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Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the primary stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire framework is close to conclusion, stating that the subsequent stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier mentioned he would examine the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to guarantee that we secure the identical objectives in the second stage, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

European Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Phase two must come now and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a major European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a trip was not currently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the remaining 20 surviving Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

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

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, set out a timetable extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run daily governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these steps 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 important to make sure that Hamas adheres not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he stated.

Potential Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was firmly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu stated 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 way of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “unfounded allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

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

Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to consider this at the current juncture.”