US Seeks to Establish Military Base Near Gaza

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, reported today (Tuesday) that Washington is planning to establish a military base near the Gaza Strip and has begun consultations with Israeli officials to determine the location of the base and how foreign forces will be deployed.

Estimates indicate that the cost of building the base will be around $500 million, and the Americans are currently examining several possible locations inside or on the outskirts of Gaza.

Yedioth Ahronoth claims that the purpose of building the base is to house and support several thousand international forces who will monitor the ceasefire in Gaza.

Several security sources said that since the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel has always tried to prevent any foreign presence in the Palestinian territories.

Currently, the US military presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is very limited, limited to about two hundred soldiers at the US command center in the city of Kiryat Gat.