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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the primary phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza halt in hostilities framework is nearing finalization, noting that the second stage must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister stated he would address the following stages in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were formalized in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

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

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

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

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

After securing victory in 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 presently being considered. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Ongoing Truce

Under the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the last 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, leaving them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same period.

Next Steps and Ambiguous Sequencing

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, detailed a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza.

The sequencing of these steps is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to ensure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Potential Options and Political Stances

Netanyahu raised the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Legal Proceedings

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

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “harming the reputation of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised official”.

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is reviewing charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide.

Asked about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the moment.”