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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the first segment of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire plan is approaching conclusion, and added that the subsequent phase must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier stated he would examine the following stages later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the equivalent outcomes in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must start immediately and then stage three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released arrest warrants 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 indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not at this time being considered. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the initial stage of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the final 20 surviving Israeli hostages 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 At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was put into effect 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 Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council 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 statements on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

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

Potential Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was firmly opposed the creation 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.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu said 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 recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

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

Another court, the international court of justice, is considering allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission found that Israel had committed genocide.

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