An eyewitness says American subcontractors at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites shot at Palestinians, a claim GHF denies.

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Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

Middle East Conflict

A former insider with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S. and Israeli-backed aid distributor in Gaza, has alleged that both Israel Defense Forces and American security contractors fired at Palestinians seeking aid at GHF sites. The eyewitness, whose identity was concealed, provided video and testimony describing frequent gunfire and fatalities at these locations, corroborated by UN reports of hundreds of deaths near aid sites since GHF began operations.

The GHF and Israeli Defense Forces have categorically denied the claims, stating that their personnel do not fire on civilians and that no deaths have occurred at or near GHF sites due to gunfire. The Israeli military has stated it is investigating recent reports of civilian harm and will take action if violations are found.

Eyewitness claims U.S. subcontractors fired at Palestinians in Gaza

In the Gaza Strip, the U.S. and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, was established to replace the United Nations as the main distributor of aid. In late June, the U.S. State Department approved $30 million for the group, calling its work absolutely incredible. Deborah Pata spoke with a former insider with the GHF and joins us from London. According to the U.N., hundreds of Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israel Defense Forces and foreign military contractors at or near GHF aid sites. We spoke to a new eyewitness who concurs. He told us it's not only the idea of shooting, but also personnel hired through American subcontractors to secure GHF sites. I thought I was going there to help people. When this man was hired by an American logistics company to drive aid trucks in Israel, he says he had no idea it meant he'd be working with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation inside Gaza. He asked us to conceal his identity, dub over his voice, and change his name because he fears reprisals. We will call him Mike. He secretly recorded several videos, including this one. What you are hearing, he says, is the sound of gunfire from brightly lit GHF sites fired at Palestinians seeking aid. It took me two or three days to realize that they were actually shooting at people. They weren't shooting at combatants. So did you think these were warning shots? No, it's indiscriminate. And who was doing the shooting? The IDF and the American security personnel. They've got positions on each corner of the sites and they would often shoot at exactly the same time as the Israeli soldiers. We do not see who is shooting on the videos Mike gave us, but he said there was not a single occasion he observed when there was no shooting, and he was at the sites on average five days a week for several weeks. CBS News has seen his work schedule and metadata from his cell phone confirms the dates and times he was in Gaza. CBS News has been reporting on the almost daily shootings and deaths at or near GHF sites since GHF began operating its sites at the end of May. Palestinians would gather near the sites hours before they opened to be the first to grab food. I was breathing quite heavily because I'd never seen a crowd of people behave with such intensity and such desperation. What's the worst thing you experienced? I was brought outside the perimeter and I was tasked with cleaning up the remains of animals and some humans. What had happened is that there had been so much shooting that human remains had been left there and the smell got quite bad. So the security contractors had complained and the IDF said it wasn't their business. So I was tasked with cleaning it, but I wasn't warned what it was. And you were told to clean up everything there and do what? Just put it in the back of a truck, which took everything away. I struggle to talk about it. I even feel a bit clammy and I can feel my chest beating harder. I just shut down, really. Over 1,800 Palestinians have died trying to get food more than 1,000 near GHF sites, according to the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. GHF says allegations that their contractors have shot aid seekers and mishandled their remains are categorically false and utterly baseless. They have criticized CBS News' refusal to provide them with more detailed information regarding Mike. Mike said that some of the Americans hired to secure the GHF sites made him feel uncomfortable. They would often boast about how many people they've killed, if they've managed to shoot animals, or how many birds they'd shot because they were bragging about how good their aim was. So if they would shoot anything? Anything that was living, even birds. Mike is home now and won't be going back. Why are you doing this? It just wouldn't sit right with me if I didn't say something. These atrocities don't have to happen. GHF told CBS News that their contractors do not fire on civilians, nor they say has anyone been killed by gunfire at a GHF site, not even within sight of a foundation site. And they say they have never encountered any situation involving unclaimed bodies at or near their sites. The IDF categorically denied allegations that it deliberately fires at Palestinian civilians, but told CBS News it is investigating recent reports of harm to civilians and any violations will result in further action.

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Eyewitness claims U.S. subcontractors fired at Palestinians in Gaza

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