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Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the opening segment of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities framework is close to conclusion, stating that the next phase must entail the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would address the future steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to conclude the initial stage,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to make sure that we secure the equivalent results in the second stage, and that’s something I anticipate addressing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a shared media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “Stage two must come now and then stage three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a significant European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court issued 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 securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a trip was not presently planned. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

Under the initial stage of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages who died during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, leaving them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the identical timeframe.

Next Steps and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, specified a schedule transitioning the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be established under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run daily governance of Gaza.

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

“I think it’s vital to make sure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he asserted.

Possible Options and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “discussion”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly against the creation 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.

ICC Warrants and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu claimed the 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 way of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “harming the reputation of the ICC” with “unfounded allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

A separate court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission determined that Israel had committed genocide.

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