‘Not even there’: Gaza aid group says ex-contractor fabricated eyewitness war crimes claims

According to a GHF spokesperson, he was terminated by UG Solutions, GHF’s security partner, on June 13 for “misconduct, erratic behavior, and repeated workplace conflicts.”

By Pesach Benson, TPS

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on Tuesday accused former contractor and ex-U.S. special forces soldier Anthony Aguilar of spreading a “false narrative” about alleged war crimes in Gaza after being dismissed for poor performance.

Aguilar had claimed in a BBC interview that he witnessed “indiscriminate and unnecessary force” by Israeli soldiers and private contractors at aid distribution sites.

“In my entire career, I have never witnessed the level of brutality,” he told the broadcaster, describing what he characterized as “war crimes.”

GHF denied the allegations and said Aguilar fabricated evidence and misrepresented his departure.

“Not only did the events that he recounted never happen, but he wasn’t even in the right place or at the right time to have seen the things that he claims to have seen,” said GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay.

According to Fay, Aguilar was terminated by UG Solutions, GHF’s security partner, on June 13 for “misconduct, erratic behavior, and repeated workplace conflicts.”

Fay presented text messages showing Aguilar pleading to be rehired and later threatening retaliation. In one message dated June 15, Aguilar wrote, “I could be your best friend or your worst nightmare.”

Despite these pleas continuing into early July, UG Solutions refused to reinstate him.

Fay also accused Aguilar of falsifying a memo he claimed to have sent to UG Solutions leadership on May 28, which raised concerns about conduct in Gaza.

Metadata revealed the document was actually created on June 21—after his dismissal—and sent simultaneously to company staff and media outlets.

“On May 29, one day after he claims to have sent this memo, he was praising the team,” said Fay, reading one message aloud: “Your efforts have brought families back together and have severely weakened the image of Hamas.”

Other messages painted a stark contrast to Aguilar’s later claims. “It’s a privilege and an honor to see America’s best doing America’s most important work,” he wrote in late May. “You are making a difference every day, every hour, every minute.”

Fay dismissed Aguilar’s allegations that UG Solutions contractors used excessive force against civilians, saying only non-lethal methods — such as pepper spray and flashbangs — were used when needed to prevent stampedes.

“No UG personnel have ever directed warning shots at civilians on the ground,” said Fay. “They were fired into the air or toward the coastline.”

He also cast doubt on Aguilar’s credibility as a witness, noting that he spent more than half of his 27-day tenure in Israel, not at the distribution sites. “He did not have a line of sight to IDF assets,” Fay emphasized, “and his claims of being an eyewitness are false.”

GHF also published an affidavit signed by UG Solutions staff who worked alongside Aguilar and contradicted his statements.

Legal counsel David Panzer said Aguilar’s actions were “an attempt to seek retribution” after being let go. “His words require scrutiny,” Panzer warned, urging media outlets to “vet his claims carefully” or risk legal consequences.

Since beginning operations on May 26, the GHF has distributed more than 97 million meals.

The GHF has come under repeated threats from Hamas, according to its leadership, particularly over its independent aid delivery model that bypasses Hamas-controlled channels.

Hamas has been firing on Palestinians making their way to distribution centers, and residents of the Strip accuse the terror group of violence to deliberately disrupt the aid.

Approximatelyh 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 50 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead.