Cynthia Ezegwu
United States President Donald Trump has warned that Hamas would be “eradicated” if it violates the fragile ceasefire agreement currently holding in Gaza, as Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday to reinforce Washington’s mediation efforts.
Vance, accompanied by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner, is expected to meet Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Wednesday in Jerusalem. The visit comes amid renewed tensions following Israel’s accusation that Hamas killed two soldiers and delayed the release of hostages’ bodies.
“We believe the deal is holding, but Hamas knows what will happen if they breach it — they’ll be eradicated,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
The truce, brokered by the United States and Qatar, has faced repeated strain since its implementation on October 10. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday accused Israel of “continued violation” of the 11-day-old ceasefire, condemning military actions that have rendered Gaza “unfit for human life.”
According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israeli airstrikes following Saturday’s clash in Rafah killed 45 Palestinians. Meanwhile, Hamas’s Gaza leader, Khalil al-Hayya, who is in Cairo for talks with mediators, said the group remains committed to the ceasefire and is working to recover the bodies of remaining hostages despite “extreme difficulty” due to widespread destruction.
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Israel confirmed on Monday that Hamas had handed over the body of one deceased hostage, bringing the total to 13 out of 28 pledged under the truce terms. Netanyahu’s office reaffirmed that all hostages — living or dead — would be returned.
Under the ceasefire arrangement, Israeli forces have pulled back beyond the so-called “Yellow Line,” retaining control of roughly half of Gaza, including its borders but not its main cities.
The conflict, which began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,221 people in Israel, has since claimed more than 68,000 lives in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations says over half of those killed are women and children.