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After months of intense negotiations, a long-awaited ceasefire agreement in Gaza was finally achieved, but not without a little drama over who should take the credit. Both outgoing President Joe Biden and newly elected President Donald Trump are now claiming the deal is largely due to their efforts, even though the two had to put aside their rivalry to work together in a rare moment of cooperation.
The agreement came after continued pressure from both U.S. leaders on Israel and Hamas to stop the fighting and secure the release of hostages held in Gaza for over 15 months. Despite the back-and-forth, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the deal was "locked in," though formal approval still awaits, which has raised some questions about its final implementation.
Trump took to social media to boast about how his involvement had "changed the course" of the deal and called Biden "ungrateful" for attempting to take full credit.
For Biden, the deal could serve as a significant achievement as he nears the end of his term, potentially ending the deadliest war in Israeli-Palestinian history and securing the release of American and Israeli hostages. Trump, on the other hand, sees the ceasefire as a way to wrap up a contentious issue before he officially takes office again.
Once the agreement was reached, however, both leaders quickly jumped into the spotlight to claim credit. Biden, more reserved in his remarks, acknowledged that both administrations worked closely to finalize the deal but refrained from crediting Trump too much. Meanwhile, Trump took to social media to boast about how his involvement had "changed the course" of the deal and called Biden "ungrateful" for attempting to take full credit.
In an unusual twist, Trump’s role in pressuring Israel to act swiftly was credited by many, including Netanyahu, who first thanked Trump after the announcement of the ceasefire. Biden, while not completely disregarding Trump’s efforts, stressed that the ceasefire was built upon a framework his team had set up back in May.
In the end, both sides agree that the ceasefire is a collective win, but the question of who truly deserves the lion’s share of the credit is far from settled. With Biden’s administration having put much of the groundwork in place and Trump’s strong-arm tactics pushing the deal to the finish line, it’s clear that both played crucial roles, even if neither is willing to give the other full credit.
As this rare collaboration unfolds amid a high-stakes international crisis, it remains to be seen how these contrasting narratives will shape their legacies. For now, both presidents are laying claim to a historic agreement—each with their own version of events.
*With information from AP News and AlJazeera
