He argued that the U.S. government appears more invested in "micromanaging" Israel's actions than in ensuring the safe return of hostages held by the militant group, Hamas.
Vance stated, "If you want to get these hostages released, you've got to, first of all, enable Israel to actually finish the job. And second of all, put America’s diplomatic weight behind and on Hamas, right? Pressure Hamas to release these hostages; don’t use America’s leverage to effectively cause the Israelis to pull back here."
The conflict in question began on October 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, taking an estimated 250 hostages and triggering a war that has lasted nearly seven months. The assault resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities. During a week-long ceasefire late last year, about 100 hostages were released. However, Israel maintains that over 130 hostages remain captive, with a quarter of them presumed dead. A senior Hamas official informed the Associated Press last week that the group is uncertain about the exact number of hostages still alive in Gaza.
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Vance expressed his disappointment in the U.S. government's handling of the situation, stating, "I think it’s really shameful and shows frankly, that a lot of folks don’t respect the United States of America that we still have citizens that are being held hostage. And our president, instead of focusing on getting those hostages back is focused on micromanaging one of our allies’ war efforts."
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The Biden administration has been advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, which would facilitate the release of the remaining hostages and allow for an influx of humanitarian aid into the region. Despite the administration's active involvement in negotiating a deal, progress has been slow.
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President Biden joined 17 other world leaders last week in calling on Hamas to release the remaining hostages. "We call for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza now for over 200 days. They include our own citizens," the leaders stated last Thursday. "The fate of the hostages and the civilian population in Gaza, who are protected under international law, is of international concern."
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This call for action came a day after Hamas released a video featuring Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli American man among those captured by Hamas. The timing of the video's creation remains unclear.
While advocating for the hostages' release, the Biden administration has also adjusted its stance towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging Israeli forces to exercise more caution to prevent civilian casualties. Local health authorities report that over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since early October.
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