JD Vance urges ‘a little bit of patience’ as Israel presses Hamas over return of hostages’ remains | World News
U.S. Vice President JD Vance speak to the media as U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff looks on, in Kiryat Gat, Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo)
US Vice President JD Vance said during a visit to Israel on Tuesday that the fragile Gaza ceasefire is “going better than expected” and urged patience as Israel presses Hamas to speed up the return of hostages’ remains.
Vance, who toured a new centre for civilian and military cooperation in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, called it key to keeping the US-backed truce on track. “Some of these hostages are buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. Some of the hostages, nobody even knows where they are,” he told reporters. “It’s just a reason to counsel in favour of a little bit of patience.”
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He said the process of recovering bodies and stabilising the ceasefire was “very hard work” and asked both sides to “show a bit of flexibility”.
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks to the media as US Vice President JD Vance and Jared Kushner stand next to him, in Kiryat Gat, Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Vance was joined US envoy Steve Witkoff, who said the truce was “exceeding where we thought we would be at this time.” The vice president is expected to stay in the region until Thursday for meetings with Israeli Prime Miner Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials. Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and one of the architects of the ceasefire plan, is also in Israel.
The ceasefire, which took effect on October 10, has faced repeated challenges, including clashes on Sunday. Both Israel and Hamas, however, say they remain committed to the deal.
Egypt mediates as pressure grows for second phase
Egypt’s intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Hassan Rashad, travelled to Israel on Tuesday for talks with Netanyahu, Witkoff and others about the next phase of the agreement. That stage is expected to address the disarmament of Hamas and the governance of Gaza after the war.
Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya told Egypt’s Al-Qahera News that the group remains committed to ensuring the conflict “ends once and for all.”
Israel recovers another hostage’s body
Israeli officials confirmed they had received the body of Tal Haimi, a 42-year-old father of four killed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel is expecting the return of 15 more hostages’ remains. Hamas has already turned over 13.
Gaza’s Health Minry said Israel is returning 15 Palestinian bodies for each dead hostage. On Tuesday, it reported receiving another 15, bringing the total to 165 since the start of the month.
Aid to Gaza rises but prices remain high
The World Food Program said it had sent over 530 trucks of aid into Gaza in the past 10 days enough to feed nearly half a million people for two weeks though still below pre-war levels.
Local residents said prices of basic goods had spiked over the weekend but had since begun to fall after Hamas authorities cracked down on price gouging.
Gaza doctors allege abuse of returned bodies
A senior Gaza health official said some of the bodies returned Israel showed “evidence of torture” and urged a UN investigation. The Israel Prisons Service rejected the claim, saying it followed legal procedures and provided proper medical care.
The Gaza Health Minry says more than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, while Israel’s initial October 7 attack toll stands at around 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage.
Trump has said he wants the ceasefire to succeed and has tasked his adminration with ensuring the truce leads to lasting peace.
