On Wednesday, the US State Department publicly acknowledged and expressed gratitude to former President Donald Trump’s team for his crucial role in facilitating a recent truce agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.  Spokesperson Matthew Miller from the State Department also expressed his gratitude by thanking Donald Trump and the team for working with Joe Biden's administration. He also stated that it was vital that they were present on the table.

"When it comes to the involvement of President-Elect Trump's team, it has been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line. It's been critical because obviously, as I stand here today, this administration's term in office will expire in five days...We, of course, thank the Trump team for working with us on this cease-fire agreement. We think it's important that they were at the table,” said Miller at a press conference after the announcement of the deal. 

Miller also said that collective engagement for the treaty revealed that when Americans grow above partisan lines, anything is possible. “It shows that when Americans are willing to work together across partisan lines, as we were willing to do on this occasion because it's in the national interests of the United States, a lot can get done." he stated. 

On Wednesday, mediators from both sides declared that Israel and Hamas had come to an agreement to halt the destructive war in the Gaza Strip that has been ongoing since October 7, 2023.

What does the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement contain?

Israel and Hamas's three-phase ceasefire agreement assures the freedom of dozens of hostages in the clutch of the militants in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian captives in prisons in Israel. This will let millions of out-of-place people in Gaza return to their remaining dwellings.

Much-needed humanitarian aid will also carried to the devastated region after more than 46,000 people were killed in the 15-month war. After the first phase of the agreement comes into effect, the fighting is expected to cease for an initial six weeks, as negotiations begin to end the war completely. Within these six weeks, 33 out of almost 100 hostages will come together with their beloved after months of confinement, without any contact with the outside world, although it is vague whether all are alive.

The second and most challenging phase would see the freedom of all remaining surviving imprisoned individuals such as male soldiers, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The third phase asks for the commencement of massive reconstruction in Gaza, which will take decades to recover after the war's damage.

US President Joe Biden said about the agreement from Washington, stating that the ceasefire would remain in place as long as Israel and Hamas stayed at the negotiating terms for a prolonged-term truce. Biden gave credit to the months of “dogged and painstaking American diplomacy” for reaching the deal, mentioning that his administration and Donald Trump’s team were “speaking as one” in the most delinquent negotiations.

Late Wednesday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the ceasefire agreement with Hamas was not yet complete and final details were being prepared.

An Israel official familiar with the discussions said the details were focused on ensuring the list of Palestinian detainees to be released. Netanyahu’s Cabinet must approve any agreement, the Associated Press reported.

Netanyahu thanked Trump and Biden for moving forward with the ceasefire agreement but did not apparently express whether he had accepted it, saying he would formally respond "only after the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked out, are completed."