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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the primary part of the internationally-supported Gaza ceasefire proposal is close to completion, stating that the subsequent stage must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier mentioned he would address the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were formalized in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the initial phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the identical results in the second phase, and that’s something I anticipate discussing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “The second phase must start immediately and then the third phase must also be considered.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released warrants for arrest 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 securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not currently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

During the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas released the last 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, leaving them in control 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 more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Next Steps and Unclear Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run day-to-day administration of Gaza.

The timeline of these actions is vague in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu focused 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 demilitarized,” he said.

Potential Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly against the establishment 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.

ICC Charges and Judicial Proceedings

Netanyahu stated the primary reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as invented by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the reputation of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

Another tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up charges that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission found that Israel had carried out genocide.

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