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Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the primary part of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire plan is approaching completion, stating that the next phase must include the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would examine the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to complete 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 look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Phase two must start immediately and then stage three must also be examined.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading 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 former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not presently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, detailed a timetable extending 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 headed by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

The sequencing of these actions is vague in Trump’s proposals 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 abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as fabricated by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May pending the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the reputation of the ICC” with “false charges of deprivation and genocide” from a “compromised official”.

A separate tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous 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 discuss this at the present time.”