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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the opening phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire plan is approaching conclusion, stating that the second stage must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier revealed he would talk about the future steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the initial stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to make sure that we attain the same objectives in the next stage, and that’s something I am eager to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared news 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 first leader of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued 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 allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not at this time planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Truce

Under the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the last 20 surviving Israeli hostages in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died 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 put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the same period.

Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, set out a timetable extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders headed by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these measures is vague in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

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

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “negotiation”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Judicial Cases

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

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “false charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

A separate tribunal, the international court of justice, is weighing up allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission determined that Israel had committed genocide.

Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to consider this at the current juncture.”