After failing to meet any of its military goals in Gaza, Israel is now looking for an exit – hiring US mercenary groups for deployment in Gaza and pulling out its own troops.

Zionist media sources have revealed that a plan is being coordinated with the US to have American mercenary groups deployed in the Rafah crossing between occupied Palestine and Egypt.

Egypt itself is also included in these talks, treacherously opening the door to mercenary forces continuing the same war crimes on Palestinians as Israelis – with potentially more impunity. 

Calling it a “security firm,” the Israeli newspaper Haaretz did not disclose which mercenary group is being roped in for the job. However, one thing is clear: there is nothing good that can come of this development. American mercenary groups have historically been responsible for some of the most egregious war crimes committed in military history.  

For example, take the case of Blackwater – now known as “Academi” – likely rebranded since the very mention of the name “Blackwater” draws international disdain. Blackwater was deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq, where they committed numerous massacres and mass murders. 

Investigations were conducted for their ruthless crimes, with rarely anyone held accountable.

Further, the mercenary group was even under investigation for weapons smuggling and the murder of an Iraqi vice-presidential guard in 2006 by a mercenary who was operating firearms while intoxicated. 

The attractiveness of mercenary groups – be it Blackwater, Northbridge, Triple Canopy, or others – lies in the fact that they operate outside of the common rules of engagement and warfare.

International rules of engagement do not necessarily apply to private firms that excel in ultra-violence. A quick examination of the history of mercenary groups – particularly American – reveals an extremely dirty laundry list of war crimes.

And, when they are faced with calls for accountability, these groups are capable of silencing dissent through violence. 

Notably in 2007, a Blackwater official – Daniel Carroll –  threatened two US State Department employees, stating he could kill them at any moment and that no one would do anything since they are in Iraq. 

Although some American mercenaries have indeed seen their day in court, many have been acquitted or given lenient punishment. For example, a former US president famously pardoned multiple Blackwater mercenaries after they were found guilty of massacring several Iraqi civilians).

The world has seen months of war crimes and outright genocide inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza. This devastation – perpetrated by the illegitimate regime of Israel – has not been stopped by global institutions whose very job is to prevent war crimes and injustices.

Now consider what private military contractors – in other words ‘mercenaries’ – can do and very likely get away with. These shadowy groups answer to no international standard. 

Israel has threatened to enter Rafah multiple times in recent weeks – endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of Gazans – mainly children. They already have launched the aggression on the city.

Rafah is the final place of so-called “refuge” for Palestinians in Gaza. Internationally, governments have pressured the Zionist regime to practice restraint or to abandon the operation altogether and accept a ceasefire deal – which under certain conditions – the Hamas resistance movement is ready to accept. 

Employing mercenaries removes the international pressure on Israel, which has had its image tarnished and is met with worldwide disgust and growing isolation.

Mercenary groups can be billed as “security forces” that are “meant to maintain peace” but that have historically never been their primary objective in foreign countries – they are always tasked to sow disorder and orchestrate mass massacres. 

In addition, Zionist forces have simply been a colossal failure at confronting Palestinian resistance. Even now, Hamas and other resistance groups are confronting Zionist forces in areas where the Israeli regime declared Hamas no longer poses a threat.

Israel is unable to win against the united Palestinian resistance and has called on American mercenaries who have fought illegal wars in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and more to save them from more failure. 

There is also the continued ethnic cleansing employed by the Tel Aviv regime. Israel, in coordination with Washington, is banking on a mercenary firm to complete dirty work that may be even too ravenously violent for the Zionist regime – massacring Palestinians until they are all dead or fleeing out.

Zionist media reports that the firm will only have “limited abilities” and details include the delivery of aid and resources to Palestinians.

But let us not forget the infamous “Flour massacre” where Zionist attack helicopters and soldiers opened fire on hundreds of starving Palestinians who reached an aid delivery truck. 

Palestinian resistance forces have expectedly rejected this completely, stating they will not allow any foreign military to maintain control of their land. They are the masters of their own land and resources.

Unsurprisingly, the White House and the State Department have both rejected the claims that mercenary forces are being examined to be deployed into Gaza.

In an embattled election season, and Joe Biden being met with nationwide protests and disgust wherever he goes, admitting to employing seasoned war criminals to be deployed to Palestine would surely not score any political points. It could be suicidal.

However, one should assume these talks were being held long ago. Whenever imperialist regimes hit a brick wall, the common routine is to deploy mercenaries to complete what official state forces cannot. 

It’s not just in Afghanistan, Iraq, and West and Central Asia, American mercenaries are found in Ukraine fighting against Russia as Ukrainian forces have come to a complete halt in significant advances.

Elsewhere, in Africa, American mercenaries appeared in Congo, of course protecting US economic interests in exploitable resources – both human and natural. These are just the ones that are on record.

Private forces do not have to disclose exactly where they operate. 

No US official would champion the usage of these mercenaries if they do not have to. It is an admission of failure militarily and draws political blowback on the international stage. 

Mercenary groups from the Mozart Group to Northbridge are commonly accepted as desperate means for conducting desperate measures.

Despite the violent threat of these seasoned war criminals entering Gaza, the very discussion of them being deployed reveals that Israel’s genocidal war is a complete failure and that they are looking for an exit strategy that will continue the status quo of war and bloodshed.

However, let it be known that no such exit exists. All roads lead to failure, humiliating failure.

Musa Iqbal is a Boston-based researcher and writer with a focus on US domestic and foreign policy.