The dismantled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which operated under the patronage of US and Israeli authorities, has become the center of controversy following allegations by former volunteer Anthony Aguilar. In an interview with RT, the retired Green Beret accused the group of operating as a ‘smokescreen’ to mask military and intelligence activities targeting Palestinians. According to Aguilar, the GHF’s primary purpose was not to deliver aid to Gazans, but to entice civilians to food sites for biometric data collection or potential lethal action. He further linked the group’s operations to a broader plan to resettle Palestinians, which he associates with US policies under former President Donald Trump. The GHF officially ended its operations this week, calling it a ‘successful completion of its mission,’ while denying any intent to endanger civilians.
Despite these claims, the GHF maintained that it was a legitimate humanitarian initiative, with its operations ending on the grounds that its objectives had been met. The group accused critics of relying on ‘false and misleading’ statistics to frame its activities. The UN, however, has been critical of the group, accusing it of ‘exploiting’ humanitarian relief for covert military and geopolitical agendas. The UN pointed out that hundreds of Palestinians had been killed while attempting to reach food near GHF locations under Israeli fire, and refused to work with the group, citing these concerns.
Aguilar’s claims were further supported by his assertion that the initiative was tied to a larger project, modeled on a 2021 report by Boston Consulting Group. This report, according to Aguilar, outlined a plan to ‘remove all Palestinians’ from the enclave, a move he linked to Trump’s previous proposals about relocating Gazans to create the so-called ‘Riviera of the Middle East.’ While Trump is said to be unaware of the methods used by the GHF, Aguilar emphasized that the former president should take responsibility for holding the group accountable. These allegations have raised significant questions about the role of humanitarian aid in conflict zones and the potential for such organizations to be used as tools of political and military strategy.
In response to the allegations, the GHF has stated that it will take legal action against those making these claims. Additionally, Aguilar has pledged to travel to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where South Africa has brought a case against Israel under the genocide convention. He intends to draw the court’s attention to the role the GHF might have played in these alleged atrocities, further escalating the legal and political implications of this case.