Vice President JD Vance is set to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for a diplomatic mission to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as reports indicate. Vance’s visit comes at a critical moment as senior U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner work to preserve the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which was brokered by the U.S. earlier this month.
While the White House has not disclosed the specifics of Vance’s itinerary, Israeli officials confirmed that Vance and his wife, Usha, will be in the country for a few days and are expected to meet Netanyahu in Jerusalem. The Israeli Airports Authority has also made preparations for Vance's arrival, including potential traffic disruptions and flight diversions for security reasons between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Vance’s visit follows a weekend of renewed violence in Gaza that tested the fragile ceasefire. Israel launched a series of airstrikes in response to Hamas militants killing two Israeli soldiers. Despite the escalation, both sides refrained from fully abandoning the ceasefire, and by Monday, Israel resumed enforcing the truce, allowing humanitarian aid to flow back into Gaza.
Prime Minister Netanyahu defended Israel's military actions in a speech to the Knesset, asserting that Israel would continue to act with strength while also pursuing peace. “One of our hands holds a weapon, the other hand is stretched out for peace,” Netanyahu stated, emphasizing Israel's strength in negotiating from a position of power.
Meanwhile, Kushner and Witkoff met with Netanyahu on Monday to discuss stabilizing the ceasefire and ensuring the resumption of aid deliveries to Gaza. By late Monday, Israel confirmed that aid deliveries through the Kerem Shalom crossing had resumed following necessary inspections.
The ceasefire, which has been in place for just over a week, aims to bring an end to two years of conflict, disarm Hamas, and establish a governance framework for Gaza once Israeli troops withdraw. Both Hamas and Israel have accused each other of violating terms, but as of now, neither side has abandoned the agreement.
In an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes, Kushner explained that the success of the ceasefire depends on whether Israel and its allies can create a “viable alternative” to Hamas in Gaza. He emphasized that if this goal is achieved, Hamas will fail, and Gaza will no longer pose a future threat to Israel.
Vance's visit underscores the U.S. commitment to supporting Israel in stabilizing the region and ensuring that the ceasefire holds in the face of continuing challenges.
