The American positioning near Gaza: between the potential base and the reservation about direct involvement.

Washington  - "Al-Quds" dot com – Said Arikat

Israeli media leaks have intensified regarding the United States' intention to establish a massive military base on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, in a move said to pave the way for the formation of an international force overseeing the post-war phase. While Israeli sources confirm that Washington is moving forward with this plan, the U.S. military leadership insists that there is no intention to send troops or establish bases within the Gaza Strip itself.

According to leaked information, the proposed project could cost around $500 million, and is expected to accommodate thousands of American and international soldiers as part of a support and stabilization mission aimed at protecting any new civilian administration in Gaza after a ceasefire. These reports state that the base would serve as a main command center for any multinational force tasked with monitoring security and reconstruction, within arrangements being negotiated between Washington and Tel Aviv.

A source in Washington: Talk of a large base is premature

It is noted that an informed source in Washington told a correspondent for Al-Quds newspaper that discussing a "large American military base similar to U.S. bases abroad is premature." The source, who requested anonymity, added that "the United States has a small and permanent military presence in Israel, which changes in size according to strategic priorities, for years," but it is not of the type that can be described as a "large base." He explained: "The United States is cautious about becoming a direct party in the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis; however, the Trump administration is certainly interested in having an international force to maintain the truce in Gaza, under its direct supervision."

Official U.S. position: No military presence inside Gaza

In contrast, U.S. officials reject the Israeli narrative regarding the construction of a base near the Gaza Strip. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement issued in late October the establishment of a civil-military coordination center in southern Israel, near the city of Kiryat Gat, to monitor humanitarian and security activities related to Gaza. The statement clearly confirmed that "U.S. forces will not enter Gaza," while CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper emphasized that "there will be no American troops on the ground inside the Strip."

Sources in the U.S. Department of Defense also indicate that current activities are focused on logistical and humanitarian support, particularly through the temporary floating port established by the United States off the coast of Gaza to facilitate the entry of aid, a project announced by President Joe Biden in 2024. Additionally, American investments exceeding one and a half billion dollars have been observed in the development of Israeli bases and command centers near the southern border, which is considered an indication of the expansion of U.S. military infrastructure in the region.

Strategy "Close to Gaza"

The data indicates that Washington is adopting what can be described as a "close positioning policy to Gaza," meaning establishing a supportive military infrastructure in the adjacent Israeli territories, allowing it to exert direct influence on the situation within the Strip without violating its commitments not to deploy U.S. forces inside it. This approach grants the U.S. administration a dual margin: to play a leading role in reconstruction efforts and ensure stability, while simultaneously avoiding direct military involvement or bearing long-term security repercussions.

Analysts believe that this positioning falls within a dual containment strategy: containing chaos within Gaza and containing the regional expansion of any forces that might benefit from the security vacuum. The presence of a U.S. military base near the Strip would serve as a deterrent message to regional adversaries and provide a platform for monitoring and controlling the air and maritime domains of southern Palestine.

The strategic and regional dimension

Any U.S. base near Gaza raises important questions about relations with the Palestinian Authority and Egypt. The Palestinian Authority may consider this positioning a potential intervention in its sovereignty or a threat to its authority in the Strip, while Egypt views any U.S. military movement near its southern borders as sensitive for security reasons, especially in Sinai. Therefore, it is expected that Washington will attempt to keep the base within the framework of international humanitarian and security support to reduce friction, while maintaining control over developments in Gaza.

From a broader perspective, the potential base can be seen as part of a larger U.S. strategy aimed at enhancing American influence in the Middle East after the recent war, controlling the paths of reconstruction and security stabilization in Gaza, while retaining deterrent capability against any potential regional threats, whether from Iran or armed groups on the ground.

Summary of the scene

While Israeli sources confirm that Washington is considering establishing a major base near Gaza, official American sources deny any decision of this kind. However