Vice President Vance in Israel Amid Gaza Ceasefire Efforts

Vice President Vance arrived in Israel early Tuesday to bolster the ongoing efforts of President Trump’s Middle East envoy aimed at reinforcing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, even as violence flared from both sides.

Upon his arrival in Israel, Vance engaged in a two-hour meeting with senior Trump administration officials, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are key figures in the formulation of the ceasefire and peace plan for the region.

The Vice President is also set to visit the Civil-Military Coordination Center, a U.S.-led initiative responsible for overseeing the compliance with the ceasefire. He plans to conduct a private meeting with military representatives and is expected to address the media later on Tuesday.

There are currently 200 U.S. military personnel stationed at this coordination center, although these troops are not anticipated to enter Gaza or participate in any fighting. President Trump’s peace plan, which spans 20 points, envisions the International Stabilization Force (ISF) replacing Hamas to provide security against renewed Israeli military actions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Egypt’s intelligence chief on Monday to deliberate on President Trump’s peace proposal, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office. Egypt is actively leading training Palestinian police to secure Gaza, while discussions continue regarding a UN Security Council resolution to legalize the ISF’s role in maintaining order.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by President Trump and announced on October 10, has held for nearly 11 days amidst rising tensions. Hamas denied any involvement in an attack on Israeli soldiers in Rafah over the weekend.

Even as Israel conducted retaliatory strikes in response to threats, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire. On Monday, Hamas returned the body of a hostage, identified by Israel as Sergeant Major Tal Haymi, who was killed during a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. His remains had been kept in Gaza throughout the conflict, which lasted over two years.

Hamas is still working to locate and return the bodies of other deceased hostages to Israel in line with the ceasefire agreement. In parallel, Israel is expected to enable the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza while repositioning its troops to specific areas.

President Trump issued a stern warning on Monday, stating that Hamas would be “eradicated” if it failed to uphold its commitments under the ceasefire agreement.