White House disputes reports of new troops to middle east

On Thursday, the White House disputed reports of new troops being sent to the middle east to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza.

200 troops will monitor peace deal in Israel

What they're saying:

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified Thursday that up to 200 troops will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel and will work with other international forces on the ground.

"This is NOT true and taken out of context," Leavitt wrote. "To be clear: up to 200 U.S. personnel, who are already stationed at CENTCOM, will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel, and they will work with other international forces on the ground."

Earlier Thursday, The Associated Press reported that officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release, said U.S. Central Command was going to establish a "civil-military coordination center" in Israel that would help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory.

AP said the coordination center would be staffed by about 200 U.S. service members who have expertise in transportation, planning, security, logistics and engineering, according to the official, who noted that no American troops would be sent into Gaza.

A second official told AP that troops would come from U.S. Central Command as well as other parts of the globe. That official added that the troops have already begun arriving and will continue to travel to the region over the weekend to begin planning and efforts to establish the center.

Why you should care:

The remarks provide some of the first details on how the ceasefire deal would be monitored and how the U.S. military would have a role in that effort. 

Israel, Hamas agree on 'first phase' to halt fighting

This news comes one day after President Donald Trump said that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the "first phase" of his peace plan, which includes a pause in fighting and the release of some hostages and prisoners.

What they're saying:

"This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace," Trump wrote. "All Parties will be treated fairly!"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, "With God’s help we will bring them all home."

Netanyahu said he would convene the government on Thursday in order to approve the deal.

"I thank President Trump and his team from the bottom of my heart for their commitment to this sacred mission of freeing our hostages," Netanyahu said.

The group Hamas also said in a statement the deal came after "responsible and serious negotiations" over the proposal by Trump. Hamas called on Trump and the mediators to ensure that Israel implements all the provisions agreed upon without delay or changes.

War in Gaza

The backstory:

The war in Gaza entered its 2-year mark on Tuesday, when Hamas led an attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which militants killed 1,200 people and took roughly 250 people hostage.

Big picture view:

The war has displaced around 90% of Gaza's population, obliterated much of the territory's urban landscape and left people reliant on outside aid, which Israel has limited since the end of the latest ceasefire in March.

RELATED: Israel, Hamas agree on 'first phase' to halt fighting, free hostages, Trump says

The latest information from Gaza’s Health Ministry said more than 66,000 Palestinians had died in the war, which includes militants, women and children.