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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the initial segment of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities proposal is nearing conclusion, noting that the subsequent stage must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier mentioned he would address the next steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to conclude the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the identical outcomes in the second phase, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a trip was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

Under the initial stage of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the remaining 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 Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since 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 killed in Hamas attacks over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, set out a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The order of these measures is ambiguous in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s important to ensure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he asserted.

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was firmly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu stated the primary reason he would not be able make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as manufactured by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May pending the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

A separate court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is reviewing charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission concluded that Israel had carried out genocide.

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