How Biden and Trump’s negotiators teamed up to forge Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal as presidents vie for credit

The two presidents had called each other ‘stupid,’ ‘dumb as a rock,’ a ‘loser,’ and a threat to democracy.

But after the election, both men dispatched negotiators tried to work jointly on a deal to free American hostages and get a cease fire in Gaza.

It was an ‘unprecedented partnership’ that, if the deal holds, will bring 33 hostages home in the first phase of the deal, despite the obvious bad blood between them.

‘I think President Biden set the tone: We’re going to have a seamless transition. We’re going to work to get things done for the American people, and where possible, we’re going to work together,’ a senior administration official told reporters Wednesday evening as the details of how the deal came together were emerging.

‘That was especially critical here, because we all recognize that, given that this deal would be the 42-day phase one ceasefire – and we hope will last a bunch longer than that – this deal will be implemented by the new administration.’

The signal came after President Joe Biden’s sit down with Donald Trump after Trump defeated VP Kamala Harris in the November election.

Biden was desperate to get a deal done before leaving office, and Trump was demanding one before he retook it. 

Despite bad blood between President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump, their negotiators worked together on a Gaza cease fire deal to free hostages

Biden’s national security advisor Jake Sullivan and Biden negotiator Brett McGurk met with Trump’s incoming national security advisor Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), as well as Trump’s incoming hostage negotiator Steve Witkoff, a wealthy real estate investor.

‘And since then, Steve and Brett have been talking regularly about the process. Brett has been keeping Steve fully informed. And a few days ago, four days ago, Steve Witkoff came out to join Brett in the final push, which I think is historically – almost unprecedented – and it was a highly constructive, very fruitful partnership,’ said the official.

‘It was really quite, I think, quite remarkable. And I think speaks to what can be done in the country when it focuses on a common objective,’ said the official. They were part of an assembly of teams that also included the Israelis, Hamas, the Egyptians, the Qataris, and others.

The talks were underway for many months, and sometimes involved intermediaries going back and forth between Israeli and Hamas delegations who took part in Doha – with each side staying on different floors.

Witkoff was at Trump’s latest Mar-a-Lago press conference where Trump threatened all hell would break out if there were still hostages when he took power. And Witkoff attended Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani’s press conference on Wednesday. 

Trump’s incoming hostage negotiator Steve Witkoff was brought into the talks by Biden’s teams and jetted to meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. He traveled to Doha last week

Biden advisor and negotiator Brett McGurk met with Witkoff in Doha and collaborated with Trump’s team after Biden met with Trump following the November elections

In just one example, McGurk was heading negotiations in Doha with Sheikh Mohammed and the team. ‘We wanted to have an engagement with Prime Minister Netanyahu, which Steve went to Israel to do, [and] came back. Again. I thought that was quite effective,’ said the official, who declined on a call to be identified under terms established by the White House.

The other keys to apparent success were changes on the ground, in part due to Isreal’s withering attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon and an attack that wiped out Iran’s air defenses.    

Israel was able to take out Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was an obstacle to a deal. Bashar al-Assad’s govenment in Syria fell.

‘It is just impossible, and I’m speaking from the Middle East to overstate how significantly this region has changed,’ said the official.

‘What we have seen from the U.S. in the past few days, seeing a collaboration transcending both administrations, was a clear demonstration for the commitment of the U.S. to reach to that deal,’ said Sheikh Mohammed.

The comments about collaboration came as Biden and Trump each claimed credit for a ceasefire deal designed to end the war between Israel and Hamas. Biden on Wednesday stressed that the deal tracked with an offer he put out in May. Trump was the first to blast out a post claiming a deal had been reached.

And Biden was quick shut down any notion president-elect Trump might deserve any kudos on the matter.

‘Is that a joke,’ he said to a reporter who asked him if he or Trump deserved credit for the deal.

When told no, Biden said ‘oh’ and walked out of the briefing.

While Biden announced the ceasefire at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, Trump had already announced the deal two hours earlier on social media. 

The deal includes a 42-day ceasefire and the return of American hostages. It is scheduled to take affect on Sunday, the day before Trump takes the oath of office as president.

Biden was racing against the clock to get the deal done before Trump is sworn in on January 20th.

‘This is a cease-fire agreement I introduced last Spring. Today, Hamas and Israel have agreed to that cease-fire agreement. And a whole ending to the war,’ the president said.

President Joe Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaks about the ceasefire deal

But Trump said it was all him. 

The incoming-president had threatened severe consequences unless Israel and Hamas reached an agreement before Inauguration Day. Some officials credit that threat with adding a sense of urgency to the talks.

‘We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.

‘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,’ Trump noted. 

‘I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.’

Trump added that his incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, would continue ‘to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.’

Biden’s State Department thanked Trump for his role.

‘When it comes to the involvement of President-elect Trump’s team, it’s been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line,’ said department spokesman Matthew Miller at his briefing.

Biden acknowledged in his remarks that the ceasefire will be implemented under Trump’s tenure.

‘This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, but the terms to be implemented for the most part by the next administration. These past few days, we have been speaking as one team,’ he said.

Witkoff has been in the Middle East working along side the Biden negotiators. 

Biden noted he told his team to work with the incoming-president’s.

He said he ordered them to ‘coordinate closely’ with Trump’s advisers to ensure they’re ‘all speaking with the same voice. Because that’s what American presidents do.’ 

Donald Trump also claimed credit for the deal

Palestinians gathered in the garden of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza to celebrate after the announcement of a ceasefire

Biden said it was a tough sell but the expressed confidence the deal would hold.

‘This is one of the toughest negotiations I’ve ever experienced,’ he said. 

The deal will have three phases and American hostages will be released as part one. 

Five Americans — Edan Alexander, Itay Chen, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Keith Siegel — remain alive in captivity. 

Hamas will release ‘a number’ of hostages, including wounded, women, the elderly and Americans in phase one, Biden said. 

‘The vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home,’ Biden said. He was flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Tony Blinken as he spoke in the cross hall of the White House. 

Over the next six weeks, both sides will move toward phase two, which is a permanent end of the 15-month conflict. 

The final phase will include a ‘major reconstruction plan for Gaza,’ which includes allowing thousands of displaced Palestinians to be able to return to their homes and have access to a humanitarian supplies.

‘Too many innocent people have died, too many communities have been destroyed,’ Biden said. ‘In this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild.’

The agreement needs to be formally ratified by the Israeli cabinet. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a number of details in the agreement need to be resolved but was hopefully they would be by Wednesday night.

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