The US Vice President is in Israel to shore up the fragile ceasefire after deadly strikes over the weekend. Meanwhile, the UN says the amount of aid entering Gaza is falling far short of what is needed. DW has more.
US Vice President JD Vance is in Israel with the task of steadying a delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Vance has held talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top US envoys to push negotiations into the next stage and secure the release of remaining hostages.
Vance has said that the ceasefire is going “better than expected” as he appealed for patience for the return of the remaining deceased hostages.
He also insists that no US troops would be deployed to Gaza.
The visit comes after a weekend surge in violence that has cast doubt on the durability of the truce, with each side accusing the other of breaching the terms.
At the same time, the UN World Food Programme said the ceasefire needs to last for people to be fed, with too little aid currently entering Gaza.
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Here is a round-up of developments in Israel, Gaza and the wider Middle East on Tuesday, October 21:
Vance says he believes Gaza plan going to last, urges patience for return of bodies
JD Vance told reporters in Israel that he thinks the Gaza peace plan is going to last but repeated President Donald Trump’s claims that, if Hamas does not cooperate, it will be “obliterated.”
Vance urged a “little bit of patience” amid growing Israeli frustration with Israeli hostage families share details of ordeals Hamas’ pace of return of deceased hostages.
“Some of these hostages are buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. Some of the hostages, nobody even knows where they are,” Vance said. “It’s just a reason to counsel in favor of a little bit of patience.”
He added that “a lot of this work is very hard” as he faced questions over next steps, and he urged flexibility.
Hamas militants have so far released 13 bodies of hostages that were held in Gaza for the past two years as part of the ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/jd-vance-appeals-for-patience-as-gaza-truce-hangs-in-balance/live-74437186
