U.S. Security Contractors Deployed to Gaza Checkpoint Amid Ceasefire
Security contractors have begun inspecting vehicles in Gaza as part of efforts to prevent the transfer of heavy weaponry to the northern part of the enclave. This operation comes as tens of thousands of Palestinians return to northern Gaza during the ongoing truce between Israel and Hamas.
A small U.S. security firm, UG Solutions, has reportedly hired nearly 100 U.S. special forces veterans to operate a checkpoint in Gaza. According to a recruitment email obtained by Reuters, the North Carolina-based company is offering a daily rate starting at $1,100, with a $10,000 advance to those hired. Personnel will also be receiving $500,000 in accidental death and dismemberment coverage, while the daily pay for former U.S. Special Forces medics will increase to $1,250.
Some contractors have already been deployed, though the exact number remains undisclosed. These personnel will staff a key intersection in Gaza’s interior, conducting vehicle inspections to enforce security measures according to a spokesperson.
An video unverified by SOFX has been circulating social media, which claims to show the arrival of U.S. security contractors into the “Netzarim Corridor.”
An Egyptian official reportedly confirmed to the Times of Israel that the checkpoint is being managed by a combination of Egyptian contractors and a U.S. firm, as part of an Egyptian-Qatari committee overseeing the ceasefire.
A Palestinian businessman who crossed through the checkpoint told the New York Times that U.S. security personnel, dressed in dark fatigues, were conducting vehicle inspections, while Egyptian soldiers directed traffic and passengers.
The contractors are reportedly armed with M4 rifles and Glock pistols, standard weapons for U.S. and Israeli military personnel. The rules of engagement governing the use of force by UG Solutions personnel have allegedly been finalized but remain undisclosed. A spokesperson for the company stated that its primary mission is “internal vehicle checkpoint management and vehicle inspection” and emphasized that the contractors would not engage with the local population.
A Palestinian official close to the negotiations corroborated that U.S. contractors would be stationed at the checkpoint at the intersection of the Netzarim Corridor and Salah al-Din Street, a crucial transit route in Gaza. The official further stated that the contractors would be deployed away from civilians using the crossing and would not directly interact with the local population.
According to a source cited by the Times of Israel, the U.S. government has not played a direct role in the decision to deploy security contractors in Gaza or in the awarding of the contract, according to a separate source also cited. According to The Guardian, funding for the security operation reportedly comes from Israel and unnamed Arab nations involved in the ceasefire agreement.
The deal has raised alarms among observers, given the severe risks private military contractors face in active war zones. The 2004 Fallujah ambush still stands as a brutal reminder, where four Blackwater USA contractors were killed, and their bodies hung from a bridge, eventually triggering a massive U.S. military response.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the security arrangements, and responses from the U.S. State Department, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, and Hamas were not immediately available. The situation remains fluid as security measures are implemented under the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
