Closure of US-led Gaza coordination centre signals fresh setback for Trump’s plan
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Tel Aviv: The Trump administration plans to shut a US-run Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) near Gaza, handing its aid and monitoring roles to a new international security mission, sources told Reuters. The move represents another blow to President Donald Trump’s Gaza strategy, already faltering amid ongoing Israeli attacks and Hamas’s refusal to disarm.
Diplomats say the CMCC—established to oversee the October ceasefire and facilitate aid—lacks enforcement power, and its closure underscores US struggles as Israel advances into Gaza and Hamas consolidates control. Allies who sent personnel and funds now face uncertainty, especially after the US-Israel joint war against Iran sidelined rebuilding efforts.
Seven diplomats revealed the CMCC will soon close, with duties transferring to the US-commanded International Stabilization Force (ISF). US troops at the ISF would shrink from 190 to 40, replaced by civilian staff from other nations. The centre, operating from a southern Israel warehouse, would rebrand as the International Gaza Support Center under US Major General Jasper Jeffers.
Trump’s Board of Peace, which oversees Gaza policy, called the CMCC “critical” for aid but declined further comment. The White House and US Middle East command referred queries there. The ISF has a secured annex at the CMCC, but US troops restrict allied access.
The CMCC was central to Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan post-ceasefire, after Israel’s two-year campaign devastated the territory, displacing nearly two million and destroying infrastructure. Countries like Germany, France, Britain, Egypt and the UAE contributed staff, but participation has dwindled—some now visit monthly or less.
Israel continues strikes, claiming they neutralise Hamas threats near the armistice line; Palestinians call it a land grab. Over 800 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers have died since the truce, which followed Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack.
Aid remains stagnant despite commercial goods entering Gaza. Israel’s COGAT says 80% of daily trucks carry Israeli-purchased items to supplement humanitarian supplies, but bans “dual-use” goods like tent poles and rubble-clearing machinery.
The Board of Peace envisions a “sustainable civilian administration” to end aid dependency and violence cycles.