US Vice President JD Vance in Israel: Gaza Ceasefire Progressing "Better Than Expected" Despite Challenges

US Vice President JD Vance is currently visiting Israel and will remain in the region until Thursday, expressing surprising optimism about the Gaza ceasefire progress during his first vice-presidential diplomatic mission.

During his visit to a newly established center for civilian and military cooperation in Israel, Vance remarked that despite recent violence, the ceasefire which began on October 10 is proceeding "better than I expected" after two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas. Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration's Middle East envoy, reinforced this assessment, noting they are "exceeding where we thought we would be at this time."

Significant questions persist regarding the long-term peace strategy, including Hamas disarmament, deployment of international security forces to Gaza, and the territory's future governance structure.

Vance dismissed suggestions that his visit represented an emergency effort to preserve the fragile ceasefire. He expressed confidence in the peace's durability while warning that Hamas would face obliteration if it failed to comply with agreement terms.

Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and key architect of the ceasefire agreement, acknowledged the complex transition: "Both sides are transitioning from two years of very intense warfare to now a peacetime posture."

Vance's itinerary includes meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials before his departure on Thursday.

Hamas announced the recovery of two more hostages' remains, scheduled for transfer Tuesday evening. Vance urged patience regarding Israel's frustrations with the pace of returns, noting the challenging circumstances: "Some of these hostages are buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. Some of the hostages, nobody even knows where they are."

When questioned about next steps for the ceasefire, Vance emphasized the difficulty of the process and called for adaptability. "Once we've got to a point where both the Gazans and our Israeli friends can have some measure of security, then we'll worry about what the long-term governance of Gaza is," he stated. "Let's focus on security, rebuilding, giving people some food and medicine."

While approximately 200 US troops were recently deployed to Israel, Vance clarified they would not operate within Gaza. However, he indicated that officials are beginning to "conceptualise what that international security force would look like" for the territory, mentioning Turkey and Indonesia as potential participants. Jordan, Germany, Britain, and Denmark were represented by their flags at the venue.

Despite Sunday's fighting and mutual violation accusations, both Israel and Hamas have reaffirmed their commitment to the October 10 ceasefire agreement.

Egypt's intelligence chief, Major General Hassan Rashad, traveled to Israel Tuesday for meetings with Netanyahu, Witkoff, and others regarding the ceasefire, according to Netanyahu's office.

Hamas negotiators reemphasized their commitment to ensuring the war "ends once and for all."

Israel confirmed receiving the body of Tal Haimi, killed during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war. The 42-year-old served on his kibbutz emergency response team and left behind four children, including one born after his death.

Per the ceasefire terms, Israel awaits Hamas's transfer of 15 remaining hostage bodies, with 13 already returned. For each deceased hostage, Israel releases 15 Palestinian bodies, with Gaza's Health Ministry reporting another 15 transfers on Tuesday, bringing the total to 165 since early November. Only 32 of these bodies have been identified so far.

International organizations have increased humanitarian aid to Gaza. The World Food Program reported sending over 530 trucks into Gaza in the past 10 days, providing enough food for nearly 500,000 people for two weeks—though this remains below pre-war daily averages of 500-600 trucks. WFP has reestablished 26 distribution points and aims to restore its previous network of 145 locations across Gaza.

Following Sunday's violence, when militants killed two Israeli soldiers and Israel responded with strikes that killed dozens of Palestinians, prices for essential goods skyrocketed. A 25-kilogram package of flour that cost about $12 after the ceasefire surged to $70 on Sunday before settling at approximately $30 by Tuesday.

Hamas security forces have conducted raids against merchants accused of price gouging, closing some shops and forcing others to reduce prices. They have also secured aid deliveries and prevented looting. Nahed Sheheiber, head of Gaza's private truckers' union, confirmed no aid theft has occurred since the ceasefire began.

Gaza's collapsed financial system presents ongoing challenges. With banks and ATMs largely inoperative, residents must pay excessive fees to cash brokers for accessing funds. On Tuesday, dozens waited in vain at a Bank of Palestine branch in Deir al-Balah. "Without having the bank open and without money, it does not matter that the prices have dropped," said resident Kamilia Al-Ajez.

Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, a senior health official in Gaza, alleged that some Palestinian bodies returned by Israel showed "evidence of torture," including signs of restraints, blindfolds, wounds, burns, and crushed limbs. He called for a UN investigation. The bodies, returned without identification or cause of death information, could include Palestinians who died in Israeli custody or bodies removed from Gaza during military operations.

The Israel Prisons Service denied mistreatment allegations, stating they followed legal procedures and provided medical care and "adequate living conditions." Israeli hostages released from Gaza have similarly reported harsh treatment, including shackles, beatings, and starvation.

Hamas's initial 2023 attack on Israel killed approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and took 251 hostages. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the subsequent Israel-Hamas war has resulted in over 68,000 Palestinian deaths, though the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. The Red Cross reports thousands more remain missing.