US President-elect Donald Trump said the ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas would never have been reached without pressure from his side.
The agreement, which provides for an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, awaits the approval of the Israeli security cabinet before it can take effect, after which the terms of a final end to the war will be agreed.
Four days before he took office for a second term, Trump indicated the negotiations would not be finalized without his team, including Middle East envoy Steve Whitkoff.
"If we hadn't been involved in this deal, it never would have happened," Trump said.
Israel's security cabinet is due to meet today to discuss the terms of the ceasefire, which will take effect Sunday at the earliest, just before Trump's inauguration. | BGNES
