UK parliament presses consulting firm over Gaza aid role

A UK parliamentary committee ordered the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to disclose details of its consultancy activity for Gaza, as the firm’s involvement with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) faces mounting scrutiny, according to Middle East Eye on July 10th.

Labour MP Liam Byrne, chair of the Business and Trade Committee, asked BCG CEO Christoph Schweizer to provide a full timeline of the firm’s involvement with the GHF, along with a list of all clients, partners, and organisations connected to its work on the project. Byrne also demanded clarification on whether BCG had worked on plans for the alleged relocation of Palestinians from Gaza and whether such work is ongoing.

“Given the seriousness of these issues and the high level of public interest, we would appreciate a response by 22 July 2025,” Byrne wrote.

The move follows a Financial Times investigation revealing that BCG had signed a multimillion-dollar contract to help launch the GHF, and that its staff had modelled costs for the potential relocation of Palestinian civilians.

The GHF, which emerged publicly in May, has faced criticism for its reported role in replacing UN and international aid agencies in Gaza. Critics accuse the organisation of failing to uphold humanitarian principles and of serving as a tool for the weaponisation of aid, aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians.

According to Gaza health authorities, since GHF began operations, over 700 Palestinian civilians have been killed near or en route to the organisation’s distribution centres.

The GHF has denied these allegations. In a statement to Middle East Eye on July 10th, it claimed there had been “no incidents or fatalities at or in the immediate vicinity” of its distribution sites.

Meanwhile, BCG has distanced itself from the controversy, claiming it had been misled about the GHF’s intentions. The firm stated that the project was led by two senior partners who have since been dismissed.

Responding to the Financial Times report, Schweizer asserted: “BCG never sanctioned the actions you’ve reported on—in fact we rejected the request to take on the work and we disavow it.”

Further reporting by the Financial Times also alleged that staff from the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) were involved in a post-war Gaza project, including plans for a so-called “Trump Riviera,” using financial models developed within BCG.

The TBI has denied these claims, stating it had did not endorse or author the presentation slides cited in the Financial Times report.

A BCG spokesperson confirmed: “We are aware of the request from the House of Commons’ Business & Trade Committee. We are reviewing the request and are committed to responding.”

Middle East Eye, Financial Times, Maghrebi.org