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Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the primary phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza halt in hostilities plan is close to finalization, noting that the second stage must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister revealed he would discuss the next steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to conclude the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we achieve the identical outcomes in the second phase, and that’s something I am eager to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Stage two must begin now and then phase three must also be examined.”

Merz is the first leader of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released 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 stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Ongoing Truce

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

Since the ceasefire was declared 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 attacks over the same timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, specified a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza.

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

“I think it’s vital to make sure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” 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 dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired 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 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 means of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

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

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