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LONDON: A small contingent of British military planning officers has been sent to Israel to join a task force led by the United States to support stabilization efforts in Gaza, the UK defense ministry said.
Gaza mediators — the United States, Egypt and Qatar — stepped up their efforts this week to stabilize the early stages of the truce between Israel and Hamas and to push forward US President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan.
A US-backed stabilization force, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center, or CMCC, is meant to ensure security in Gaza. Its composition, role, chain of command, legal status and other issues are yet to be agreed.
The US has agreed to provide up to 200 troops to support the force without being deployed in Gaza itself. US officials have said they are also speaking to Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and Azerbaijan to contribute.
A UK ministry of defense spokesperson said in a statement that a “small number of UK planning officers” had embedded in the CMCC, including a two-star deputy commander.
The spokesperson said the deployment was intended to ensure the UK remained integrated into US-led planning efforts for post-conflict stability in Gaza.
“The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process,” the spokesperson added.
British media reported that defense minister John Healey said on Monday that Britain had “specialist experience and skills that we have offered to contribute,” adding that while the UK would not lead the effort, it would play its part.
Healey said the deployment was made in response to a request from the United States.

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Israel returned the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza on Wednesday, bringing the total number handed over under the ceasefire deal to 195, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said.
Under the deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, Israel was to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned.
Israel’s military said Wednesday that the remains of two more hostages returned the day before from Gaza had been identified as those of Aryeh Zalmanovich and Master Sergeant Tamir Adar.
Since October 10, the remains of 15 hostages have been returned, out of the 28 pledged to be handed over by Hamas under the ceasefire deal.
Gaza’s health ministry said that 57 of the returned Palestinian bodies had so far been identified by their relatives, while 54 unidentified bodies had been buried on Wednesday.
Gaza’s civil defense agency, a rescue force operating under Hamas authority, said the funeral procession began at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis and proceeded to a cemetery in Deir el-Balah, in central Gaza.
AFP footage from Nasser Hospital showed dozens of bodies laid out on the floor in white body bags as rescue workers stood in a line to pray over the dead.
Umm Hassan Hammad said she had been unable to identify the body of her son who has been missing since October 7, 2023.
“Every day I come here, maybe I recognize him from his clothes or the trousers he went out in since October 7,” she said.