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Benjamin Netanyahu has remarked that the initial part of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities proposal is nearing conclusion, noting that the subsequent stage must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would discuss the following stages in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were codified in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing finish the first stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the same objectives in the next stage, and that’s something I am eager to addressing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must come now and then phase three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his former 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 said he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not at this time planned. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the initial stage of the existing ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the final 20 surviving Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared 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 timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, detailed a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be established under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a technocratic Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

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

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

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “negotiation”, and emphasized that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Charges and Judicial 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 top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an inquiry.

Netanyahu said Khan was “harming the credibility of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

A separate court, the international court of justice, is considering allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry concluded that Israel had carried out genocide.

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