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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the initial stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza halt in hostilities proposal is close to completion, and added that the subsequent phase must entail the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli leader said he would address the next steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to conclude the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we attain the same objectives in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Phase two must start immediately and then phase three must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial 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 allegations in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Current Truce

During the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, 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 who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.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 approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, set out a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

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

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

Potential Options and Diplomatic Positions

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, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as fabricated by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Another court, the international court of justice, is considering charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

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