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Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the primary phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza truce plan is approaching finalization, stating that the subsequent phase must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister said he would talk about the subsequent actions in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were outlined in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing complete the first phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to guarantee that we achieve the same objectives in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must start immediately and then phase three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial head of state 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 alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After winning 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 currently under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Current Truce

During the initial stage of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas released the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed 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 Unclear Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza.

The order of these actions is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s vital to make sure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he stated.

Possible Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “alternatives” 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 “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Legal Proceedings

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

Netanyahu said Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “false allegations of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised official”.

A separate tribunal, the international court of justice, is considering allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide.

Questioned about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to consider this at the moment.”