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Benjamin Netanyahu has observed that the primary stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce proposal is close to completion, and added that the subsequent phase must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister revealed he would discuss the future steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the initial stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to guarantee that we attain the identical results in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Phase two must begin now and then the third phase must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released warrants for arrest 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 said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not presently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the last 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas attacks over the identical period.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, detailed a timetable extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

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

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

Possible Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was strongly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described 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 misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu said Khan was “harming the credibility of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Another tribunal, the international court of justice, is reviewing charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission found that Israel had committed genocide.

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