Vance Presses Israel on Ceasefire Stability as Trump Administration Pushes Long-Term Peace Path

U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Monday as the Trump administration works to reinforce the Gaza ceasefire and move both sides toward the next phase of its broader peace plan. His visit comes during a delicate moment, with Washington seeking assurances that recent violence will not unravel the 12-day-old truce between Israel and Hamas.

According to U.S. officials, Vance intends to urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin addressing long-term political and security issues that would pave the way for a permanent end to the conflict. The visit follows meetings held by two senior U.S. envoys — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — who were instrumental in negotiating the existing ceasefire framework.

Their arrival in Israel comes amid concerns within the administration that a flare-up of fighting over the weekend could derail months of diplomatic work. On Sunday, Israeli authorities said a Hamas attack in southern Gaza killed two soldiers. Israel responded with widespread airstrikes across the territory, which Gaza health officials reported resulted in dozens of Palestinian deaths.

Despite the escalation, President Donald Trump said the ceasefire remained intact. Speaking at the White House on Monday, he warned that Hamas would face complete destruction if it violated the agreement again.

The ceasefire represents only the first step of a broader, multi-stage plan backed by Washington. Future phases call for the creation of an interim Palestinian administration, the deployment of an international stabilization force, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the full disarmament of Hamas. U.S. officials say Vance, Witkoff, and Kushner have been tasked with ensuring that the fragile truce does not collapse before those stages are underway.

Concerns Over Netanyahu’s Commitment

The New York Times reported that some senior U.S. officials fear Netanyahu may back away from the agreement and return to a full-scale offensive against Hamas. Those concerns are driven in part by political tensions within Netanyahu’s governing coalition, which includes factions opposed to concessions of any kind.

Addressing Israel’s parliament Monday, Netanyahu said he planned to speak with Vance about “security challenges” and “political opportunities” arising from the ceasefire. He defended Israel’s response to Sunday’s attack, saying Israeli forces had dropped 153 tons of explosives on Gaza in retaliation for what he called a “brazen” violation of the truce.

“One of our hands holds a weapon, the other hand is extended for peace,” Netanyahu said. “You make peace with the strong, not with the weak.”

The Israeli military accused Hamas of firing an anti-tank missile at troops near the southern border, killing two soldiers. Hamas has denied violating the ceasefire, insisting it remains committed to the agreement.

Rising Tensions on the Ground

Violence continued to simmer on Monday. Reports from Gaza said four Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire east of Gaza City. Israel’s military said its troops had targeted “terrorists” who crossed a designated ceasefire boundary in the Shejaiya neighborhood.

Even as the situation remained volatile, Trump insisted the ceasefire was holding. He told reporters that Hamas had promised to honor the agreement, adding, “They’re going to behave. They’re going to be nice.”

“If they’re not,” he said, “they’re going to be eradicated. And they know that.”

Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, speaking in Cairo, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the truce and expressed optimism that the conflict was nearing its end. He said the messages conveyed by U.S. and Egyptian mediators indicated that “the war in Gaza is over.”

Hayya added that Hamas was working to recover and transfer the bodies of Israeli hostages who died in captivity, although he noted the destruction of buildings and infrastructure had made that effort extremely difficult.

Hostage Remains Returned

Overnight, Israeli officials confirmed that Hamas transferred the remains of another Israeli hostage to the Red Cross. The body was identified as 41-year-old Tal Haimi, who was killed in the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. He is the 13th of 28 deceased hostages whose bodies have been returned since the ceasefire took effect on October 10.

In the past week, Hamas also released 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees — one of the largest prisoner exchanges in the region’s recent history.

Heavy Toll of the War

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the October 7 attacks, in which approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 250 people were taken hostage. According to Gaza’s health ministry, run by Hamas, Israel’s operations have killed at least 68,216 Palestinians since the war began.

As Vance begins talks in Israel, the Trump administration faces a precarious balancing act — managing diplomatic pressure, regional instability, and political divisions on both sides of the conflict. The coming days are expected to determine whether the ceasefire will hold long enough to advance toward a more permanent resolution.