Tel Aviv (Israel), May 5 (LaPresse/AP) – Israel has informed the United Nations that it will use private security companies to oversee aid distribution in Gaza, according to an internal memo circulated among humanitarian groups and reviewed by the Associated Press. The UN has stated it will not participate in the plan as presented, arguing it violates core UN principles.
The memo, sent to humanitarian organizations on Sunday, outlines a meeting between Israel’s COGAT (the defense body coordinating aid in Gaza) and the UN. Under the COGAT plan, all aid would enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, allowing about 60 trucks per day. Aid parcels of 20 kilograms would be distributed directly to the population on the same day, though details about their contents and the number of recipients remain unclear.
The aid would be distributed at logistics centers operated by private security firms. Facial recognition technology would be used to identify Palestinians at the centers, and SMS notifications would inform people when they can collect aid. Humanitarian workers argue that centralizing aid rather than delivering it directly to displaced persons will force many to leave their shelters. Over 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced due to ongoing conflict.
According to the UN, the plan could leave large portions of the population, including the most vulnerable, without access to aid. The UN further criticized the initiative as appearing to be designed to exert control over essential supplies as part of a military strategy. The memo also claims that the U.S. government has expressed clear support for Israel’s plan, though it remains unclear who will fund the private firms or supply the aid.