Trying to achieve a ceasefire: the surprising cooperation between Biden and Trump

The Biden administration is working these days to achieve peace agreements towards the end of his term, and surprisingly receives implicit cooperation from President-elect Donald Trump. After the White House’s announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Trump chose not to attack the move, while his team remained relatively quiet – as reported today (Thursday) in the “Wall Street Journal”.

According to sources in the American administration, the move may provide benefits for both parties: for Biden – a significant achievement in foreign policy ahead of his departure, and for Trump – the reduction of the crises he will inherit upon entering the White House.

However, achieving a ceasefire in Gaza appears to be a much more complex task. American officials admitted that there are currently no signs that Hamas is ready to agree to a ceasefire until the end of Biden’s term.

Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, claimed that the agreement with Hezbollah was made thanks to Trump and noted: “Everyone comes to the table thanks to President Trump.” In addition, reports confirmed that Ron Dermer, the minister of strategic affairs and close to Netanyahu, informed Trump about the contacts with Hezbollah in a meeting held at Mar-a-Lago.

Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, emphasized that he kept a regular update with the Trump team regarding the negotiations with Hezbollah, with the goal of allowing a smooth transition between the administrations.

Despite the attempts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, commentators warn that the political opposition in Israel and among Hamas could thwart any effort to reach an agreement in the near term.