JD Vance lands in Israel to bolster President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan amid renewed tensions
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL NEW | Oct 21, 2025, 19:45 IST
U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday to advance President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace framework, as violations threaten the fragile ceasefire. Vance is set to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and regional mediators to push talks toward Hamas disarmament and Palestinian governance reforms. The visit follows renewed clashes, ongoing hostage returns, and humanitarian concerns over limited aid reaching northern Gaza.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday as Washington works to stabilize the fragile Gaza ceasefire and move negotiations toward the next stage of President Donald Trump’s 20 point peace framework.
The visit comes eight days after the formal agreement of a truce that has already faced repeated violations, with both Israel and Hamas trading accusations over border incidents, aid delays, and the pace of returning hostage remains.
JD Vance is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his stay, following a round of talks held Monday between Netanyahu and U.S. envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
According to a senior Israeli official familiar with the discussions, Vance’s main goal is to advance talks into the second phase of the ceasefire in which it involves tougher commitments such as Hamas disarmament and steps toward a Palestinian governance structure.
Hamas leaders, meeting mediators in Cairo, are reportedly assessing post-war arrangements in Gaza as well as stabilization measures. Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad also met Netanyahu earlier in the day to discuss progress on the plan before meeting U.S. representatives later Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Qatar and Turkey both are acting as intermediaries and have accused Israel of “continuous violations” of the truce, underscoring the delicate balance of regional diplomacy surrounding the deal.
Trump’s ceasefire plan envisions a technocratic Palestinian administration overseen by an international board, effectively removing Hamas from political power. However, a Palestinian official close to the talks said the group supports forming such a committee as long as it has its consent and coordination with other Palestinian factions, including the Palestinian Authority.
Despite that, senior Hamas official Mohammed Nazzal told reporters last week that the group expects to maintain some form of security presence in Gaza during the transition period. The situation remains volatile as just a few days ago, Hamas forces clashed with rival gangs and executed several individuals accused of collaborating with Israel.
U.S. defense officials have urged Hamas to end internal violence, warning that instability could undermine early truce gains. Vance is also scheduled to visit a joint coordination center led by U.S. military forces working on Gaza stabilization efforts.
Hamas’ deputy leader Khalil al-Hayya reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ceasefire in an Egyptian TV interview Monday night, saying it would continue returning bodies of hostages as part of its obligations under the first phase.
Israeli authorities confirmed that one more hostage’s body was returned Monday, with several others expected in the coming days. Israel also handed back 15 Palestinian bodies on Tuesday, bringing the total number returned since the truce began to 165.
Meanwhile, aid deliveries into Gaza have increased modestly through two Israeli controlled crossings. But humanitarian groups say the scale remains far below what’s needed to avert famine conditions, particularly in the northern parts of the enclave.
Tensions persisted near Gaza’s “yellow line,” the demarcation zone marking Israel’s military pullback. Israeli troops reportedly shot and killed a person who crossed the line Tuesday, according to public broadcaster Kan.
Palestinian residents say the boundary remains unclear, with bulldozers only beginning to mark it this week.
The visit comes eight days after the formal agreement of a truce that has already faced repeated violations, with both Israel and Hamas trading accusations over border incidents, aid delays, and the pace of returning hostage remains.
JD Vance is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his stay, following a round of talks held Monday between Netanyahu and U.S. envoys Steven Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
According to a senior Israeli official familiar with the discussions, Vance’s main goal is to advance talks into the second phase of the ceasefire in which it involves tougher commitments such as Hamas disarmament and steps toward a Palestinian governance structure.
Hamas leaders, meeting mediators in Cairo, are reportedly assessing post-war arrangements in Gaza as well as stabilization measures. Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad also met Netanyahu earlier in the day to discuss progress on the plan before meeting U.S. representatives later Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Qatar and Turkey both are acting as intermediaries and have accused Israel of “continuous violations” of the truce, underscoring the delicate balance of regional diplomacy surrounding the deal.
Trump’s ceasefire plan envisions a technocratic Palestinian administration overseen by an international board, effectively removing Hamas from political power. However, a Palestinian official close to the talks said the group supports forming such a committee as long as it has its consent and coordination with other Palestinian factions, including the Palestinian Authority.
Despite that, senior Hamas official Mohammed Nazzal told reporters last week that the group expects to maintain some form of security presence in Gaza during the transition period. The situation remains volatile as just a few days ago, Hamas forces clashed with rival gangs and executed several individuals accused of collaborating with Israel.
U.S. defense officials have urged Hamas to end internal violence, warning that instability could undermine early truce gains. Vance is also scheduled to visit a joint coordination center led by U.S. military forces working on Gaza stabilization efforts.
Hamas’ deputy leader Khalil al-Hayya reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the ceasefire in an Egyptian TV interview Monday night, saying it would continue returning bodies of hostages as part of its obligations under the first phase.
Israeli authorities confirmed that one more hostage’s body was returned Monday, with several others expected in the coming days. Israel also handed back 15 Palestinian bodies on Tuesday, bringing the total number returned since the truce began to 165.
Meanwhile, aid deliveries into Gaza have increased modestly through two Israeli controlled crossings. But humanitarian groups say the scale remains far below what’s needed to avert famine conditions, particularly in the northern parts of the enclave.
Tensions persisted near Gaza’s “yellow line,” the demarcation zone marking Israel’s military pullback. Israeli troops reportedly shot and killed a person who crossed the line Tuesday, according to public broadcaster Kan.
Palestinian residents say the boundary remains unclear, with bulldozers only beginning to mark it this week.