As we reported yesterday, the deal between Israel and Hamas that has been worked out through negotiations in Doha appears to be a go.

The details remain mostly the same as were reported. The deal moves forward in three phases, with phase one being a six week ceasefire that returns 33 hostages – but not all of them will be alive.

Hamas is reportedly prepared to release 33 hostages in the first phase of the deal — children, women, female soldiers, the elderly and the sick. Israeli officials told the Times of Israel that most of the 33 are alive, but that some are dead.

If the first phase of the deal is carried out, then on the 16th day, Israel will begin negotiations on a second stage to free the remaining captives — male soldiers and men of military age — and the bodies of slain hostages, Israeli officials told the Times.

It is believed Hamas holds 94 hostages kidnapped from southern Israel during its Oct. 7 attack, out of 250 originally kidnapped. About 100 people were released during a week-long ceasefire at the end of November 2023. The Israeli military confirmed it knows 34 of the hostages are dead.

Phase two would involve the withdrawl of Israeli military forces from Gaza, but those details, as we noted yesterday, have not been fully negotiated yet. Even though this deal is still tentative – Israel has not formally voted to accept it – nothing was going to stop decrepit old Joe Biden from taking the credit.

BREAKING — Joe Biden takes credit for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire:

"My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done."

"Their" being the operative word and referring to President Trump and his envoy, Steve Witkoff. pic.twitter.com/ewxOIV0DKE

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 15, 2025

You can hear the warm-up now – ME ME ME MEEEEEEEEEEE. That written statement was just a precursor to an attempt at a victory lap in front of the cameras. Flanked by Kamala Harris and Antony Blinken as props (also to grab him if he keeled over), Joe Biden shuffled out to declare that this entire deal was due to HIM and HIM ALONE. Not that he can remember the finer details of what the hell this deal is about.

Biden: "I can announce a cease fire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas for more than 15 months of conflict that began with *Hezbollah's* brutal massacre on October the 7th."

Um, what? pic.twitter.com/njnORwUiI5

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 15, 2025

The entire of Biden’s little speech can be seen here:

But even in this supposed moment of triumph, the old man made some boo-boos.

The outgoing president stumbled throughout his remarks on the long-sought deal, which will end the captivity of dozens of hostages held since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Biden claimed he had spoken with the “emir of Kuwait” about the deal, when he likely meant to say Qatar.

He also incorrectly referred to his national security adviser Jake Sullivan with the title “secretary.”

Biden additionally said that he and Vice President Kamala Harris, who stood at his side, “cannot wait to welcome [the hostages] home,” even though they likely will have left office by that time.

Grandpa Brandon also bragged about Iran being “weaker” and Hezbollah being “degraded” – NO THANKS TO HIM. And while he acknowledged that the incoming administration would have quite a lot to do with the fulfillment of the deal’s terms, Biden absolutely did not want to give Team Trump any credit.

JACQUI TIME: "Who deserves the most credit for this, Mr. President? You or Trump?"

Biden: "Is that a joke?"@JacquiHeinrich: "No."

Biden: "Oh. Thank you!" pic.twitter.com/tBHpW7drcJ

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 15, 2025

As Biden himself kept saying, this was the same deal he put forward before back in May, and kept pushing for even after he dropped out of the race. So, what changed? The election of Donald Trump, and his promise of “hell” if the hostages weren’t returned, that’s what changed. Hamas took this deal because they knew once Trump was in office, they could expect “hell,” so it was better to try and take Biden’s deal now. Trump knows it, too, even if Biden won’t say it.

President-elect Trump lauded the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal struck Wednesday, saying it would not have happened without his victory in November over Vice President Harris.

“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” he said in a Truth Social post.

Trump said his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, worked closely with President Biden’s negotiators to reach a conclusion on the deal.

Trump said the Witkoff and his incoming national security team “will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.”

“We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World!” he added.

Now, this deal is deeply flawed, and I addressed some of those points yesterday. The disappointment and anger from many is quite palpable today – even though the desire to free those hostages who are still alive outweighs a lot of disgust.

It is possible that President-elect Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have agreed on this move merely as a tactical prelude to a set of far-reaching measures that will yet transform the Middle East.

And, most importantly, the idea of dozens of Israelis — including toddlers — returning home after more than a year in purgatory is enough to dull even the most hawkish observer’s concerns.

Yet it is very hard to observe this deal and see it as anything other than an utter and complete disgrace — and an embarrassment for America.

The unspeakable horrors of October 7, 2023, ought to have inspired a new and bold rethinking of American policy in the region, one that no longer tolerates terrorists or their handlers.

Instead, we’re getting yet another deal that telegraphs a lack of resolve, and rewards the terrorists for their heinous crimes.

Let’s hope the hostages are freed safely and soonest, but let’s hope, too, that, once in office, the Trump administration rethinks its positions and offers a bolder vision of American leadership.

The truth is that Trump gets the optics of the win, even if Biden’s plan is the one that got adopted. Everyone, including Biden himself, knows that. Does the plan suck? Yes. Will Hamas likely break the ceasefire or not hold up their end of the deal? Also yes. But if some living hostages can be delivered out of the hell they’ve been in for fifteen months, then a bitter pill can be swallowed – for the moment. Will the new Trump administration be working with Israel to figure out potential contingencies once Hamas breaks the deal? They had better get on that.

Featured image: Joe Biden at a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu on September 20, 2023, official White House photo by Cameron Smith, cropped, official United States government photo in the public domain