Gaza, MINA – The US military has begun operating surveillance drones over the Gaza Strip in recent days as part of efforts to “verify compliance with the ceasefire agreement” that came into effect on October 10, according to The New York Times on Friday.
Citing Israeli and American military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the report confirmed that the drones are being used to monitor activity in Gaza with Israel’s approval. The operations are part of a broader initiative linked to the new Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), established last week by US Central Command in southern Israel to oversee the implementation of the truce.
The reconnaissance missions reportedly reflect Washington’s interest in obtaining an independent assessment of conditions on the ground, distinct from Israel’s account despite the close cooperation between the two militaries.
The US previously deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones early in the war to help locate Israeli captives, with the intelligence gathered shared directly with the Israeli army. The Times added that while the Israeli military declined to comment on the current drone operations, the US State Department which is leading the ceasefire monitoring effort has not responded to related inquiries.
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In a related move, the State Department announced the appointment of Ambassador Steven Fagin, the US envoy to Yemen, as the civilian head of the new coordination center responsible for overseeing the ceasefire and facilitating humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The announcement followed a visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the CMCC at the Kiryat Gat base in southern Israel, where he pledged to deploy additional American diplomats to support the approximately 200 US troops already stationed there.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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