Washington, D.C. – October 15, 2025 – In a remarkable display of cross-party unity amid the rubble of a protracted war, former President Joe Biden on Tuesday publicly commended President Donald Trump for brokering a landmark ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The deal, finalized just days earlier, has brought an end to nearly two years of devastating conflict that claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions, and plunged the region into a humanitarian catastrophe. Biden's endorsement, shared on the social media platform X, highlighted the collaborative groundwork laid by his administration while crediting Trump's team for navigating the final hurdles to implementation.
“The road to this deal was not easy. My Administration worked relentlessly to bring hostages home, get relief to Palestinian civilians, and end the war,” Biden wrote in a poignant post. He added, “I commend President Trump and his team for their work to get a renewed ceasefire deal over the finish line.” The statement came as Biden, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer since leaving office earlier this year, reflected on the war's toll from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. It marked one of the few instances of public goodwill between the two leaders, whose political rivalry has defined American discourse for over a decade.
The ceasefire, announced by Trump on October 8 and formally signed on October 13 during a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, represents the most significant diplomatic breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the Oslo Accords in the 1990s. Under the agreement's first phase, Hamas released the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages captured during its October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel – an attack that killed 1,200 people and ignited the war. In exchange, Israel freed more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, many held without trial for years. The releases unfolded over several emotional days, with families reuniting in tearful scenes broadcast worldwide from Tel Aviv and Khan Younis. Four bodies of deceased hostages were also returned, though 20 more remains are believed to still be held in Gaza, prompting accusations from hostage advocacy groups that Hamas has partially breached the terms.
Trump, addressing the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem on October 13 before flying to Egypt, declared the war "over" and hailed the deal as a personal triumph. "We have peace in the Middle East," he proclaimed to applause from lawmakers, including a visibly relieved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Flanked by over 20 world leaders at the Gaza International Peace Summit – co-chaired with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi – Trump signed the accord alongside representatives from Qatar, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates. The summit, attended by figures like Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, underscored the deal's international backing. A separate declaration by the U.S., Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye committed these nations to upholding the ceasefire and facilitating aid flows.
At the heart of the agreement is Trump's ambitious 20-point peace plan, unveiled on September 29 during a White House press conference with Netanyahu. The blueprint, negotiated with input from Arab and Muslim states, outlines a phased approach to de-escalation, reconstruction, and governance reform. Key provisions include:
Immediate Ceasefire and Hostage Exchange: All military operations halt, with battle lines frozen. Hamas releases all captives, and Israel withdraws from populated areas in stages tied to demilitarization milestones.
Humanitarian Aid Surge: Hundreds of aid trucks – carrying food, medicine, and rebuilding materials – are now entering Gaza daily, a sharp increase from the war's restrictions. The United Nations' World Food Programme has scaled up operations, reporting freer movement for relief workers since Israeli forces pulled back.
Transitional Governance: Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and EU, must disarm and cede control to a "technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee" of experts. This body, overseen by a new "Board of Peace" chaired by Trump and including Blair, will manage public services and reconstruction until the Palestinian Authority (PA) – reformed per prior proposals like Trump's 2020 plan and a Saudi-French initiative – assumes full authority.
No Annexation or Forced Transfers: Israel commits to no occupation or annexation of Gaza, with guarantees for residents' right to return. The plan explicitly rejects forced population displacements, a reversal from Trump's early 2025 suggestions that drew global condemnation.
Long-Term Vision: Phases two and three envision full Israeli withdrawal, Gaza's redevelopment into a "terror-free" economic hub, and dialogue toward Palestinian statehood. Funding for rebuilding – estimated at tens of billions – would come from international donors, with Arab states pledging resources.
The plan's roots trace back to Biden-era efforts, a point emphasized by former Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a detailed X thread on October 13. Blinken argued that Trump's framework "reaffirms the key principles we established for Gaza at the outset of the war – no platform for terrorism, no annexation, no occupation, no forced population transfers – and makes clear the overall goal is to create the conditions for a credible pathway to a Palestinian state." He outlined how Biden's team, in consultation with Qatar and Egypt, secured a multiphase truce in January 2025 – just before Trump's inauguration – that freed dozens of hostages and paused fighting for 42 days. That deal collapsed in March amid mutual accusations of violations, including Israeli airstrikes on Hamas targets. Blinken credited Biden's "relentless" diplomacy for weakening Hamas militarily and building Arab consensus against the group, setting the stage for Trump's push.
Biden's administration had poured diplomatic resources into the crisis, mediating talks that delivered partial ceasefires in late 2023 and early 2025. Yet, critics like Jake Sullivan, Biden's former national security adviser, later reflected that the war could have ended sooner if not for "months of needless fighting" after the initial truce. Biden's staunch support for Israel – including billions in military aid – drew backlash from progressive Democrats and protests at his events, while his empathy for Palestinian suffering often appeared "inadequate," as noted in Kamala Harris's memoir 107 Days.
Trump, however, dismissed such claims aboard Air Force One on October 13, responding to questions about Blinken's posts with characteristic bluntness. "Everybody knows it’s a joke. Look, they did such a bad job. This should have never happened," he said, pivoting to broader critiques. "If just a decent president – not a great president like me – if a decent president were in, you wouldn’t have had the Russia-Ukraine [war]. This was bad policy by Biden and Obama." Despite the barbs, Trump's approach – blending personal diplomacy, threats of escalation, and coalition-building – proved effective. A pivotal September UN sidelines meeting with Arab leaders, including Qatar's emir, convinced him to bind personally to the process, while pressure on Netanyahu curbed West Bank annexation ambitions. Hamas, battered by Israeli operations that decimated its leadership and infrastructure, faced domestic unrest from Gaza's starving populace, forcing acquiescence by Trump's October 5 deadline.
The war's human cost cannot be overstated. Since October 7, 2023, over 68,000 Palestinians – mostly civilians – have died, according to Gaza health authorities, with entire neighborhoods reduced to dust. In Israel, the initial attack's trauma lingers, compounded by the hostages' 700-plus days in captivity. Gaza's 2.3 million residents endured famine, disease outbreaks, and a blockade that halved aid inflows. Rebuilding will demand decades and $50-100 billion, experts estimate, with the plan's "Board of Peace" tasked with coordinating funds from Gulf states and Europe.
Bipartisan praise has poured in, amplifying the deal's momentum. Former President Bill Clinton called it a "ceasefire that has taken hold," crediting Trump, Qatar, and regional actors. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), a vocal Israel supporter, hailed it as a "breakthrough." Even former Vice President Mike Pence, Trump's 2024 primary rival, congratulated the administration. Internationally, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the plan as essential for regional stability.
Yet, skeptics abound. Historian Rashid Khalidi called the 20-point plan "not a genuine peace process," lacking commitments to equal rights or full Palestinian sovereignty. Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani warned that Netanyahu's far-right coalition could sabotage disarmament, while the plan's vagueness on Hamas's decommissioning risks renewed violence. Brookings Institution scholars noted that spoilers like Iran-backed Hezbollah loom, and Trump's failure to address Palestinians directly – unlike his Knesset speech – could erode trust. Former U.S. Ambassador Michael Ratney emphasized, "It's not peace yet... There's a lot of work," including total Israeli withdrawal and PA reforms.
As phase two negotiations begin – focusing on demilitarization and aid corridors – the world watches. Trump's insistence on a "durable, everlasting peace" echoes his 2017 Abraham Accords, but Gaza's scars run deeper. For now, streets in Tel Aviv and Gaza City buzz with cautious celebration: families embrace freed loved ones, aid trucks rumble through checkpoints, and children play amid ruins. Biden's commendation, though laced with shared credit, signals a fragile bipartisan hope – that this deal, born of relentless effort and unlikely alliance, might finally chart a path beyond the nightmare.
In Gaza, displaced writer Ahmed Abu Artema captured the sentiment: "We lost everything, but today, we breathe." The challenge now: ensuring that breath becomes a foundation for justice, not just survival. As Trump returns to Washington, the 20-point plan's success hinges on enforcement, empathy, and endurance – qualities that, for once, both he and Biden seem willing to summon.
