On a day when the last remaining Israeli hostages returned home after two years in captivity, and both Israelis and Palestinians celebrated the end of the Israel-Hamas war, many of America's elder statesmen and stateswomen kept mum.
While world leaders hailed President Donald Trump’s efforts, former Democratic presidents (and presidential nominees) did not mention their successor’s role in brokering a ceasefire and taking significant steps toward a peace deal.
For instance, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi bestowed Trump with the “Order of the Nile,” the highest state honor awarded by Egypt for exceptional public service to the nation or humanity.
But by 3:15 pm. ET on Oct.13, more than twelve hours after the hostages had been released, there was no acknowledgment on social media from former Presidents Obama, Clinton or Biden. Former President Bush, a Republican who did not endorse Trump or Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in 2024, also didn't publicly acknowledge Trump’s efforts.
The agreement to release the hostages came after several failed bids to end the two-year war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage.
