When President-elect Donald J. Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to press him about a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, there was someone on speakerphone: Brett H. McGurk, President Biden’s longtime Middle East negotiator.
It was a vivid example of collaboration between two men representing bitter political rivals whose relationship is best described as toxic. Rarely has a team of sitting and new presidents from multiple political parties worked together at such a critical moment, when the fate of American lives and the future of a devastating war hang in the balance.
Both President Trump and President Biden have publicly claimed credit for this breakthrough.
“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could only have come about as a result of our historic victory in November.” President Trump wrote on his social media site before the agreement was even officially announced in the Middle East.
At the White House, Mr. Biden told reporters that his administration had worked tirelessly for months to persuade both sides to stop fighting. He called it “one of the most difficult negotiations I have ever experienced,” and credited “an outstanding team of American diplomats who worked tirelessly for months to get this done.”
As he left the room, a reporter asked Biden, “Who gets the credit for this? Mr. President, is it you or Trump?” Mr. Biden stopped, turned around and smiled.
“Are you kidding?” he asked.
But despite the tensions between the current and future presidents, Middle East representatives have described a cooperative working relationship in the weeks since Election Day.
“Brett is at the forefront,” Mr. Witkoff said last week, describing the working relationship at Mr. Trump’s club, Mar-a-Lago, in Florida. That account was accurate in every way, even if it did not match what President Trump said in one of several statements in which he described his negotiators as important participants.
In fact, Trump’s threat that “all hell” would break loose if no agreement was reached before Monday’s inauguration may have helped motivate Hamas leaders to make a final decision. But sources familiar with the negotiations said Wednesday’s announcement of an agreement to temporarily end hostilities in the Gaza Strip was the culmination of months of efforts in the Middle East by McGurk and weeks of carefully coordinated efforts by Prime Minister Witkoff.
Witkoff, 67, a gruff real estate investor from the Bronx, was stationed in Qatar primarily for negotiations. Because he knew that whatever McGurk negotiated, he would have to carry out. In fact, the 33 hostages released under the ceasefire agreement may not be able to enjoy their freedom until the inauguration ceremony or later. The ceasefire expires in six weeks unless a phase two agreement is initiated.
The intentional goal was to send a unified message that the fighting must end and the hostages held by Hamas must be released. One person with knowledge of the negotiations, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the discussions. Mr. McGurk said he was more involved in ironing out the details of the agreement, while Mr. Witkoff’s role was to make it clear what Mr. Trump wanted. deal until he takes office.
The president-elect has also set some initial parameters in his dealings with Netanyahu. Even though Netanyahu supported Mr Trump in the election, he was perceived by the Trump camp as delaying a deal. Mr Witkoff flew from Doha to Israel on Saturday despite the Sabbath, underscoring his message that Mr Netanyahu should be on board.
Witkoff’s work, including his meeting with Netanyahu, helped McGurk and the Biden administration put pressure on both sides during the negotiations, according to people familiar with the talks.
In the days immediately after President Trump won re-election, it was not at all clear whether such an agreement would work.
He and Biden have barely spoken in recent weeks, and their already sour relationship has been weighed down by the Trump team’s determination to get rid of career White House staffers and the Biden team’s last-minute mandate to enter the new administration.
In his speech Wednesday, Mr. Biden acknowledged a degree of cooperation and respect among his aides.
“This deal was developed and negotiated during my administration, but its terms will largely be implemented by the next administration,” Biden told reporters. “Over the past few days we have been talking as a team.”
But he stopped short of giving credit to President Trump for helping with the effort. The president-elect said he was “glad” that the American hostages were released, but did not mention candidate Biden or the work of the current administration.
“We have accomplished much without being in the White House,” Trump wrote. “Imagine the amazing things that will happen when I return to the White House and our administration is fully confirmed and America can achieve more victories!”
The two leaders left it to their advisers to explain how they worked together in the Gaza negotiations.
A person familiar with the effort said the close partnership between Mr. McGurk and Mr. Witkoff was part of an “incredibly effective” process for the Biden administration to finalize a deal that would otherwise have been overseen by the Trump administration.
This collaboration began shortly after President Trump was elected and appointed Mr. Witkoff as special envoy to the region. Biden administration officials have said they believe momentum for the deal began even before Biden helped broker a separate agreement to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to Biden officials, this isolated Hamas and helped persuade it that a ceasefire was in its interests.
