UG solutions accused of mercenary actions in Gaza
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Whistleblowers accuse US-based contractor UG Solutions of using live fire against unarmed Palestinians at Gaza food centers, raising concerns over mercenary activity.
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Palestinians are carried after being wounded while trying to reach trucks carrying humanitarian aid en route to Gaza City, in the outskirts of Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, on August 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
In a new report published by Responsible Statecraft on Friday, Morgan Lerette discussed how American private military contractors (PMCs) working for the little-known US-based firm UG Solutions have come forward with alarming claims about their operations in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking to media and members of Congress, several contractors said they were instructed to use live ammunition for crowd control at food distribution centers managed by the Global Humanitarian Fund (GHF), a controversial body now overseeing aid delivery in Gaza.
According to the author, centers meant to aid civilians suffering from catastrophic hunger have instead become scenes of deadly violence, with unarmed Palestinians reportedly shot while trying to obtain food. Since May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed near or at GHF-run centers.
The Israeli occupation forces have been accused of shelling and shooting at civilians, and US contractors said they witnessed these actions and were told to take part in armed crowd dispersal efforts.
The article mentions that UG Solutions is one of two US private firms contracted by the GHF to secure and deliver food aid into Gaza. The GHF, now managing the role previously held by the United Nations, claims to have delivered nearly 100 million meals to Gaza with PMC assistance.
However, UG Solutions is not operating under any US government contract or formal oversight. According to available information, it works under the authority of a foreign entity, effectively placing it outside the chain of accountability typically required of US defense contractors.
Both UG Solutions and the Israeli military deny the allegations made by the contractors. The GHF has also released multiple statements labeling the charges “categorically false.”
International criticism and UN condemnation
The United Nations has strongly condemned the shift in Gaza aid operations. A spokesperson described the GHF’s model as an "abomination" that “provides nothing but starvation and gunfire to the people of Gaza.”
While the UN previously coordinated humanitarian relief, "Israel" has now handed operational control to GHF, a move that has fueled accusations of weaponizing aid and undermining neutral humanitarian efforts.
Are PMCs Becoming Mercenaries?
The allegations against UG Solutions reignite a long-standing debate: when does a private military contractor become a mercenary?
Under the UN's six-point definition, a mercenary is someone who:
- Is specifically recruited to fight in a conflict,
- Directly participates in hostilities,
- Is motivated primarily by private gain,
- Is not a national of a party to the conflict,
- Is not a member of a party’s armed forces,
- Has not been sent by a state on official duty.
By these criteria, experts argue UG Solutions qualifies on all counts.
According to the report, unlike Blackwater, whose controversial role in Iraq was sanctioned by US State Department contracts, UG Solutions appears to be operating independently of any US agency. Its personnel are reportedly engaged in armed operations within a conflict zone on behalf of a foreign entity, and for financial compensation.
The erosion of ethical and legal boundaries
The use of PMCs in Gaza, particularly those with no official US affiliation, marks a dangerous shift in the role of private military firms, the article said, adding that contractors from UG Solutions are reportedly taking part in violent crowd control against unarmed civilians at food aid sites, further blurring the line between humanitarian operations and militarized conflict.
Though UG Solutions argues its mission is humanitarian, whistleblower testimony paints a darker picture of operations that resemble those of a full-fledged mercenary organization.
The report argues that the situation has raised alarm among observers and former contractors alike, with many calling for urgent regulation and public scrutiny.
It adds that without transparency or state accountability, the involvement of US companies in such activities risks dragging the PMC industry into deeper ethical and legal controversy, until, as one former Blackwater contractor warned, history repeats itself with tragedy.
