WASHINGTON

US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha departed for Israel on Monday as Israeli forces continued to kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza despite a recent ceasefire deal.

The vice president did not take questions from reporters before boarding the plane but waved from the top of the stairs before entering the aircraft.

His trip comes as Israel’s ongoing attacks have killed at least 97 Palestinians since the start of the latest ceasefire on Oct. 10, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met earlier Monday with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner amid the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s office said Vance and his wife will spend “a few days” in Israel and meet with the prime minister.

On Sunday, Vance declined to address the Israeli attacks but said the ceasefire would involve “fits and starts.”

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, threatened Monday that Hamas would be “eradicated” if it fails to comply with the Gaza ceasefire deal, which includes the disarmament of the group and the return of the remains of Israeli hostages.

The first phase of the 20-point Gaza ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Hamas earlier this month, based on a plan presented by Trump. Phase one includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed over 68,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it largely uninhabitable.