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Benjamin Netanyahu has remarked that the first phase of the UN-endorsed Gaza truce proposal is close to conclusion, noting that the second phase must entail the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli leader mentioned he would address the following stages in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the initial stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the identical outcomes in the next phase, and that’s something I am eager to addressing with President Trump.”

German Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must begin now and then the third phase 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 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 winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not currently being considered. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

Under the first phase of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange 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. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation 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 over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the identical period.

Next Steps and Ambiguous Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, set out a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The order of these measures is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

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

Potential Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Legal Cases

Netanyahu claimed the primary reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as manufactured by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means 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 conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu said Khan was “harming the standing of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

A separate tribunal, the international court of justice, is considering allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission found that Israel had committed genocide.

Asked about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz informed reporters on Sunday: “There is little cause to discuss this at the current juncture.”