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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the primary phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza truce plan is close to finalization, noting that the subsequent stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader stated he would talk about the next steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We are close to finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we secure the equivalent outcomes in the second stage, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the initial head of state of a significant European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not at this time planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Current Truce

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

Since the ceasefire was announced 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 fatally wounded in Hamas attacks over the identical timeframe.

Next Steps and Ambiguous Timeline

Neither 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 required to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to retreat more, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these measures 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 crucial to make sure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Potential Alternatives and Political Stances

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “negotiation”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly opposed 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.

ICC Warrants and Legal Proceedings

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 chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May awaiting the conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised official”.

Another court, the international court of justice, is reviewing allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission found that Israel had carried out genocide.

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