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Benjamin Netanyahu has observed that the first phase of the internationally-supported Gaza ceasefire plan is nearing finalization, stating that the second phase must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader stated he would examine the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were outlined in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing complete the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to ensure that we secure the identical outcomes in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Stage two must start immediately and then the third phase must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial leader of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued 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 in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not currently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the remaining 20 surviving Israeli hostages in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

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

Next Steps and Ambiguous Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza.

The order of these measures is unclear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s important 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 Options and Political Stances

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 “debate”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly opposed the establishment 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 Warrants and Judicial Proceedings

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 top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but stepped aside from his role in May pending the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the credibility of the ICC” with “false allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised official”.

A separate court, the international court of justice, is reviewing allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission found that Israel had committed genocide.

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to discuss this at the moment.”