US Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Israel, warned that Hamas would be obliterated if it refuses to disarm, but said fighters could be spared if the group cooperates.
He stressed that any decision on foreign troops in Gaza is for Israel to make, though he noted Turkey could play a role.
Addressing the fragile truce, Vance acknowledged the difficulty in ensuring its success but urged continued efforts. He also responded to frustration over slow hostage recoveries, citing challenges such as rubble and unknown locations, and asked for patience.
Vance arrived in Israel yesterday and is set to meet leaders, including Prime Minister Netanyahu. His visit follows those of US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The implementation of a Gaza ceasefire agreement is “going better than expected” and the truce can hold, US Vice-President JD Vance has said during a visit to Israel.
Vance also warned that “if Hamas does not co-operate, it will be obliterated”, while refusing to give a deadline for when the Palestinian group must disarm – a part of US proposals yet to be agreed.
US President Donald Trump, who brokered the ceasefire deal earlier this month, said America’s “great allies” in the Middle East would be ready to “go into Gaza with a heavy force and ‘straighten out Hamas’ if Hamas continues to act badly”.
Vance’s visits come after a flare-up of violence on Sunday that threatened to derail the 12-day-old truce.
Israel said a Hamas attack killed two soldiers, triggering Israeli air strikes which killed dozens of Palestinians.
Trump wrote on social media that “there is still hope that Hamas will do what is right”, adding: “If they do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL!”
Vance is expected to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to start negotiations on long-term issues for a permanent end to the war with Hamas during his visit.
The vice-president praised Israel for being “remarkably helpful” in moving towards the deal’s main goals, but said that a lot of hard work remained ahead to secure further steps.
The two special US envoys who helped negotiate the ceasefire deal, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, appeared alongside Vance at a news briefing in southern Israel.
Witkoff and Kushner held talks with Netanyahu after arriving in Israel on Monday.