US shared coordinates of aid workers with Israel to prevent strikes: Report

The US has been providing Israel with the coordinates of humanitarian groups in Gaza in a bid to protect them from Israeli strikes, according to a report by Politico.

The report says the US has provided Israel with the GPS coordinates of medical facilities, aid workers' offices, and guest houses, along with their movements within Gaza.

According to Politico, aid groups shared their locations and information about their work with US lawmakers and senior US officials in a bid to protect them from strikes.

Israel unleashed a fierce bombardment on the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ 7 October attack. The strikes have killed 14,128, people, including at least 5,840 children, according to Palestinian health officials. 

Such outreach isn't new. Aid workers in the Gaza Strip have historically shared their locations with the UN via mechanisms like the Humanitarian Notification System. 

It's unclear what impact the US's sharing of aid groups' coordinates with Israel has had on preventing strikes.  

More UN aid workers have been killed in Gaza than in any past war. The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa) said that at least 108 staff have been killed by Israeli strikes.

The US has acknowledged flying MQ-9 Reaper drones over Gaza to help locate hostages, so it has visibility on the besieged enclave.

But the coordinates of some of the facilities that the Politico report said had been shared by the US, including al-Shifa hospital, are already well known to the Israelis.

Israel attacked the massive hospital despite knowing its location. The US also supported its claim that the hospital contained a Hamas command center. Hamas has denied the allegations.