President Biden appeared to take credit for the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on Thursday during remarks about the conflict.
“Over the last 11 days, I spoke with the prime minister six times. I've also spoken with President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority more the once and part of our intense diplomatic engagement," Biden said Thursday.
He then thanked his secretaries of State and Defense, his national security adviser, and everyone in his administration “for their incredible efforts to bring this … outcome that we’re about to see.”
The president continued: "You know, we've held intensive, high-level discussions, hour by hour, literally, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and other Middle Eastern countries, with an aim of avoiding this sort of prolonged conflict we've seen in previous years when the hostilities have broken out."
It was Egypt, however, that brokered the ceasefire.
I spoke with @IsraelMFA @Gabi_Ashkenazi today and welcomed his confirmation that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire, mediated by Egypt.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 21, 2021
Egypt brokered the ceasefire, not the US. Fascinating.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) May 20, 2021
Biden also pledged to "replenish Israel's Iron Dome system" and said the U.S. will work with the UN and others to rebuild Gaza, emphasizing that they would work with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas.
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"I assured him of my full support to replenish Israel's Iron Dome system to ensure its defenses and security in the future," Biden said of one conversation he had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy," Biden added. "My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that end."
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