United States to Close Mission Center in Gaza

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United States is reportedly set to close its mission in the Gaza Strip on Friday, May 1, 2026. Several sources, cited by Arab News, indicate that the mission failed to ensure compliance with the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The closure of the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) highlights its inability to uphold the ceasefire and facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid. This move represents the latest setback for President Donald Trump's Gaza plan, which has been undermined by repeated Israeli attacks since the October 2025 ceasefire and Hamas's refusal to disarm.

Diplomats and officials stated that the unprecedented move underscores the difficulties faced by the U.S. in monitoring the ceasefire and coordinating aid. Challenges have mounted as Israel seizes more Gaza territory while Hamas strengthens its grip on areas under its control.

The decision may also increase unease among Washington's allies, whom Trump pressured to deploy personnel to the CMCC and fund Gaza's reconstruction. However, this plan has effectively been delayed since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint war against Iran in late February 2026.

Transition to the ISF

The mission center will be replaced by an internationally led security mission tasked with overseeing the situation in the Palestinian territories.

A diplomat briefed on the U.S. plan said the number of American troops working within the International Stabilization Force (ISF) will be reduced from approximately 190 to 40. The U.S. will reportedly seek to replace these troops with civilian staff from other nations.

Diplomats noted that the CMCC lacked the authority to enforce the ceasefire or guarantee aid, making it unclear whether its integration into the ISF will yield a significant practical impact on the ground.

Once the CMCC merges with the ISF, its name is expected to change to the International Gaza Support Center. The center will likely be led by U.S. Major General Jasper Jeffers, the White House-appointed ISF commander.

While the ISF was intended for immediate deployment to establish security in Gaza, this has yet to materialize. Only a handful of countries have pledged troops, and none have committed to an active security role. Washington has maintained that U.S. forces will not be deployed directly into Gaza.

Currently, the ISF operates from an isolated annex within the CMCC, located in a warehouse in southern Israel. Access to this annex is tightly controlled by U.S. forces, and according to sources, the U.S. regularly denies entry to representatives from allied countries.

Persistent Israeli Attacks

The establishment of the CMCC was a central element of Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza. This followed a ceasefire intended to halt the conflict and allow for reconstruction in a region devastated by Israeli military operations over the past two years.

Dozens of nations, including Germany, France, Britain, Egypt, and the UAE, sent military planners and intelligence officials to the center in an effort to influence Gaza's future. However, as Israel continues its attacks and pushes the ceasefire line deeper into Gaza, diplomats say the CMCC's momentum is fading. Hamas has also regained administrative control in parts of the coastal enclave.

One diplomat noted that some countries now send representatives only once a month, with only a few maintaining a regular presence.

Israel claims its attacks aim to neutralize threats from Hamas or individuals approaching the ceasefire line. Palestinians argue this is a pretext to seize more territory and force them to abandon their land.

Since the ceasefire, more than 800 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers have been killed. The preceding conflict resulted in at least 72,000 Palestinian deaths, the majority being women and children, with hundreds of thousands more injured. The warfare destroyed much of Gaza's infrastructure, displacing nearly all of its 2 million inhabitants.

The CMCC was designed to ensure aid reached those in need, but assistance levels remain stagnant. While commercial goods entering Gaza have increased, Israel continues to prohibit items it labels as having dual military and civilian use, including tent poles and heavy equipment needed to clear rubble.

COGAT, the Israeli body controlling Gaza access, stated that 80% of daily truck entries carry commercial goods purchased in Israel, intended to complement humanitarian supplies.

The Board of Peace officials believe Gaza ultimately requires "a sustainable civil government to transform from years of aid dependency and cycles of violence."

In November 2025, the UN Security Council approved a U.S.-led resolution supporting Trump's comprehensive plan. The resolution passed with 13 votes, while Russia and China abstained.

The U.S. plan calls for international interim governance, the formation of the Board of Peace chaired by Trump, and an ISF mandate for deployment in coordination with Israel and Egypt. Despite the transition to the second phase of this plan, Israeli bombardments continue, and Hamas remains entrenched.

Read: Trump Tells Congress Hostilities with Iran Have 'Terminated'

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