Vance says Gaza peace plan going better than expected, calls Americans to pray to ‘Prince of Peace’

Vice President JD Vance said Oct. 21 at a press conference in Israel that the U.S.-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza is “going better than I expected,” even amid renewed clashes, and emphasized an ongoing need for prayers.

According to The Hill, the vice president arrived in Israel earlier that day and met privately with the administration’s Middle East envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who are overseeing the ceasefire agreement.

Opening the press conference, Vance praised the progress made so far while acknowledging the region’s fragile state.

“You have two peoples — two enemies — who fought a very tough conflict against each other,” Vance said. “You have a terrorist organization on one hand that murdered a lot of innocent people. You’ve got an Israeli army that was defending itself on the other that has learned a lot over the past couple of years. And then, of course, you have an innocent civilian population in Gaza that’s caught in the middle.”

Kushner, who joined Vance at the press conference, said it was “amazing to think it’s only been a week” since the deal was signed. He added that while some are worried about “different incursions one way or the other,” both Israel and Hamas “are transitioning from two years of very intense warfare to now a peacetime posture.”

Responding to questions about the remains of Israeli hostages that Hamas has yet to return under the peace deal, Vance called for a “little bit of patience.” He said that many victims are still “buried under thousands of pounds of rubble,” and others are missing. As CatholicVote previously reported, Hamas has said it needs special equipment to recover the missing bodies. 

According to Vance, an international force will help secure and govern Gaza. U.S. troops will be on the ground, but America can “provide some useful coordination.” 

A U.S.-Israel Civilian Military Cooperation Center will oversee reconstruction in Gaza and implement long-term security measures. The center, based in Israel, will be made up of “Israelis and Americans working hand-in-hand,” he said.

Vance emphasized the situation remains “difficult” and “unpredictable,” and he urged everyone involved to stay “a little bit flexible” about the timeline for Hamas’ disarmament. 

Concluding his remarks, Vance said he hopes to visit Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which marks the site where Christ was crucified. He asked believers to pray that Christ, “the Prince of Peace, can continue to work a miracle in this region of the world.” 

“We have made incredible strides over the past week,” he said, adding, “With your prayers, with God’s Providence, and with a very good team behind me, I think we’re going to get it done.”

President Donald Trump warned in a Truth Social post earlier Oct. 21 that several Middle Eastern nations are prepared to “go into GAZA with a heavy force” if Hamas violates the deal. He said he instructed them — and Israel — to hold off for now, adding that there is “still hope that Hamas will do what is right.”

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