A former American security guard for UG Solutions at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites has alleged that American guards "regularly used force on unarmed civilians" and that "the aid centers treated the population very badly and put them in danger." The 25-year U.S. military veteran made these claims in an interview aired Tuesday on Israel’s Channel 12, stating, "In all my years of service, I’ve never seen such use of force." Incidents described by the former guard include an unarmed Palestinian man being pepper-sprayed with a full can while on his knees picking up food, a stun grenade hitting a Palestinian woman directly, causing her to collapse, and American guards opening fire on Palestinians' legs and near dirt mounds after they had finished collecting aid. "You can’t fix this. It has to stop," the guard stated, adding that he "won’t be part of it." In other developments, Israeli forces retrieved a tractor looted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7, 2023, attack and returned it to its owners in northern Gaza's Beit Hanoun over the weekend. Separately, IDF Chief of Staff Major General Eyal Zamir visited the land arm, emphasizing the need to learn lessons from past events and highlighting the IDF's operations across multiple arenas, including Gaza. He also discussed enhancing dry capabilities and strengthening the maneuvering and fatal ability of battalion and brigade teams, as well as integrating robotics. The Israeli Knesset voted in favor of imposing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, a move that could lead to unrest and international sanctions. Defense Minister Katz has expressed difficulties in negotiating with Hamas, stating that Hamas officials abroad "celebrate palaces and luxury hotels and refuse to release the kidnappers." Meanwhile, mediators reportedly declined to deliver Hamas's response to Israel regarding a potential deal, calling it "not serious" and sending it back for revision, according to sources. The IDF also published footage of five Hamas members in a tunnel, reportedly enjoying food while the organization claims Palestinians are starving. Additionally, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to discuss bilateral relations, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and requested Ukraine Parliament declare Hamas a terrorist organization. Protests related to Haredi conscription were reported in Givat Shmuel and Jerusalem, with police attempting to disperse demonstrators in Givat Shmuel and the string bridge in Jerusalem being blocked.
