200 American Troops Are Headed to Israel

The Pentagon is sending about 200 troops to Israel to support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza, US officials said Thursday. The team will include partner nations, nongovernmental organizations, and private-sector participants, the AP reports. The officials said US Central Command is going to establish a "civil-military coordination center" 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 details are some of the first revealed on how the ceasefire deal would be monitored and how the US military would have a role in that effort. After Israel and Hamas agreed this week to the first phase of a Trump administration plan to halt the fighting, questions remain on next steps, including Hamas disarmament, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and a future government in the territory. One official said the new team would help monitor implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the transition to a civilian government in Gaza. The 200 troops who will staff the coordination center have expertise in transportation, planning, security, logistics, and engineering. No American troops will be sent into Gaza, an official said. They've already begun arriving, per the AP.