U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said Tuesday that the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire plan was “going better than expected,” joined by senior White House envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who reported significant progress in humanitarian coordination and recovery operations.
Speaking at the newly established Civilian-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat, where U.S. forces are overseeing the ceasefire’s implementation, Vance praised Israel’s cooperation and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to stabilizing the situation in Gaza.
“The Israeli government has been remarkably helpful in implementing the Gaza plan,” Vance said. “The ceasefire is going better than I expected. If Hamas does not cooperate, it will be obliterated.”
The press conference followed military briefings Vance received at the Kiryat Gat facility, which serves as the central hub for international coordination under the U.S.-brokered Gaza peace plan. Hundreds of troops and officials from the United States, Israel, Britain, Canada, and other countries are stationed at the site. Behind the vice president during the remarks were the flags of Denmark, Germany, and Jordan, representing the multinational coalition participating in the mission.
Vance also sought to temper expectations amid growing Israeli frustration over the slow pace of Hamas’ return of hostages’ remains. “We understand the pain and urgency felt by the families,” he said. “But this process requires coordination and restraint to ensure all remains are recovered safely and respectfully. Our teams are making progress every day, and the mission will not be complete until every hostage — living or deceased — is brought home.”
He added that “it is not known where the bodies of some deceased hostages are in Gaza,” but that international search teams “will not stop until all are accounted for.”
Addressing regional security, Vance said there would be “no American boots on the ground in Gaza,” while also stressing that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon” and that “President Trump wants to have good relations with the Iranians.”
Kushner, President Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, said the United States and its partners were “making progress on getting the bodies of deceased hostages out of Gaza.” He emphasized the growing coordination between Israel, the United Nations, and international aid organizations.
“There is strong coordination between Israel and the United Nations on Gaza humanitarian aid,” Kushner said. “Israel and Hamas are transitioning to a peacetime posture.”
He added that no reconstruction funds would go to areas under Hamas control. “There are considerations about starting reconstruction in areas that today are under Israeli control,” Kushner said.
Witkoff, who is leading on-the-ground U.S. oversight of the ceasefire’s progress, said the situation was advancing faster than expected. “We are exceeding where we thought we would be at this time,” he said.
The three officials’ joint appearance in Kiryat Gat underscored Washington’s efforts to sustain the fragile truce and prepare for the next phase of the U.S.-brokered Gaza peace plan, which includes the disarmament of Hamas and reconstruction under international supervision.
Vance’s visit — his first to Israel since taking office — began earlier in the day with meetings at Ben-Gurion Airport with Kushner and Witkoff before traveling to the Kiryat Gat command center. On Wednesday, he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, followed by an afternoon meeting with families of hostages and survivors of captivity.
The visit comes as Hamas continues to return the remains of Israeli hostages in small numbers, with 15 still to be held in Gaza more than two years after their abduction. An international search force, operating under U.S. leadership, is preparing to expand operations in the coming days to locate and recover those who remain missing.
First published: 18:12, 10.21.25