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.

"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,

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

The vice president said that while he can't have "100% certainty that it's going to work," he has "great optimism the ceasefire is going to hold."

Rubio was greeted by US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and is set to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this evening. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Israel on Thursday to continue overseeing the implementation of phase one of the US-brokered Gaza deal.

After Israel-Hamas clashes test Trump's Gaza peace deal, his top negotiators return to the region to shore up the ceasefire.