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Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the primary phase of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce framework is approaching conclusion, and added that the subsequent phase must include the disarmament of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier revealed he would discuss the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were formalized in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the first phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to ensure that we secure the equivalent results in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate discussing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must start immediately and then stage three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a major European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a trip was not at this time under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Truce

Under the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has transferred all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was declared on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed more than 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas attacks over the same timeframe.

Next Steps and Unclear Sequencing

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a timetable transitioning the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to retreat more, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the control of a “board of peace” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza.

The timeline of these measures is not clear 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 abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he stated.

Potential Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was adamantly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Cases

Netanyahu stated the reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as fabricated by the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a way of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any wrongdoing, but stepped down from his role in May pending the outcome of an investigation.

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

Another tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is reviewing charges that Israel has perpetrated 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 discuss this at the moment.”