Biden and Trump Forge Alliance for Gaza Ceasefire Efforts

WHO:

CNN - President Joe Biden, President Trump, Jake Sullivan (Biden’s national security advisor), Mike Waltz (Trump’s named successor), Steve Witkoff (Trump’s best friend and likely Middle East envoy), Jared Kushner (Trump’s son-in-law), Hassan Nasrallah (Hezbollah leader), Yahya Sinwar (Hamas leader), Brett McGurk (Biden’s top Middle East adviser), Senator JD Vance (incoming vice president).

CBS News - World Central Kitchen, Hamas, Israeli government, Iranian officials, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Emirati Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan.

WHAT:

CNN - Biden and Trump cooperated to secure a Gaza hostage-and-ceasefire deal.

CNN - The hostage talks collapsed in August 2024 after Hamas murdered six hostages.

CNN - Israel conducted a ground assault into Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon.

CBS News - Biden was on the verge of taking "draconian measures" against Israel after an Israeli drone strike killed seven aid workers.

CBS News - The U.S. and its partners protected Israel from an Iranian attack involving 120 ballistic missiles, 170 drones, and 30 cruise missiles.

CBS News - The Israeli government reported over 130 hostages in Gaza and around 34,000 Gazan deaths.

WHERE:

CNN - U.S. Capitol, Gaza, southern Gaza (Rafah), northern Israel, southern Lebanon, Tel Aviv.

CBS News - Gaza Strip, Israel, Fordow (Iranian nuclear site).

WHEN:

CNN - The hostage talks collapsed in August 2024; Israel's operation against Hezbollah began on September 17, 2024; Yahya Sinwar was killed on October 16, 2024; Israel conducted air attacks against Iran on October 26, 2024; Biden invited Trump to the Oval Office on November 13, 2024.

CBS News - The drone strike occurred in April 2024; the conversation between Biden and Netanyahu occurred around the same time; the ceasefire deal was reached just days before Trump was inaugurated; the last living hostages were released in October 2025.

WHY:

CNN - The cooperation aimed to secure a ceasefire and save lives amid the ongoing crisis.

CBS News - Biden was "fed up" with Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza and considered cutting off U.S. weapons to Israel due to the humanitarian crisis.

HOW:

CNN - Biden and Trump coordinated efforts to work together on the Gaza deal, emphasizing the need for a united front.

CBS News - The U.S. deployed military forces to protect Israel from the Iranian attack.

(UPDATED October 5, 2026 10:08 UTC)

In a significant development, President Biden and Trump have joined forces to secure a Gaza hostage-and-ceasefire deal, aiming to save lives amid the ongoing crisis. The cooperation comes after a tumultuous period, including the collapse of hostage talks in August 2024 and an Israeli ground assault on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon. As tensions escalated, the U.S. and its partners successfully protected Israel from a major Iranian attack involving a barrage of missiles and drones.