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() The White House is seeking to clarify the role U.S. troops will play in enforcing the peace plan in Gaza, saying U.S. service members will not set foot in the territory.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are heading home after being displaced as Phase 1 of President Donald Trump’s peace 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.
A senior White House official told it’s possible that some of the U.S. personnel overseeing the implementation of the peace plan may end up on the ground in Israel.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the 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 on the ground and others assisting from afar.
The U.S. will also be coordinating with other international partners already in the region, including Egyptian and Qatari forces.
There is also the possibility of additional deployments aimed specifically at overseeing Phase 1 of the Gaza plan on the ground or remotely.
The White House also clarified that if there are U.S. troops on the ground in Israel, they 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.