(NewsNation) — After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance urged patience as the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continued to hold despite flare-ups of violence.
Vance said the United States’ role was to support and safeguard the ceasefire, not to “monitor a toddler.”
“It’s about monitoring in the sense that there’s a lot of work, a lot of good people who are doing that work, and it’s important for the principals in the administration to keep on ensuring that our people are doing what we need them to do,” he said.
Vance is expected to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog later Wednesday.
The vice president’s visit comes as Israel identified the bodies of two more hostages killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Their remains were returned to Israel, where a military ceremony was planned.
Uncertainty remains around key elements of the ceasefire, including Hamas’ disarmament, the possible deployment of an international security force in Gaza, and who will ultimately govern the territory. Vance said officials are considering several countries, including Turkey and Indonesia, as potential contributors to that force.
Trump warns Hamas to honor ceasefire deal
Vance is joined on the trip by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, as part of a broader U.S. effort to reinforce the ceasefire and map out next steps toward a longer-term peace agreement.
The three visited the U.S. Command Center in southern Israel on Tuesday, which serves as the central coordination hub for humanitarian assistance for Gaza and is where roughly 200 service members are stationed to oversee the implementation of the ceasefire.
On Tuesday, Vance, Witkoff and Kushner said the ceasefire had exceeded expectations but acknowledged flare-ups of violence in recent days.
Vance’s trip comes just over a week after President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel, where he addressed parliament and finalized the peace deal.
Trump on Tuesday warned Hamas to honor the ceasefire, saying, “They agreed that they’d be very good … that they wouldn’t be killing people, and they’ve killed people. That wasn’t the deal we made. But if they don’t honor the deal, they’ll be taken care of very quickly, but I’d rather not have to do that. But we have total peace in the Middle East.”
It’s been a delicate ceasefire so far, with the Israel Defense Forces alleging Hamas violations only a few days into the truce and both sides trading fire.
The ceasefire remains one of the Trump administration’s most significant diplomatic achievements in the Middle East. Vance’s visit, along with an upcoming trip by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, underscores the administration’s push to ensure the truce endures during its early, fragile stages.
Israel identifies 2 more deceased hostages
Authorities identified the recently returned deceased hostages as Arie Zalmanovich and Tamir Adar. Their bodies were transported in coffins by the Red Cross and handed over to the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip.
Since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, the remains of 15 hostages have been returned to Israel. Another 13 have not yet been recovered in Gaza and handed over, a key element of the ceasefire agreement.
Meanwhile, the burial of 54 Palestinians is set for Wednesday at a cemetery in Deir al Balah in Gaza. The bodies were displayed outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis ahead of burial.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
