Talks to end a month-long conflict between Israel and Gaza militants are “difficult,” according to Palestinian delegates. An Israeli official said no progress had been made. <br /><br />As a 72-hour ceasefire held for a second day, Palestinian negotiators began talks with Egyptian mediators. <br /><br />Israel is not meeting face-to-face with the Palestinian delegation because it includes Hamas, which Israel regards as a terrorist organisation.<br /><br />Meanwhile a pro-Palestinian group from Turkey plans to send aid ships to Gaza to breach an Israeli blockade of the coastal territory.<br /><br />The “Freedom Flotilla Coalition” said it plans to sail to Gaza “during 2014.” <br /><br />Dror Feiler, a human rights activist from Sweden explained at a news conference: “But we are following all the laws of the countries we are going to sail from. We don’t know which country it will be. Maybe it will be several countries. <br /><br />“What is important to say that we don’t wish and we don’t want and we will not wish to have any military escort whatsoever.”<br /><br />The announcement comes four years after Israeli forces stormed a previous flotilla bound for Gaza, killing ten Turks.<br /><br />Israel says it imposed the blockade seven years ago to prevent Palestinian militants bringing weapons into Gaza.
