A reporter asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Vice President JD Vance during Vance's visit this week to Jerusalem whether the U.S. pressuring Israel to make a peace deal with Hamas makes it an American "vassal state or protectorate.

Vice President JD Vance urged "patience" as Israel waits for the return of all the hostages' remains from Hamas.

The vice president was the latest U.S. official to meet with the Israeli PM since a flare-up in violence threatened the truce. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was set to follow Friday.

Vice President Vance told reporters on the tarmac as he prepared to fly home from a several-day trip to Israel, that "for all of the issues and all the problems right now, I think we can say with confidence that Israel is respecting the ceasefire,

"We want Israel as an ally," Vance said, "and for the US to have less interest in the Middle East. " Israel and the US have the "difficult tasks ahead," of disarming Hamas and ensuring it no longer poses a threat to Israel while also rebuilding Gaza,

As a Christian, this region of the world means a great deal to me,' Vance said at the start of whirlwind trip to salvage the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

Vice President JD Vance said recent visits by top American officials were to monitor the cease-fire, but not “in the sense of, you know, you monitor a toddler.”

Vice President JD Vance left Israel on Thursday with an optimistic note, saying Rafah, a city in the Gaza strip, could be rebuilt in two to three years.