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U.S. Vice President JD Vance decided against visiting Israel this week due to the expansion of Israel's military operation in Gaza, a senior U.S. official told Axios.
The decision comes as Israeli forces intensify operations in Khan Younis, threatening "unprecedented" strikes while ordering mass evacuations.
The cancellation highlights growing tensions between the Trump administration's push for a ceasefire and Israel's continued military campaign, which has claimed over 53,000 Palestinian lives since October 2023.
While Vance officially cited "logistical" reasons for canceling his planned trip following the pope's inauguration in Rome, a U.S. official familiar with the situation told Axios the real concern was that his presence could be interpreted as endorsing Israel's expanded offensive.
"While the Secret Service has engaged in contingency planning for the addition of several potential countries, no additional visits were at any point decided upon, and logistical constraints have precluded an extension of his travel beyond Rome," a White House official stated to reporters traveling with the VP.
The Trump administration had informed Israeli officials on Saturday that Vance was considering stopping in Israel, with preparations underway before the vice president ultimately decided against the visit.
On Friday, the Israeli army began mobilizing troops for an operation called "Gideon's Chariots," which reportedly aims to relocate Gaza's 2 million Palestinians to a designated "humanitarian zone" and clear large portions of the territory.
Israeli military spokesman Avichai Adraey shared maps on social media marking extensive areas of Khan Younis in red, ordering Palestinian residents to evacuate to the coastal Mewasi area.
The marked zones include not only Khan Younis but also the densely populated Abasan and Beni Suheyl regions.
Khan Younis is Gaza's second-largest urban center and one of the world's most densely populated areas. Israeli special forces conducted a raid there early Sunday, killing one Palestinian and detaining his wife and children, according to reports from Anadolu Agency.
The Gaza government's Media Office has accused Israel of systematically targeting healthcare infrastructure across the territory.
"The occupation forces are directly targeting hospitals, medicine and medical supply warehouses, operating rooms, emergency services, and intensive care units, systematically putting them out of service," the statement said.
"These efforts aim to prevent the treatment of the wounded and increase the death toll, revealing a clear genocidal intent."
According to the statement, more than 2.4 million people in Gaza are struggling with "blockade, destruction, hunger, thirst, and disease" amid what they describe as "shameful silence from the international community."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly refused to sign any agreement that would end the war, showing "little flexibility in negotiations" despite urgent efforts by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to broker a deal.
Under pressure from the Trump administration and European allies, Israel's Security Cabinet decided Sunday to immediately resume aid transfers to Gaza through existing channels until a new humanitarian mechanism becomes operational.
"The Trump administration is trying to cut a deal to halt the operation, release more hostages, and allow aid in to prevent starvation and a deeper humanitarian catastrophe," according to the Axios report.
Witkoff presented both Israel and Hamas with an updated proposal last week for a hostage and cease-fire deal and is pressing both parties to accept it.
United Nations agencies, human rights organizations, and international aid groups have warned that Israel's expanded ground offensive will further deteriorate the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The Gaza government has called on the international community to "break the silence and take urgent, effective steps to stop this genocide," while also demanding that "occupation leaders be tried as war criminals in international courts."
"History will not forgive. The global conscience is now facing a severe test. It will either take a position on the side of right, justice, and humanity, or it will be recorded on the pages of shame and complicity," the statement concluded.
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