12:46Vice President JD Vance speaks with ABC News while appearing on This Week, Oct. 12, 2025.ABC News
Vice President JD Vance verified to ABC "This Week" co-presenter George Stephanopoulos that Hamas affirmed their holding of 20 living captives, and that these captives are anticipated to be freed in the coming 24 hours as President Donald Trump was en route to the area later on Sunday to commemorate the event.
"Indeed, they've been verified, George. Naturally, you lack certainty until you witness these individuals alive. But thankfully, we anticipate seeing them alive within the next 24 hours, likely early tomorrow morning, U.S. time, which will be later in the day, naturally, in Israel," Vance stated.
Vice President JD Vance speaks with ABC News while appearing on This Week, Oct. 12, 2025.ABC News
"We are nearing genuine peace in the Middle East. Truly, for what appears to be the first time in my life, and surely these 20 hostages are going back home to their loved ones, George. I believe this signifies a wonderful moment for our nation. Our nation should feel pride in our diplomats for achieving this outcome. It truly marks a significant moment for the world as well, which explains why the president intends to journey there and celebrate alongside these hostages. But it is a wonderful development, and it thrills me greatly," he conveyed.
Trump is programmed to depart for his journey to Israel and Egypt on Sunday afternoon and will convene with families of the captives at the Israeli Knesset on Monday.
The Wall Street Journal was initially the source to announce Hamas’s verification of the 20 living hostages.
Regarding the U.S. Central Command establishing a coordination hub in Israel with the purpose of supporting and supervising the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, Vance expressed it was “inaccurately reported” that further U.S. military personnel were being dispatched to the territory — arguing that "We already maintain troops at Central Command."
An official from the U.S. informed ABC News that 200 troops are being deployed to Israel, however, to specialize in the fields of transportation, planning, logistics, security, and engineering. Vance similarly restated claims from leading officials that no U.S. military personnel are meant to enter Gaza.
"Thus, that story is, in reality, inaccurately reported. We currently have troops at Central Command. We have had them for decades in this country. They will observe the stipulations of the ceasefire. This encompasses everything from assuring that the Israeli troops remain at the agreed upon demarcation, assuring that Hamas refrains from attacking defenseless Israelis, exerting all efforts to guarantee the peace that we've established, in fact, persists and endures," Vance articulated.
"However, the notion that we intend to position troops on the ground in Gaza, in Israel, that is not our objective, that does not constitute our strategy. A slight misreporting occurred there, but we intend to oversee this peace to assure its continuation," he appended.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
