 "US President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as he welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington, DC. File image/Reuters")
As Israel and Hamas agree to the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire deal , American officials revealed that the United States is sending around 200 troops to Israel to help, support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza. According to The Associated Press, the troops would be part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organisations and private sector players.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the US Central Command is going to establish a “civil-military coordination centre” in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory wracked by two years of war .
The revelation provides an insight into how the deal would be implemented and monitored, and what kind of role the American military would have in it. However, there are still questions over Hamas disarmament , a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a future government in the territory. One of the officials noted that the new team would help monitor implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the transition to a civilian government in Gaza.
‘No US boots in Gaza’
The official noted that the coordination centre would be staffed by about 200 US service members who have expertise in transportation, planning, security, logistics and engineering. The source made it clear that no American troops would be sent into Gaza .
Meanwhile, a second official told The Associated Press that the troops would come from US Central Command as well as other parts of the globe. That official added that the troops have already begun arriving and will continue to travel to the region over the weekend to begin planning and efforts to establish the centre.
The news of deployment came after Israel’s government approved the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire proposal , which Hamas agreed on Thursday. The deal proposed by US President Donald Trump would entail the release of all 48 hostages, including 20 alive ones held in Gaza, along with a ceasefire in the coastal enclave.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe news was confirmed by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Friday. “The government has just now approved the framework for the release of all of the hostages — the living and the deceased,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. According to the first phase of the deal, the ceasefire is expected to take effect within 24 hours of approval from both parties.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that both Hamas and Israeli negotiators have agreed upon the first phase of the ceasefire deal during the Cairo talks on Thursday. Trump also maintained that he plans to travel to Egypt for the official signing of the deal between the two sides, confirming that all hostages would be released by “Monday” or “Tuesday”.
With inputs from The Associated Press.