US set to close Gaza monitoring centre as truce efforts face setbacks

A U.S.-run body tasked with monitoring the Israel–Hamas ceasefire and coordinating aid to Gaza is set to be shut down, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC), based in Israel, is expected to be folded into a new U.S.-led framework known as the International Stabilization Force (ISF), diplomats told Reuters. The transition would effectively end the CMCC’s role and transfer its responsibilities to the new mission.

Officials have described the change as a restructuring, but diplomats say it amounts to a replacement of the existing mechanism, reflecting difficulties in enforcing the ceasefire and facilitating humanitarian aid.

The development is seen as a setback for U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza strategy, which has already been strained by renewed Israeli military activity and Hamas’s refusal to disarm.

According to multiple diplomatic sources, the CMCC lacked the authority to enforce the truce or ensure aid deliveries, raising questions about whether the transition to the ISF will significantly improve conditions on the ground.

Under the planned changes, the number of U.S. personnel involved is expected to decrease from around 190 to about 40, with a greater reliance on civilian staff from allied countries. However, diplomats say only a limited number of countries have so far pledged support to the new mission, and none have committed to security roles.

The ISF has yet to fully deploy in Gaza, despite initial plans for rapid implementation. A restricted-access annex linked to the mission has already been established within the CMCC facility in southern Israel, but access is tightly controlled by U.S. forces, according to sources.

The body is also expected to be rebranded as the International Gaza Support Centre once the transition is complete, potentially under the leadership of U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers.

The White House and U.S. Central Command declined to comment directly, referring inquiries to the Board of Peace, a body overseeing Gaza policy. The Board denied reports that the CMCC was being closed but did not clarify whether its responsibilities would be transferred.

The move comes amid broader concerns among U.S. allies, many of whom had been encouraged to contribute personnel and funding to Washington’s Gaza reconstruction and stabilisation plans, which have stalled amid ongoing regional conflict.

By Sabina Mammadli