The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) slammed former US Green Beret Lt.-Col. Anthony Aguilar on Wednesday over his comments to the BBC on Saturday, in which he said that he witnessed the IDF firing at unarmed civilians at aid distribution sites.
Aguilar is a “disgruntled contractor,” the GHF said.
“I witnessed the IDF firing into a crowd of Palestinians,” Aguilar told the BBC. “I witnessed the IDF firing a main gun round from a Merkava tank into a crowd of people, destroying a car full of civilians that were simply driving away from the site.”
“In my entire career, I have never witnessed – until I was in Gaza – the level of brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against an unarmed, starving civilian population at the hands of the IDF and US contractors,” he continued.
Per the GHF, Aguilar’s statements to the BBC prompted an immediate investigation that found his testimony to be false.
The US-backed aid organization discredited Aguilar, saying that he was terminated from the organization against his will.
In fact, he had previously praised the GHF’s work, it continued.
According to the aid organization, Aguilar’s claim that UG Solutions (the GHF’s security partner) contractors used stun grenades, tear gas, and other non-lethal munitions in a manner that harmed civilians seeking aid is false.
It said that contractors used pepper spray, smoke, and flash-bang grenades to prevent trampling among the crowds of civilians seeking aid.
The organization also said that warning shots have been used to disperse crowds; however, these shots were directed either upward in the air or toward the coastline – not at the civilians seeking aid.
According to the GHF, Aguilar only worked for UG Solutions as a contractor for a total of 27 days before he was fired on June 13 for misconduct. “Aguilar failed to perform basic tasks that were his responsibility,” it said.
The next day, he asked the organization to reconsider and offered to work in any capacity, according to the organization.
“As late as July 4, Mr. Aguilar informed the UG leadership that he had submitted a new application for work in Gaza,” it continued.
“I do not want to leave. I understand that my current contract as the JTOC operator is terminated. Fine, but I can be put on a new contract... If the fear is that other personnel like it or [don’t]... then the UG is being held hostage. I can be of huge value to this company and contract – take advantage of me as an asset,” the GHF quoted Aguilar as saying.
Pledges retribution if he is not hired back by aid org.
It also said that he threatened UG Solutions with retribution if he was not hired back. On June 15, he allegedly wrote to the company: “I could be your best friend or your worst nightmare; stop effing around. Put me back to work, and let’s get this mission done.”
“Figure something out, or I’m on a plane come Tuesday and the gloves are off,” the aid organization quoted him as saying on June 21 as he cited his family’s needs as the reason for why he was asking to be rehired.
The GHF said, “Despite Mr. Aguilar’s many attempts to be rehired, the company held firm. Mr. Aguilar’s behavior barred him from further work in a complex environment like Gaza.”
It added that Aguilar was not a witness to IDF actions. “He did not leave the static distribution site during operations, and from there, he would not have had a line of sight to any IDF assets that were behind the high berms protecting the sites.”