Washington, United States. The Trump administration is set to close a US military-run centre near Gaza in Israel that critics say failed to monitor the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and boost aid flows, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Planned closure and broader Gaza strategy
The closing of the Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) would mark the latest blow to President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, which diplomats and officials said has been undermined by repeated Israeli attacks since the October truce and Hamas’s refusal to lay down its arms.
Diplomats and officials said the planned move underscores the difficulties facing US efforts to oversee the truce and coordinate aid as Israel seizes more Gaza territory and Hamas tightens its grip in areas under its control.
Allies’ concerns and rebuilding plan
The shift could also add to unease among Washington’s allies, whom Trump encouraged to deploy personnel to the CMCC and commit funds for his Gaza rebuilding plan, which the sources said is effectively on hold since the United States launched its joint war with Israel against Iran.
Transfer of responsibilities to International Stabilization Force
According to seven diplomats familiar with CMCC operations, the US-led centre will soon be shut and its aid and monitoring responsibilities handed to a US-commanded international security mission meant to deploy to Gaza.
US officials have privately described the change as an overhaul, but diplomats said it would in effect shutter the CMCC once the International Stabilization Force (ISF) takes over.
A diplomat briefed on the US plan said the number of US troops working at the revamped ISF would drop to 40 from around 190. Diplomats said the United States would seek to replace those troops with civilian staff from other countries. All sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Questions over authority and effectiveness
Diplomats said the CMCC lacked authority to enforce the ceasefire or ensure aid deliveries, making it unclear whether folding it into the ISF would have much practical effect on the ground.
Board of Peace response
An official with Trump’s Board of Peace, set up to oversee Gaza policy, declined to comment on the CMCC’s future but said the centre plays a critical role in ensuring aid deliveries, coordinating efforts, and advancing Trump’s plan.
What impact do you expect the planned shift from the CMCC to the ISF will have on aid delivery and ceasefire monitoring?
