Negotiators gather for Gaza talks, mediators caution deal may not be swift

Ahmed Fahmy Nidal Al-Mughrabi . Andrew Mills . Reuters Hamas officials were in Egypt on Monday ahead of talks with Israel that the US hopes will bring a halt to war in Gaza and release of hostages despite contentious issues like disarmament of the Palestinian militant group under Donald Trump's plan. Talks were set to begin as the war reaches its two-year mark with the majority of 2.2 million Gazans homeless and hungry in a sea of rubble after Israeli strikes that have killed over 67,000 Palestinians, mainly civilians, Gaza health officials say. Israelis are still haunted by Oct 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants stormed over the border into Israeli communities, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages,...