President Biden brushed aside questions about who took credit for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas signed on Wednesday.
“Are you kidding me?” Biden said when asked by reporters whether he or President-elect Trump would be judged more favorably on the deal that could end the 15-month conflict in Gaza.
President Trump publicly celebrated news of the agreement before an official statement from the White House was released hours later. The president-elect also took credit for the deal, saying the deal would not have been possible without his victory over Vice President Harris in November.
While announcing the deal with Harris on the sidelines, Biden acknowledged it would take effect after he leaves office and said his team was working with the incoming Trump team. Trump is scheduled to be sworn in on Monday.
“I also want to note that although this agreement was developed and negotiated under my administration, its terms will largely be implemented by the next administration. Over the past few days, we have spoken as one team. ” the president said in remarks at the White House.
He also stressed that the agreement is the same framework as the one the administration helped negotiate in May, and that Israel was able to weaken Hamas with the help of aid from the United States.
“I knew this agreement would have to be implemented by the next team, so I told my team to work closely with the incoming team to make sure we all spoke with the same voice,” Biden said. “That's what a president of the United States should do. That's because it's a thing.”
Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, worked closely with Biden's negotiators to reach a deal. Trump said in a statement that Witkoff and his incoming national security team “will continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to ensure that Gaza never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists.”
The Biden administration has been working for months to reach a cease-fire agreement after more than a year of fighting since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel's subsequent war against the US-designated terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. Ta.
Meanwhile, President Trump had warned that “hell” would break out in the Middle East if the hostages were not released before he was sworn into office on Monday.
