U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday to advance the launch of an international task force focused on recovering the remains of hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a key element of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the war.
According to Israeli sources, the multinational force, led by the United States, will work to locate and return the bodies of 15 hostages presumed dead and still in Hamas custody. Some of the remains have been returned in recent weeks in what officials described as a “drip release.” On Monday night, the body of Tal Haimi, killed defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, was handed over to Israel.
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US Vice President JD Vance arrives in Israel
(Photo: Nathan Howard-Pool/Getty Images)
The effort to operationalize the recovery task force gained momentum following visits by Trump administration allies Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Israeli officials believe Vance’s arrival, aboard Air Force Two, marks a major step in activating the international mission.
“This visit sends a strong signal that the Americans are fully engaged in managing the situation,” an Israeli source said. U.S. officials emphasized the importance of recovering all hostages, both living and deceased, as a prerequisite for moving forward with the next phases of the ceasefire deal.
Hamas has claimed it is facing “serious difficulties” in retrieving remains, citing destruction caused by the war. Senior Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya told local media Tuesday that the group is “committed” to the ceasefire agreement and returning the hostages, but “retrieval efforts are complicated.”
Meanwhile, a report by Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV detailed the challenges of locating remains beneath rubble, pointing to unexploded munitions and unsafe conditions in Gaza’s war zones.
Vance is expected to visit the American operations headquarters overseeing implementation of the deal, which includes future deployment of a multinational security force in Gaza tasked with disarming Hamas and dismantling remaining tunnel infrastructure. Israeli officials have reportedly greenlighted a U.S.-proposed pilot program for tunnel demolition in Rafah.
While Israeli leaders insist that postwar reconstruction depends on the return of hostages and Hamas’ agreement to disarm, American officials remain concerned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could resume large-scale military operations in Gaza. Trump administration officials told The New York Times they are “increasingly concerned” and that part of Vance’s visit is meant to monitor Netanyahu’s actions.
Israeli and U.S. security teams are working closely to ensure intelligence-sharing and alignment, with American officials seeking to “tie up loose ends” before the second stage of the agreement, which would see thousands of international troops enter Gaza.
Despite ongoing Hamas ceasefire violations, Israeli sources say the U.S. remains firmly supportive of Israel. But Washington continues to shape policy on the ground. On Sunday, for example, following Trump’s directive to resume humanitarian aid to Gaza, Israel reversed course — reopening crossings and halting airstrikes. The Rafah crossing, however, remains closed pending resolution of the hostage remains issue.