Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that American diplomats will work alongside U.S. military officers at a new coordination center in southern Israel to ensure the fragile Gaza ceasefire holds.
Speaking at the Civil–Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, Rubio said the State Department was expanding its presence at the facility, which was built by roughly 200 U.S. troops under the command of Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. forces in the Middle East.
“This is a historic mission. There are going to be ups and downs and twists and turns,” Rubio said. “We’ve got to get through the process we’re involved in right now — making sure the ceasefire holds without disruption, and ensuring people are receiving the life-sustaining aid they need in a way that’s not being looted, stolen, or diverted in any way.”
After calling the current progress “a reason for healthy optimism,” Rubio declined to give details about how the force would be assembled or how it would operate.
The coordination center, operating inside a secured industrial compound in southern Israel, is staffed by American and Israeli personnel working side by side to monitor ceasefire compliance and manage the flow of aid convoys into Gaza. Its mission, according to Admiral Cooper, is to “support stabilization efforts” in Gaza, with Washington open to coordinating with the United Nations on aid distribution and reconstruction logistics.
Officials familiar with the operation told Ynet that the facility also serves as a communication bridge between military and diplomatic teams to prevent flare-ups along the border and expedite logistical approvals for relief shipments.
During the press conference, Rubio also cautioned against renewed efforts by far-right lawmakers to push for the annexation of Judea and Samaria. “We don’t think it’s going to happen,” he said, echoing President Trump’s stance in a recent Time interview that annexation would derail ongoing diplomatic progress and alienate key Arab partners.
Rubio’s visit marks the second top-level U.S. appearance at the center this week, following a Tuesday visit by Vice President J.D. Vance, as well as earlier visits by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who helped negotiate the historic ceasefire agreement.
Earlier in Jerusalem, Rubio met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for discussions focused on securing the release of 13 hostage bodies held by Hamas, ensuring security guarantees, overseeing humanitarian aid, and exploring the possibility of a multinational stabilization force to support the long-term truce.
After the Kiryat Gat visit, Rubio is expected to confer with his Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts before continuing to additional stops in the region.
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