Vance Visits Israel As US Officials Worry Netanyahu May Abandon Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, joined top President Trump advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in Israel for meetings this week, as Trump administration is reportedly increasingly concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may abandon the U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire agreement. This visit is reportedly an effort to pressure Netanyahu to adhere to the truce and prevent a return to full-scale war.

The U.S. officials visited the newly opened U.S.-led Civilian-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat, Israel, on Tuesday, expressing optimism that the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire would hold, despite recent flare-ups of violence. Vance said that progress was "better than I expected" and emphasized the need for constant monitoring, while Kushner indicated the U.S. was considering beginning reconstruction in areas of Gaza still under Israeli control, though no funds would be allocated to Hamas-controlled zones.

Vance, speaking at the CMCC, affirmed that the ceasefire, part of President Trump’s broader peace plan, was going better than anticipated, though he acknowledged it was not guaranteed to succeed and required sustained effort. He reiterated the administration’s stance that Hamas must comply with the agreement, warning that failure to do so would lead to severe consequences, though he declined to set a deadline for disarmament.

Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, reported surprisingly strong coordination between the UN and Israel on humanitarian aid delivery, and said the U.S. was exploring the start of reconstruction in Israeli-controlled parts of Gaza to provide Palestinians with a place to live, work, and access jobs, aiming to offer tangible benefits to the population. He emphasized that reconstruction funds would not be available for areas under Hamas control.

Witkoff said that the US team is "exceeding where we thought we would be" in implementing the ceasefire and that the coordination center could serve as a model for future peace deals.

The CMCC, staffed by approximately 200 U.S. troops, serves as the central hub for monitoring the ceasefire and coordinating the deployment of an international stabilization force(ISF) envisioned by the Trump administration, with supporting personnel from Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, and Turkey.

The ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, 2025, has faced repeated violations, including an incident on Sunday, October 20, where Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack attributed by Israel to Hamas, though President Trump described it as a "rebellion" by "rogue elements" not sanctioned by the Hamas leadership.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel has returned the bodies of 195 Palestinians to Gaza, in accordance with the 15-to-1 ratio for deceased Israeli hostages.

Vance and his delegation, including U.S. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, downplayed the notion that the visit was a reaction to recent violence, asserting the trip was part of a planned effort to reinforce the peace process.

Despite public optimism from Vance about the ceasefire's viability, U.S. officials privately worry Netanyahu could use recent violence as a pretext to resume military operations. The Trump administration's strategy focuses on preventing Netanyahu from launching a full-scale offensive against Hamas.

During a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, after meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, both jointly rejected claims that Israel is a US "client state," with Netanyahu calling the idea "hogwash" and Vance affirming the US wants a partnership with an ally. Vance emphasized that the US is not seeking to impose a strict deadline on Hamas for disarmament, acknowledging the complexity and unpredictability of the process, but warned that non-compliance would lead to "very bad things."

Vance downplayed concerns about the deal's fragility, stating he is optimistic it will hold but acknowledging it will not be easy, while rejecting the idea that his visit was to "babysit" the ceasefire.

The Vice President confirmed that the US is working toward establishing the ISF to replace Hamas and ensure security in Gaza, with US troops stationed at the coordination center but not expected to enter Gaza or engage in combat. Netanyahu said he has "strong opinions" on the participation of Turkish troops in the ISF.

The US is also focused on ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches civilians without falling into the wrong hands.

Knesset Bill On West Bank Annexation During Vance's Israel Visit, A Slap In The Face To Trump?

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Israeli Knesset passed a bill aimed at advancing the annexation of parts of the West Bank, a move that contradicts President Trump’s public warnings against such actions. The move is sure to attract the ire of the U.S. president, and may be seen as a slap in face during Vance's visit.

"If it was a political stunt, it was a very stupid political stunt, and I personally take some insult... "Vance told reporters, Thursday. "The policy of the Trump Admin is that the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel. That will continue to be our policy."

Trump had previously said on Truth Social that he would not allow the US to support any move toward annexation, emphasizing that the focus should be on a stable peace plan.

Israel "would lose all of its support from the United States" if it annexed the West Bank, Trump said in an interview with Time Magazine last week.

"It won't happen. It won't happen. It won't happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. You can't do that now. We've had great Arab support. It will not happen. Israel will lose all of its support from the United States if that happened," he said.

The passage of the bill, however, signals a significant shift in Israeli policy and raises concerns about the future of the peace process, especially as the US continues to push for a long-term solution. The timing of the Knesset vote, occurring just as Vance and Netanyahu discussed the "day after" in Gaza, highlights the tension between diplomatic efforts and domestic political developments in Israel.

"The Knesset vote on annexation was a deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord during Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel," the Prime Minister's Office wrote in a statement on X Thursday. "The two bills were sponsored by opposition members of the Knesset. The Likud party and the religious parties (the principal coalition members) did not vote for these bills, except for one disgruntled Likud member who was recently fired from the chairmanship of a Knesset committee. Without Likud support these bills are unlikely to go anywhere."

However, Netanyahu's statement is misleading as 19 of the 25 votes in favor of the bill for full sovereignty over the West Bank, came from coalition parties. The Finance and National Security ministers, both 'Greater Israel' extremists, supported it and instructed their parties to vote in favor.

21 of the 24 votes against the bill came from the opposition. There was a separate vote on applying sovereignty only to Ma’ale Adumim, in which a majority of the opposition members who voted supported it. However, that was not the vote on full sovereignty.