A rare wave of praise from top Democrats greeted President Donald Trump this week after his administration brokered a historic peace agreement between Israel and Hamas.
After months of negotiations facilitated by Qatar and Egypt, the ceasefire and hostage-release deal entered its first phase over the weekend, with Hamas freeing 20 Israeli hostages, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The agreement forms part of Trump’s 20-point plan aimed at establishing a lasting peace framework in Gaza.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it “a wonderful day,” adding that the release of the hostages brought an “overwhelming sigh of relief.”
“I commend the enormous advocacy of the tireless hostage families, President Trump, his administration, and all who helped make this moment happen,” he wrote in a statement.
“Today, we celebrate the return of the hostages—the joyous images of their reuniting with their families— and we solemnly reaffirm our commitment to bringing home all the deceased hostages, including my constituents Omer Neutra and Itay Chen.”
Former President Bill Clinton also weighed in on the historic deal, praising Trump and saying the conflict had “resulted in unbearable human loss.”
“I’m grateful that a ceasefire has taken hold, that the last 20 living hostages have been freed, and that desperately needed aid has begun to flow into Gaza. President Trump and his administration, Qatar, and other regional actors deserve great credit for keeping everyone engaged until the agreement was reached,” he wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Trump last week for his plans to broker peace in the Middle East.
“I really commend President Trump and his administration, as well as Arab leaders in the region for making the commitment to the 20-point plan and seeing a path forward for what’s often called the day after,” she said, per CBS News.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin struck a more cautious note, saying the deal is “off to a good start” and that Trump deserves credit “if it works.”
When asked about speculation over a potential Nobel Peace Prize nomination, Durbin replied, “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re at the earliest stages of a proposed peace plan. I want it to work. Let’s watch and see.”
Despite Durbin’s cautious remarks, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced plans to nominate Trump for a second Nobel Peace Prize.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Sharif commended the president for “saving millions of lives” through the peace deal, saying it “took 3,000 years to get to this point” and will hold up long term.