US Contractors Oversee Gaza Ceasefire Phase Two

Under the terms of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, private American security contractors, alongside an Egyptian firm, will manage a critical checkpoint on the Netzarim Corridor in Gaza, facilitating the movement of displaced Palestinians returning to northern Gaza. This initiative marks the first deployment of U.S. private security in Gaza in decades and ensures that no weapons are smuggled during transit. The arrangement is part of a multinational consortium backed by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, which mediated the ceasefire deal. Israeli forces will withdraw from the area, allowing the contractors to handle security operations as a test of private sector involvement in conflict zones. This significant step in the ceasefire's second phase focuses on the return and resettlement of nearly 1.9 million displaced Gazans.