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'Not true': White House clarification on reports of US troops heading to Israel over peace deal
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a clarification on reports saying US troops were headed to Israel over its peace deal with Hamas.
The White House on Friday issued a clarification after reports suggested that the US was sending troops to Israel to monitor peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. Quoting some officials on spoke on condition on anonymity, news agencies reported that about 200 troops were headed to Israel and that the US Central Command is going to establish a “civil-military coordination center” or CMCC, there.
Later, Fox News also reported that the troops would support the peace deal in Israel. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was quick to issue a clarification saying the report was "not true" and was "taken out of context".
"To be clear: up to 200 US personnel, who are already stationed at CENTCOM, will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel, and they will work with other international forces on the ground," she said in a tweet.
The US troops will form the core of the CMCC, which is also expected to include military representatives from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and likely the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported citing officials. However, it was also reported that US troops were not planning to go into Gaza.
The officials expressed hope that once the Gaza deal is underway, it will help ease regional tensions and pave the way for further normalization talks between Israel and Arab nations.
After two years of a raging war that triggered a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israel and Hamas agreed to a pause on Thursday. The first phase of a Gaza ceasefire would include the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel said all parties have signed phase one of the deal that followed a 20-point peace plan for Gaza announced last month by US President Donald Trump.
