Trump hints at 'action' if Hamas doesn't return hostage bodies

Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday told reporters he is hopeful that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas will hold.

"What we've seen in the past weeks gives me great optimism that the deal is gonna hold," Vance said during his trip to Israel. "Everybody should be proud of where we are today."

Vance reiterated that it will take time to work out the details of how Hamas will disarm as part of the agreement.

He also waved off concerns about the delay in Hamas returning the remains of deceased hostages. Vance said some hostages are under rubble while the whereabouts of others is currently unknown.

Speaking about American or international troops on the ground, Vance said, "we're not gonna force anything on our Israeli friends when it comes to foreign troops."

The bodies of two Israeli hostages were retrieved from under rubble on Tuesday and will be handed over to Israel at 9 p.m. local time, 2:00 p.m. ET, the military wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades, announced.

-ABC News' Nasser Atta

U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday afternoon local time.

Vance and second lady Usha Vance landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv a day after the arrival of two of U.S. President Donald Trump's trusted advisers -- Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

The three are expected to work with Israeli officials to "continue the Trump Administration's work on the historic Gaza Peace Deal," according to the White House.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Israel Defense Forces representatives said they have informed the family of abducted Sgt. Maj. Tal Haimi that his body has been returned from Hamas for burial.

The identification of his body was made by the National Center for Forensic Medicine in collaboration with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate.

The IDF said Sgt. Maj. Tal Haimi, commander of the alert squad at Nir Yitzhak, died in battle while defending the kibbutz on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, and his body was abducted by Hamas.

Haimi, aged 41 at the time of his death, was declared dead in December 2023. He leaves behind a wife, four children, a father and a sister, according to the IDF.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky