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Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the initial phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza halt in hostilities plan is approaching finalization, and added that the second stage must include the disarmament of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader revealed he would discuss the next steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the same objectives in the second stage, and that’s something I am eager to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared 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 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 former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not at this time under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

During the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas released the last 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, leaving them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian council to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

The sequencing of these steps is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

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

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal 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 diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May awaiting the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

Another court, the international court of justice, is considering 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 prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the present time.”