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Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the initial stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce framework is approaching completion, adding that the second stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli leader mentioned he would address the future steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were formalized in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the same objectives in the second phase, and that’s something I look forward to discussing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

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

Merz is the initial leader of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) delivered arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- 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 said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not presently planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Terms of the Current Truce

During the first phase of the present ceasefire agreement, 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. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.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 attacks over the same period.

Next Steps and Unclear Sequencing

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, set out a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) 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 timeline of these actions is unclear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s important to ensure 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.

Potential Options and Political Stances

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was firmly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as invented by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “harming the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

A separate court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is reviewing allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide.

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