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Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the opening stage of the internationally-supported Gaza truce agreement is nearing completion, and added that the subsequent stage must involve the disarmament of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier revealed he would discuss the following stages later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are close to finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to guarantee that we secure the same results in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “The second phase must come now and then the third phase must also be examined.”

Merz is the initial leader of a significant European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity allegations in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but said on Sunday a visit was not currently under consideration. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “fabricated allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Ongoing Truce

During the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the last 20 surviving Israeli hostages in return 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. Concurrently, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Following the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have killed over 360 Palestinians, including an estimated 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas military actions over the same timeframe.

Next Steps and Ambiguous Timeline

Neither 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 withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be set up 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 actions is unclear 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 commitment which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he said.

Possible Options and Political Stances

Netanyahu mentioned the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a subject of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was firmly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab governments as well as the overwhelming majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court 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 means of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May awaiting the outcome of an investigation.

Netanyahu said Khan was “damaging the credibility of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

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

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