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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the initial stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal is approaching completion, and added that the next stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister revealed he would address the following stages in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we secure the same outcomes in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing 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 stated: “Phase two must start immediately and then phase three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial leader of a leading 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 in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not currently under consideration. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

During the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the last 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees 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 truce line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of more than 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas attacks over the identical period.

Future Stages and Unclear Sequencing

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, specified a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these measures is ambiguous in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements 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 commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Potential Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and emphasized that Israel was adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Cases

Netanyahu stated the primary reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as fabricated by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but stepped aside from his role in May pending the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “compromised official”.

A separate tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide.

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