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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the initial part of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire plan is close to completion, adding that the next phase must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would address the future steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing complete the first phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we attain the same objectives in the next phase, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must come now and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the first leader of a major European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released 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 winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not at this time planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Truce

During the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli captives in return 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 pulled back to a ceasefire 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 over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas attacks over the same timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are meant 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, overseeing a administrative Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The order of these measures is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

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

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “debate”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation 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 Warrants and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu claimed the primary reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described 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 refuted any misconduct, but stepped aside from his role in May pending the outcome of an investigation.

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

Another tribunal, the international court of justice, is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide.

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