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Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the first part of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire plan is approaching conclusion, stating that the second phase must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister revealed he would address the next steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were formalized in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the equivalent outcomes in the next phase, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued 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 indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

Under the initial stage of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas released the remaining 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

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

Next Steps and Unclear Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to retreat more, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza.

The timeline of these actions is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s important to make sure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he asserted.

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu raised the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was firmly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants 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 manufactured by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

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

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to discuss this at the current juncture.”