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Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the primary phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce plan is approaching conclusion, noting that the second phase must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would address the following stages in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to finish the first stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to make sure that we attain the identical results in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “The second phase must come now and then the third phase must also be examined.”

Merz is the initial leader of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) 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 stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a visit was not currently under consideration. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

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 Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the same timeframe.

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, set out a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to pull back further, and an international stabilization force is to be set up under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The order of these measures is ambiguous in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his comments on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s vital to ensure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he asserted.

Potential Options and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and stressed that Israel was strongly against 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.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the primary 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 way of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the reputation of the ICC” with “unfounded allegations of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised official”.

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

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to discuss this at the present time.”