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Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the first segment of the UN-endorsed Gaza ceasefire agreement is close to finalization, noting that the subsequent phase must involve the disarmament of Hamas.

Forthcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister stated he would address the next steps in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to complete the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we achieve the identical outcomes in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate discussing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “Phase two must come now and then the third phase must also be examined.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released warrants for arrest for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for 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 regardless of the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not presently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless charges” from a “biased prosecutor”.

Terms of the Ongoing Ceasefire

During the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the remaining 20 living 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 killed during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following 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 killed in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s proposals, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to retreat more, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders headed by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

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

“I think it’s vital to ensure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he asserted.

Possible Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “discussion”, and stressed that Israel was strongly against the establishment 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.

International Criminal Court Charges and Legal Cases

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

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

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

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