Around 200 US service members arrived in Israel to establish a new coordination hub for aid and security in Gaza.
Officials confirmed the troops will remain outside Gaza while managing the ceasefire implementation between Israel and Hamas.
US envoy Steve Witkoff and Central Command leader Brad Cooper inspected Israel’s initial troop withdrawal inside Gaza on Saturday.
“This mission continues without any US soldiers entering Gaza,” Cooper stated, confirming his command’s leadership role.
Ceasefire Spurs Massive Relief Effort
The truce agreement requires Hamas to release 48 hostages by Monday, with 20 believed still alive.
In exchange, Israel will free 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and reopen key aid corridors into Gaza.
Authorities in Gaza reported more than 5,000 reconstruction and medical operations since the ceasefire began.
Teams repaired essential infrastructure and completed 700 food distribution missions for displaced residents.
The World Food Programme said it would restart 145 food centres once Israeli clearance allows broader deliveries.
The United Nations announced that Israel had approved an expansion of aid convoys starting Sunday.
Gaza’s Return Brings Sorrow and Hope
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians streamed north through wrecked streets to reach their former homes.
Gaza’s civil defence reported that 500,000 residents have returned to Gaza City since the truce took hold.
“When they arrive, they find ruins where their houses once stood,” UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said from Gaza.
She called for a “massive aid increase” to rebuild and address years of destruction.
Shifa Hospital staff confirmed 45 bodies recovered from debris in Gaza City over the past day, many missing for weeks.
US President Donald Trump plans to attend the signing ceremony of the Gaza peace accord in Egypt, signalling an end to the war.
