After 15 months of intense fighting, Israel and Hamas have finally reached a ceasefire agreement, which includes the release of dozens of hostages—including seven American citizens—held in Gaza since the bloody terror attack on the Jewish state on 7 October 2023. On Wednesday evening, US President Joe Biden and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani both confirmed that the warring parties had reached an agreement, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the deal was being finalized overnight.
Whose Ceasefire?
Following the announcement, both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump were quick to claim credit for the agreement. In a statement, Biden said that the final deal followed the ‘precise contours of the plan’ he had outlined before the UN Security Council on 31 May 2024. ‘My diplomacy never ceased in its efforts to get this done,’ the statement read. During a press conference announcing the ceasefire, Biden smiled when asked who the history books would credit for the deal, quipping: ‘Is that a joke?’
Trump, meanwhile, immediately posted on his Truth Social account after the news broke, stating: ‘This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.’
According to sources familiar with the matter, Trump’s claims may hold more weight. Two Arab sources told The Times of Israel that Trump’s pick for Middle East Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, ‘swayed Netanyahu more in a single sit-down’ than Biden had throughout 2024. Witkoff had been in Doha for the past week to participate in hostage negotiations as mediators worked to finalize a deal before Trump’s 20 January inauguration. On Saturday, Witkoff flew to Israel to meet with Netanyahu at his Jerusalem office, where he reportedly urged the Israeli prime minister to accept key compromises essential for the agreement.
‘Witkoff’s involvement marked “the first time there has been real pressure on the Israeli side to accept the deal”’
Moreover, a diplomat told The Washington Post that Witkoff’s involvement marked ‘the first time there has been real pressure on the Israeli side to accept the deal.’
Even Biden acknowledged during the press conference that his administration and Trump’s transition team had collaborated on the matter. ‘In these past few days, we have been speaking as one team,’ he stated.
Notably, Netanyahu called both Trump and Biden to thank them for their roles in securing the hostage deal. According to a statement issued by his office, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Trump for his ‘help in advancing the release of the hostages and helping Israel to bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families.’ The families of the American citizens held hostage also expressed their gratitude to both presidents.
Peace Through Strength
In addition to sending Witkoff to Israel to assist Biden’s team—demonstrating that the incoming Republican administration prioritises the lives of the hostages over credit for the deal—Trump has repeatedly and forcefully signalled to Hamas since his election that failing to release the hostages before his inauguration will bear serious consequences.
‘If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social in December last year.
And as everyone can see, Trump delivered. The President-elect showcased the Republicans’ hallmark ‘peace through strength’ foreign policy even before his inauguration, sending a clear and powerful message to the world about what to expect in the next four years.
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