Credit for the ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel became a public contest on Wednesday as both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump laid claim to influencing the outcome.
The deal, which had been in the works for months, came together just days before Trump is scheduled to return to the White House.
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There was daily communication between Biden’s current administration and Trump’s transition team in the lead-up to the agreement. Meetings were held in Qatar and Israel, and Biden officials pointed to a Saturday meeting between Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump’s soon-to-be Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, as instrumental. Witkoff described the Biden administration as having taken the lead in negotiations.
Such bipartisan teamwork is very rare in today’s divided political climate, especially considering the bitter rivalry between Biden and Trump. Still, both men used the opportunity to highlight their roles in shaping the final deal.
On Friday, Israel launched an airstrike on a suburb in southern Beirut. This marked the first such move since its ceasefire with Hezbollah began late last year.
As for its dealings with Hamas in Gaza, questions remain about why Israel resumed its military operations. Many are still waiting for details about the hostages held in Gaza.
Credit and Criticism from Both Sides
Trump posted on social media, claiming the success of the ceasefire agreement came directly from his win in the November election. He had been pressing for a deal before his inauguration and recently warned that the region would erupt if Israeli hostages were not released by the time he took office on Monday.
Later, Biden gave remarks from the White House. He said that the agreement closely matched what he had proposed earlier in May. According to him, international support came together behind his plan, and U.S. assistance to Israel helped weaken Hamas, which set the conditions that allowed the deal to materialize.
Biden also said he instructed his staff to make sure both he and Trump were speaking with one message, which he said was the role of any American president.
When asked by a reporter who deserved more credit for the agreement, Biden responded sarcastically, “Is that a joke?” before walking away without elaborating.
A Deal with High Stakes for Biden’s Legacy
For Biden, this agreement holds personal weight, as he prepares to step away from public life after a fifty-year political career. Throughout the negotiation period, he often grew irritated with Netanyahu, especially when the Israeli leader resisted U.S. warnings about civilian deaths and hesitated to support a ceasefire plan.
The timing of this development is unusual, as it came just a few days before the new president is sworn in. Some observers have drawn comparisons to the release of American hostages from Iran in 1981. Back then, 52 U.S. citizens were held for 444 days, and their release happened on the day Ronald Reagan took office, just after Jimmy Carter lost his reelection bid.
Within Biden’s camp, some believed Netanyahu delayed finalizing any agreement so he could align the breakthrough with Trump’s return, which might help the Republicans politically.
Trump’s Team Ties the Deal to His Influence
Those close to Trump said the results spoke for themselves. Matt Brooks, who leads the Republican Jewish Coalition, pointed out that Trump clearly warned there would be consequences if the hostages were not freed before he was sworn in.
Even some members of the Democratic Party acknowledged Trump’s involvement. Former congressman Tom Malinowski, writing on X, said that while Biden created the deal, he likely could not have finalized it without Trump’s involvement. According to him, Trump’s threats were less important than his willingness to confront Netanyahu directly and insist that the war end before the new term began.
Praise from Advocacy Groups and Families
Groups such as AIPAC and relatives of American hostages in Gaza issued public thanks to both Trump and Biden. Within Biden’s team, officials emphasized how closely they worked with Trump’s representatives. One senior official described the level of coordination with Steve Witkoff as unlike anything they had seen before.
At the same time, Biden’s aides rejected the idea that Trump was the deciding factor. During a press briefing on Wednesday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller disagreed with that idea when asked directly. He said their experience during the negotiations told a different story, and he stood by the work done by Biden’s administration.
