(NewsNation) — U.S. service members began arriving in Israel Friday to oversee the implementation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, a White House official tells NewsNation.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are heading home after being displaced as Phase 1 of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan goes into effect.
The true test will come after the remaining Israeli hostages are returned, dead or alive, in the next 72 hours.
Many unknowns remain about the next steps in the process, including how Hamas will disarm and who will lead Gaza in the future. One other element that remains unclear is what role U.S. troops will play in monitoring the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The White House is pushing back on earlier reporting that it says overstated the role of American troops.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said up to 200 U.S. personnel already stationed with Central Command will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel and will work with other international forces on the ground.
Leavitt clarified that not all of those 200 troops will be on the ground in Israel, with some possibly being deployed while others assists from afar.
The U.S. will coordinate with other international partners already in the region, including Egyptian and Qatari forces.
The White House said any U.S. troops on the ground in Israel will not enter Gaza.
Trump’s upcoming trip to the Middle East will include stops in Israel and Egypt, a key trip that could lead to more details on how the enforcement of the plan may unfold.