Britain has reversed its stance and deployed military personnel to Israel to join a US-led multinational effort tasked with monitoring the precarious Gaza ceasefire, Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed, just days after the Foreign Secretary ruled out such a move.
The British deployment, which includes a senior commander and a small number of military personnel, follows a request from the Americans to help monitor the delicate truce brokered by President Trump. The senior British officer, a two-star general, will serve as deputy to an American commander at the “Civil-Military Coordination Centre” (CMCC) established in Israel, which already includes US troops providing logistical and security assistance. This revelation by Defence Secretary John Healey comes barely a week after Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated there were “no plans” to send British troops to be part of the multinational force. Healey defended the change in policy on Monday, telling business leaders in London that the ceasefire had created an “opportunity for long-term peace” and that Britain would play an “anchor role” by contributing its “specialist experience and skills” to the monitoring effort. A Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed that a small number of UK planning officers were embedded in the US led CMCC, Civil Military Coordination Centre, including a 2* deputy commander to ensure that the UK remains integrated into the US led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability, noting that the UK does not expect to lead the mission.
The CMCC force, expected to include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE, alongside non-government organisations and personnel from the private sector, is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire’s implementation and facilitating the much-needed flow of humanitarian aid, which has been severely slowed by Israeli delays in allowing convoys into Gaza. This multinational force will not operate inside Gaza itself and is distinct from a planned international stabilisation force intended to train and support vetted Palestinian police forces within the territory. The monitoring team will rely on remote surveillance tools like drones, satellites, and aircraft, as it has no mandate to intervene or actively keep the peace.
The Trump-brokered ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10, has remained fragile; the Israeli military carried out deadly strikes over the weekend and on Monday, citing apparent truce violations by Palestinian militants who they claimed had crossed the newly delineated “yellow ceasefire line,” a claim Hamas has denied. Adding to the friction, as reported in The Times UK, the Emir of Qatar, a crucial mediator, publicly criticized Israel on Tuesday for “continued breaches” in Gaza and for its expansion of West Bank settlements. The humanitarian situation is also under intense scrutiny, with doctors in Gaza, according to reports, claiming that some bodies returned to them showed evidence of torture, including being bound with ropes and metal shackles, and having suffered deep wounds and burns.
