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Benjamin Netanyahu has remarked that the initial phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza ceasefire agreement is nearing conclusion, adding that the next stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier said he would examine the next steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to conclude the first phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to ensure that we attain the equivalent outcomes in the second phase, and that’s something I am eager to discussing 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 taken into account.”

Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court issued warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged 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 despite the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a trip was not currently being considered. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Truce

Under the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of over 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the same period.

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, detailed a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run daily governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these actions is vague in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements 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 obligation which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Potential Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly against the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu said the primary reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as invented 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 wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and acts of genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

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

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