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Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the primary part of the United Nations-backed Gaza halt in hostilities proposal is close to conclusion, stating that the second stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister said he would talk about the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were formalized in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing finish the initial stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the equivalent results in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate discussing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint news conference 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 major 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 stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

During the initial stage of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, specified a timetable extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

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

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

Potential Options and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “discussion”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Cases

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as invented by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but stepped aside from his role in May pending the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of deprivation and acts of 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 independent investigative commission found that Israel had carried out genocide.

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