...
By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Some of President Donald Trump’s frequent critics have praised him for brokering the first phase of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who lost the 2016 presidential election to Trump, said she commended both Trump and Arab leaders for committing to the U.S. president’s 20-point peace plan.
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona said Trump “should get a lot of credit” for the deal and former Vice President Kamala Harris said she commends those who have been a part of the process, including Trump. However, some Democrats have suggested that the president should receive credit only if the plan—which is still in the early stages—is successful.
Read More on News
Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment via an email sent outside regular business hours.
...
Why It Matters
After two years of fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, Trump has brokered a deal that he says ends the war and lays the path for lasting peace in the Middle East. However, the broader plan has many unanswered questions, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. Hamas has released 148 hostages over the past two years, eight of whom were dead, according to the Associated Press. Since October 2023, Israel’s campaign has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians and wounded almost 170,000, the AP reported, citing Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry. It has also displaced 2 million people—almost all of Gaza’s population—and devastated the enclave.
What To Know
Clinton said in an interview with CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell that “it’s going to take a lot of work” and coordination for the Israelis and Palestinians to get through the first phase of the deal.
She called Israel’s September attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar’s capital, an “ill-advised” move that gave Trump’s negotiators an opening.
“That provided an opening for both President Trump and his representatives to marshal all of the regional powers, including, of course, Qatar, but also to make it clear to Israel: ‘No, this is now enough. We cannot continue this. This conflict needs to end, and we’ve got to move on,’” Clinton said.
In an appearance on CNN on Sunday, Kelly said of Trump: “I mean, this was his deal. He worked this out. He sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, you know, over to negotiate this, and it so far has gone well.”
Jake Sullivan, who was former President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, also said Trump deserved credit for the peace deal.
“Of course he does,” he told CNN. “I give credit to President Trump. I give credit to Witkoff and Kushner and [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio. These are hard jobs. The president of the United States is the hardest job in the world. And these other jobs, including the job I occupied, are tremendously difficult.”
Beyond Kelly, other Democratic senators have applauded Trump for the deal—though they caution that it remains to be seen how the peace process will play out.
Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said on Thursday that Trump deserved credit for the deal “if it works,” adding that it was “off to a good start.”
On MSNBC, Harris said that she doesn't think that people "hold any credit where it's due" but she added that she hopes the deal "becomes real."
Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama welcomed the deal in a post that did not mention Trump, prompting criticism from the White House.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Israel on Sunday: “The war is over.”
He added when asked whether he believed the ceasefire would hold: “I think so. I think it’s going to hold. … A lot of reasons why it’s going to hold, but I think people are tired of it. It’s been—it’s been centuries.”
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CBS News: “I really commend President Trump and his administration, as well as Arab leaders in the region, for making the commitment to the 20-point plan and seeing a path forward for what’s often called the day after.”
Former Vice President Kamala Harris said on MSNBC: “I don’t think that we should hold any credit where it’s due. I really do hope it becomes real and that the hostages are out, that Gaza is no longer being treated with such brutality of force, that aid goes in. And I commend the people who have been a part of this process. I commend the Qataris, the Egyptians and the president.”
Senator Dick Durbin said when asked whether Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize: “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re at the earliest stages of a proposed peace plan. I want it to work. Let’s watch and see.”
What Happens Next
Trump is in Israel on Monday, where he is expected to meet with hostages’ families and address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. Israeli President Isaac Herzog has also announced that Trump will receive the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor, the nation’s most prestigious civilian award.
The U.S. president then heads to Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are scheduled to lead a summit on peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East with the leaders of more than 20 countries.
Update 10/13/25, 6:30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add comments from Kamala Harris.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines