In brief
In a strategic move to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza, the US is sending 200 troops already stationed in the Middle East to Israel. This contingent will form part of a multinational taskforce comprising military personnel from several countries, aimed at coordinating humanitarian efforts and overseeing the ceasefire agreement. The US military will not be entering Gaza but will establish a Joint Control Center to integrate the multinational forces.
Up to 200 US troops already based in the Middle East will be moved to Israel to help monitor the ceasefire in Gaza, according to US officials.
The US military will establish a multinational taskforce in Israel, known as a civil-military coordination centre, which is likely to include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE, they said.
One senior official stated that no US forces will enter Gaza, adding that the American role was to create a Joint Control Center that will integrate the multinational force going in.
The Israeli government has approved the first phase of a Gaza deal with Hamas, which has resulted in a ceasefire and the release of hostages and prisoners.
The taskforce will be led by US Central Command (Centcom) based in the region, and is intended to oversee the progress of the ceasefire agreement and help coordinate humanitarian assistance.
The multinational force will inform both the Israelis and Hamas via Egypt and Qatar about the situation on the ground and any potential violations of the truce.
This initiative follows indirect talks in Egypt earlier this week, which eventually led to US President Donald Trump announcing that Israel and Hamas had signed off on the first phase of a peace plan he unveiled last week.
Trump's proposed 20-point plan includes the establishment of a temporary International Stabilisation Force that would deploy in Gaza pending an agreement on prisoner exchanges.
Israel's military offensive against Gaza commenced after Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages taken. This offensive has tragically led to the deaths of over 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including more than 20,100 children, according to local health officials.
