The military base in Israel from which the United States controls the Gaza truce

BarcelonaAbout 30 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, in the little-known industrial city of Kiryat Gat, the United States established a headquarters a few weeks ago from which operations in the Strip are directed. Officially, it is called the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CCMC), but among the locals it is already known as "the Americans' base." The complex, run by the U.S. Central Command (Centcom), is quite an anomaly in a country accustomed to cooperating closely with Washington, but always while defending its sovereignty.

The mission of the center, inaugurated in mid-October, is—according to Washington—to monitor compliance with the ceasefire and coordinate humanitarian aid. within the framework of the plan sponsored by Donald TrumpHowever, in practice, its mandate is still unclear. Some two hundred US military personnel work there, along with military personnel from Israel, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Jordan, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. The flags of the participating countries fly on the facade, but not those of Turkey or Qatar, countries that Israel does not trust because of their ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, from whose branch of political Islam Hamas emerged. Israeli Brigadier General Zvika Haimovich, now retired from the Air Force, admits to the ARA that Washington and Tel Aviv do not agree on everything: "Among partners and allies, sometimes you have to reach an agreement despite disagreements. We respect each other and resolve our differences among ourselves." Haimovich asserts that "the mission and the commitment to protecting our people is more important than ego."

The United States has operational command of the new base. Lieutenant General Patrick Frank is the top military officer, while Steve Fagin, former ambassador to Yemen, coordinates the civilian side under Secretary of State Marco Rubio. With the ceasefire still not holding (Israel has killed at least 241 Palestinians in Gaza since the truce was agreed upon on October 10, and Hamas has killed three Israeli soldiers), and while the exchange of bodies of Israeli hostages and prisoners from Palestinian outposts continues, Trump's plan remains unrealistic. Hamas has stated it has no intention of disarming, and there is no indication of the international force meant to maintain control of the Gaza Strip materializing. Israeli military sources admit that the center also exercises tacit control over Israeli army operations, particularly those that could jeopardize the truce.

Washington already deployed a fairly massive military presence in Israel during the 1991 and 2003 Iraq wars, and its military operates permanently from a satellite base in the Negeb Desert, but there has never been a base like Kyriat Gat in Israel.

Amir Bar Shalom, a military analyst for Israeli Army Radio, explains to ARA that "the US military presence in Israel is not new; what is new is that Washington has become involved in finding a solution to the civilian administration of Gaza, where Israel does not want to assume any responsibility." He adds, "Israel is not interested in having troops from Turkey and Qatar in Gaza, and prefers that the international force be led by pragmatic countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates." Therefore, he believes that "it is very important for the United States to participate directly in the search for a solution, provided that the Israeli position and viewpoint carry weight." Tinder

In Kiryat Gat, an industrial city in southern Israel that had never before received so much media attention, the presence of hundreds of US military personnel—men and women in uniform buying falafel or hamburgers, sportswear, or looking for dates on Tinder—has transformed daily life. Mayor Kfir Swisa presents it as an opportunity: "We have welcomed them with open arms. Kiryat Gat is on the map," he told Israeli television. Meanwhile, the government is pushing through an urban development plan that will double the city's population. Other residents see risks: "Until now we lived peacefully, and now we are a target," warned a viral comment on social media, reflecting the fear that the city could become the target of possible reprisals.

Inside the CCMC, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth AhronothThere are screens displaying the movement of aid convoys and maps of the Gaza Strip, with the twenty points of the Trump plan displayed on a wall. "The Americans want to know everything. If any operation could jeopardize the ceasefire, they cancel it," explained an officer quoted by the newspaper.

This dependency has stirred unease in some sectors. Former national security advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat is calling for "an end to the ambiguity" and clarification on how this command contributes to Israeli objectives. Likud MK Amit Halevi has demanded an oversight mechanism in parliament to ensure that the center does not restrict military freedom of action.

Drone flights

According to military sources cited by the Israeli press, the United States has resumed drone flights over Gaza for the first time in two years, with the aim of monitoring compliance with the ceasefire. Washington is also leading the planning for a future international stabilization force, still in the design phase. Vice President JD Vance, during his visit to the center, acknowledged that there would be "setbacks" but guaranteed that the US "will not abandon the mission." The Americans, he said, "plan, coordinate, and observe." The CCMC in Kiryat Gat is, in turn, a logistics center and a diplomatic experiment. It is unclear whether it will be effective, but its existence has already redefined the relationship between Israel and the United States.