US vice president JD Vance speaks with US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, Israel's ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter and Israel's justice minister Yariv Levin. Photograph: Nathan Howard/AFP/Getty Images
US vice-president JD Vance was holding talks in Israel on Tuesday as Washington tries to stabilise the first, shaky, phase of the Gaza ceasefire and push Israel and Hamas towards the harder concessions asked of each side in coming talks.
The two sides have accused each other of repeated breaches of the ceasefire since it was formally agreed eight days ago, with flashes of violence and recriminations over the pace of returning hostage bodies, bringing in aid and opening borders.
However, US president Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan will require much more difficult steps to which the sides have yet to fully commit, including the disarmament of Hamas and steps towards a Palestinian state
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