The US vice president has said the priority is security and reconstruction of the enclave, but is unsure about future governance.
US Vice President JD Vance has said he does not know who will ultimately govern Gaza, admitting uncertainty about the enclave’s political future amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Vance made the remarks Tuesday while visiting a newly established coordination center in Israel. He was accompanied by President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Vance called the ceasefire progress “better” than expected and said he remained optimistic about the prospects for a lasting agreement to end the two-year war.
When asked by reporters who will govern Gaza, Vance responded: “I don’t know the answer to that question.”
“We need to rebuild Gaza and make sure that both the Palestinians who live there and the Israelis can have some degree of security and stability…” said. “Then we will worry about what the long-term governance of Gaza will be.”
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in early October under Trump’s 20-point peace plan. On Sunday, however, violence erupted again when a Palestinian attack that killed two Israeli soldiers triggered Israeli airstrikes that killed at least 28 people in Gaza. Israel and Hamas subsequently reaffirmed that they were both committed to the ceasefire.
Vance downplayed suggestions that his visit was hastily arranged to preserve the truth, saying he felt “Confident that we will be in a place where this peace lasts,” but warned that if Hamas did not cooperate, it would be “erased”.
Trump has threatened to send “heavy force” to Gaza if the militant group “continues to act badly” promising that Hamas would “eradicated” if you violate the terms of the deal.
According to the plan, the group must disarm and relinquish control of the enclave. However, Hamas acts as a security force there. “for a period of time” according to Trump.
After Hamas won elections in Gaza in 2006, it became embroiled in clashes with the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank. Although the Palestinian Authority considered Hamas to be illegitimate, opinion polls at the time showed that the group enjoyed majority support. No elections have been held in the Palestinian territories since then.