United States Vice President JD Vance has emphasized the difficult road ahead in disarming Hamas and rebuilding Gaza, following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement aimed at ending months of deadly conflict.
Speaking during a visit to Israel, Vance stated that the U.S. is committed to supporting both peace and reconstruction efforts in Gaza while ensuring that Hamas no longer poses a threat to Israel’s security.
“We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas but rebuild Gaza, to make life better for the people of Gaza, but also to ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel,” he said.
According to Okay News reports, Vance met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday, as part of a wider diplomatic mission to strengthen support for the U.S.-led ceasefire and humanitarian plan.
The Vice President’s visit also included the opening of the Civil-Military Coordination Centre in southern Israel, where U.S. and allied troops will collaborate with Israeli forces to oversee the ceasefire’s implementation and ensure the delivery of aid to Gaza.
Vance disclosed that an international security force will be established to maintain peace as Israeli forces gradually withdraw from Gaza. He explained that while U.S. troops will not be deployed inside the enclave, they will coordinate operations from Israel.
Reports suggesting that Turkey could provide troops as part of the multinational force have drawn criticism within Israel. Responding to this, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked, “I have very strong opinions about that. You want to guess what they are?”
Despite sporadic violence, including the killing of two Israeli soldiers on Sunday, Vance expressed optimism that the ceasefire agreement would hold. He described the ongoing peace effort as a “critical piece” in advancing the Abraham Accords, which seek to normalize Israel’s relations with Arab nations.
Netanyahu, who has faced domestic criticism for accepting the ceasefire before Hamas’s total defeat, defended the U.S.-supported plan. “We’ve been able to do two things — put the knife up to Hamas’s throat through our military effort, and isolate Hamas diplomatically across the Arab and Muslim world,” he said, commending President Donald Trump for his role in brokering the truce.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Hamas has continued to return the remains of hostages under the ceasefire terms. The Israeli military confirmed the identification of two more hostages — Aryeh Zalmanovich, 85, and Master Sergeant Tamir Adar, 38 — whose bodies were recovered on Tuesday.
The conflict, which erupted after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has killed over 68,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry — figures considered credible by the United Nations. Israel reports that the same attack claimed the lives of 1,221 people, mostly civilians.
