WASHINGTON: United States President-elect Donald Trump declared on Thursday that the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas came to fruition due to pressure exerted by him and his incoming administration.
The agreement, which involves exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, is awaiting approval from Israel’s security cabinet. Once approved, negotiations for a permanent end to the conflict will follow.
Speaking on the Dan Bongino Show, just four days before his second inauguration, Trump credited his team, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, for driving the deal forward.
“If we weren’t involved in this deal, the deal would’ve never happened,” Trump stated. “We changed the course of it, and we changed it fast, and frankly, it better be done before I take the oath of office.”
Israel’s security cabinet is scheduled to deliberate on the agreement on Friday. If greenlit, the ceasefire could begin as early as Sunday, ahead of Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Trump criticized outgoing President Joe Biden for attempting to take credit for the agreement, labeling him “ungracious.” He remarked, “He didn’t do anything! If I didn’t do this, if we didn’t get involved, the hostages would never be out.”
Biden had previously proposed a similar ceasefire plan in May, which shared elements with the current deal.
The proposed agreement outlines an initial 42-day ceasefire, during which 33 hostages would be released, and Israeli forces would withdraw from populated areas in Gaza. The second phase aims to secure a permanent resolution to the conflict, according to Biden.