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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the opening part of the United Nations-backed Gaza halt in hostilities agreement is nearing completion, stating that the subsequent stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier said he would discuss the subsequent actions later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

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

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must come now and then the third phase must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a significant European state to meet 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 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 despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not at this time planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Ongoing Truce

Under the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 living 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. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back 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 attacks over the identical 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 lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily administration of Gaza.

The timeline of these actions is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

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

Potential Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal 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 make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as invented by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May pending the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “unfounded allegations of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

Another tribunal, the international court of justice, is reviewing charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had carried out genocide.

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