Gaza peace talks halted by Iran war

Negotiations on progress in US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza have been suspended since last week, when the United States and Israel jointly attacked Iran. That was reported by three sources familiar with the talks.

According to them, the pause threatens the implementation of Trump’s initiative, which he has described as one of the main goals of his foreign policy. The interruption came less than a month after billions of dollars in aid for Gaza were secured from Gulf states.

The plan envisaged Hamas laying down its arms in exchange for amnesty which, according to Washington, could pave the way for reconstruction of the territory and the further withdrawal of Israeli military forces. The White House mediated communication between Israel and Hamas during the talks.

The negotiations were halted after the outbreak of war with Iran on 28 February. A Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts said Hamas had been due to meet Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators on the day the conflict began, but the meeting was cancelled and a new date has not yet been set. A Hamas official confirmed that talks on the Gaza plan are currently suspended.

Since the start of the war, the Israeli army has eased its attacks on Gaza but has not completely stopped them. According to health officials, at least 16 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since 28 February.

Diplomats also said the US-led civil–military coordination centre in southern Israel has limited its activities due to concerns that it could become a target for Iranian missiles.

(reuters, max)