US military to oversee next phase of peace deal from coordination base in Israel

As Israel and Hamas lay down their arms after more than two years of war, the U.S. is stepping in to oversee the next phase of the deal as a peacekeeping force is formed. 

Sources tell Fox News that all 200 U.S. troops had arrived in Israel by Tuesday night and will operate out of a base in Israel. Additionally, a U.S. Military C-17 transport plane packed with command-and-control equipment and supplies arrived Tuesday.

Last week, negotiators working toward a Gaza deal participating in talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, asked U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to brief both sides, sources tell Fox News. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, along with Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, briefed the Qataris, the Egyptians and the Turks on the Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC).

Once the U.S. committed to providing heavy coordination, but no boots on the ground in Gaza, negotiators left to tell the Israelis and Hamas. From there, things moved quickly, and, as one well-placed source said, ‘They saw an opportunity and moved at lightning speed and took it.’ However, with speed comes risk as certain questions were left unanswered, such as who would be in the stabilization force in Gaza? Or, what is the mechanism for ensuring Hamas disarms?

Fox News has learned that the CMCC will be located a few miles northeast of Gaza, not at the Israel Defense Force’s Hatzor Airbase, as some previously reported. The CMCC will be under U.S. leadership, but it will also have representatives from multiple countries and stakeholders, such as the United Nations and private aid groups. U.S. personnel will monitor everything going in and out of Gaza, and will oversee all logistics of delivering aid to the enclave.

While the center is expected to be operational in the coming days, Egypt, Turkey and Qatar have yet to decide whether their representatives will be based there.

Neither Jordan nor Egypt said they would be willing to send troops to stabilize Gaza, and it looks as though countries outside the region could be left to handle the situation, but nothing has been finalized. Additionally, outside countries willing to send troops would likely need a mandate passed by the U.N. Security Council, as well as approval from their own governments, giving Hamas more time to rebuild and fill the power vacuum.

Despite heavy losses in the war and international threats, Hamas fighters have shown signs that they are not ready to stand down. Since the start of the ceasefire, videos of extrajudicial killings by Hamas in public squares began circulating online.

‘We strongly urge Hamas to immediately suspend violence and shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza — in both Hamas-held parts of Gaza and those secured by the IDF behind the Yellow Line,’ Cooper said in a statement Wednesday. ‘This is an historic opportunity for peace. Hamas should seize it by fully standing down, strictly adhering to President Trump’s 20-point peace plan, and disarming without delay.’

Fox News has learned of a massive effort taking place behind the scenes to plan and execute the rebuilding of Gaza. Part of the issue is the giant tunnel network under Gaza City. To rebuild the city, the tunnels will need to be filled to make the ground stable enough for construction.

The first phase of the deal remains ongoing as Hamas has failed to deliver all 28 bodies of deceased hostages, making it less clear when the second stage will begin. Israel has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to getting all the deceased hostages’ bodies so they can have proper burials.

On Monday, Israel received the bodies of four deceased hostages later identified as Yossi Sharabi, Binpin Joshi, Guy Iluz and Daniel Peretz. Israel received four more bodies on Tuesday, three of whom were identified as deceased hostages Staff Sgt. Tamir Nimrodi, Uriel Baruch and Eitan Levi. Israel said the fourth body did not match any of the hostages and was in fact a Palestinian. 

‘Hamas is required to make all necessary efforts to return the deceased hostages,’ the IDF wrote on X.