Germany to deploy officers to support Gaza ceasefire monitoring

Germany will send three military personnel to join a US-led coordination centre in Israel tasked with monitoring the Gaza ceasefire, the Defence Ministry announced on Saturday.

“The German government supports the 20-point plan and the Gaza peace process by contributing to stabilising the ceasefire and implementing agreed measures,” the ministry said in a statement.

For the initial phase, the Bundeswehr will deploy two staff officers and a brigadier general from its Operational Command next week. The officers will serve in uniform but unarmed at the Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in southern Israel.

The CMCC, established under US leadership, is responsible for overseeing the ceasefire in Gaza, clearing debris, and coordinating humanitarian operations. It will also facilitate the integration, training, and logistical support of the planned multinational stabilisation force.

According to the ministry, the centre is already operational with about 200 US military personnel under the command of a three-star general. The deployment does not require parliamentary approval, as it is considered non-combat in nature.

The move follows German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s earlier pledge to provide political, financial, and technical backing for the Gaza ceasefire plan, while refraining from contributing troops to the proposed international force.

The ceasefire framework—endorsed by global and regional powers at a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh last Monday—was initiated by US President Donald Trump and outlines a 20-point roadmap for stabilisation in Gaza.

In its first phase, Hamas released 20 Israeli captives while Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Israeli forces have begun pulling out from densely populated areas, and humanitarian supplies have started entering the enclave.

Subsequent phases include disarming Hamas, establishing a temporary technocratic administration, and deploying an international stabilisation force to ensure border security.

According to Gaza health authorities, nearly 68,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed and around 170,000 injured during two years of Israeli military operations. A recent UN inquiry concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide, while the ongoing blockade and restrictions on aid have caused severe food shortages and widespread famine.