Two hundred US soldiers arrived in Israel to create a coordination base supporting aid and security efforts for Gaza.
Officials confirmed the troops will remain outside Gaza while overseeing the truce between Israel and Hamas.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Central Command leader Brad Cooper inspected Gaza to confirm Israel’s initial troop withdrawal.
“This mission will succeed without US personnel entering Gaza,” Cooper stated, confirming his command will direct the operation.
Truce Opens Humanitarian Access Across Gaza
The ceasefire deal requires Hamas to release 48 hostages by Monday, with roughly 20 believed to be alive.
In exchange, Israel will free 2,000 Palestinian detainees and allow aid to resume through Gaza’s crossings.
Gaza authorities reported over 5,000 public restoration efforts since the truce began, including infrastructure repair and medical support.
Teams repaired water pipelines and sewage systems while aid groups completed 700 food distribution operations for displaced residents.
The World Food Programme announced plans to reopen 145 feeding centres once Israel permits expanded delivery routes.
The United Nations confirmed that Israel approved a major increase in aid shipments beginning Sunday.
Gaza Civilians Return to Devastation
Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians travelled north through debris-filled roads to reach what remains of their neighbourhoods.
Gaza’s civil defence reported that 500,000 people have returned to Gaza City since the ceasefire started.
“When families arrive, they see ruins instead of homes,” UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said from central Gaza.
She demanded a “massive aid escalation” to repair the vast destruction caused by two years of warfare.
Medical staff at Shifa Hospital recovered 45 bodies from Gaza City rubble within 24 hours, missing for weeks.
US President Donald Trump plans to travel to Egypt for the Gaza peace deal signing, signalling a potential end to the conflict.
