Vance also expressed optimism about the ceasefire plan after a turbulent weekend where two Israeli soldiers were shot and killed, threatening to upend the week-old ceasefire as part of the first phase of President Donald Trump’s agreed to 20-point peace plan between Israel and Hamas.

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.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will select a new president and vice president during its Fall Plenary Assembly.

As the presidents of the United States and China prepare to meet on the sidelines of an economic summit in South Korea — an encounter that may not actually happen — some foreign-policy strategists in Washington are not just worried but aghast.

"There are not going to be American boots on the ground in Gaza," Vice President JD Vance emphasized during a visit to Israel.