(NewsNation) — Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday to bolster support for the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The U.S.-brokered deal has wavered in recent days amid renewed violence and uncertainty over how to move forward with a plan for long-term peace.
Vance on Sunday night pointed to the difficulty of maintaining the ceasefire. “There are going to be moments where you have people within Gaza where you’re not quite sure what they’re actually doing … it’s going to have hills and valleys, and we’re going to have to monitor the situation,” he said.
Vance, accompanied by his wife, Usha Vance, is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is expected to remain in the region until Thursday.
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He will hold a news conference Tuesday evening in Jerusalem and meet with families of hostages, both those released last week and those whose bodies are still being held in Gaza.
Israeli officials confirmed Tuesday that Palestinian militants had returned the body of Tal Haimi, 42, who was killed and abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Haimi was a fourth-generation resident of the kibbutz of Nir Yitzhak and a father of four, including a child born after his death.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel is awaiting the remains of 15 deceased hostages. Thirteen bodies have been released since the ceasefire began.
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Vance’s visit follows the arrival of U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The delegation plans to meet with Netanyahu to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire after a tense weekend saw dozens killed.
Israel accused Hamas of violating the deal by firing at troops in southern Gaza over the weekend. The death of two Israeli soldiers led to Israel conducting dozens of airstrikes, which Palestinians said killed more than 25 people.
President Donald Trump suggested Hamas leaders were not behind the initial attack, pinning it instead on rebels within the group that he said would be dealt with “toughly but properly.”
Phase 2 of the agreement involves disarming Hamas, withdrawing more Israeli forces from Gaza and organizing a government in the territory.
NewsNation’s Tom Dempsey contributed to this report.
