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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the first part of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce proposal is close to conclusion, and added that the next stage must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier revealed he would talk about the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were outlined in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the initial phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we secure the equivalent results in the next phase, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “The second phase must come now and then phase three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the first head of state of a major European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- 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 indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the remaining 20 surviving Israeli hostages in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the same period.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, set out a timetable extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to pull back further, 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 council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these actions is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s vital to ensure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he stated.

Possible Options and Political Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants 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 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 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 “compromised prosecutor”.

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

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