Rubio tours center in Israel overseeing ceasefire

Secretary of State is the latest American official to visit the site for coordination.

- BY MATTHEW LEE AND WAFAA SHURAFA

SECRETARY of State Marco Rubio, center, with U.S. military personnel in Israel.

(FADEL SENNA Pool Photo)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday toured a U.S .- led center in Israel overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, as the Trump administration worked to set up an international security force in the territory and shore up the tenuous truce between Israel and Hamas.

Rubio was the latest in a series of top U.S. officials to visit the center for civilian and military coordination. Vice President JD Vance was there earlier this week where he announced its opening, and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, were also in Israel.

Around 200 U.S. troops are working alongside the Israeli military and delegations from other countries at the center, planning the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza. On Friday, an Associated Press reporter saw international personnel there with flags from Cyprus, Greece, France, Germany, Australia and Canada.

"I think we have a lot to be proud of in the first 10 days, 11 days, 12 days of implementation, where we have faced real challenges along the way," said Rubio.