Observers say NATO summit saw behind-the-scenes Gaza truce talks

Washington DC — During the three-day NATO summit in Washington, DC, significant side conversations on Israel's war on Gaza took place, potentially boosting the ongoing negotiations over ceasefire deal in Gaza, analysts observing the summit have told TRT World.

These discussions, which took place away from the main summit agenda, involved key stakeholders and mediators, hinting at a possible breakthrough in one of the world's most enduring conflicts, they said.

William Lawrence, a professor of political science and international affairs at American University, highlighted the potential for these discreet talks.

"Gaza was not an agenda item here, of course, but it was not off the radar.

"Since the US is one of the three lead mediators, and the Turks are one of the proposed guarantors of any ceasefire deal, there were most certainly side conversations going on over Gaza between the Americans and some Israel-Palestine-oriented countries on the margins of this summit," Lawrence told TRT World.

'Türkiye lending a hand'

The NATO summit itself was as good as summits get, with member states emerging stronger in their support for Ukraine. Despite this, the Gaza issue managed to garner attention in the shadows of the formal proceedings, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip forcibly bringing it up during the summit.

Nizar Farsakh, who teaches international affairs at George Washington University, agreed with Türkiye's positive stance on the situation.

"It could be that one of the points is that Türkiye would be interested in lending a hand, whether it's on security or trade for Gaza," Farsakh noted, indicating that Türkiye's involvement could be key in any forthcoming ceasefire agreement.

Retired Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, who served under president George W. Bush, offered a broader perspective on Europe's stance regarding Gaza.

"I believe it's not that Europe is completely indifferent to the Gaza situation, but rather that it falls outside their [NATO] focus at this juncture," Kimmitt told TRT World while underscoring the level of engagement by various international actors.

A significant subplot

Providing an overview of the NATO summit's achievements and areas for improvement, Kathleen McInnis, a Senior Fellow at the International Security Program, told TRT World, "Like any summit, there were successes that can be highlighted, and there were shortcomings where people might argue more could have been done."

While the NATO summit in Washington was primarily focused on Ukraine, most experts we spoke to for this story seemed to suggest that the potential for a ceasefire deal in Gaza might have emerged as a significant subplot during this conference.

The involvement of key mediators like the US and Türkiye along with other countries, coupled with the sensitive nature of these discussions, suggests that a breakthrough could be on the horizon.

Lawrence reiterated the significance of this dialogue during the NATO summit, which concluded on Thursday night. "We won't know much about the side conversations on Gaza until there's an announcement in Doha or Cairo in the days and weeks ahead," he said.