The Guardian reveals: Israel spies on US forces monitoring Gaza agreement

SadaNews - The Guardian has reported from informed sources that Israeli agents are conducting extensive surveillance operations on US forces stationed at a new base monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza.

According to these leaks, the commander of the US base, General Patrick Frank, summoned his Israeli counterpart to a meeting where he informed him that "the recording must stop here".

This summons came after Israel gathered intelligence on the US forces present at the security coordination center that monitors the ceasefire in Gaza.

Staff and visitors from other countries expressed concerns about Israel recording within the coordination center, and some were asked to avoid sharing sensitive information due to the risk of it being collected and exploited.

The US military declined to comment when asked about the Israeli surveillance activities.

The Israeli army also refused to comment on Frank's request to stop the recording, noting that discussions within the center are not classified as secret.

It is noteworthy that the coordination center was established in November to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza, coordinate aid, and plan for the future of the sector, according to Trump's 20-point plan.

The center is located in a multi-story building in the industrial area of Kiryat Gat, about 20 kilometers from the Gaza border.

Israel has consistently restricted or banned shipments of food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods to Gaza.

The complete siege this summer has pushed parts of the sector towards famine.

Israeli Control

When the center began its operations, American and Israeli media reported that Israel was relinquishing control over what enters the sector in favor of the US military.

Two months after the ceasefire, Washington wields significant influence, but Israel still controls the surroundings of Gaza and what enters it, according to a US official.

Among the US forces deployed at the center are experts in dealing with natural disasters or trainers on finding supply routes through hostile areas.

They arrived eager to bolster the flow of aid but quickly discovered that Israel's restrictions on the entry of goods to Gaza were a greater obstacle than the engineering challenges, and after a few weeks, dozens of them departed.

Diplomats say that discussions at the center were crucial in convincing Israel to amend lists of prohibited or restricted supplies entering Gaza, such as tent poles and chemicals needed for water purification.

Other materials, like pens and paper necessary for reopening schools, have been banned from shipment to Gaza without explanation.

The center brings together military planners from the US, Israel, and other allied countries, including the UK and the UAE, while there are no representatives from Palestinian civil or humanitarian organizations or the Palestinian Authority.

Even attempts to engage Palestinians in discussions via video calls have been repeatedly cut off by Israeli officials, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

Mixing Military with Humanitarian

US military planning documents obtained by The Guardian avoid using the words "Palestine" or "Palestinian," merely referring to the sector's inhabitants as "Gazans".

Inside the center, many diplomats and relief workers feel profoundly uneasy about being there.

The newspaper reported that they fear the center may violate international law, exclude Palestinians from planning their own future, operate without a clear international mandate, and conflate military and humanitarian efforts.

But they also worry that moving away will leave discussions about Gaza's future entirely in the hands of Israel and newly appointed US military planners who have little knowledge of Gaza or the broader political context they are trying to influence.

When asked about the timeline for implementing plans set in the center, the US official refused to provide any date, stating that the US military is primarily working on the political side.

Source: The Guardian