Britain has sent a senior officer and a small contingent of troops to Israel at the request of the US to help monitor the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Sky News reported on 21 October.
According to the channel, Defence Secretary John Gili made the announcement following a defence lecture to businessmen in London on the evening of October 20.
The British officer, whose name was not disclosed, will serve as the deputy U.S. commander tasked with leading the civil-military coordination centre, which is also expected to include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
“The UK will play a key role, sharing its expertise and skills wherever possible. We don’t expect to lead… but we will do our part,” the defence secretary said.
The US will send up to 200 military personnel to Israel, they will not enter the Gaza Strip.
As Sky News notes, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said earlier in October that Britain has “no plans” to send soldiers to Israel.
Over the past few days, Israel and Hamas (recognised as a terrorist group in the EU and the US) have accused each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Israel briefly resumed airstrikes over the weekend after the Israeli military was reportedly attacked.