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Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the opening stage of the internationally-supported Gaza halt in hostilities plan is nearing conclusion, stating that the next stage must involve the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Talks in Washington

The Israeli prime minister mentioned he would address the following stages 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 close to conclude the initial stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we achieve the identical objectives in the next phase, and that’s something I look forward to reviewing with President Trump.”

European Leader Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was talking at a joint media briefing with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said: “Phase two must come now and then the third phase must also be considered.”

Merz is the initial head of state of a leading European state to confer with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his ex- defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in November last year for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

After securing victory in federal elections in February, Merz had stated he would welcome Netanyahu to Germany notwithstanding the ICC warrants, but noted on Sunday a visit was not currently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “baseless allegations” from a “corrupt prosecuting office”.

Details of the Ongoing Truce

During the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas freed the final 20 surviving Israeli captives in exchange 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 Meanwhile, Israeli forces have withdrawn to a ceasefire line, resulting in them in occupation of 58% of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire was declared 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 period.

Future Stages and Ambiguous Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly endorsed them, specified a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are supposed to pull back further, and an international stabilisation force (ISF) is to be created under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders headed by Trump, overseeing a administrative Palestinian council to run daily governance of Gaza.

The order of these steps is ambiguous in Trump’s proposals or in resolution 2803. In his remarks on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

“I think it’s crucial to ensure that Hamas complies not only with the ceasefire, but also with their obligation which they agreed to to disarm and have Gaza demilitarized,” he stated.

Possible Alternatives and Political Stances

Netanyahu brought up the prospects of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not dismiss Israeli sovereignty of the West Bank, labeling it as a topic of “debate”, and emphasized that Israel was strongly against the creation 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 Warrants and Judicial Cases

Netanyahu said the primary reason he would not be able make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as fabricated by the court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, as a means of diverting attention from allegations of sexual harassment against him. Khan has refuted any wrongdoing, but stepped aside from his role in May pending the outcome of an inquiry.

Netanyahu asserted Khan was “destroying the reputation of the ICC” with “false allegations of deprivation and genocide” from a “corrupt official”.

A separate tribunal, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is considering allegations that Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN autonomous investigative commission concluded 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.”