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Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the primary part of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire plan is approaching completion, noting that the second phase must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli leader mentioned he would talk about the subsequent actions in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to complete the first stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to guarantee that we secure the equivalent objectives in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the first head of state of a significant European state to confer 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 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 trip was not at this time planned. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Ongoing Truce

Under the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 surviving Israeli hostages in exchange 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. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled 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, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily governance of Gaza.

The order of these actions is unclear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to make sure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said.

Potential Alternatives and Political Stances

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal 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 Proceedings

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

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

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

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to discuss this at the present time.”