Joe Biden; Donald Trump
Former US President Joe Biden on Monday (local time) said the path to a peace deal in Gaza was “not easy” and praised his successor, Donald Trump, for achieving a successful and “renewed” ceasefire agreement.Click here for live updates“The road to this deal was not easy. My administration worked relentlessly to bring hostages home, provide relief to Palestinian civilians, and end the war. I commend President Trump and his team for getting a renewed ceasefire over the finish line,” Biden wrote on X. The Gaza war erupted following Hamas attacks in Israel in October 2023, during Biden’s presidency.He added, “Now, with the backing of the United States and the world, the Middle East is on a path to peace that I hope endures, offering a future for Israelis and Palestinians alike marked by equal measures of peace, dignity, and safety.”The Democrat also expressed relief after Hamas, under Trump’s peace plan, released the last 20 remaining Israeli hostages from the Palestinian enclave. “I am deeply grateful and relieved that this day has come — for the last 20 hostages who have endured unimaginable suffering and are finally reunited with their families and loved ones, and for the civilians in Gaza who have faced immense loss and will finally have the chance to rebuild their lives,” Biden said. On Monday, Trump, who was also Biden’s predecessor in the White House, made a trip to Israel and Egypt to finalise the agreement. In Israel, he addressed the Knesset (parliament) while the two sides carried out a swap of hostages and prisoners. In Egypt, he signed the historic peace pact alongside several world leaders. The summit took place in Sharm el-Sheikh, just three days after a ceasefire went into effect and Israeli forces withdrew to a pre-determined line.