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Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the opening stage of the internationally-supported Gaza ceasefire framework is close to finalization, and added that the subsequent stage must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier stated he would examine the future steps in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza proposals were codified in a UN Security Council resolution on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the first stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the equivalent outcomes in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to addressing with President Trump.”

European Chancellor Visits Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Stage two must come now and then the third phase 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 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 indicated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not presently under consideration. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Terms of the Current Ceasefire

During the initial stage of the existing ceasefire deal, Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli hostages 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. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a truce line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.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 approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely supported them, detailed a schedule extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is required to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the authority of a “peace board” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a administrative Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

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

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

Potential Alternatives and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “discussion”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the aim of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Legal Cases

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able to 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 means of shifting focus from accusations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has denied any misconduct, but stepped down from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of starvation and acts of genocide” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

A separate tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent investigative commission concluded that Israel had carried out genocide.

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