Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives
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A US-linked mercenary firm accused of shooting at aid seekers has turned to Democratic-aligned PR operatives to manage growing backlash over its role in a controversial military aid operation.
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Relatives carry the body of 13-year-old Seraje Ebrahim, killed in an Israeli strike on a drinking water distribution point for burial outside Al-Awda Hospital in al-Nuseirat, central Gaza, on July 13, 2025 (AP)
A mercenary company accused of serious war crimes in Gaza has enlisted a public relations firm led by prominent former Democratic operatives, including a former spokesperson for the Pentagon during Biden's term. At the same time, a former State Department spokesperson, who previously defended "Israel’s" actions, is now serving as vice president at a Democratic-aligned PR firm that counts "Israel’s" Foreign Ministry among its clients.
After The Grayzone published a report featuring newly surfaced footage of UG Solutions mercenaries firing on crowds of desperate aid seekers in southern Gaza, the company abruptly deleted its entire press page, even though it had inexplicably distributed the footage to media outlets itself.
Just two days later, investigative journalist Jack Poulson uncovered that UG Solutions’ new press page was being managed by Seven Letter, a PR firm staffed by former Obama and Biden communications officials. Among those brought on by the firm is Sabrina Singh, the former Pentagon spokesperson known for routinely downplaying or denying Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
Democratic PR firms tied to Israeli Gaza ops.
Seven Letter's involvement follows another high-profile contract: "Israel’s" Foreign Ministry recently hired SKDK, a leading PR firm led by Biden administration alumni. One of SKDK’s prominent new hires is Vedant Patel, the former State Department spokesperson, widely criticized for dismissing well-documented Israeli human rights violations.
In addition to working for "Israel’s" Foreign Ministry, SKDK also represents the 10/7 Project; a coalition of organizations that targets journalists seen as critical of "Israel’s" actions in Gaza.
In his original article in All-Source Intelligence, Poulson detailed how, ostensibly a humanitarian mission, GHF evolved from a vehicle inspection checkpoint in Gaza’s Netzarim corridor and is now operated by two American security firms led by former CIA officers and Green Berets. The operation claims to prevent aid looting by Hamas, yet human rights monitors report devastating civilian casualties, with no proof of the looting ever submitted.
As of Friday, the UN Human Rights Office documented at least 615 deaths, mostly caused by Israeli military fire near GHF aid distribution sites.
UG solutions’ role and efforts to manage fallout
Poulson exposes how the on-the-ground implementation has primarily involved UG Solutions, a North Carolina-based private military contractor led by ex-Green Beret Jameson Govoni. Acting as a subcontractor to Safe Reach Solutions, a Virginia firm run by former CIA operative Philip Francis Reilly, UG Solutions has played a key role since January.
Amid mounting criticism, both companies faded into the background in May, replaced by public spokesmen John Acree, a former USAID official, and Johnnie Moore, an evangelical PR executive. Their elevation followed the resignation of GHF’s original executive director over ethical concerns.
The backlash intensified after an Associated Press investigation revealed whistleblower footage showing UG Solutions personnel opening fire on desperate aid seekers. In response, UG Solutions quietly hired Seven Letter, a crisis PR firm composed of former Obama and Biden administration officials.
The firm's involvement was exposed when UG Solutions launched a new press page on Medium listing Seven Letter as a key editor. Andrew O’Brien, a partner at Seven Letter and former special envoy under John Kerry, confirmed the partnership. He described Seven Letter as more than a crisis firm, calling it a “full-service strategic communications” agency.
Deleted footage, backdated timestamp
Between July 3 and July 9, UG Solutions briefly hosted a press site (ugsolutions.press) that included videos meant to justify its actions. These videos, initially uploaded by UG Solution, were later removed. The updated press release now carries a backdated June 3 timestamp and omits the controversial footage. Seven Letter claimed a technical issue caused the content removal, but failed to restore the videos. Public interest remained high, with users asking for access to the full clips.
Adding to concerns over the firm’s political ties, Seven Letter recently announced the hiring of Sabrina Singh, formerly Biden’s deputy Pentagon spokesperson and currently an advisor at WestExec Advisors, a consulting firm linked to the Biden administration. Singh has been a prominent media voice defending military aid to both Ukraine and "Israel" post-October 7.
Another partner at Seven Letter, Adam Abrams, served as regional communications director during President Obama’s first term.
Meanwhile, UG Solutions came under fresh scrutiny after advertising a three-month unpaid internship promising experience with “AI-based intelligence fusion tools” developed by “former Special Operations Forces and CIA contractors." When asked about the internship, Seven Letter’s O’Brien declined to comment, citing HR confidentiality.
