As the US-Israel war on Iran intensifies, Tehran's proposal to include the Gaza Strip in any conditions for ending regional hostilities has prompted mixed reactions among Palestinians within the war-torn territory.
According to media reports, Iran has submitted a formal response to proposals for de-escalation, outlining several conditions, such as ending regional wars, notably in Gaza and Lebanon , as well as broader security and economic arrangements.
The announcement comes amid repeated Israeli threats to redirect military operations toward Gaza once any confrontation with Iran concludes, fueling anxiety among residents who have endured months of devastating war and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Moreover, Israel continues to strike the enclave, killing civilians regularly. For many in Gaza , these international developments remain abstract, filtered through the lens of daily survival under blockade, war, and humanitarian collapse.
Access to electricity, fuel, medical care, and safe housing continues to be precarious, shaping how residents perceive the intentions of regional powers like Iran .
Speaking separately with The New Arab , some residents view the move as a political manoeuvre aimed at enhancing Iran's image regarding the Palestinian cause.
Others view it as an acknowledgement that Gaza has become central to broader regional calculations that could influence the prospects of preventing future conflicts. Palestinian factions, regional equation Recently, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have praised Iran's role in recent statements, portraying Tehran as "essential support for the axis of resistance" against Israel.
In separate statements, both movements suggest that continued regional pressure on Israel could contribute to halting its aggression against Palestinians.
A Palestinian source close to Hamas told TNA that including Gaza in Iran's conditions reflects the continued relevance of the Palestinian issue in regional calculations.
"Tehran wants to emphasise that any broad regional truce cannot ignore Gaza or Palestinian rights. The war on the Strip is no longer just a local matter; it has become tied to wider regional concerns and the balance of power in the Middle East," the source said.
The source also warned that framing Gaza within regional agreements could complicate negotiations over disarmament.
"Palestinian factions view their weapons as linked to the conflict with Israel, not just as a technical issue. Any pressure to separate these issues without guarantees for ending hostilities and lifting the siege could harden their stance," he explained.
He added that Israeli threats to focus on Gaza after any confrontation with Iran reflect the possibility of renewed military escalation.
"The intensity will depend on broader regional outcomes, international mediation, and whether understandings emerge that prevent a new round of fighting," he continued.
He argues that including Gaza in regional discussions could strengthen its bargaining position. "If Gaza is recognised as part of a larger regional equation, it ensures that any future agreements will have to consider our security and survival," he stressed. Scepticism, disappointment Mohammed Salem, a Gaza-based Palestinian man who lost his home during two years of an Israeli genocide, remains sceptical about Iran's intentions.
"Iran now talks about Gaza as if it were defending it, but the truth is it did nothing virtually while the Strip was being destroyed," he told TNA .
Salem recalls the sense of abandonment that many Gazans felt during the conflict. "If Iran were serious about supporting Gaza, it would have intervened when Israel was levelling neighbourhoods and killing thousands. Instead, the war dragged on for months with no meaningful change," he said.
He sees the current proposal to include Gaza as largely symbolic. "This seems more like a political message than a practical stance. Iran wants to appear as if it defends Palestinians, but its main concern remains its own strategic interests against Israel and the United States," Salem added.
In the al-Zeitoun neighbourhood, which suffered extensive destruction, Marwa Abu Saed, a mother of four, echoes similar sentiments. "We hear about regional deals and conditions, but what matters to us is whether our children can eat and sleep safely. Politicians can make promises, but we live with the consequences of war every day," she told TNA .
Yet not all Palestinians in Gaza "Many of us see Iran as the only regional power capable of standing up to Israel," Ahmed al-Sawafiri told TNA . "Arab states have done almost nothing to stop the war or protect Gaza, so any attention from Iran is significant."
Al-Sawafiri believes that incorporating Gaza into regional negotiations could be pivotal.
"If Gaza becomes part of an agreement that ensures the cessation of wars across the region, it could prevent future conflicts here. That's what matters most to us, ending destruction and siege," he said. Strategy and uncertainty Akram Atallah, a Palestinian political analyst from Gaza , told TNA that Iran's move came as part of its leadership role in the so-called "axis of resistance."
"Iran is trying to alleviate pressure on areas it considers part of its sphere, including Gaza. It cannot end a war with Israel while leaving its allies exposed in Lebanon or under threat in Gaza," he said.
However, Atallah does not expect Iran's proposal to influence the ongoing Gaza negotiations directly. " Israel treats Gaza as part of its internal security envelope, which makes it distinct from Lebanon or other arenas," he added.
On prospects for escalation, Atallah noted that current signals do not indicate an imminent comprehensive agreement.
"Cairo-based mediation efforts are ongoing, but optimism is limited. Hamas may wait for regional developments before making decisions about a ceasefire or negotiation strategies. A renewed escalation in Gaza remains a possibility if a broad truce is not guaranteed," he continued.
For Ibrahim Abrash, another Palestinian analyst, including Gaza in regional arrangements could shift the dynamics of international mediation.
"It signals that the Strip is no longer treated as a peripheral issue but as a key node in regional calculations," he told TNA . "How Tehran, Cairo, and other regional actors' manoeuvres will directly affect the security and humanitarian conditions on the ground."