US-Led Gaza Coordination Center Expands to Boost Aid Supplies, Monitor Ceasefire
The US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) – the main coordination hub for Gaza assistance – has expanded to involve 50 nations and international organizations, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced.
The CMCC is a center established by the US on October 17 in Israel to oversee the ceasefire with Hamas and aid delivery in Gaza. It has started operations on October 24 after the arrival of international representatives.
The center hosts about 200 US troops working alongside counterparts from Israel and other countries, including Cyprus, Greece, France, Germany, Australia and Canada, to plan Gaza’s stabilization and reconstruction. It will also handle aid delivery in the Strip after the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) ended operations.
On this occasion, CENTCOM Commander, Brad Cooper, called it a “historic opportunity” to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East. “We appreciate the efforts of our international partners. Successful implementation of the peace plan requires unprecedented collaboration, and we are making progress,” he said.
Similarly, Ambassador Steven Fagin, who leads the CMCC alongside US Army Central commander Lt. Gen. Patrick Frank, noted that through cooperation with Israel, US military and civilians, partner nations, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations, “the CMCC is uniquely positioned to ensure the success of humanitarian assistance efforts.”
The center coordinated the repair of a critical fiber-optic cable, fully restoring internet access across the densely-populated Gaza Strip. It has also facilitated the movement of over 24,000 trucks of humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Gaza over the past five weeks, while working to open new supply routes.
Furthermore, the CMCC also facilitated the evacuation of over 1,500 Gazan civilians with dual citizenship or medical needs.
Currently, the center is focused on delivering humanitarian supplies for the upcoming winter months and clearing unexploded ordnance along Gaza’s critical logistical corridors to improve safety and access.
