Times of Israel: Trump Played Crucial Part in Securing Gaza Ceasefire Deal
The new US president’s envoy is said to have persuaded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a truce with Hamas. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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The incoming US president's envoy has reportedly secured Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's agreement to a truce with Hamas.
According to the Times of Israel, US President-elect Donald Trump’s team has been instrumental in mediating a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas, as reported by two Arab officials on Wednesday. Trump’s newly appointed Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is said to have persuaded Netanyahu to accept the terms of the truce during a single meeting.
On Wednesday, Trump announced that West Jerusalem and Hamas had reached an agreement for the release of the remaining hostages. Multiple media reports indicate that the deal, brokered in Qatar, entails a 42-day truce along with a prisoner exchange, which includes all Israelis captured during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
Witkoff, who has been in Doha for the past week, has been actively involved in the negotiations for the hostage release, as per the Times of Israel. He also visited Israel for a meeting with Netanyahu last Saturday, where he reportedly influenced the prime minister to accept the critical elements of the truce, according to two Arab sources.
Two days following their meeting, both sides communicated to the mediators that they had agreed in principle to the draft deal, the sources noted. Neither Witkoff nor the Israeli prime minister's office provided comments in response to the Times of Israel’s inquiries. The publication also reported that Witkoff's efforts yielded more progress "in a single sit-down" than what the Biden administration achieved over the course of a year.
Following the announcement of the deal, both Trump and Biden took credit for the outcome. The president-elect termed it an “epic ceasefire agreement that could only have happened” due to his election win in November. Meanwhile, Biden attributed the success to “dogged and painstaking American diplomacy” as well as pressure on Hamas and the weakening of Iran. He acknowledged that “for the past few days, we have been speaking as one team” with Trump.
In a post on X, Trump’s team asserted that Biden would not have been able to finalize the deal without the involvement of Trump and Witkoff.
The US State Department also acknowledged Trump's contribution to the negotiation process. “The involvement of President-elect Trump’s team has been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line,” spokesperson Matthew Miller stated to journalists.
On Thursday, Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of “reneging” on significant aspects of the deal, alleging that the Palestinian group had caused "a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement." Hamas refuted these claims, stating they were “committed” to the agreement.
Following the announcement of the truce, West Jerusalem ramped up airstrikes across Gaza, with reports indicating that at least 32 people were killed in “heavy Israeli bombardment” on Wednesday evening, as per Reuters. The Israel Defense Forces accused Hamas of launching a rocket into Israel on Thursday, although they reported that the incident resulted in no casualties.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
According to the Times of Israel, US President-elect Donald Trump’s team has been instrumental in mediating a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas, as reported by two Arab officials on Wednesday. Trump’s newly appointed Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is said to have persuaded Netanyahu to accept the terms of the truce during a single meeting.
On Wednesday, Trump announced that West Jerusalem and Hamas had reached an agreement for the release of the remaining hostages. Multiple media reports indicate that the deal, brokered in Qatar, entails a 42-day truce along with a prisoner exchange, which includes all Israelis captured during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
Witkoff, who has been in Doha for the past week, has been actively involved in the negotiations for the hostage release, as per the Times of Israel. He also visited Israel for a meeting with Netanyahu last Saturday, where he reportedly influenced the prime minister to accept the critical elements of the truce, according to two Arab sources.
Two days following their meeting, both sides communicated to the mediators that they had agreed in principle to the draft deal, the sources noted. Neither Witkoff nor the Israeli prime minister's office provided comments in response to the Times of Israel’s inquiries. The publication also reported that Witkoff's efforts yielded more progress "in a single sit-down" than what the Biden administration achieved over the course of a year.
Following the announcement of the deal, both Trump and Biden took credit for the outcome. The president-elect termed it an “epic ceasefire agreement that could only have happened” due to his election win in November. Meanwhile, Biden attributed the success to “dogged and painstaking American diplomacy” as well as pressure on Hamas and the weakening of Iran. He acknowledged that “for the past few days, we have been speaking as one team” with Trump.
In a post on X, Trump’s team asserted that Biden would not have been able to finalize the deal without the involvement of Trump and Witkoff.
The US State Department also acknowledged Trump's contribution to the negotiation process. “The involvement of President-elect Trump’s team has been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line,” spokesperson Matthew Miller stated to journalists.
On Thursday, Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of “reneging” on significant aspects of the deal, alleging that the Palestinian group had caused "a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement." Hamas refuted these claims, stating they were “committed” to the agreement.
Following the announcement of the truce, West Jerusalem ramped up airstrikes across Gaza, with reports indicating that at least 32 people were killed in “heavy Israeli bombardment” on Wednesday evening, as per Reuters. The Israel Defense Forces accused Hamas of launching a rocket into Israel on Thursday, although they reported that the incident resulted in no casualties.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
