A Palestinian delegation met U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington to discuss the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations.

"It was a constructive conversation that covered a range of issues, including Gaza, Israeli-Palestinian relations, and recent developments in the region," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

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The talks lasted more than two hours and the two sides agreed to meet again in coming weeks, she added.

It was the first time that Kerry had a face-to-face meeting with Palestinian negotiators since recent U.S. efforts to broker a truce between Israel and the Palestinians failed.

State Department officials said Wednesday's talks were requested by Palestinians "to brief the secretary on current Palestinian plans on the way forward and next steps in Gaza," according to a report by AFP.

The meeting follows Israel's announcement on Sunday that it would confiscate more land in the occupied West Bank for settlement construction.

Washington criticized the 400-hectare land appropriation, believed to be the biggest in 30 years, as "counterproductive" to peace efforts and called on Israel to reverse the decision.

Psaki said Kerry talked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone on Tuesday to reiterate Washington's concern over the appropriation issue.

There are fears that new Israeli settlements in the West Bank could stoke tension between Israel and the Palestinians, which have so far failed to agree on long-lasting truce in Gaza.

Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians.

Negotiations for a long-term cessation of hostilities are supposed to start soon in the Egyptian capital Cairo, but no date has yet been announced.

The Palestinians are now pushing for a resolution at the U.N. Security Council to give Israel three years to withdraw from Palestinian territories.

The U.S. is likely to veto the resolution given its long-standing opposition to Palestinians unilaterally seeking statehood.

TagsIsrael-Palestinians, U.S.-Middle East, John Kerry