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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the primary phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire agreement is close to finalization, and added that the subsequent stage must involve the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli leader mentioned he would talk about the following stages in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the first phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to ensure that we attain the identical results in the second phase, and that’s something I look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must begin now and then stage three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a major European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released 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 allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not currently planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

Under the first phase 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. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, set out a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza.

The sequencing of these actions is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

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

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “negotiation”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as invented 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 “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 autonomous commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had carried out genocide.

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