Washington [US], October 23: AFP reported on October 22 that US leaders expressed optimism that the peace deal in the Gaza Strip would be maintained, while issuing a stern warning to Hamas forces. During a visit to Israel on October 21, US Vice President JD Vance said that progress in the Gaza ceasefire was better than expected.
"What we have seen over the past week makes me very optimistic that the ceasefire will hold. There will be times when things will not go as planned, requiring constant effort and constant monitoring of the situation," Mr. Vance told reporters in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat .
The Israeli military said on October 21 that Hamas had handed over the bodies of two more hostages. AP reported that since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Hamas has handed over the bodies of 15 hostages and 13 remain. Vice President Vance called for patience, as Tel Aviv expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of the body return. Mr. Vance also warned that Hamas would face consequences if the armed group did not comply with the ceasefire.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that some allied countries in the Middle East expressed their readiness to send troops to Gaza to deal with Hamas if they see violations. According to Reuters, Washington is pressuring Hamas to disarm and implement the next steps in the Gaza agreement, including humanitarian aid and social management in this strip of land.
On the Hamas side, representatives of this group met on October 21 with Turkish government officials, a country that brokered the Gaza agreement. Hamas affirmed that it would still commit to the ceasefire agreement, despite accusing Israel of multiple violations.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
