The Ghosts of Iraq Are Now Gatekeepers of Gaza

From Iraq to Gaza, the Petraeus-led model of militarized relief has reemerged—privatized, biometric, and enforced at gunpoint. May 27 in Rafah revealed a chilling new blueprint.

On May 27, 2025, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a U.S.- and Israeli-backed nonprofit registered in Delaware—officially launched aid distribution operations in Rafah, Gaza. Marketed as an alternative to UN relief agencies allegedly compromised by Hamas ties, the project promised to feed 1 million Palestinians, or roughly 43% of Gaza’s population.

But the rollout was anything but orderly.

Secured by armed American contractors from Safe Reach Solutions and patrolled by Israeli forces, GHF’s “Secure Distribution Sites” immediately buckled under the weight of desperation. After 11 weeks of total blockade and at least 58 malnutrition deaths, thousands of Palestinians surged the Tal al-Sultan aid point. A horrific scene unfolded.

The launch came just two days after the resignation of executive director Jake Wood, a former U.S. Marine and founder of Team Rubicon. Wood cited a fundamental breach of humanitarian principles—“humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence”—in his departure. GHF quietly replaced him with John Acree, a former USAID official with deep ties to U.S. foreign aid architecture. His appointment raised immediate concerns, particularly as the Trump administration finalizes the dismantling and absorption of USAID into the State Department, effectively privatizing America’s foreign aid apparatus.

The backlash was swift. Amnesty International, the UN, and a chorus of international NGOs condemned the model. Critics pointed to GHF’s planned biometric screening, militarized checkpoints, and counterinsurgency-style site architecture, all strikingly similar to the population-control strategies once championed by retired General David Petraeus in Iraq. GHF’s promise of “secure aid” increasingly looks like strategic containment.

Instead of aid, GHF delivered a glimpse of Gaza’s future: privatized relief under military escort, enforced through firepower, surveillance, and fear.

Crowd gathered at aid distribution center before American personnel lost control.