Up to 200 U.S. troops, already stationed in the Middle East, will be deployed to Israel to assist in monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza, according to senior American officials.
The U.S. military will establish a multinational coordination force in Israel, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center, expected to include personnel from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, officials confirmed.
As reported by the BBC, a senior U.S. official emphasized that no American forces will enter Gaza, clarifying that Washington’s role is to set up a Joint Control Center to coordinate and integrate the multinational presence.
The multinational force, led by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), will oversee the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and facilitate humanitarian coordination. Both Israel and Hamas will be informed—through Egypt and Qatar—of developments and any possible violations of the truce.
The mission is being directed by Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, who also participated in parts of the indirect negotiations in Egypt this week. Those talks led to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday that Israel and Hamas had approved the first phase of his Gaza peace plan.
One element of Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan envisions a future International Stabilization Force, to be deployed only after a successful hostage and prisoner exchange—an issue still under negotiation.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Since then, Israel’s offensive has caused the deaths of more than 67,000 Palestinians, including over 20,100 children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry—figures regarded as credible by the UN and international aid organizations.
