U.S. Seeks Gaza Peacekeepers, Defends Strike

Senior U.S. officials have surged to Israel to help preserve the Gaza ceasefire, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading coordination. Rubio said Washington does not view an Israel Defense Forces drone strike that killed one person while targeting a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative as a breach of the truce, saying Israel retains the right of self‑defense amid credible reports of an imminent threat that mediators helped identify. The U.S., Israel and other mediators are sharing intelligence and have established a Civil‑Military Coordination Center in Israel where diplomats and U.S. military officers will help monitor the truce. The Trump administration is developing an outline for a possible U.N. resolution or international agreement to authorize a multinational stabilization/peacekeeping force in Gaza and is seeking funds and personnel from Arab and other states, though Israel has rejected Turkish participation. Several countries, including Indonesia and Azerbaijan, have expressed interest but many would require an international mandate under their domestic laws; U.S. officials are working on rules of engagement and planning further high‑level visits to coordinate implementation. A separately leaked 2020 document showed Israel encouraged Qatari transfers for Gaza reconstruction despite knowing significant funds reached Hamas, complicating humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.