Biden claims the Gaza agreement is based on his framework, while Trump takes credit for the initiative

U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump both asserted their roles in the announcement of a ceasefire-for-hostages agreement concerning Gaza, a deal that had been in development for several months but was facilitated by a Trump envoy.

In his announcement, Biden highlighted that the final agreement closely resembled a proposal he had put forward in May. He responded with a smile when a reporter inquired about who would be credited in history for the ceasefire, jokingly asking, “Is that a joke?”

“This plan was crafted and negotiated by my team and will primarily be executed by the incoming administration. That’s why I ensured my team kept the incoming administration fully briefed,” Biden stated during a farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday night.

Trump, in a post on social media, quickly took some credit for the significant breakthrough that followed months of stalled discussions. He had consistently warned that there would be “hell to pay” if an agreement was not reached before he assumed office on Monday.

“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could only have been achieved due to our Historic Victory in November, which demonstrated to the entire world that my Administration would pursue Peace and negotiate agreements to safeguard all Americans and our Allies,” he remarked. Trump had sent his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to participate in the negotiations in Doha, where Witkoff was present for the final 96 hours of discussions leading to the agreement.

A high-ranking official from the Biden administration, during a press briefing, acknowledged Witkoff’s significant role in facilitating the agreement, collaborating closely with Biden’s envoy, Brett McGurk, who has been stationed in Doha since January 5. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre informed reporters that President Biden sought the involvement of the Trump administration, as Trump will be responsible for executing the ceasefire agreement.

“In recent days, we have been operating as a unified team,” Biden stated. While he refrained from providing detailed information beyond the general framework of the agreement already disclosed, he indicated that it could pave the way for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

“For the Palestinian people, a credible pathway to statehood. And for the region, a future characterized by normalization and the integration of Israel with all its Arab neighbors, including Saudi Arabia,” he remarked.

The recent escalation in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have reportedly resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian fatalities, as per the local health ministry, and have sparked allegations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel refutes. The military actions have led to the displacement of Gaza’s entire population and triggered a severe hunger crisis.