During a heated interaction at a White House press conference, President Joe Biden retorted sharply to a query regarding the credit due to President-elect Donald Trump for the recently announced Israel-Hamas cease-fire.
According to Fox News, The announcement of this cease-fire comes as Trump is set to begin his term, with Biden highlighting significant contributions from both administrations.
President Biden elaborated on the details of a two-phase cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. This agreement, mediated during the final week of Biden's presidency, aims to first secure a comprehensive cease-fire and facilitate the release of hostages, including women, the elderly, and injured individuals.
The second phase will seek to negotiate the terms for a permanent cessation of hostilities. If these negotiations extend beyond six weeks, the cease-fire will nonetheless continue. This multi-phase strategy underscores the complex nature of achieving lasting peace in the region.
In a symbolic move, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners demonstrates both parties' commitment to the agreement. This development also paves the way for increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza, which has been a critical concern throughout the conflict.
The situation took a notable turn during a press interaction when Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich questioned President Biden regarding the credit for the cease-fire attributed to President-elect Trump. Heinrich's question, "Who in the history books gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?" was met with Biden's dismissive response, "Is that a joke?"
The tense exchange concluded with President Biden thanking Heinrich and exiting the stage, underlining the political sensitivity surrounding the acknowledgment of Trump's team's role in the negotiations.
Biden emphasized the global importance of the hostage release. "And I'm proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release and phase one as well," he stated.
President-elect Donald Trump had previously expressed strong views on the hostage situation via his Truth Social platform. He vocally criticized the lack of action in resolving the hostage crisis and issued a stern warning regarding the consequences if the situation remained unaddressed by his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
President-elect Trump stated, "Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity."
Meanwhile, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller acknowledged the unique circumstance of having envoys from both the outgoing and incoming administrations collaborating on the cease-fire. "I don't know if it's unprecedented to have envoys from an outgoing and an incoming administration sitting at the same table negotiating a cease-fire agreement of this kind. But if it's not unprecedented, it's certainly unusual," he noted.
Following the cease-fire announcement, a demonstration in Tel Aviv featured family and friends of hostages previously abducted by Hamas, adding a human element to the geopolitical developments.
Furthermore, thanking Trump's team, Matthew Miller added, "And, we, of course, thank the Trump team for working with us on this cease-fire agreement. We think it's important that they were at the table."
The cease-fire deal orchestrated by the Biden administration, with pivotal contributions from Trump's team just days before his second term, outlines a clear path forward for peace initiatives and highlights the significant diplomatic efforts involved from both parties. This historic agreement not only seeks an immediate end to hostilities but also sets the stage for substantial negotiations aimed at resolving long-standing conflicts in the region.
