In a major breakthrough in the middle-east, Israel and Hamas on Wednesday agreed to a ceasefire deal in Gaza. The development comes after the White House brought Trump's Middle East envoy into negotiations that have been going on for months.
President-elect Donald Trump and outgoing President Joe Biden claimed credit for the significant development following the ceasefire deal. Trump asserted that he was the moving force behind the deal, and the final details were still being ironed out.
In a post on X, the official handle of the Prime Minister of Israel confirmed that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Trump and thanked him for his assistance in advancing the release of hostages.
In his social media post, Trump said, "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."
Expressing his happiness over the return of American and Israeli hostages, Trump added that his Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, who was also part of the negotiations in Qatar, will continue “to work closely with Israel" and ensure that "Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven".
Biden, too, wasted no time in stressing that the deal was reached under “the precise contours” of a plan set out in early May. He emphasised that his diplomacy "never ceased in their efforts to get this done".
“It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran — but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy,” Biden added.
The jostling comes with both Biden and Trump determined to see the deal become a set piece of Middle East success for the legacy of their presidency.
Biden's administration worked for months to broker peace in talks that inched frustratingly close to success before repeatedly breaking down.
(With inputs from AP)