Hope Vanishes as Smoke
VP Vance to Hostage Families: 'I Cannot Promise All Bodies Will Return'
US Vice President Vance delivers sobering message to Israeli families about recovering hostage remains from Gaza, while affirming commitment to remove Hamas and stabilize region.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance delivered a sobering assessment to families of Israeli hostages and victims today week, cautioning that the repatriation of all deceased captives from Gaza cannot be guaranteed, even as he affirmed Washington's resolve to "completely remove Hamas from Gaza" to secure the region.
The Vice President, on an official visit to Israel, told the families directly:
“I cannot promise all bodies will return, but we are working with partners to make it happen quickly.”
The "Very Hard Task" of Recovery
Vance’s remarks come amidst heightened frustration in Israel over the slow pace of recovering the remains of the final deceased hostages, a critical component of the current U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.
During a press conference in Kiryat Gat, Vance urged the Israeli public to exercise "a little bit of patience," citing the immense logistical challenges facing search efforts in the devastated territory.
"Some of these hostages are buried under thousands of pounds of rubble. Some of the hostages, nobody even knows where they are," Vance explained.
As of the Vice President’s visit, Israel has confirmed the identification of 15 deceased hostages whose remains were returned from Gaza since the ceasefire began on October 10. Authorities are still pressing for the recovery of at least 13 more bodies believed to be held by Hamas.
Focus on Hamas’s Removal and the ‘Day After’
Vance’s two-day trip, which included high-level meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, centered on ensuring the current fragile truce remains durable and advancing discussions on the "day after" in Gaza.
The Vice President repeatedly stressed that the long-term security of Israel and the stability of the region depends on the complete disarmament of Hamas.
"We have a very, very tough task ahead of us, which is to disarm Hamas but rebuild Gaza... to ensure that Hamas is no longer a threat to our friends in Israel," Vance stated.
The delegation, which also included U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and White House advisor Jared Kushner, outlined plans for a Civil-Military Coordination Center in Israel and began conceptualizing an international security force for Gaza post-conflict. Vance clarified, however, that no U.S. troops will be deployed on the ground in Gaza.
Despite the acknowledged difficulties in recovery and future governance, Vance expressed "great optimism" that the ceasefire, which followed two years of war, is "durable" and is progressing "better than I expected."
The grim concession regarding the potential fate of all the bodies underscores the brutal reality of the long conflict, even as diplomatic efforts intensify to secure a path toward long-term peace and stability.