Full Report: The Spy, the Donor & the Mercenary Deal — UAE’s Shadow Role in Militarizing Gaza Aid

The United States’ Gaza aid programme has become the latest front in a much older war — not just of arms, but of influence. A private military firm, Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), now oversees some of Gaza’s aid hubs. Behind it: a tangled web of former CIA officers, private equity tycoons, and UAE-linked intelligence deals.

The Mercenary Blueprint

Founded by ex-CIA officer Phil Reilly and private equity baron Ward McNally, SRS operates with eerie familiarity. Reilly previously trained fighters in Latin America, ran drone programs in Iraq, and sat on the board of Circinus — a defense firm once owned by Elliot Broidy.

Broidy, a Trump ally, used Circinus to secure hundreds of millions in defense deals for the UAE. During the Qatar-UAE rift in 2017, Broidy lobbied Washington aggressively for Emirati interests. He was later convicted of illegal foreign lobbying — then pardoned.

Multiple SRS figures, including Charles Africano, are ex-Circinus. These aren’t isolated connections — they reflect systemic patterns.

Militarizing Aid

SRS deploys Arabic-speaking mercenaries to guard Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites. Palestinian health authorities say hundreds have been killed trying to reach food. Human rights groups label the sites dangerous. SRS denies wrongdoing.

The State Department has greenlit $30M in funding for GHF — with projections reaching $1.8 billion annually. Israel has hinted that it wants to replace UNRWA, the traditional aid conduit, with these private pipelines.

The UAE Factor

Circinus’s history with the UAE and the involvement of figures like Broidy and Dahlan — both known for lobbying and covert operations — points to a strong Emirati footprint.

In the Trump years, UAE-Israel coordination peaked. Private firms like Circinus became tools of geopolitical engineering. The Gaza project may be an extension of that era.

Profit in Proxy Wars

McNally Capital — the private equity firm behind SRS — has specialized in defense and security acquisitions. The firm was drawn to Reilly’s Orbis project in 2024, which planned to privatize Gaza’s aid management. When Orbis backed out, McNally and Reilly launched SRS independently.

McNally’s fascination with “dark arts” and CIA lore shaped this venture. Former intelligence officials say it’s a new model: private equity meets paramilitary outsourcing.

Conclusion

This is not humanitarian aid. This is a for-profit occupation model. Gaza’s suffering has become a battlefield for contractors, lobbyists, and Gulf-state agendas.

The UAE’s recurring presence — from funding proxy operations to enabling mercenary contracts — must be exposed. As Gaza bleeds, the forces profiting from it must face scrutiny.

Dark Box calls for:

• An international investigation into SRS, Circinus, and their UAE ties
• A halt to militarized aid programs in occupied territories
• Full accountability for firms profiting from war and displacement

Behind the food lines and mercenary guards is a brutal truth: the privatization of war is alive — and funded.