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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the opening phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire proposal is approaching completion, stating that the subsequent stage must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would examine the next steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were outlined in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to conclude the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we secure the identical results in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”

European Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Stage two must begin now and then stage three must also be examined.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a major European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court issued arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- 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 indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not currently under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Current Ceasefire

During the first phase of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains 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.

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

Next Steps and Unclear Sequencing

Neither 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 required to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The order of these actions is vague 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 ensure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their pledge which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said.

Possible Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu stated the primary 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 top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “harming the standing of the ICC” with “false charges of deprivation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

Asked about the possibility of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to discuss this at the present time.”