CAIRO (AP) — Qatar said Tuesday that further talks were needed over details of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan aimed at ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, as Hamas weighed its reply. In Gaza, Israeli forces killed at least 36 Palestinians, local hospitals said.
The comments by Qatar, a key mediator, appeared to reflect Arab countries’ discontent over the text of the 20-point plan that the White House put out after Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced they had agreed on it Monday.
Three Arab officials told The Associated Press that changes had been made in the original proposal that Arab and Muslim countries had worked out with Trump – changes in favor of Israel. The officials, who came from regional powers involved in the talks, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes diplomacy.
The depth of the Arab countries’ discontent was not clear, and they have continued to express broad support for the plan. But Qatar’s comments indicated they could seek further negotiation over some of its terms ― even as Trump told reporters Tuesday that Hamas has “three or four days” to respond.
Arab mediators and Turkish officials are to meet with Hamas representatives Tuesday in Doha to discuss the plan, said Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari.
