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Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the primary part of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire plan is approaching conclusion, stating that the second phase must include the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli leader stated he would talk about the following stages in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing complete the first stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the equivalent results in the second phase, and that’s something I am eager to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to hold talks 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 said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not presently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

During the initial stage of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas released the final 20 surviving 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. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control 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 estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the identical period.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, specified a timetable extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

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

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

Possible Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was strongly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as manufactured by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May pending the conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised official”.

Another tribunal, the international court of justice, is weighing up charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

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