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Benjamin Netanyahu has proclaimed that the first segment of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire framework is approaching completion, noting that the second phase must include the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier stated he would examine the following stages later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to ensure that we secure the identical objectives in the second stage, and that’s something I am eager to addressing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Stage two must come now and then the third phase must also be examined.”

Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered 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 stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not at this time planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same period.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

The sequencing of these steps is vague 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 complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said.

Possible Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was strongly opposed 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 to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described 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 aside from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu said Khan was “damaging the credibility of the ICC” with “trumped-up charges of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Another tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission found that Israel had committed genocide.

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