As part of efforts to reinforce the fragile ceasefire in Gaza mediated by the administration of US President Donald Trump, US Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Israel. His visit aims to discuss a permanent end to the war with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Vance landed in Israel on Tuesday (October 21). Shortly afterward, Israel’s Foreign Ministry shared a photo on social media of Vance and his wife disembarking from the aircraft, captioned: “Welcome to Israel, Vice President Vance.”
Earlier on Monday, two US special envoys — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — who helped facilitate the ceasefire agreement, met with Netanyahu. Following Israel’s devastating attacks on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the envoys arrived amid fears that the 12-day-old Israel-Hamas truce might collapse.
According to a BBC report, President Donald Trump dispatched Vice President Vance and the two envoys to ensure the continued implementation of the ceasefire and to begin discussions on the second phase of the 20-point Gaza Peace Plan.
Israel claimed that two of its soldiers were killed in an attack by Hamas. In retaliation, Israeli military aircraft launched a series of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, President Trump reiterated that the ceasefire remains in place but warned Hamas that any violation of the agreement would result in it being “completely wiped out.”
Addressing the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) on Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he would discuss both security challenges and political opportunities with Vice President Vance. He added that, in response to Hamas’s “clear violation” of the ceasefire on Sunday, Israeli forces dropped 153 tons of bombs on Gaza.
“We extend one hand for peace while the other holds a weapon,” Netanyahu said. “You make peace not with the weak, but with the strong. Israel is stronger than ever before.”
