The US Chief of Staff conducts a reconnaissance tour by helicopter over Gaza news

Yesterday, Friday, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Keane conducted a reconnaissance tour with an Israeli helicopter over the Gaza Strip, as part of an official visit he is conducting to Israel to discuss regional developments, assess the situation on the ground, and follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire, according to what was reported by the Israeli press.

The tour included various areas of the Gaza Strip, some of which were subjected to widespread destruction during recent Israeli military operations, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, without the newspaper revealing further details about the nature of the tour or whether the American official made statements during it.

This is the second visit of this American military official, after he accompanied President Donald Trump in mid-October on a tour during which he met with Israeli army leaders.

Kane arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, where he met his Israeli counterpart, Eyal Zamir, at the Israeli army headquarters, and they held a series of closed meetings with senior Israeli military leaders, which dealt with security coordination, the future of Gaza after the war, and reconstruction plans, according to Israeli newspapers.

The American general also visited the American-Israeli civil-military coordination center in the city of Kiryat Gat in southern Israel, which was recently opened by the US Central Command to follow up on the implementation of the agreement and monitor the entry of aid. There, he met with Israeli General Jackie Dolph, who is responsible for coordination with the American side.

Last week, the US Central Command opened the Civil-Military Coordination Center in the city of Kiryat Gat with the aim of “supporting the stability of Gaza” and appointed Commander of the US Army Central Command, Patrick Frank, as its military commander.

The US-Israeli Civil Military Coordination Center is the first international operational platform established by the US Central Command in Israel to follow developments in Gaza after the ceasefire agreement.

The ceasefire agreement – which will be monitored by the Center – entered into force on October 10, based on a plan by the US President, which is based – in addition to ending the war – on a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, the mutual release of prisoners, and the immediate entry of aid into the Strip.

Before this agreement, Israel, with American support, committed a genocidal war since October 7, 2023 that lasted two years, resulting in the death of 68,643 Palestinians, the injury of 170,655 others, most of them children and women, and the destruction of 90% of the civilian infrastructure.