Underground US security firm hires veterans for Gaza mission: Reuters

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Reuters
30 Jan 2025 16:53
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An exclusive report by Reuters delves into the details of a recent Gaza mission led by American mercenaries hired by a low-profile security firm.

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Israeli soldiers stand near a tank inside southern Gaza along the border with occupied Palestine, Jan. 19, 2025 (AP)

A small security firm based in the United States, UG Solutions, is hiring almost 100 US special forces veterans to run a checkpoint, located along the Netzarim axis and Salah al-Din street intersection in the Gaza Strip throughout the ceasefire agreement brokered between the Israeli occupation and Palestinian Resistance.

The company email revealing the plan, as seen by Reuters, includes payment rates per soldier, which start from $1,100 for each day spent in Gaza. Soldiers will also be given $10,000 in advance.

UG Solutions' personnel will collaborate with Safe Reach Solutions, a US firm handling logistics. Each hire receives $500,000 in insurance, and former US Special Forces medics are paid $1,250 per day. Funding comes from "Israel" and unnamed Arab nations, while the US government was not directly involved in selecting the security firm.

According to the spokesperson, some individuals have already been recruited and are present at the crucial intersection. However, he did not disclose the number of contractors currently in Gaza.

While UG Solutions' involvement in the ceasefire agreement had been previously reported, the email revealed new details, including plans to recruit 96 veterans exclusively from US special operations forces, their compensation, and the types of weapons they would carry, including M4 rifles, commonly used by Israeli and US soldiers, as well as Glock pistols.

On January 7, Reuters reported that Emirati officials had proposed using private contractors as part of a post-war peacekeeping force in Gaza, an idea that raised concerns among Western nations.

The presence of armed US mercenaries in Gaza is unprecedented, which increases the risk of American involvement in combat, even as President Donald Trump's administration claims it seeks to prevent the war from reigniting.

The contractors have been informed that they have the right to "self-defense".

However, it is worth noting that the US' history of using private security firms manifested disastrous consequences. In 2007, Blackwater contractors killed 14 civilians in Baghdad, igniting a diplomatic crisis. Four were convicted but later pardoned by Trump. In 2004, insurgents in Fallujah killed four Blackwater employees, leading to a major US military offensive.

Regardless, the presence of foreign contractors, according to Ahmed Fuad Alkhatib, a fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, reasserts Hamas' victory throughout the war.

Egypt's involvement

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel stated on Tuesday that "Israel" required the involvement of a private security firm, working alongside an Egyptian security company or forces, to ensure security and facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries in Gaza. Haskel did not mention UG Solutions or the United States by name but noted that the effectiveness of this arrangement remained uncertain.

Previous ceasefire talks had stalled due to "Israel’s" insistence on deploying its own troops at the checkpoint. Recently, eyewitnesses in Gaza reported that Egyptian security personnel were using scanners to detect hidden weapons in vehicles. An Egyptian source confirmed that these personnel were specially trained in counterterrorism.

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Meanwhile, a Palestinian official involved in the negotiations confirmed that US contractors would also be stationed at the checkpoint. However, under the agreement, these contractors would be positioned away from civilians and would not interact with the local population.

An email from UG Solutions specified that its primary role was managing internal vehicle checkpoints and inspecting vehicles, with a spokesperson emphasizing that their focus was solely on vehicles.

Multiple private security industry professionals told Reuters they were unfamiliar with UG Solutions. The only individual listed in Virginia state incorporation records for the company is Jameson Govani, a US Special Forces veteran, who did not respond to phone inquiries, according to Reuters.

A US private security source familiar with the UG Solutions contract expressed concerns about the risks of deploying Americans in Gaza, warning that combat could erupt suddenly.

There was no clarity on what would happen if the contractors were attacked or captured, or which country’s laws would apply to their actions.

The email did not specify who would be responsible for their rescue. A UG Solutions spokesperson claimed the document was outdated and that quick reaction forces would be available but did not provide further details.