A US security firm called UG Solutions is recruiting nearly 100 US special forces veterans to staff a checkpoint in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas truce.
This move marks the first deployment of armed American contractors in the region. The contractors will be responsible for managing vehicle inspections at a key intersection in Gaza's interior, and they'll be armed with M4 rifles and Glock pistols.
The recruitment email offers a daily rate starting at $1,100, with a $10,000 advance. The company aims to recruit 96 veterans with US special operations forces backgrounds. Some contractors have already been recruited and are on the ground in Gaza.
This development raises concerns about the potential risks facing the American contractors, including gunfights with Islamist militants or Palestinians angry over Washington's support for Israel's Gaza offensive. Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official, acknowledged that there is indeed a threat.
The rules of engagement for when UG Solutions personnel can open fire have been finalized, but the details remain undisclosed. The Israeli deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel, mentioned that Israel had demanded the use of a private security firm to help maintain security and humanitarian aid flows in Gaza.
It's worth noting that the use of private security firms has led to disastrous consequences in the past. The 2007 incident in Baghdad's Al Nisour Square, where Blackwater contractors killed 14 civilians, is a stark reminder of the potential risks involved.
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