The United States is set to relocate up to 200 troops currently stationed in the Middle East to Israel to assist in monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza, according to US officials. This move is part of a broader initiative to establish a multinational taskforce in Israel, referred to as a civil-military coordination center. The taskforce is expected to include forces from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE. A senior official emphasized that no US troops will enter Gaza, clarifying that their role is to create a Joint Control Center to integrate the multinational force. The Israeli government has approved the initial phase of a Gaza deal with Hamas, which has resulted in a ceasefire and the release of hostages and prisoners. The taskforce, led by US Central Command (Centcom), will oversee the ceasefire agreement’s progress and coordinate humanitarian assistance. The multinational force will communicate ground situations and potential truce violations to both Israel and Hamas through Egypt and Qatar. The force is being established under the leadership of Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Centcom, who participated in indirect talks in Egypt earlier this week. These talks culminated in US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of a peace plan he unveiled last week. Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan includes the US collaborating with Arab and international partners to form a temporary International Stabilisation Force for immediate deployment in Gaza, contingent upon the completion of a hostage and prisoner exchange. The conflict began with Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military offensive has reportedly killed over 67,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including more than 20,100 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with these figures deemed reliable by the UN and other international bodies.