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Benjamin Netanyahu has observed that the initial part of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce framework is approaching finalization, stating that the subsequent stage must require the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister said he would examine the next steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing finish the first phase,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the equivalent objectives in the second stage, and that’s something I am eager to reviewing with President Trump.”

German Leader Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Stage two must begin now and then stage three must also be examined.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released 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 in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not presently planned. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Current Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the remaining 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed over 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, detailed a timetable extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be set up under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run daily governance of Gaza.

The sequencing of these measures is ambiguous in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu stressed Hamas disarmament.

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

Potential Alternatives and Political Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “discussion”, and reiterated that Israel was strongly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges and Legal Cases

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

Netanyahu said Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “false charges of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised official”.

Another court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

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