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Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the first segment of the internationally-supported Gaza truce agreement is close to finalization, noting that the next stage must entail the demilitarization of Hamas.

Forthcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli prime minister said he would address the next steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were outlined in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the initial phase,” Netanyahu said. “But we have to ensure that we secure the identical outcomes in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate reviewing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who commented: “The second phase must begin now and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a major European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court delivered 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 allegations in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had said he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not presently planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Truce

Under the first phase of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the remaining 20 surviving Israeli captives in return for some 2,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 bodies of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

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

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Neither Trump’s proposals, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) 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 administration of Gaza.

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

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

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Positions

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “other options” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “negotiation”, and stressed that Israel was strongly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process desired by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Judicial Proceedings

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

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

Another tribunal, the international court of justice, is weighing up charges that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had carried out genocide.

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