Trump’s Gaza plan ‘on hold’ as Iran war halts disarmament talks

Talks to advance US President Donald Trump’s plan to ⁠end the Gaza war have been on hold since last week when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran, sparking a broader Middle East war, three sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations said.The pause threatens to stall implementation of Trump’s flagship Middle East peace initiative, which he has cast as a major foreign policy objective. It comes less than a month after he secured billions of dollars in pledges for Gaza from Gulf Arab states - countries that are now facing Iranian attacks as the conflict widens.Trump’s Gaza plan has hinged in part on whether Hamas militants would lay down ‌their arms in exchange for amnesty, a step intended to pave the way for reconstruction and further Israeli military withdrawals. White House mediators have been backchannelling between Israel and Hamas on the disarmament question.Negotiations on this and other issues were paused when the Iran-war" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="39458" data-entity-type="event">Iran War began on February 28, the three sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive talks. A pause in disarmament talks has not been previously reported.02:22Trump says US objectives in Iran ‘way ahead of schedule’ and attacks may end ‘soon’