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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the first phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza halt in hostilities framework is close to conclusion, stating that the next stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister revealed he would discuss the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were formalized in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the initial stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the same results in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must begin now and then the third phase must also be considered.”

Merz is the first head of state of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) 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 winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not at this time planned. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

During the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange 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. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the same timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza.

The order of these steps is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s vital to ensure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said.

Potential Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was firmly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Legal Cases

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

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the credibility of the ICC” with “false allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

Another court, the international court of justice, is considering charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission found that Israel had carried out genocide.

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