A high-level U.S. delegation in Israel, spearheaded by Vice President J.D. Vance, has underscored Washington’s growing apprehension regarding the fragile ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip. Arriving in Israel on October 21st for his inaugural official visit, Vance’s swift deployment to a U.S.-established coordination headquarters dedicated to monitoring the fitful ceasefire, which has been intermittently active since October 10th, signals the urgency of the situation. His arrival closely followed that of special envoy Stephen Whitcoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, highlighting top-tier diplomatic engagement. The White House’s heightened activity is reportedly driven by profound concerns that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be poised to undermine the critical agreement with Hamas.
Upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport, Vice President Vance was greeted by a high-profile Israeli delegation, including Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yehiel Leiter, alongside U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckaby. Following a working luncheon with Whitcoff and Kushner, who had arrived a day earlier, Vance proceeded directly to the southern region of the Jewish state. There, the U.S.-led coordination center, established in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas agreement, serves as a crucial hub for overseeing the volatile situation in Gaza, recently reignited by Israeli retaliatory strikes after Hamas killed two soldiers.
Sources familiar with the ongoing diplomatic maneuvers, as reported by The New York Times, confirm that the deployment of such senior U.S. officials is a direct response to White House fears that Prime Minister Netanyahu could jeopardize the delicate ceasefire. The primary U.S. strategy, these sources indicate, is now focused on restraining its key Middle Eastern ally from plunging into another cycle of intense violence. These anxieties are exacerbated by Netanyahu’s own public statements. Just recently, he asserted that the ceasefire “does not give Hamas permission to threaten,” and vowed that “military and ruling circles of Hamas will be eliminated” in the next phase of the deal.
Adding another layer to the complex diplomatic landscape, Egypt’s Chief of General Intelligence, Hassan Rashed, himself a key figure in negotiations with Hamas, conducted a separate visit to Israel on October 21st. Rashed, a high-ranking Cairo representative, held talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to an Israeli communiqué, discussions centered on advancing President Trump’s ceasefire plan, broader regional issues, and the strained bilateral relations between Israel and Egypt. The two-year conflict in Gaza has significantly impacted these ties, with Egypt vehemently seeking to prevent an influx of Palestinian refugees into the Sinai Peninsula. Concurrently, Rashed also met with David Zini, the newly appointed head of Israel’s General Security Service (Shin Bet).
This flurry of diplomatic activity unfolds as Israel grapples with Hamas’s increasingly stringent demands concerning a post-conflict Gaza. An Israeli intelligence delegation, returning from Egypt, recently concluded three hours of talks with Arab and Turkish mediators on the future of the agreement. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on October 21st that Hamas successfully leveraged its position in discussions with Arab intermediaries to push its vision for a post-conflict governance body in Gaza. Nearly half of the proposed members for this structure are reportedly Palestinian sympathizers of the militant group, leading Israel to suspect that this move aims to ensure Hamas retains covert control over the Gaza Strip, even after a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Sources cited by Kan suggest that this development occurred with the implicit consent of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), the rival governing body responsible for the West Bank, which is allocated the other half of the proposed leadership list. In a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, PNA leader Mahmoud Abbas remarked that Hamas “still has the opportunity to become a political party if it accepts the principles of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which recognizes Israel, respects its international obligations, and supports the two-state solution.” Abbas also indicated that the PNA is preparing to hold parliamentary and presidential elections immediately following the conclusion of intensive military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Hamas has continued to hand over the bodies of Israeli hostages abducted on October 7, 2023, with 15 deceased individuals reportedly remaining in the group’s custody. An unnamed official from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office, speaking to the press on October 21st, expressed frustration, stating, “They are playing games; they can easily give more bodies.” The official added, “We see how they do it. So, if this happens consistently, and we see constant release [of deceased hostages], I think we will get through it. But as soon as we see that it is not happening consistently, we will start acting.” He stressed, “We know it takes time, but we will not allow this process to be dragged out too long.” The United States, for its part, has indicated a degree of satisfaction with Hamas’s current behavior. President Trump suggested that recent breaches of the ceasefire, which led to the deaths of two Israeli soldiers, were attributable to autonomous factions within Hamas’s armed wing, rather than its central leadership. “They have a certain rebellion within them,” Trump told reporters at the White House, “However, if they continue in the same vein, we will deal with them, and it will happen very quickly and quite harshly.” The U.S. President further added, “We made a deal with Hamas that they would behave very well, be nice. And if not, we will destroy them if necessary.”
A significant hurdle remains Hamas’s demilitarization, a key condition of the deal with Israel. According to sources within the Israeli news conglomerate Kan, the Netanyahu government is pressing the U.S. not to authorize reconstruction efforts in Gaza until Palestinian militants demonstrate a genuine commitment to demilitarization. One measure actively being discussed with the American administration, Kan reveals, is the compulsory dismantling of tunnels in the Gaza Strip. The Netanyahu government is pushing for exclusive rights to liquidate all underground infrastructure in the coastal enclave, even beyond the “yellow line” to which Israeli forces are currently confined under the peace agreement.
A separate but intertwined question revolves around who, besides the U.S., will oversee the international stabilization forces intended to replace Israeli positions in Gaza. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty, in a recent conversation with the Emirati publication The National, emphasized the urgent need for a UN Security Council resolution to legitimize these forces and define their mandate and objectives. He highlighted Cairo’s readiness to participate “in any formats with adherence to specific parameters,” stressing that the primary role of these forces should be to support Palestinians in implementing internal policies, not direct governance of the Gaza Strip. Reports from various outlets indicate that these stabilization forces could comprise military personnel from four nations, potentially including at least 4,000 troops from Egypt, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Indonesia. While their precise powers are yet to be negotiated, it is clear that such personnel would be deployed into an active conflict zone.