IDF denies alleged surveillance of U.S. forces at Gaza CMCC

According to reporting by The Guardian, Israeli personnel at a newly established coordination center for Gaza-related planning have allegedly conducted recordings of meetings involving U.S. military personnel and allied representatives. 

The facility, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) and located in southern Israel, was created to support humanitarian access, security coordination, and planning linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s framework for Gaza. 

The Guardian cited sources familiar with internal discussions saying that U.S. commander Lt. Gen. Patrick Frank summoned an Israeli counterpart to insist that recording inside the CMCC “must stop.” Some foreign staff and visitors, the report said, were warned not to share sensitive information due to concerns that it could be documented or exploited.

The Israeli military has strongly denied the claims. 

A security source to i24NEWS stated that the IDF entirely rejected the accusation, noting that any recording device in use adhered to official procedures and protocols. In a statement referenced by The Guardian, Israeli officials also emphasized that summarizing meetings and documenting proceedings is standard practice, and dismissed suggestions that intelligence was being collected on partners as “absurd.”

One U.S. official described the arrangement as Israel functioning as “the hand” while the CMCC operates as “the glove,” providing logistical and coordination support without supplanting Israeli control.

U.S. personnel deployed to the center, including logistics experts and disaster-response specialists, encountered restrictions on items approved for delivery into Gaza. 

Several dozen staff reportedly returned home after determining that Israeli limitations, rather than infrastructure challenges, posed the primary obstacle. 

Diplomats cited by The Guardian said discussions at the CMCC helped loosen restrictions on certain materials deemed “dual use,” including chemicals for water purification, tent poles, and other supplies. Other items, such as pencils and school materials, remain blocked, sometimes without explanation.

The Guardian’s reporting noted that Palestinian attempts to join were repeatedly cut off, and internal U.S. planning documents reviewed for the report avoid any reference to “Palestinians,” referring instead to “Gazans.” 

This exclusion has prompted concern among some diplomats and aid workers that planning is proceeding without input from the population it is intended to support.

The facility itself has been described as resembling an open-plan corporate workspace, with shared areas, clusters of whiteboards, and informal meeting zones. Some internal programs use thematically named days, such as “Wellness Wednesday” or “Thirsty Thursday,” which have been viewed by certain participants as disconnected from the severe humanitarian realities in Gaza, including damaged hospitals, collapsed infrastructure, and limited access to safe water.

According to the Guardian report, the CMCC’s role may already be declining, with a reduction in U.S. personnel after initial deployment objectives were completed.