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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the first phase of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities proposal is approaching completion, stating that the second stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier said he would examine the subsequent actions in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were outlined in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we achieve the identical objectives in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Stage two must begin now and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered warrants for arrest 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 said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not currently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

During the initial stage of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of more than 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas attacks over the same period.

Next Steps and Ambiguous Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, specified a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders headed by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza.

The timeline of these actions is ambiguous in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to make sure 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 Positions

Netanyahu raised the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “negotiation”, and emphasized that Israel was adamantly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal 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 Legal Cases

Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described 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 denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

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

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