Trump hints at 'action' if Hamas doesn't return hostage bodies
The bodies of 13 deceased hostages are believed to still be in Gaza.
U.S. officials -- including Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner -- traveled to Israel this week for high-level meetings, discussing the next steps in the delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire deal by withholding the bodies of the remaining 13 deceased hostages thought to have died during or after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas has said the return of the remaining bodies "may take some time" due to the destruction.
Key Headlines
- Egyptian resources deployed in Gaza to help locate, recover Israeli hostage remains
- Netanyahu says Israel, not US, will decide security policy
- Trump hints at 'action' if Hamas doesn't return hostage bodies 'quickly’
- Rubio says West Bank annexation would 'threaten this whole process'
- Aid allowed into Gaza is still falling short of what is needed, WHO head says
Rubio meets with Netanyahu in Israel
A meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now underway, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s office.
Rubio arrived in Israel Thursday after Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner visited Israel and held meetings with Netanyahu and other members of the Israeli government earlier this week.
-ABC News' Jordana Miller
Rubio criticizes Israeli vote to annex West Bank
Secretary of State Marco Rubio weighed in on West Bank annexation last night as he departed for Israel, giving a seemingly coordinated message from the administration as they work to keep the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire intact.
"The President’s made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now, and we think it’s potentially threatening to the peace deal. So, they’re a democracy, they’re going to have their votes, people are going to take these positions, but at this time it’s something that, especially, we think it might be counterproductive," Rubio said Wednesday night before heading to Israel.
President Donald Trump reiterated the same message in his TIME interview, saying it's a delicate balancing act to manage in keeping both sides motivated to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire.
“It won't happen. It won't happen. It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries," Trump said of West Bank annexation.
-ABC News' Mariam Khan
JD Vance criticizes Israel's parliament vote on West Bank annexation
U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Israeli parliament's vote on the annexation of the West Bank in his remarks as he talked to press at the airport in Tel Aviv before leaving on Thursday.
"I personally take some insult to it," Vance said, talking about the Knesset vote on the matter.
“Israel is not going to annex the West Bank,” he added.
-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian
Aid group says 500 tons of lifesaving aid for Gaza stuck at border
There are 500 tons of lifesaving aid, including medical equipment and hygiene supplies, for Gaza stuck at the border "due to ongoing bureaucratic delays by the Israeli authorities," according to the International Rescue Committee.
"IRC staff working inside Gaza have shared firsthand accounts of the immense suffering, loss, and resilience of communities. These testimonies reflect the daily reality faced by families across Gaza and underscore the urgent need for the continued reduction of violence and sustained humanitarian action," the IRC said in a statement Wednesday.
This comes one day after the World Food Programme said more border crossings need to be opened to allow in aid at the level needed to keep the famine from spreading.
"IRC staff on the ground report that thousands of displaced people and many who have returned to areas like Gaza City after the ceasefire are still struggling amid massive destruction. With homes reduced to rubble and basic services decimated, families are living without adequate shelter, clean drinking water, food, or sanitation," IRC said.
"Health facilities remain overwhelmed, leaving those in need of medical care unable to access lifesaving services, putting already vulnerable lives at even greater risk," the aid group warned.