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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the opening phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire plan is nearing completion, stating that the next stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

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

“We’re about to conclude the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to ensure that we attain the same results in the second stage, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Stage two must begin now and then the third phase must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial leader of a leading 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 alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not presently being considered. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Current Truce

During the initial stage of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the final 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 bodies of hostages who died during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared 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 fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, specified a schedule transitioning 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 authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

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

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

Possible Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “discussion”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as manufactured by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but recused himself from his role in May pending the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the reputation of the ICC” with “false charges of deprivation and genocide” from a “compromised official”.

A separate tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry found 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 current juncture.”