Lead

As Washington and Tehran wrangle over terms for peace after years of Middle East conflict that began with the Gaza war, the devastated territory's fate seems largely out of mind, according to reports from Dawn and the South China Morning Post.

Palestinians in Gaza say they have been forgotten. "Ever since the United States went to war with Iran, the whole world has forgotten Gaza and its tragedy. We no longer have anyone standing by us," Ahmed Jamali, 53, told Agence France-Presse from the displacement camp in Gaza where he lives, as quoted by both outlets. "We are weak and oppressed, and Israel is doing whatever it wants: killing, destroying and occupying Gaza, while no one in the world lifts a finger."

The apparent inattention paid to the Palestinian territory is all the more striking because it sits at the heart of the chain of events that plunged the region into its most dangerous confrontation in decades.

Coverage Comparison

Both Dawn and the South China Morning Post agreed that the Gaza war sparked years of Middle East conflict culminating in the US-Israeli war with Iran. They also shared a lead emphasis on the territory's fate being largely out of mind, and both quoted Jamali's comments.

However, the South China Morning Post's report was more detailed on the current situation, noting that Gaza remains mired in a severe humanitarian crisis and that a fragile ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, but efforts to bring the conflict to a definitive end have stalled for months. It also reported that the preliminary text endorsed by Tehran and Washington last month contains no mention of Gaza, and that negotiations over Gaza's future continue in Cairo. Dawn's report focused more on the causal chain of events and the involvement of Tehran-backed allies, with less emphasis on the diplomatic status.

The South China Morning Post quoted Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations, who said the omission of Gaza from the preliminary text "reflects Hamas's declining strategic value in Iran's eyes." Dawn did not include this analysis.

Key Claims

  • The Gaza war sparked years of Middle East conflict culminating in the US-Israeli war with Iran, as reported by both Dawn and the South China Morning Post.
  • Hamas' attack on Israel triggered a military response in Gaza, drawing in Tehran-backed allies like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen's Houthi rebels – and eventually Iran itself, as reported by both outlets.
  • Gaza remains in a severe humanitarian crisis, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
  • A fragile ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
  • Efforts to bring the conflict to a definitive end have stalled for months, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
  • The preliminary text endorsed by Tehran and Washington contains no mention of Gaza, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
  • Cairo talks bring together Palestinian factions, including Hamas, alongside the Board of Peace set up by US President Donald Trump and regional players including Qatar and Turkiye, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
  • Negotiators are working on a roadmap combining the gradual disarmament of Hamas with the creation of transitional governing authorities for Gaza, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
  • The Israeli government would reject such a framework, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

Perspectives

Palestinians in Gaza

Ahmed Jamali, a displaced Palestinian, expressed that the world has forgotten Gaza and its tragedy since the US-Iran war began, and that Palestinians are weak and oppressed, with Israel doing as it pleases while no one intervenes.

Analyst (Hugh Lovatt)

Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations suggested that the omission of Gaza from the preliminary US-Iran text reflects Hamas's declining strategic value in Iran's eyes, indicating a shift in regional priorities.