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Benjamin Netanyahu has observed that the first phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza truce agreement is close to finalization, noting that the next phase must entail the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader said he would address the future steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to complete the initial phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we secure the identical outcomes in the second phase, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “The second phase must start immediately and then phase three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the first leader of a significant European state to meet 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 war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

Under the initial stage of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the remaining 20 living 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. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the same period.

Next Steps and Ambiguous Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, detailed a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be set up under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these measures is vague in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to ensure 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.

Potential Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the prospects 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 subject of “negotiation”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as fabricated by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission determined that Israel had committed genocide.

Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to discuss this at the present time.”