US Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Israel as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to strengthen the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
He is expected to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin talks on long-term issues aimed at achieving a permanent end to the war with Hamas, the BBC reported.
Two special US envoys who helped negotiate the deal, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, also held talks with Netanyahu on Monday.
Their visits come after a flare-up of violence on Sunday that threatened to derail the 12-day-old truce. Israel said a Hamas attack killed two soldiers, prompting Israeli air strikes that killed dozens of Palestinians.
President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that the ceasefire remained on track but warned Hamas that it would be “eradicated” if it violated the deal.
That next phase calls for an interim Palestinian government, the deployment of an international stabilization force, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the disarmament of Hamas.
Vance, Witkoff, and Kushner are also working to ensure the ceasefire — which forms the first phase of the plan — does not collapse.
According to The New York Times, US officials are concerned Netanyahu may “vacate” the deal and resume an all-out offensive against Hamas.
