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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the opening phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire agreement is close to finalization, and added that the second phase must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

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

“We are close to complete the initial stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to ensure that we secure the equivalent outcomes in the next phase, and that’s something I anticipate discussing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the first head of state of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered 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 in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not currently being considered. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Details of the Current Truce

Under the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages in return 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 pulled back to a truce line, leaving them in control 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 military actions over the same timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

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

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

Potential Alternatives and Political Stances

Netanyahu brought up the possibility 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 topic of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was strongly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu claimed the primary 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 allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “harming the standing of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

A separate court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry found that Israel had carried out genocide.

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