Defence Secretary John Healey told a London audience on Monday that UK forces could play an “anchor role” by contributing their “specialist experience and skills” to securing a long-term peace.

Britain has sent a senior commander and a small number of troops to Israel to help international efforts to monitor a fragile Gaza ceasefire following an American request.

John Healey, the defence secretary, revealed the deployment barely a week after Yvette Cooper, the new foreign secretary, said the UK had “no plans” to send soldiers.

The British Major General will work as the deputy to a US commander, who is tasked with running a civil-military coordination centre that is also expected to include troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

The ceasefire deal, brokered by Donald Trump, between Hamas and Israel has created the “opportunity for a long-term peace”, Mr Healey said.

“We have specialist experience and skills that we have offered to contribute,” he said, answering questions after delivering a lecture on wider defence issues to business leaders at an event in London on Monday evening.

The defence secretary said: “We can contribute to the monitoring of the ceasefire. That is likely to be led by others.

“We have also, in response to the American request, put a first rate two-star officer into a civilian-military command, as the deputy commander.

Read More: British troops deployed to Israel to ‘monitor Gaza ceasefire’ after US request