "monitor the efficacy of humanitarian aid in Palestine and Lebanon," a role seen as potentially replacing the work previously conducted by GHF and Safe Reach Solutions, which coordinated private aid with US and Israeli authorities.

Aguilar says that these privatized aid mechanisms aim “to displace the population, establish precursors to kill unarmed civilians, and implement systematic starvation under the guise of humanitarian aid.”

Read more: US mercenary firm, tied to GHF, recruiting for redeployment in Gaza

State Department says it will not turn to privatized aid

Meanwhile, the US State Department denied any intention of returning to privatized aid operations, labeling Aguilar’s claims as false, and has not clarified Q2IMPACT’s specific role in Gaza. The contractor itself did not respond to requests for comment.

Experts warn that the reintroduction of private contractors into aid operations poses serious risks to neutrality and civilian safety. Scott Paul of Oxfam emphasized that humanitarian aid requires "the trust of communities, a deep understanding of how crisis shapes what people do and need, a steadfast determination to keep people safe and treat them with dignity, and an uncompromising commitment to avoid being instrumentalized for political or military agendas."

The debate over privatized aid comes amid broader uncertainty regarding Gaza’s post-war governance.

The US has discussed the creation of temporary areas for vetted Palestinians to live in Israeli-occupied areas of the Gaza Strip. It is unclear whether these plans are linked to the new aid distribution sites reportedly staffed by UGS.

Humanitarian experts caution that the involvement of foreign contractors or Israeli occupation forces in aid operations could replicate the violence and mistrust that plagued GHF’s short-lived operations.

 Read more: 'Israel' fortifies Gaza’s 'yellow line,' prepares to dig in: WSJ