Trump, Biden Spar Over Israel-Hamas Ceasefire

President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden are locked in a dispute over who deserves credit for the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The agreement, which is set to take effect on Sunday, was announced on Wednesday, with Trump taking to Truth Social to celebrate the deal.

"We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!" Trump wrote. According to reports, Qatar Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed that the ceasefire agreement will result in the release of 33 hostages by Hamas, while Israel will release 100 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and 1,000 Palestinian prisoners who were not involved in the attack against Israel in October 2023.

Trump claimed that the agreement was a result of his administration's efforts, stating that “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.”

However, President Biden countered that the agreement was a result of "many months of intensive diplomacy" by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. Biden noted that the deal would “halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity.”

The dispute over credit for the agreement came to a head during a Wednesday press conference, when Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked Biden, "Who in the history books gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?" Biden responded by asking, "Is that a joke?" before walking away from the press.

The ceasefire agreement marks a significant development in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and its implementation will be closely watched in the coming days.