The American command center in Kiryat Gat will now oversee humanitarian aid entry to Gaza instead of the IDF’s COGAT unit; ‘Israelis are part of the talks, but we decide,’ a U.S. official told The Washington Post
Ynet News
The U.S. command center in Kiryat Gat (CMCC), which oversees implementation of the Gaza cease-fire, will now take charge of coordinating all humanitarian aid deliveries to the Strip, a responsibility previously held by the Israeli military’s COGAT unit, according to a report Friday in The Washington Post.
The transfer of authority, the report said, was finalized earlier in the day.
‘The Israelis are part of the conversations, but the decisions are made by the United States,’ a senior American official told the paper, adding that the move effectively makes Israel a secondary player in determining the type and amount of aid allowed into Gaza.
Several officials familiar with the command center’s early operations described its functioning as ‘chaotic and indecisive.’
The CMCC, based in Kiryat Gat, includes representatives from about 40 countries and international organizations. ‘Bringing everyone together allows you to separate what’s essential from what’s not, and gain a clearer understanding of what’s needed on the ground,’ said CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins, defending the center’s structure.
U.S. plan raises questions — and pushback
Although President Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza calls for a sharp increase in humanitarian aid, Washington has not clarified how that expansion will be implemented — or whether restrictions imposed by Israel will be lifted.
Aid agencies working in Gaza have already voiced opposition to the new model, warning that it risks repeating the failures of the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), launched earlier this year by the U.S., which they claim indirectly contributed to civilian deaths during IDF operations.
The report also noted tensions within the administration over Gaza’s reconstruction. Senior Trump advisers have proposed a plan to create up to 16 ‘safe communities’ inside Gaza, behind areas currently controlled by the IDF.
Under that plan, vetted Palestinians would live in these zones and receive food, medical care, and protection — potentially for years — while Hamas would be disarmed and excluded from Gaza’s future governance.
A source familiar with the administration’s thinking told the Post that Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser who, together with envoy Steve Witkoff, brokered the cease-fire and hostage deal, ‘wants to see some tangible success resulting from Israel’s ongoing control over parts of Gaza.’ Hamas’s continued presence elsewhere in the Strip, the source added, ‘remains a major obstacle to reconstruction.’
Decision delays and ‘a lot of uncertainty’
Sources within or close to the Kiryat Gat command center described bureaucratic delays and confusion, with officials often needing to consult their home governments before approving any decisions.
‘One of the problems is that they still don’t have the funds to actually implement anything,’ one official told the Post. Another who visited the center said: ‘There were a lot of people sitting with laptops — and a lot of uncertainty.’
Despite the challenges, the shift marks a significant change in Gaza’s post-war management, with Washington taking the lead role in both aid coordination and long-term recovery planning — and Israel, for the first time, stepping back to a supporting position.