The U.S. Chief of Staff conducts a reconnaissance tour by helicopter over Gaza.

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Keen conducted a reconnaissance flight yesterday, Friday, aboard an Israeli helicopter over the skies of the Gaza Strip, as part of an official visit to Israel to discuss regional developments, assess the field situation, and monitor the implementation of the ceasefire, according to Israeli press reports.

The tour included various areas of the Strip, some of which suffered extensive destruction during the recent Israeli military operations, according to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, which did not disclose further details about the nature of the tour or whether the U.S. official made any statements during it.

This visit marks the second for this U.S. military official after he accompanied President Donald Trump in mid-October of last year on a tour where he met with Israeli military leaders.

Keen arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, where he met with his Israeli counterpart Eyal Zamir at the Israeli army's headquarters, and they held a series of closed meetings with senior Israeli military leaders, discussing security coordination, the future of Gaza after the war, and reconstruction plans, according to Israeli newspapers.

The American general also visited the U.S.-Israeli Civil-Military Coordination Center in the city of Kiryat Gat in southern Israel, which was recently opened by the U.S. Central Command to monitor the implementation of the agreement and oversee the entry of aid, and he met there with Israeli General Yaki Dolf, who is responsible for coordination with the U.S. side.

Last week, the U.S. Central Command opened the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat with the aim of "supporting the stability of Gaza" and appointed Central Command leader Patrick Frank as its military commander.

The U.S.-Israeli Civil-Military Coordination Center is the first international operational platform established by the U.S. Central Command in Israel to monitor developments in Gaza following the ceasefire agreement.

The ceasefire agreement - which the center will monitor - came into effect on October 10 of this month, based on a plan from the U.S. president that involves, in addition to ending the war, a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, mutual release of prisoners, and immediate entry of aid into the Strip.

Prior to this agreement, Israel, with U.S. support, committed acts of genocide since October 7, 2023, lasting for two years, resulting in the martyrdom of 68,643 Palestinians and injuring 170,655 others, most of whom were children and women, causing destruction that affected 90% of civilian infrastructure.