The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) praised the "long overdue" hostage-for-ceasefire-and-terrorists-release deal on Wednesday, saying it would prevent a "genocide in Gaza."

The anti-Israel group, which blames the Jewish state for being attacked on Oct. 7, 2023, praised President-elect Donald Trump and slammed President Joe Biden in its statement.

"We welcome this long overdue ceasefire deal, which President Biden should have forced [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to accept over a year ago instead of needlessly funding so much death and destruction," stated Nihad Awad, executive director of CAIR.

"We commend President Trump for pushing for a ceasefire deal and reportedly warning Netanyahu that Israel, too, would face consequences for continuing to refuse to make a deal," Awad stated. "We urge the incoming Trump administration to ensure that the Israeli government does not sabotage this ceasefire deal, and we also urge the administration to pursue the end of the occupation so that a just, lasting peace can prevail across the region."

The Washington-based group's leader added that "President Biden and his failed foreign policy team deserve zero credit for this belated deal."

"Instead of using U.S. leverage to secure this deal long ago, they spent over a year violating U.S. law and making a mockery of international law by using billions of American taxpayer dollars to fund the Israeli government's war crimes and depriving the American people of critical services," he said.

"The Biden administration's legacy is soaked with the blood of countless Palestinian men, women, and children, as well as an untold number of captives who have also been killed in Israel's indiscriminate bombing campaign with U.S. support," said Awad.

Republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.