WATCH: Biden claims credit for Gaza ceasefire despite Trump’s ‘hell to pay’ threat
Joe Biden is taking full credit for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, even though his administration was unable to break through for a deal for a year, and the movement started only after President-elect Donald Trump suggested “hell to pay” should Hamas not start releasing hostage by the time he takes office Monday.
Biden called a question about whether Trump should be credited a “joke.”
JUST IN: President Biden takes credit for the Israel-Hamas hostage agreement, which happened to come together just days before Trump takes office.
Yes, Biden is the reason this deal came together
When a reporter asked Biden who deserves credit for the deal, Biden replied:… pic.twitter.com/LT7BGwr7hD
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 15, 2025
The Washington Examiner pointed out the “deal” involving Israel and Hamas was 15 months in the making after the terrorists from Gaza launched a war against Israel, killing 1,200 and kidnapping 250 in one day’s attack.
Biden conceded it was “at long last” that he was confirming a ceasefire and hostage release plan.
The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been trying to find a deal to which Hamas and Israel could agree for months.
The Examiner reported, “The first phase of the deal includes Hamas releasing a number of hostages, including women, in addition to older and wounded hostages, as Israel starts to withdraw from Gaza. In exchange for the hostages, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners and send humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
A second phase is for the war to end and more prisoners exchanged. A third involves reconstruction.
Biden took credit for the structure of the agree, proposed by the U.S. last year.
He did admit Trump will have to manage the end result of the work. But asked if Trump should be credited with helping the deal advance, he said, “Is that a joke?”
Trump had warned Hamas that there would be “hell to pay” should there be no movement on releasing the hostages by Monday.
Trump earlier had confirmed the ceasefire plans on social media.
“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly,” he said.
“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. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.”
He added, “We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House, and my Administration is fully confirmed, so they can secure more Victories for the United States!”
WND previously reported that Vice President-elect JD Vance told “Fox News Sunday” what was his interpretation of Trump’s threat there would be “hell to pay” for Hamas if the terrorist group did not release the remaining 99 hostages – both dead and alive – before his Jan. 20 inauguration.
In a wide-ranging interview with Shannon Bream on Sunday, which included talk about the release of peaceful Jan. 6, 2021 protesters, Vance outlined what Trump meant when he threatened Gaza’s Islamist rulers if the remaining hostages in Hamas captivity were not returned in short order.
What will “all hell to pay” look like?
Vice-President JD Vance explains that it means “enabling the Israelis to KNOCK OUT the final couple battalions of Hamas… It means actually DOING THE JOB of American leadership!”
— Jews Fight Back (@JewsFightBack) January 12, 2025
“If you talk to world leaders, it’s very clear that President Trump threatening Hamas, and making it clear there is going to be hell to pay, is part of the reason why we’ve made progress on getting some hostages out,” he said.
He said “hell to pay” would mean “enabling the Israelis to knock out the final couple battalions of Hamas and their leadership. It means very aggressive sanctions, financial penalties on those supporting terrorist organizations in the Middle East. It means actually doing the job of American leadership, which Donald Trump did very well for four years.”
Actually, a top Qatari official told Just the News it was Trump’s pressure and the work of Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff that helped push the stalled ceasefire and hostage release plan between Hamas and Israel “over the line.”
Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, the minister of state at Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Biden started the negotiations but it was pushed to success by his successor.
‘We have a deal for the hostages’: Trump says captives ‘will be released shortly’
What does Trump’s ‘hell to pay’ threat to Hamas actually mean? Watch JD Vance explain