A former CIA spy, a private equity heir, and a Trump donor with a history of foreign lobbying violations are at the center of a mercenary firm managing Gaza aid operations, raising alarms over war profiteering and humanitarian abuses.

Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), the U.S. firm overseeing armed security at Gaza’s controversial aid distribution points, was co-founded by Phil Reilly, a former CIA officer and ex-deputy station chief in Baghdad, and Ward McNally, a Chicago-based private equity investor. SRS’s creation was linked to efforts by Israeli officials and donors to sideline UN agencies and privatize aid distribution following the 2023 Hamas-led attacks.

SRS deploys Arabic-speaking contractors to guard aid sites managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has been accused by human rights groups and the UN of operating “death traps.” Hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly died trying to collect aid, and contractors anonymously told the BBC and AP that live ammunition was used on civilians.

CIA Links, Trump Donors, and Foreign Lobbying

Reilly was previously a board member at Circinus, a defense firm owned by Elliott Broidy, a pro-Israel businessman and major Trump donor. Broidy lobbied the Trump administration against Qatar during the 2017 Gulf crisis and later pleaded guilty to illegal foreign lobbying before being pardoned by Trump in 2021.

SRS includes several other veterans of Circinus and U.S. intelligence. Charles Africano, another officer, was also listed as a Circinus contact. The firm's model reflects earlier mercenary firms from the Iraq war era—contracting U.S. veterans at up to $1,000/day while providing security for outsourced aid projects.

Private Equity Profits from Conflict

McNally Capital and its affiliate, Nio Advisors, have invested in multiple defense and intelligence firms since 2021, including Orbis and Quiet Professionals. When Orbis reportedly declined to participate in Gaza operations, McNally and Reilly founded SRS independently.

A spokesperson for McNally Capital confirmed to Reuters that it helped “support the establishment” of SRS. The U.S. State Department has approved $30 million in initial funding for the GHF, with projections of a $1.8 billion annual operating budget once fully launched.

Aid Militarization and Civilian Harm

While GHF defends its operations as secure and professional, reports of lethal force at distribution points have intensified scrutiny. At least 66 Palestinians were killed near U.S.-backed aid hubs in a single day last month, and aid watchdogs accuse GHF and SRS of enabling war crimes.

SRS’s emergence amid Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe underscores a growing trend: the privatization of humanitarian aid under military oversight, controlled by networks of former spies, financiers, and geopolitical operatives profiting from instability.