Reuters have reported that the Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) near Gaza is set to be shut down by the Trump administration as critics highlight its failure in monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and boosting aid to war-affected Palestinians.
The closure of the US military-run body is a major blow to President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, with Israel continuing to violate the ceasefire and Hamas refusing to put down its weapons.
The move has increased scepticism among America’s allies, who were previously encouraged by Trump to deploy officers to the CMCC and contribute funds for his Gaza rebuilding plan. The plan is currently on hold since the joint US-Israel operation against Iran began on February 28.
According to seven diplomats familiar with CMCC operations, speaking on condition of anonymity, the aid and monitoring responsibilities of the body would be handed over to a US-commanded international security mission that is set to deploy to Gaza.
While US officials privately described the move as an overhaul, diplomats insisted that the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) would take over and end the CMCC’s role. One of the diplomats said the number of US troops working at the ISF would from 190 to 40, replacing the dropped troops with civilian staff from other nations.
Diplomats criticised the CMCC for lacking the authority to monitor the ceasefire or ensure aid, casting doubts on whether the ISF would be successful in achieving its goals.
The Board of Peace has refuted Reuters’ report on the CMCC closing, issuing a statement on social media. However, it did not address whether the ISF would take over its responsibilities.
Quoting Reuters’ post on X, the Board shared,
“Any claim that the CMCC is closing is wrong. The CMCC is advancing its efforts every day to continue delivering aid at a level unprecedented in modern history:
– Food aid is reaching 3x more people than before
– Aid diversion has dwindled from 90% to less than 1%
– According to the United Nations, nutrition has improved dramatically
The CMCC also has played a critical role in advancing security. The ceasefire has continued to hold despite all the predictions from so-called experts. We now have a pathway to the establishment of a transitional government in Gaza and the International Stabilization Force. Quite simply, life for the people of Gaza gets better on a daily basis. The CMCC has been an essential part of this story and will continue to be mission critical to our efforts.”
