Daijiworld Media Network – Gaza

Gaza, Jul 7: The Hamas-run media office has firmly denied allegations by the US State Department that it was behind a grenade attack which injured two American nationals at an aid distribution site in Gaza on Saturday.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by the US and Israel, had said the Americans—working as private security contractors—sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were receiving medical care.

Speaking to Reuters, a representative from UG Solutions, a North Carolina-based security firm contracted for the GHF operations, confirmed the injured individuals were former US special forces. The contractors reportedly did not retaliate, prioritising civilian safety in the densely populated area.

In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, the Hamas government media office condemned the US claims as "misleading and baseless", accusing Washington of attempting to justify “the continued killing and starvation of Palestinian civilians.”

“We categorically and unequivocally reject the claims issued by the US State Department alleging that the Palestinian resistance threw explosives at American personnel operating at sites run by the so-called 'Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – GHF',” the statement read.

The incident has escalated tensions around foreign involvement in humanitarian efforts in Gaza, especially amid growing scrutiny over Israel’s role in aid access and rising civilian casualties in the war-torn region.