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Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the opening stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire agreement is close to conclusion, adding that the second stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming 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 codified in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the initial phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we secure the same results in the second phase, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Phase two must begin now and then phase three must also be examined.”

Merz is the initial leader of a leading European state to confer with 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 allegations in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a trip was not currently planned. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas released the last 20 living Israeli hostages in return 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 At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same period.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, detailed a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

The sequencing of these measures is not clear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements 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 pledge which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he asserted.

Possible Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “negotiation”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as invented by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “harming the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

A separate tribunal, the international court of justice, is weighing up allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission found that Israel had carried out genocide.

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