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Benjamin Netanyahu has observed that the primary segment of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire framework is nearing conclusion, and added that the second stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister revealed he would address the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to complete the initial stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to make sure that we attain the same results in the second stage, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “The second phase must start immediately and then the third phase must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial leader of a leading European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court issued arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a trip was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

During the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 living Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these steps is ambiguous in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to ensure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Potential Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Cases

Netanyahu claimed the primary reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as fabricated by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from accusations 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 “damaging the reputation of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

Another court, the international court of justice, is reviewing allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission found 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.”