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Benjamin Netanyahu has remarked that the primary stage of the UN-endorsed Gaza truce proposal is nearing finalization, noting that the subsequent phase must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier revealed he would examine the future steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were codified in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we achieve the same results in the second stage, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Stage two must start immediately and then the third phase must also be considered.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) delivered 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 allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not at this time being considered. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas released the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced 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 period.

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, detailed a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders chaired by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The order of these steps is vague in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on 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 demilitarise,” he said.

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu brought up 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 adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Judicial Cases

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

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

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide.

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