Biden responds sharply to the question about Trump’s part in the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas

President Biden on Wednesday objected to a question posed by Fox News chief White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich about whether President-elect Trump deserves credit for the recent Ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The deal comes during the final days of Biden’s term, less than a week before Trump’s second term begins on January 20. A recent meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and incoming Trump Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was an integral part of the deal, sources told Fox News Digital.

“Who in the history books gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?” Henry Biden asked at Wednesday afternoon’s White House press conference.

“Is this a joke?” replied the president.

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When Heinrich denied that his question was a joke, Biden responded: “Oh. Thanks,” and he left.

Minutes earlier, Biden explained that the ceasefire would consist of two phases. The first phase, which will last about six weeks, “includes a full and complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly people and the injured”.

“And I’m proud to say that Americans will also be a part of this hostage release and the first phase,” the president said. “And the vice president and I can’t wait to welcome them home.”

Israel has also released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden said, and Palestinians “can also return to their neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, and an increase in humanitarian assistance to Gaza will begin.” The second phase of the cease-fire will begin after Israel negotiates “necessary arrangements,” which Biden said would mark “a permanent end to the war.”

“There are a number of details to negotiate the move from phase one to phase two,” he continued. “But the plan says that if the negotiations take more than six weeks, the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue.”

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Weeks ago, Trump warned there would be “hell to pay” if there was no major breakthrough on a hostage deal by the time he took office.

“Everyone talks about the hostages being held so violently, inhumanely and against the will of the whole world in the Middle East, but it’s all talk, and no action!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social publication.

“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released by January 20, 2025, the date I proudly take office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL for pay in the Middle East, and for those responsible who perpetrated these atrocities against humanity,” Trump added.

Shortly after Biden announced the deal, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller acknowledged the role Trump’s team played in the negotiations and thanked them.

“I don’t know if it’s unprecedented to have envoys from an outgoing administration and an incoming administration sitting at the same table negotiating a cease-fire agreement of this type,” Miller said Wednesday. “But if it’s not unprecedented, it’s certainly unusual.”

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“And of course we appreciate the Trump team working with that on this cease-fire agreement. We think it’s important that they were at the table.”

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace, Greg Norman, Trey Yingst, Brooke Curto, Efrat Lachter and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.