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Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that the opening stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce plan is approaching completion, adding that the second phase must include the disarmament of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli premier revealed he would address the subsequent actions in the coming weeks in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN security council resolution on 17 November.

“We are nearing conclude the first stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the equivalent outcomes in the next stage, and that’s something I anticipate 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: “The second phase must begin now and then phase three must also be examined.”

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 in Gaza.

After winning federal elections in February, Merz had indicated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany regardless of the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not currently planned. Netanyahu disregards the warrants as “fabricated charges” from a “corrupt prosecutor”.

Terms of the Current Truce

Under the initial stage of the present ceasefire agreement, Hamas released the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and it has handed over all but one of 28 remains of hostages killed during the war. At the same time, Israeli forces have pulled back to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in control of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was put into effect 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 fatally wounded in Hamas attacks over the identical timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, set out a timetable extending the ceasefire into a lasting 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 “board of peace” of world leaders headed by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run daily administration of Gaza.

The timeline of these measures is unclear in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu focused 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 stated.

Possible Alternatives and Diplomatic Stances

Netanyahu raised the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without explaining what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a subject 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 overwhelming majority of UN member states.

ICC Charges 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 characterized as fabricated by the court’s top 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 awaiting the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “destroying the standing of the ICC” with “unfounded charges of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

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

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