Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice 'commend' Trump over Gaza peace deal

WASHINGTON, DC: Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice reluctantly acknowledged the Trump administration's announcement of a Middle East peace deal on Friday, October 10, though skepticism remains over its true impact.

Trump declared on October 8 that Hamas would release all remaining hostages taken on October 7, 2023, while Israel agreed to pull back troops from parts of the Gaza Strip. However, critics warn that this so-called "first phase" of a 20-point plan may do little to resolve the ongoing two-year-long Israel-Hamas conflict.

Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice react to Trump’s peace deal

In a live interview with 'CBS News 24/7,' Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice spoke with senior correspondent Norah O'Donnell about the Israel-Hamas peace plan

Clinton praised the initiative, saying, "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."

When O'Donnell asked Rice whether she believed the deal marked the end of the war, Rice responded with cautious optimism. "No one can be completely confident, given the history of the Middle East," she said, while acknowledging that there are good reasons to be optimistic.

Both Clinton and Rice emphasized that progress depends on completing the first stage of the agreement, a step that remains uncertain. "That's not self-evident," Clinton noted. "It's going to take a lot of work. It's going to take a lot of coordination."

Rice noted that one of the biggest challenges to achieving lasting peace in the Middle East is uniting the various factions involved.

"The one piece that I'm most concerned about," Rice said, "is, how do you get from a kind of transitional authority of some kind, a truly representative Palestinian authority?"

She explained that the current Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, has lacked significant reform since it lost control of Gaza in 2006. "It needs younger blood," she emphasized.

Hillary Clinton praises US negotiators for seizing the moment during peace talks

Hillary Clinton criticized Israel’s September strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, calling it “ill-advised” and a “strategic error” that unexpectedly created an opportunity for President Trump’s diplomatic team.

"That provided an opening for both President Trump and his representatives to marshal all of the regional powers, including, of course, Qatar, but also to make it clear to Israel, 'No, this is now enough," Clinton said. "We cannot continue this. This conflict needs to end, and we've got to move on."

Clinton praised US negotiators for seizing the moment during recent peace talks, saying, “They took advantage of an opening that was available and were able to be successful.”

Rice, while skeptical about the immediate prospects for a two-state solution, emphasized that the Palestinians can take steps now to prepare for eventual statehood.

“They've got to start to recognize that Israel is going to exist, and it's going to be a part of this Middle East,” she said. “And that means, change the lessons that you teach your kids about the state of Israel. Stop putting up maps that (say) the state of Israel doesn't exist. Don't create another generation of Palestinians who believe that somehow the resistance is the way to peace and security.”

Clinton also called out Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, describing it as a major obstacle to peace. “That activity must cease,” she stated.

Both leaders agreed that rebuilding Gaza will be a long and difficult process, requiring sustained global commitment. Clinton urged both the United States and the international community to unite in support of the peace effort.

“Let's now support this process and bring it together, not just in a nonpartisan way in our own country, but literally internationally as a great global commitment to try to bring peace, security, stability and a better future to the Middle East,” she said.