US President Donald Trump has criticised former president Joe Biden‘s approach to the Middle East, accusing him on Tuesday of failing to secure a Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement promptly.Â
“Biden couldn’t get it done,” Trump stated to reporters at the White House. “It was only the deadline I imposed that made it happen.”
Trump further claimed credit for facilitating the return of Israeli captives, saying: “The hostages are starting to come back. If I weren’t here, they would never have come back. They would have all died.”
The former president blamed the Biden administration’s “weakness” for the 7 October 2023, attack on Israel. Â
“October 7 should have never happened. Nobody should be dead. But through weakness, they allowed it to happen, and then it was a disaster. Six months ago, you would have had 11 more living hostages,” he said.
When asked if he planned to visit the Middle East, Trump said: “We’re considering it. Not yet.”
Trump’s remarks come amid debates over which US administration should take credit for the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
 Last week, Biden asserted that the ceasefire terms were based on a proposal he had outlined in May.
Responding to questions at a White House briefing alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden answered: “Is that a joke?” when asked who deserved credit for the deal.Â
Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was credited with aiding negotiations between Hamas and Israel before the 20 January presidential inauguration.Â
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani highlighted Witkoff’s role during last Wednesday’s press conference confirming the ceasefire agreement.Â
“What we have seen from the US in the past few days, seeing a collaboration transcending both administrations, was a clear demonstration of the commitment of the US to reach that deal,” al-Thani said to an audience of reporters and dignitaries, including Witkoff.
“And I really would like to thank both the envoys who are here with us in the last couple of days, and they played a vital role in reaching this moment.”
NBC News reported that a senior administration official close to the negotiations praised Witkoff’s efforts. Â
The official told the US broadcaster that Witkoff was “very helpful, in particular ironing out a couple of issues” on the “very complex deal”.
They also highlighted his collaboration with Brett McGurk, Biden’s White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa.Â
“I have to say, Brett McGurk has been very fortunate to have been joined in these last 96 hours by Steve Witkoff” in what “has really been a historic and crucial partnership between the two of them to help nail down some of the final arrangements,” the official added. Â
The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement began on Sunday, temporarily halting Israeli military operations in the enclave.Â
 The three-phase deal includes a prisoner exchange, and sustained calm, and aims to establish a permanent truce along with the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.Â
The ceasefire follows a devastating Israeli offensive on Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 47,000 Palestinian deaths since October 7, 2023, according to local authorities.Â
The Israeli assault has left much of Gaza in ruins, with over half of the territory’s housing damaged or destroyed and nearly two million people displaced amid severe shortages of food and clean water.
