US Vice-President JD Vance has arrived in Israel as part of the Trump administration's efforts to strengthen the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
He is expected to push the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to start negotiations on long-term issues for a permanent end to the war with Hamas.
The two special US envoys who helped negotiate the deal, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, also held talks with Netanyahu on Monday.
Their visits come after a flare-up of violence on Sunday that threatened to derail the 12-day-old truce. Israel said a Hamas attack killed two soldiers, triggering Israeli air strikes which killed dozens of Palestinians.
US President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that the ceasefire was still on track but also warned Hamas that it would be 'eradicated' if it violated the deal.
Trump is said to have dispatched his deputy and envoys to Israel to keep up the momentum and push for the start of talks on the second critical phase of his 20-point Gaza peace plan, which would involve establishing an interim government in Palestinian territory, deploying an international stabilisation force, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and disarmament of Hamas.
Despite ongoing tensions, Hamas's chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya reiterated the group's commitment to the ceasefire deal. The delicate situation underscores the complex dynamics of the Israel-Hamas relationship and the significance of the ceasefire for regional stability.
The Israeli military has reported ongoing operations as tensions persist, revealing the fragile nature of peace efforts in the region.
