President Biden on Wednesday rejected a question from Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich about whether President-elect Trump deserves credit for the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The deal comes during Biden’s final days in office, less than a week before Trump’s second term begins on January 20. A recent meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was reportedly a key part of the deal, sources told Fox News Digital.

“Who in the history books is credited with this, Mr. President, you or Trump?” asked Heinrich Biden at the press conference in the White House on Wednesday afternoon.

“Is this a joke?” The president replied.

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When Heinrich denied that her question was a joke, Biden replied: “Oh. Thank you” and walked away.

President Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaks about the ceasefire and release of hostages between Israel and Hamas at the White House in Washington, DC on Wednesday. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

Minutes earlier, Biden said the ceasefire would consist of two phases. The first phase, which will last about six weeks, “includes a full ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of the Gaza Strip and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and the elderly.” the wounded.”

“And I’m proud to say that the Americans will be involved in this hostage release and also in phase one,” the president said. “And the Vice President and I can’t wait to welcome them home.”

Israel has also released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden said, and Palestinians “will also be able to return to their neighborhoods in all areas of the Gaza Strip, and a surge in humanitarian assistance to Gaza will begin.” The second phase of the ceasefire will begin after Israel ” “the necessary agreements” have been negotiated, which, according to Biden, would mean “a permanent end to the war”.

“There are a number of details to negotiate the transition from phase one to phase two,” he continued. “But the plan says that if negotiations last longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will remain in place as long as negotiations continue.”

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Relatives and friends of people killed, kidnapped and taken to Gaza by Hamas react to the ceasefire announcement as they attend a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Weeks ago, Trump warned that there would be “hell to pay” if there were no significant developments regarding a hostage deal by the time he took office.

“Everyone talks about the hostages being held in the Middle East so violently, inhumanely and against the will of the entire world – but it’s all talk and no action!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

“Please let this TRUTH serve as a representation that if the hostages are not released before January 20, 2025, the date I proudly assume the office of President of the United States, there will be hell to pay in the Middle East “There will be, and for those responsible for committing these atrocities against humanity,” Trump added.

Shortly after Biden announced the deal, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller acknowledged the role Trump’s team played in the negotiations and thanked them.

“I don’t know that it’s unprecedented for envoys from an outgoing administration and an incoming administration to sit at the same table and negotiate a ceasefire agreement of this nature,” Miller said Wednesday. “But if it’s not unprecedented, it’s certainly unusual.”

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President Biden delivers remarks on the recently announced ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Washington, DC on Wednesday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“And of course we thank the Trump team for their cooperation on this ceasefire agreement. We think it’s important that they were at the table.”

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace, Greg Norman, Trey Yingst, Brooke Curto, Efrat Lachter and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.