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Benjamin Netanyahu has proclaimed that the first phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire agreement is nearing completion, and added that the subsequent stage must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier stated he would examine the following stages in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing finish the first phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the same results in the next phase, and that’s something I anticipate discussing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not currently planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

During the initial stage of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the remaining 20 living Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, leaving them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.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 more than 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, detailed a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza.

The sequencing of these steps is unclear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s important to ensure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said.

Possible Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and reiterated that Israel was firmly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu stated the primary 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 top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “damaging the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of starvation and genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

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

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