Vance: Gaza Truce Could Boost Israel’s Regional Ties

U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday that the Gaza ceasefire, brokered earlier this month, could pave the way for broader regional alliances for Israel, including an expansion of the Abraham Accords.

Speaking alongside Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Vance said the truce is “a critical piece” of building a more durable security architecture in the Middle East and expressed guarded optimism that it will hold, while stressing that “a lot of hard work” remains to be done.

Vance’s visit comes amid a fragile lull in fighting after intermittent flare-ups. He met with Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog to discuss next steps on demilitarizing Gaza, establishing new security arrangements, and jump-starting reconstruction tied to governance reforms.

U.S. officials have been promoting the idea of an international security presence and a technocratic administration for Gaza as part of a phased plan, while urging Israel to calibrate its military responses to preserve the ceasefire.

The vice president also framed the ceasefire as an opening to re-energize normalization with additional Arab states, arguing that deeper Israeli integration could help contain Iran and stabilize the region.

Israeli officials echoed the emphasis on security guarantees and the ultimate disarmament of Hamas as prerequisites for any lasting political track.
Developments on the humanitarian and hostage fronts underscored the stakes. Israeli authorities identified the remains of two hostages returned under the ceasefire, while aid agencies and U.N. officials continued to warn that assistance entering Gaza remains far below urgent needs.

Vance, who urged patience as negotiations continue over the return of all hostages and remains, traveled with senior U.S. envoys as Washington signaled an intensified push to keep the agreement on track and coordinate international support.

The visit is part of a broader U.S. diplomatic shuttle aimed at consolidating the truce and shaping a post-war framework.

While Vance said the ceasefire is “going better than expected,” both sides acknowledged that the path to demilitarization, reconstruction, and regional normalization will be lengthy and contingent on continued restraint and concrete steps on the ground.

Source: AP News, The Washington Post, BBC News, The Guardian.