CIA Agent and Militia Expert: This Is the Shadow Man Who Will Oversee Aid Distribution in Gaza

While conflicting reports circulate about the official launch of the humanitarian aid operation in the Gaza Strip, new details have emerged about the American contractor expected to run and secure the system.

According to a report in The Washington Post, the security and logistics firm SRS will provide logistical and security services at the four aid distribution centers for the Gazan population, aimed at preventing the aid from falling into Hamas' hands.

Phil Reilly, the founder of SRS, is a former senior U.S. intelligence official and an expert on militias and paramilitary operations. The report states that Reilly is operating as a contractor under Israeli businessmen, in collaboration with foreign aid organizations, to lead the complex humanitarian operation in one of the most dangerous regions. His company’s personnel were active during the ceasefire with Hamas, screening Gazans moving along central corridors.

A profile on the website of Garrison, where Reilly serves as an advisor, states:

“Mr. Reilly is a senior intelligence officer with 29 years of experience in the CIA’s National Clandestine Service. He has served in numerous missions both inside and outside the United States, in active conflict zones. He possesses extensive knowledge of foreign operational environments, the ability to work jointly with the U.S. intelligence community, and strong ties to the American special operations community.”

Reilly appeared on the podcast Adrenaline Zone, where he spoke enthusiastically about his CIA work and experiences in Iraq. He was reportedly the first CIA operative to enter Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks and participated in a mission aimed at training local forces to topple the Taliban and locate al-Qaeda militants hiding in the country.

In the interview, Reilly described his role in deploying weapons systems among U.S. allies in South America and Asia. He built an impressive record over 29 years in the CIA, much of it spent in the field. He also expressed regret over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, stating: “I don’t think there’s anyone who served in Afghanistan and understood the place who didn’t feel a terrible sense of how badly things ended.”

SRS’s activity on LinkedIn reveals that it is actively recruiting highly paid fighters, offering up to $1,100 per day for experienced combatants, along with logistics staff, humanitarian aid experts, and fluent Arabic-speaking security personnel.

Satellite imagery already shows signs of the ambitious aid project. Images reveal construction of three large complexes north and west of Rafah, with roads connecting them to the Egyptian border and to each other. The scale of the sites suggests a capacity for thousands of visitors daily. Evidence of a fourth site south of the Netzarim Corridor has also emerged, aligning with political statements from Israeli officials about the planned aid distribution system.