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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the first phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal is close to completion, noting that the subsequent phase must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader stated he would talk about the future steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were codified in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we secure the equivalent objectives in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Phase two must start immediately and then phase three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the first head of state of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) delivered 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 allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not currently planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Ongoing Truce

During the first phase of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared 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 timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, detailed a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these measures is vague 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 adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he asserted.

Potential Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Legal Proceedings

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

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised official”.

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

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