Tel Aviv/Jerusalem, October 12, 2025 – In a significant escalation of international involvement in the protracted Gaza conflict, at least 200 U.S. troops are set to commence operations at Israel's Hatzor Air Base in southern Israel starting Sunday, according to reports from Israeli Channel 12. This deployment marks the first major U.S. military presence dedicated to monitoring the fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which entered its initial phase just days ago. The move comes amid cautious optimism following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of a breakthrough deal, but it has yet to receive official confirmation from either Washington or Jerusalem, underscoring the delicate balance of trust among the parties involved.
The Hatzor Air Base, located near the coastal city of Ashdod and approximately 20 kilometers from the Gaza border, will serve as the hub for a U.S.-led monitoring task force. Sources describe the unit as a "Civil-Military Coordination Center" (CMCC), comprising American service members alongside representatives from partner nations, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector entities focused on stabilization efforts. U.S. officials emphasized that no American personnel will enter Gaza itself, limiting their role to oversight from Israeli soil. This positioning allows for real-time verification of compliance with Phase I of the ceasefire, including Israel's partial troop withdrawals and the influx of humanitarian aid.
The deployment arrives at a pivotal moment. On Friday, October 10, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared the ceasefire active at noon local time, initiating a phased pullback from positions near Gaza City and other northern areas. Drone footage and eyewitness accounts captured thousands of displaced Palestinians streaming northward along the coastal Al-Rashid road, many on foot or in makeshift carts, returning to neighborhoods reduced to rubble by nearly two years of intense bombardment. Gaza's Hamas-run civil defense agency reported that over 200,000 people had ventured north by Saturday evening, with more than 50 bodies recovered from debris in the initial hours of calm. "They'll find that their homes and neighborhoods have been reduced to dust," warned a UNICEF spokesperson from central Gaza, highlighting the enclave's uninhabitable state after relentless Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.
An Israeli security official clarified that discussions on further IDF withdrawals from Gaza are not currently on the table. "The focus remains on securing Phase I implementation," the official stated, adding that any additional pullbacks hinge on verifiable progress in hostage releases and demilitarization efforts. However, a second official revealed that Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by his team, has already begun drafting maps for potential future withdrawals. This preparatory work signals quiet momentum toward Phase II, despite public reticence.
Witkoff's involvement has been central to the diplomatic push. On Saturday, the real estate magnate-turned-envoy posted on X about a high-profile visit to Gaza alongside U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Admiral Brad Cooper and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The trio, joined by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, toured key sites to verify Israel’s compliance with Phase I of the agreement. Their itinerary included the Re’im Hostage Return Site, a designated handover point near the border, where they assessed logistical preparations for the impending release of captives. Israeli media outlets reported that the delegation reviewed deployment zones for an anticipated multinational task force, comprising troops from Islamic, Arab, and European nations. This force is slated to position itself as a buffer between Israeli-withdrawn urban areas and Gaza's border with Israel, ensuring a demilitarized zone free from militant incursions.
The visit, which lasted several hours under heavy security, drew praise from Witkoff in a subsequent address to a massive crowd at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square. Speaking to an estimated 400,000 attendees waving banners proclaiming "Nobel President Trump," Witkoff lauded the mediators—Türkiye, Qatar, and Egypt—for their critical roles in brokering the deal. "President Trump showed the world that strength and peace go hand in hand," he declared, eliciting thunderous applause. Yet, the mood soured when he mentioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting widespread boos from the audience—a stark reflection of domestic frustrations over the war's toll and perceived delays in hostage negotiations. Ivanka Trump, also present, joined Kushner in reinforcing the administration's commitment, with the crowd chanting thanks to the U.S. president while decrying local leadership.
Under the Trump-brokered framework, unveiled on September 29 during a White House press conference with Netanyahu, the 20-point plan outlines a multi-stage path to end the conflict that erupted on October 7, 2023. Phase I, now underway, mandates a ceasefire, the release of all 48 remaining Israeli hostages (with about 20 believed alive) in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and Israel's repositioning to control roughly 53% of Gaza—leaving northern areas accessible for returns but retaining a southern security perimeter. In return, Hamas has committed to halting rocket fire and allowing unfettered humanitarian aid, including infrastructure rehabilitation for water, electricity, and hospitals, via UN agencies and the Red Crescent. The Rafah crossing, Gaza's vital lifeline to Egypt, will reopen bidirectionally under mechanisms from the January 2025 truce, which briefly paused hostilities before collapsing in March.
Trump announced the Phase I agreement on Wednesday, October 8, via Truth Social, hailing it as a step toward lasting peace after Hamas met his October 5 deadline—or faced unspecified consequences. The Israeli cabinet approved the deal overnight, with Netanyahu framing it as a victory for security that pressures Hamas toward disarmament. Yet, Hamas leaders stressed that the truce includes ironclad guarantees against Israeli resumption of hostilities, citing the March 2025 airstrikes that shattered the prior ceasefire.
Phase II, negotiations for which could begin post-hostage handover (expected by Monday or Tuesday), envisions a new governance structure for Gaza excluding Hamas, the multinational force's full deployment, and Hamas's disarmament—including the destruction of military, terror, and offensive infrastructure. Phase III would culminate in Israel's complete withdrawal, a lifted blockade, and a multi-year reconstruction effort, potentially overseen by an international trusteeship led by the U.S. Challenges abound: Israel opposes UN Security Council oversight of the multinational force, arguing it would curtail operational freedom, while Arab states insist on a clear mandate to prevent violations. Moreover, the Palestinian Authority has voiced exclusion from the process, with a senior official stating it was not invited to upcoming talks.
These tensions will take center stage at Monday's Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt, co-chaired by Trump and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The gathering, set for the afternoon of October 13 at the Red Sea resort, will draw leaders from over 20 nations, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and India's Narendra Modi. Notably, the U.S. has extended a rare invitation to Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian in a bid to broaden regional buy-in—though Tehran has not confirmed attendance. Israel is absent from the guest list, with Netanyahu opting for a separate meeting with Trump in Tel Aviv en route.
The Egyptian presidential spokesperson described the summit as a platform to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to bring peace and stability to the Middle East, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability. Discussions will likely center on the multinational force's mandate, aid surges to avert famine—Gaza faces acute malnutrition after aid blockades—and economic incentives for normalization, such as Saudi-Israeli ties floated in prior Trump deals. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, called the event a unique historic moment, praising Sisi's mediation.
The human cost of delay has been staggering. Since Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and abducted over 250, Israel's response has claimed more than 67,600 Palestinian lives—predominantly women and children—according to Gaza's health ministry, rendering the 365-square-kilometer enclave largely uninhabitable. Over 90% of buildings lie in ruins, hospitals operate on generators, and famine looms, with officials urging a surge in supplies akin to January 2025 levels. In Gaza, celebrations erupted post-ceasefire, with families embracing in Nuseirat refugee camp, but many, like Deir al-Balah resident Amany Haniya—a mother displaced seven times—expressed relief tempered by grief. "This long-awaited ceasefire means medical kits for women, clean water—essentials we've lost," she said over the phone.
In Israel, hostage families gathered for what may be their final Shabbat without loved ones, lighting candles at Hostages Square amid prayers and protests. "It's President Trump who made this happen, not our government," one relative said, echoing the Tel Aviv boos. An Israeli ambassador acknowledged that Phase II—encompassing demilitarization—poses the more complex part, but optimism persists if mediators like Qatar sustain pressure.
As U.S. troops unload equipment at Hatzor under a crisp autumn sky, the deployment symbolizes America's deepened stake in Middle East realignment. Trump, en route to the region, plans a Knesset address and summit signing, potentially cementing his legacy. Yet, with Hamas vowing no disarmament without guarantees and Israel eyeing persistent threats from Hezbollah and Iran, the path from monitoring to enduring peace remains fraught. For now, the guns are silent, and families wait—hoping Sunday's arrivals herald not just observers, but overseers of a new dawn.
