Occupied Jerusalem (Web Desk)
As the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire takes effect, 200 U.S. troops have arrived in Israel, American media reported on Sunday. These troops will not enter Gaza, but will instead collaborate with military personnel from Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye stationed in the region as part of the international monitoring and coordination efforts.
According to reports, the Israeli military has begun withdrawing to designated lines as agreed under the Gaza peace accord. To assess Israel’s compliance with the withdrawal, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitkov visited Gaza and confirmed that the first phase of Israeli troop pullback has been completed.
In a related development, U.S. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper also toured the area and clarified in a press statement that no American soldiers will be deployed inside Gaza. He said the primary goal of the visit was to explore the establishment of a Civil-Military Coordination Center, which would operate under the leadership of CENTCOM to facilitate humanitarian and security efforts during the ceasefire period.
The arrival of U.S. troops and high-level visits from American defense officials underline Washington’s active involvement in overseeing the truce and ensuring a stable transition amid fragile ceasefire conditions.