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Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the first stage of the UN-endorsed Gaza truce proposal is nearing conclusion, stating that the next stage must entail the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier revealed he would address the future steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were formalized in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the initial stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we attain the equivalent outcomes in the second phase, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must begin now and then phase three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court issued arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not at this time being considered. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the first phase of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas released the last 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, set out a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be set up under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders headed by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these measures is unclear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s important to make sure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he stated.

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “discussion”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Legal Cases

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as manufactured by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May pending the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

Another court, the international court of justice, is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to discuss this at the moment.”