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Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the initial stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza halt in hostilities proposal is close to conclusion, and added that the next phase must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader stated he would examine the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to conclude the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we attain the equivalent results in the second stage, and that’s something I am eager to discussing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Phase two must begin now and then phase three must also be examined.”

Merz is the first head of state of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for 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 despite the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not at this time being considered. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

During the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas released the last 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, leaving them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, detailed a timetable extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to retreat more, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these actions is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on 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 undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Potential Options and Diplomatic 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 topic of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was strongly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim 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 Judicial Cases

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal 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 aside from his role in May pending the conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

A separate tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide.

Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to discuss this at the current juncture.”