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Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the primary phase of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities agreement is nearing finalization, and added that the next phase must entail the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would talk about the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were outlined in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the initial stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to guarantee that we achieve the identical objectives in the second stage, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage 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 confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not presently being considered. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Current Truce

Under the first phase of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the remaining 20 surviving Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, leaving them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Next Steps and Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to retreat more, and an international stabilization force is to be set up under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run day-to-day 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 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 stated.

Potential Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and stressed that Israel was strongly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants 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 invented by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May pending the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu said Khan was “damaging the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

A separate tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is reviewing charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission determined that Israel had committed genocide.

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to consider this at the present time.”