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Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the initial part of the UN-endorsed Gaza halt in hostilities framework is approaching completion, adding that the second stage must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader mentioned he would address the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to conclude the initial phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we attain the identical objectives in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must come now and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released warrants for arrest 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 securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not presently being considered. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced 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 same timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to retreat more, and an international stabilization force is to be set up under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders chaired by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian council to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

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

“I think it’s vital to ensure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he stated.

Possible Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was firmly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu stated the primary reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as invented by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of deprivation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up charges that Israel has perpetrated 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 no reason to consider this at the current juncture.”