Initial Stage of Gaza Ceasefire Plan Nearly Finished, States Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu has commented that the initial phase of the internationally-supported Gaza ceasefire plan is close to completion, and added that the next phase must require the demilitarization of Hamas.

Upcoming Discussions in Washington

The Israeli premier mentioned he would examine the next steps later this month in Washington with Donald Trump, whose Gaza initiatives were codified in a UN security council decision on 17 November.

“We’re about to finish the initial stage,” Netanyahu remarked. “But we have to ensure that we secure the identical results in the second phase, and that’s something I am eager to addressing with President Trump.”

German Chancellor Meets with Netanyahu

The prime minister was speaking at a shared news conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who stated: “The second phase must start immediately and then stage three must also be taken into account.”

Merz is the first head of state of a leading European state to hold talks with Netanyahu in Israel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) released arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and his former 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 clarified on Sunday a visit was not currently planned. Netanyahu rejects the warrants as “trumped-up allegations” from a “biased prosecuting office”.

Details of the Current Ceasefire

Under the first phase of the present ceasefire deal, Hamas freed 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 remains of hostages who died during the war. Concurrently, Israeli forces have pulled back to a demarcation line, resulting in them in control 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 fatally wounded in Hamas military actions over the identical period.

Future Stages and Unclear Timeline

Not one of Trump’s suggestions, nor UN Security Council resolution 2803 which mostly supported them, set out a schedule extending the ceasefire into a permanent peace. Hamas is supposed to disarm, Israeli troops are scheduled to withdraw farther, and an international stabilization force is to be created under the control of a “peace board” of world leaders led by Trump, supervising a technocratic Palestinian council to run day-to-day governance of Gaza.

The timeline of these steps is not clear in Trump’s plan or in resolution 2803. In his statements on Sunday, Netanyahu focused on Hamas disarmament.

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

Potential Options and Political Stances

Netanyahu brought up the possibility of “alternatives” to the ISF, without clarifying what those might be. He would not exclude Israeli annexation of the West Bank, describing it as a topic of “debate”, and reiterated that Israel was adamantly opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, the goal of the peace process supported by most European and Arab governments as well as the vast majority of UN member states.

International Criminal Court Warrants and Legal Proceedings

Netanyahu said the reason he would not be able to make a reciprocal visit to Germany was the ICC arrest warrants, which he described as fabricated 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 wrongdoing, but recused himself from his role in May pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Netanyahu remarked Khan was “damaging the reputation of the ICC” with “false charges of starvation and genocide” from a “compromised official”.

A separate tribunal, the international court of justice, is considering allegations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In September, a UN independent commission of inquiry determined that Israel had committed genocide.

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