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Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the initial stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza halt in hostilities framework is close to finalization, adding that the next phase must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister stated he would talk about the following stages later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are close to conclude the initial phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we secure the identical outcomes in the second stage, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “The second phase must start immediately and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not currently being considered. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas released the remaining 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since 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 killed in Hamas attacks over the same timeframe.

Next Steps 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 permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza.

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

“I think it’s crucial to ensure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he asserted.

Potential Options and Political Stances

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “debate”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able to make a return 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 shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “destroying the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

A separate court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry found that Israel had carried out genocide.

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