Following over two years of conflict, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire, with the United States stepping in to facilitate the peace process. The U.S. is now playing a crucial role in forming a peacekeeping force to stabilize the region.
According to sources, 200 U.S. troops had arrived in Israel by Tuesday evening and are set to operate from a base within the country. Additionally, a U.S. Military C-17 transport plane, loaded with command-and-control equipment and supplies, landed in Israel on Tuesday, signaling a coordinated effort to support the peace initiative.
Negotiators involved in the Gaza agreement, who recently met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, requested a briefing from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for both parties involved. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, along with Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, provided briefings to representatives from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey regarding the establishment of a Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC).
In a speech to the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended U.S. President Donald Trump, describing him as Israel’s “greatest friend.” This acknowledgment underscores the pivotal role the U.S. is perceived to play in the peace process.
While the U.S. has pledged substantial coordination efforts without deploying ground troops in Gaza, rapid developments have left some critical questions unresolved. Uncertainties remain about the composition of the stabilization force in Gaza and the mechanisms to ensure that Hamas disarms effectively.
Fox News has learned that the CMCC will be stationed a few miles northeast of Gaza, contrary to earlier reports suggesting it would be at the Israel Defense Force’s Hatzor Airbase. The center will operate under U.S. leadership, yet it will also include representatives from various countries and organizations, including the United Nations and private aid groups. U.S. personnel will manage and monitor all logistical operations, ensuring the delivery of aid to Gaza is conducted smoothly and efficiently.
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.
Palestinians walk near tents and the rubble of destroyed buildings, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City on Oct. 15, 2025. (Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
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.
Red Cross vehicles arrive to receive from Hamas terrorists the bodies of deceased hostages who had been held in Gaza since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack, as part of a ceasefire deal, in Gaza City on Oct. 14, 2025. (Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
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.
