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Benjamin Netanyahu has noted that the initial stage of the United Nations-backed Gaza truce proposal is approaching finalization, noting that the subsequent stage must include the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier mentioned he would discuss the subsequent actions in late November in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza plans were outlined in a UN Security Council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to complete the first stage,” Netanyahu stated. “But we have to make sure that we achieve the equivalent objectives in the second stage, and that’s something I anticipate discussing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was addressing the media at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “The second phase must start immediately and then stage three must also be considered.”

Merz is the first leader of a leading European state to meet Netanyahu in Israel since the international criminal court released warrants for arrest 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 securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would invite Netanyahu to Germany despite the ICC warrants, but clarified on Sunday a trip was not at this time planned. Netanyahu dismisses the warrants as “trumped-up charges” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Truce

Under the initial stage of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas freed the last 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 who died during the war. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have pulled back to a truce line, leaving them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was announced on 10 October, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of more than 360 Palestinians, including an approximate 70 children. Three Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hamas attacks over the same timeframe.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Sequencing

Neither Trump’s suggestions, nor UN security council resolution 2803 which largely endorsed them, specified a timetable extending the ceasefire into a lasting peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are meant to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be set up under the authority of a “board of peace” of world leaders chaired by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian committee to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these steps is vague in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu put his emphasis on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to make sure that Hamas abides not only with the ceasefire, but also with their commitment which they undertook to disarm and have Gaza demilitarise,” he said.

Possible Options and Political Positions

Netanyahu raised the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without elaborating on what those might be. He would not rule out Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, describing it as a subject of “negotiation”, and reiterated that Israel was strongly against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the objective of the peace process supported by most European and Arab capitals as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

ICC Warrants and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu claimed the reason he would not be able to make a return visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he characterized as fabricated by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of shifting focus from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any misconduct, but recused himself from his role in May awaiting the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “damaging the standing of the ICC” with “trumped-up allegations of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised prosecutor”.

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

Questioned about the prospect of Netanyahu visiting Germany, Merz told reporters on Sunday: “There is no reason to consider this at the current juncture.”