Kiryat gat: Membership of the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) for Gaza assistance has surpassed 50 partner nations and international organizations, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). This milestone comes one month after the center achieved full operational capability.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the CMCC was established on October 17, five days after a US-brokered plan was signed to permanently end the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The center became fully operational on October 24, coinciding with the arrival of international staff at its headquarters in Kiryat Gat, Israel.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, emphasized the significance of the CMCC in achieving lasting peace in the Middle East. He highlighted the essential role of international collaboration in implementing the peace plan and noted the progress being made.
Recently, in collaboration with Israel's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the CMCC facilitated the entry of technicians into Gaza to repair a main fiber-optic cable, fully restoring internet connectivity across the 25-mile-long Strip. Additionally, the center has overseen the movement of over 24,000 trucks carrying humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Gaza over the past five weeks, while working to open new delivery routes.
Ambassador Steven Fagin, who co-leads the CMCC with Lt.-Gen. Patrick Frank, emphasized the center's unique role in ensuring the success of humanitarian efforts by bringing together various stakeholders, including the Israel Defense Forces, COGAT, the US military and civilians, partner nation militaries, UN organizations, and NGOs.
The CMCC has also been instrumental in evacuating over 1,500 Gazan civilians with dual citizenship or needing medical care. Current efforts focus on delivering humanitarian supplies for the winter and clearing unexploded ordnance along Gaza's logistical corridors to enhance safety.
The CMCC headquarters has welcomed visits from more than 100 media outlets and top leaders since its opening. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited on October 24, the day it became fully operational, praising the center's work and expressing optimism about the mission's progress.