During his visit to Israel on Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance addressed the purpose of recent high-level American delegations to the region. He emphasized that these visits were intended to oversee the delicate cease-fire agreement in Gaza, explicitly stating that the United States is not here to “monitor a toddler.”
Vance’s remarks followed his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. This visit occurred barely a week after President Trump himself traveled to Israel, highlighting a concerted diplomatic effort. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have also been in the country recently, underscoring the administration’s deep engagement.
Detailing the American commitment to maintaining the cease-fire, Vance reiterated, “It’s not about monitoring in the sense of, you know, you monitor a toddler.” Instead, he framed it as a serious and extensive undertaking: “It’s about monitoring in the sense that there’s a lot of work, a lot of good people who are doing that work, and it’s important for the principals in the administration to keep on ensuring that our people are doing what we need them to do.”
The current truce, which came into effect this month, is largely based on elements of a proposal initiated by President Trump in September. It seeks to halt the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Despite the diplomatic efforts, the cease-fire has shown signs of fragility, with multiple outbreaks of violence reported in Gaza over recent days, raising concerns about its long-term viability.
Anonymous Trump administration officials revealed anxieties that Prime Minister Netanyahu might abandon the agreement. Consequently, the current strategy involves Vance, Witkoff, and Kushner working to deter Netanyahu from launching a full-scale offensive against Hamas.
Crucial aspects for the cease-fire’s next phase remain unresolved. A significant challenge is determining how officials can successfully convince Hamas to disarm.
Netanyahu has consistently demanded Hamas’s disarmament as a prerequisite for ending the war. However, Hamas views this demand as a call to surrender, clashing with its core ideology that champions armed resistance against Israel.
When pressed on Wednesday for details regarding how Hamas might be persuaded to disarm, Vice President Vance offered no specifics, simply stating, “We’re going to keep working on it.”
The extent of the Palestinian Authority’s future involvement is another major unresolved issue. While the Authority currently governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Netanyahu has consistently rejected its control over postwar Gaza.
In related diplomatic efforts, two high-ranking Palestinian Authority officials, Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh and intelligence chief Majed Faraj, were scheduled to meet with Egyptian counterparts in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the future of Gaza.
The initial stage of the cease-fire saw the release of 20 hostages held in Gaza last week, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed by Israel. Subsequently, Hamas transferred the remains of at least 15 individuals to Israel, while Israel returned the bodies of over 150 Palestinians to Gaza.
Despite the challenges, Vance conveyed a sense of optimism that the truce would endure.
“I think that we have an opportunity to do something really historic,” he stated, emphasizing continued collaboration, “so we’re going to keep working at it with all of our friends in the Israeli government.”