TEL AVIV (Dispatches) -- 
Israeli intelligence has been conducting widespread surveillance of U.S. forces and allied personnel at a new U.S. military base in southern Israeli occupied territories tasked with overseeing so-called humanitarian aid to Gaza, The Guardian reported on Monday, citing sources briefed on the matter. 
The so-called Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC), located in Kiryat Gat just 12 kilometers from the Gaza fence, has become a site of intense monitoring, with meetings between U.S. officials and aid groups allegedly recorded without consent.
The U.S. commander, Lieutenant General Patrick Frank, reportedly confronted his Israeli counterpart, demanding the surveillance stop. Yet concerns persist among other foreign staff, who have been warned to avoid discussing sensitive topics due to the risk of Israeli collection and exploitation. Israeli authorities dismissed the allegations as “absurd.”
The CMCC, established in October under the guise of implementing U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, was meant to ensure aid deliveries to Gaza, which Israel has long restricted. In practice, U.S. military logistics teams quickly found that Israeli-imposed controls on goods—from food and medicine to pencils, water purification chemicals, and school supplies—posed a bigger obstacle than technical challenges, prompting several staff to leave.
Despite its humanitarian pretext, the CMCC excludes Palestinians entirely. Palestinian organizations and authorities are barred from participation, with Israeli officials reportedly cutting off video calls when inclusion was attempted. Planning documents systematically omit references to Palestine, instead referring only to “Gazans.”
The situation highlights a disturbing reality: Israel continues to enforce a near-total blockade on Gaza while using the U.S.-led CMCC to legitimize its control. Meanwhile, the United States presents itself as a humanitarian actor, yet effectively enables Israeli restrictions and surveillance. Rather than alleviating suffering, the CMCC functions as a mechanism to monitor, contain, and exploit Gaza’s population while sidelining those it claims to aid.